YOU THE DESIGNER

12 STEP TO A SUPER GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO

Your graphic design portfolio is a representation of yourself and of your skills as a graphic designer and it will become an essential part of landing your graphic design dream job! This guide will help you fine tune your portfolio to make sure its in top shape for your upcoming interviews!

DISCOVER HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO

1. Choosing a Portfolio Case
Choosing a case for your work should be the first step of creating your graphic design portfolio. The style of the case and the size of the case will play a role in what will be inside. You don’t need to have the most expensive portfolio in the world, but it should be nice, new and look professional. Don’t show up with your parents beat up portfolio case that’s been sitting in the attic for 10 years!
Be sure to also take into account the size of the pages to see if it will be a good size to display the work you have. For example, if you do a lot of poster designs you may want a larger case so you can print your designs at a larger size.

2. Your Portfolio’s Background Paper
The background paper in your case should be a neutral color, most likely a white or light grey and should be used throughout your entire portfolio. Try to avoid switching background colors because it can be shocking to the view and throw of the flow of your portfolio.

3. Consistency
Like your paper usage, the work and placement of your work should be consistent as well. If you center all your designs on each page make sure they are center everywhere. Try to keep spacing even around the sides as well. Showing errors in consistency your portfolio will reflect what your design work could be like.

4. Including the Right Designs
You should spend a lot of time choosing the right work for your portfolio. If you are in design school be sure to have your teachers help you out, or ask your designer friends for input. Your work should be current and you should tailor the type of work in your portfolio to the job you are applying for. If you are applying for a job at a magazine, be sure to include projects related to this area of work. Don’t show up with a bunch of CD covers and poster designs and no magazine covers or spreads.

5. Strong Start
When the viewer opens your portfolio you want to “wow” them, but the key is to keep them “wowed” throughout the entire presentation. Pick one of your strongest pieces for the opening page, which is usually a single page and not a spread. Its better to keep your resume and any other paper work in the back or in a separate folder.

6. Strong Finish
Ending strong is just as important as starting strong, if not more important, because you want to leave a good visual memory in the mind of the viewer. You should include another very strong piece at the end. Your portfolio should get stronger as it goes on, not weaker!

7. Placement of Work
Your work should be trimmed neatly with no rough edges and placed firmly on each page. You should use some sort of sticky tack or removable double sided tape so your work does not shift around on the page. The last thing you wanna do is open up a portfolio for an interview and see all your work jumbled around and falling out of the page slips!

8. Labeling Your Work
More often than not, interviewers will ask you to leave a portfolio at the office for future viewing so labeling your work with a title and very brief description can help refresh their memory if they begin looking through your portfolio again. Labels can also serve as notes for you while you talk about your work. Keep the labels consistent; in the same place, size and fonts.

9. Talking About Your Work
It is very important to be able to speak about each piece in your portfolio for at least a few minutes each. Know who it was for, what the project details were, what you did, what the concept was, what style you used, why and so on!

10. Practice Makes Perfect
You may know everything there is to know about your work, but being able to speak about it confidently is a whole other game. Practice in front of friends, family and even strangers so you can get over any uncomfortable feelings sooner than later. The more your practice the better your presentation will be! Just remember not to ramble on for too long on about each project.

11. Networking
Networking is an essential aspect of any career, and the more designers and art directors you know the better. Its great to be able to show your portfolio to honest people in the field. Most designers and art directors are used to giving honest, non bull-crap critiques so their opinions can be very valuable!

12. Maintaining and Updating your Portfolio
Keeping you portfolio current is important because you could unexpectedly get fired, or your dream job might pop up out of no where! You need to be ready at a moments notice; so update your portfolio once in a while and this includes replacing any bent or ripped pieces of work and cleaning fingerprints and smudges from the clear page slips.

Tell us About Your Experiences!
We would love to hear about your graphic design portfolio, portfolios you have seen and interviews you have been on in the comments below! Feel free to include pics of your portfolios in the comments as well and links to your portfolio websites.



http://www.psd2html.com/order-now.html
http://page-flip.com/

http://www.uprinting.com/

So you think you might have what it takes to become a graphic designer? Where do you go from here?

Time to get educated...

Although there may be some that make it to the industry just by talent alone, most, if not all of us (I'm talking you and me here) need some sort of certificate or degree to land a job as a graphic designer. Employers won't even bother to look at you if you lack the piece of paper that shows that you have been trained and seasoned by some sort of graphic design related program.

Getting a degree or certificate doesn't reflect your talent, but it does show that you have a good firm base of knowledge and you take the industry seriously. So what are your training options?

There are many graphic design schools and colleges across North America, Europe, and abroad that offers graphic design related degrees and programs. The range and scope of these programs all depend on what you want, and where you want to go. There are programs in multimedia, graphic design, visual communication, advertising, animation, web development, and so on. All have much of the same principles and structure at work, but they all can have a different slant. Often people lump these categories together into "graphic design". A multimedia program for example may focus more on the TV industry. Other programs may focus more on print or website development. Often there is some overlap with all of these kinds of programs, but they can be quite different. It's important though to know what slant the program has, and if you're happy with that slant.

The Art Institute of Pittsburgh - Online Division offers very strong programs in Graphic Design, Video Game Development, Multimedia & more. The great thing is that you can get a degree from home through the Internet. This is the way a lot of people are doing things these days.

Recommended Graphic Design Schools

There are many graphic design schools and colleges offering a range of degrees and certificates. Below are some of the best education options for those wanting a strong start for a career in graphic design. Request more information (it's totally free), and get your dream career started in this exciting industry.
ITT Technical Institute (Hot!)Location: 100+ Campuses Nationwide!

Graphic Design Program:

The Graphic Design program in the School of Drafting and Design at ITT Technical Institute offers skills and knowledge to help graduates communicate ideas and concepts through print and electronic media. The program emphasizes creativity, visualization and critical thinking to help graduates generate technologically appropriate, functional and aesthetically pleasing graphic design. Instruction in design theory, graphic design tools and media production is included. The program also includes hands-on applications using equipment and software.
Request their School of Drafting and Design Brochure today to find out more about these programs.

Westwood College Online (Hot!)
Location: Online + Various Locations

Visual Communications Bachelor of Science Degree:

Get the skills you need for creative positions in advertising agencies, in-house design departments, design companies, web-design firms, and Internet companies.
Associate's Degree in Graphic Design:
Learn the fundamentals of graphic design and turn your ideas into reality with hands-on experience with the latest technology and software. Courses can be completed in as few as 17 months and are taught by instructors trained in online course delivery.

The Art Institute of Pittsburgh - Online Division (Hot!)
Location: Online

Bachelor of Science Degree in Graphic Design:

The Bachelor of Science in Graphic Design degree program provides students the opportunity to develop an understanding of color and composition, design and typography, and drawing board skills. As they progress through the program, students are trained in creative problem solving and learn to offer solutions that are effective in the business world. This program also offers students an opportunity to developed advanced graphic design skills and focus additional studies in associated art and design areas.
Associate of Science Degree in Graphic Design:The Graphic Design program at The The Art Institute of Pittsburgh - Online Division is the first step toward a career in commercial graphics. Initially, students develop an understanding of color and composition, design and typography, and drawing board skills. As they progress through the program, students are trained in creative problem solving and learn to offer solutions that are effective in the business world.

The Art Institutes
Various Locations Across the US and Canada**Click on the school link to check the location availability for your area*

Program of Graphic Design:

Good designers are an interesting breed; they live and breathe in the aesthetic and functional realm. Their discerning eyes notice type treatments on commercials and movie credits. A great-looking chair makes them green with envy.
If you are a kindred soul to this kind of thinking, welcome to design. We know you. You create the interesting visuals that make all the difference in the world.
But first things first. You’ll need an education, taught by faculty, who act like clients. Then mentors. Then back again. And you’ll need a portfolio, which will become your all-consuming passion as you’re preparing to graduate. Potential employers will want to see what you can do. You’ll be ready.
Begin a career in Graphic Design today through The Art Institutes' Graphic Design program.

American InterContinental University Online
Locations: Various Locations + Online

Visual Communication / Bachelor of Fine Arts or Associate Degree:

The Visual Communication program is designed to educate and develop artistic and imaginative students for careers in the fields of commercial art and design. Emphasis is placed on the development of the thinking process and the ability to solve design problems creatively. Students learn the principles, practical applications and methodologies used in completing competent and creative design solutions.

IADT Online
Location: Online

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design

To help meet the demand for more experienced creative professionals, IADT Online will also begin accepting applications for enrollment into its Bachelor of Fine Art degree program in Graphic Design. In this dynamic curriculum, students will focus on hands-on projects and professional portfolio and résumé building as they have an opportunity to acquire career-specific skills in advertising, layout, type, color, and illustration.
Associate of Science in Graphic Design
For students just embarking on a creative career path, the Academy's Associate of Science degree program in Graphic Design is structured to provide a real-world understanding of the roles and responsibilities of today's graphic designers in the modern workplace.By studying the fundamentals of computer graphics, advertising and design, students can learn how to work with clients to help them communicate ideas visually. They will also be instructed how to generate creative ideas for packaging, imaging and design as they become comfortable with graphics programs like PhotoShop and Illustrator.

High-Tech Institute
Locations: Atlanta, Nashville, Orlando, Phoenix

Graphic Design and Animation

People in this profession create or design things on computers. Though this sounds simple enough, their work often requires them to know several different software programs in order to edit or create images, graphics, sounds and video files, websites, 3D images, CD's and multimedia presentations.
What does our Graphic Design and Animation program offer you?- The knowledge to create and edit images and graphics in Photoshop, and to use Macromedia Flash to create Internet presentations - The skill to use Adobe Premier to create and edit digital video and audio files - The training to use 3D Studio MAX to generate animations and 3D images - The ability the create interactive web sites - The proficiency to build multimedia presentations using Macromedia Director.

Collins College
Location: Tempe, Arizona

Bachelor of Arts Degree in Visual Communications:

Students who graduate from this program can enter the above career fields depending on the specialization as Graphic Designers, Internet Web Designers, New Media Production Designers, Graphic Communications, Multimedia Designers, Graphic Designers for interactive Media, Digital Video Editors, and Commercial Production utilizating non-linear editing. The length of the BA Program will be approximately thirty one (31) months for those students who are taking the lower division Associate Program at Collins College.

Associate of Arts Degree in Visual Communications:

The educational objective of the Associate of Arts Degree Program at Collins College is to provide the knowledge, skills and experience needed to prepare the student for entry-level employment in the Visual Communication field. The required core courses educate the student in traditional and computer-based design concepts and technical skills necessary for the professional Graphic Designer.