Artworker Portfolio?

[lister]

I am a Mac artworker who has been working in Repro/advertising for over 10 years (straight from school). i am about to leave my posistion and start looking for a new job. The problem is I never really had a portfolio before. I have loads of adverts i have worked on but i am unsure the best way of presentation. i mean should I just run out the ads and spray mount these in my portoflio? is there any resources on the net about presentation can someone help???

[terrie]

>>lister: I have loads of adverts i have worked on but i am unsure the best way of presentation. i mean should I just run out the ads and spray mount these in my portoflio? is there any resources on the net about presentation can someone help???


I did a google search on "presenting portfolios" and found this:

http://www.careertrainer.com/Request.jsp?lView=ViewArticle&Article=OID:110308&Page=OID:110309

which I think has some excellent points that you might find helpful...

In determining what will go into your portfolio, I think you need to think about what sorts of jobs you will be applying for. You may find that you might want more than one portfolio--each one would show work that is appropriate to/for the particular position.

You might want to go through all of your work and cull what you think are the best examples.

As to actual presentation. Are the ads in digital format? If so, perhaps reprinting them on nice heavy paper would be a good idea.

If they aren't, then mounting them on heavyweight paper/board would probably present them well and allow them to be handled without them getting dirty or damaged...

There are numerous types of presentation portfolios available--binder format with acid-free sheet protectors one can slip your pages into or boxes where your pages are essentially loose. They come in all sorts of sizes from 5x7" on up. The one I use is a binder type which allows me to add and remove the sheet protector pages...it's 11x14", black, zips closed and has handles.

You may be asked to leave your portfolio and so you might want to have more than one and also, that might mean that you don't go with a portfolio that costs a lot of money...you want something sturdy that looks neat and professional but that doesn't cost you $300...'-}}

One last thing...make sure that if you do a cover letter, that you've spelled *everything* correctly (have someone else read it) and that your grammar is consistent with a professional presentation and position...

Hope this helps...

Terrie

[ktinkel]

… I never really had a portfolio before. I have loads of adverts i have worked on but i am unsure the best way of presentation. i mean should I just run out the ads and spray mount these in my portoflio?You can do that, with more or less sophistication. That is, a simple mount on white cards; or on black cards; or with a mat to frame the piece, and so on.

Some get much fancier. You can laminate the mounted ads, for example. Makes a very durable portfolio, as people will be handling the pages.

It seems to me that fashions change in this matter. If possible, try to look at some portfolios that others are showing in your area, see how they handle it.

My other advice has to do with preparing for an interview. Try to edit down your collection of samples to show work that will be of interest to the person you’re presenting to. Better a dozen (or fewer) really appropriate samples than many.

Also, be clear about what your contribution was to the piece — did you design it? Produce it under close direction from an art director? Or something in-between? You should be ready to explain that during the interview.

Oh, and if at all possible: Resist people who want you to drop off your portfolio. For one thing, you’ll get a lot of wrecked (or even missing) pieces that way. But you also will not have an opportunity to help them focus on your work, which may make the portfolio less effective.

Good luck!

[lister]

thanks!

[Norman Hathaway]

When looking at production portfolios- I just like to see complexity. Anything that is difficult to achieve and shows craft skills is all I care about. Whether it was done for a bigshot client or even published- makes no difference to me at all.

I put my portfolio together as individual pages, that way I can use them as a 'deck of cards' and deal out what's appropriate for the prospective client. I avoid using card in order to keep the weight light.

Snare those jobs!

N

[ElyseC]

I put my portfolio together as individual pages, that way I can use them as a 'deck of cards' and deal out what's appropriate for the prospective client. I avoid using card in order to keep the weight light.That's the approach I decided to take 20 years ago when I was finally forced to assemble a real portfolio to began full-time self employment.

I found that if a potential client (such literal beasts are they!) had nothing to do with brand design, product packaging or POP/POS, I did better to leave out all but maybe one sample of such work and include only those that related to their industry or project needs. That approach kept them focused on the fact that I do possess the talent and experience they're looking for. However, leaving in the odd unrelated sample told them I'm well rounded and sometimes brought me additional work they'd have farmed to someone else. ("What? You mean we don't have to find two designers -- one for the corporate brochure and another to redo our retail packaging and POS??") :-)

[don Arnoldy]

is there any resources on the net about presentation can someone help???You've found the best resource on the net!

Everyone here has given you really good advice, but I want to ad another 2¢-worth.

Putting together a portfolio is--at it core--no different than designing any sales piece (be it ad, brochure, or billboard). There are two questions you have to answer before you assemble the portfolio:

Who am I talking to?
What do I want to communicate?

This means you need to do some research on the place/person with whom you are going to interview and the position they are seeking to fill. Are they looking for a designer to do conceptual work, a designer who can do production, a production artist who can do some design, or a production person with no design aspirations? Do they work quick and clean, or quicker and dirty (in theory, they could work slow and clean, but nobody does)? Do they do mostly 1-, 2-, or 4-color? What kinds of projects do the do?

Now, out of your body of work, pick 4 to 10 pieces that are most-appropriate to this job, and that becomes your portfolio this time.

4 great pieces are better than 4 great ones and 6 crappy ones
Don't bring everything you've ever worked on
Don't include anything you feel the need to appologize for
Be prepared to tell the interviewer why what you did on each piece is relevant to the job you wish to get
Remember, the person who is interviewing you is short-handed, and has other pressing things to do


Repeat for the next job interview. Now, this process is easier if all of the stuff is mounted similarly. It doesn't really matter if its on boards, in plastic sleeves or something else--as long as its neat and easily re-arranged.