A portfolio is a good way to present yourself for business. A portfolio is a compilation of your work that documents your expertise and personality. Why is this important? Because it's reinforcement. You can't just say something and not have proof.
I've recently began putting together my own portfolio and wanted to show the experience. Let's begin with saying it is my FIRST ever portfolio and it's a learning process. This whole concept is completely foreign to me and I didn't know how much it was going to take to finish it.
I began with the mindset of this being another project for my class but it was completely different than anything I've ever done. It took more of my energy than I figured. A portfolio is no joke! It is something you have to constantly work on to perfect and you have to keep asking yourself, "How does this represent me?", "Is this something I want to show my clients?", and a myriad of other self-exploration questions. Everything begins with what you're to broadcast for others to see. I had to go through the archives of my work and search for multiple pieces that I was proud of, showed my experience and technique, and had my personality in it. After the selection process, I had to tweak anything I deemed as unfinished. It also helps that you remember critiques you've received from you peers and professors.
I selected a few of my pieces that represented my style. Without inflating my ego, I would say I work very well with layers and know how to work them together. I stated in a previous blog post that my professors even noted that I can create textures and that's how I found my calling if you say. It was something I did with ease and it become something I was kind of known for. Some of the pieces below will show you what I've been trying to explain.
After picking my pieces, I had to modify a few to make them complete and then print. I have to adjust the final size of my larger work due to my portfolio's size. I had to get a little crafty when it came to my portfolio because of budget and resources. All in all, make it work! (as said by Project Runway's Tim Gunn) Being a college student struggling to find employment and living with a single parent, you don't have the most lavish budget and had to think of a solution fast. I then realized I still had page protectors and binders from high school I could use. Hoping they were in good condition, I searched through the graveyard of school materials. It was a sense of relief that I had this laying around and it would help immensely for my portfolio.
Everything inside your portfolio is a huge chunk of representation but don't forget about the cover! I know the saying is, "Don't judge a book by its cover" but how else will we be interested in something that has no pizazz or lures us in to pick it up. I began sketching thumbnails and roughs of how I wanted to present my name and how I wanted some type of image to follow that. At this time, I had no idea what type of display picture I wanted to showcase. A lot of ideas bounced around and I finally decided to make my own.
A sneak peak into my process with thumbnails (left) and roughs (right).
Ultimately, I was satisfied with it after trial and error. That's the point of design, you have to constantly work on something until your deadline (if you have one). And the hardest aspect is having a finished product because you might believe it needs a little more work but your client might like/want it the way it is. That's where communication comes in handy. But the difficult part was I was my own client and had to fulfill my purpose with my portfolio cover design.
This is probably the hardest thing I had to do to date. I entered very dim about the idea of a portfolio and worked myself constantly to finish and I've learned so much. I had to many obstacles I worked around due to everything that is limited to me. Overall, I have a better understanding to make a better portfolio next time I update while my work progresses.
Until next time,
--Kimberly Dinh
No comments:
Post a Comment