Improving your portfolio
- Started
- Last post
- 16 Responses
- seed
I was wondering how many of you established designers still do self-initiated or fictional work to improve your portfolio? I know it's common for recent graduates but what about mid-career? Do you think it helps with potential employers if the work is good or does it not hold the same weight as client work?
- JSK0
"self-initiated or fictional work to improve your portfolio"
Yes. It should be for anyone.
- e-pill0
i create a lot of "fictional" work to show that i can create work as well as take and give direction for the entire project.
branded work is sale-able media.. it helps push your design identity as people can relate to branded work.
fictional work to me is very important as there may be ideas that i wasnt able to showcase thru the client driven work.
this work will always show my best as the focus is still around the marketed industry with strategy and focus.
it helps tie all the work together.
- arthur0
Been working on this myself, trying to steer my clients in a new direction. If you get tired of repeatedly doing what you've already done, sometimes you need to show what other things you can do.
- shellie0
What e-pill said. I've definitely done that... or work I wasn't getting paid for necessarily -- just to expand my service offerings. Just recently did this with a music video which I ended up putting out and had it's own success since. Now I'm getting more motion graphics jobs which is what I wanted, but I never would have if I didn't do my first music video for shits and giggles. And, I was able to learn the process on my own terms with minimal pressure.
- seed0
So e-pill, do you position your fictional work as it's own brand or just label them as unused designs?
- e-pill0
@ seed-
it can be any number of ways.. as i am a product designer, i can create a brand identity around different tiers and markets..
lets say i am creating a sleek and sophistcated business cases so i may relate the construction and fabrics around certain brands that provide that look and visual.
if the product ranges from female consumers i may again use like styled brands to help push the idea but i may just leave it unbranded.
as shellie has stated, this can showcase styles of work that opens new directions for you that your viewer can now see your ranges are not just focused on just client driven work.
i have been doing fashion accessories for 14+ years.. i have worked for most of the mass retail to high end vendors.. even though i have tons of branded work i always show the side of me that isnt that direction.. i showcase my personal work as it also showcases the design and attention to detail and defines my work ethics stronger.
- e-pill = herozenmasterfoo
- Thanks for the explanation.seed
- always!!
:)e-pill
- antoine_1010
im trying to get into packaging (my folio is mainly brochures, small print items etc) and the only way i can think of doing this is by doing some fictional/concept packaging work...
- to show to potential packaging clients as without it i wont have any packaing folio at all...antoine_101
- for packaging i personally like to see designers research the target market and bring that..e-pill
- in terms of shape, colour, material, fonts and design is all important.e-pill
- yeah thats what i intend to do. try to find something that i dont think works and then improve on it or totally redesign it.antoine_101
- seed0
Do any of you ever make up fictional companies, band names, etc when designing more commercial examples? I'm sure it's not a good idea to use an established brand or event.
- i think suggesting towards brands that can be identifiede-pill
- will help sell the idea from fictional work.. it also shows you researched the market.e-pill
- initiative is very important for designers to market their work to new clients.e-pill
- you can leave the work un-branded but suggest it can be this or that brand..e-pill
- or showcase your trends as inspiration from this or that brand will also sell the work.e-pill
- kona0
all my work is fictional
- duckseason0
- Ahh.. now my brain can comprehend this concept. Cheers!set
- I'm here to help. ;)duckseason
- seed0
Nice, if anyone has more fictional work to show please post it.
- whatsup0
There are many industrial designers who create concept cars and products that never make the market. Often times, this is the only way you can make a better designed product that did not have to worry about business restraints.
- i_monk0
I'm planning a couple of self-initiated projects for this winter, including a rebranding of an existing institution (which underwent a rebranding last year, but I hate what they came up with). I'd include it as a "proposal" or whatever, since it wasn't solicited.
- good one would be United/continental airlines merger, their new branding is totally shitantoine_101
- it's marmite isn't itsseo
- It's Toronto-based.i_monk
- nocomply0
I think doing your own self-initiated work is a great way to expand your skill set, reignite your passion for your work, and perhaps even enhance your career opportunities. It keeps you fresh and sane as a break from the normal routine.
I don't do it often (or at all it seems these days) but it's very rewarding when I do.