Chapter 4
The Traditional Portfolio
Design and Art Projects
Chapter 3 was devoted to an in-depth discussion of the written components of your portfolio: the résumé, cover letter, and business card. It’s time now to turn our attention to the visual components of your portfolio: the art and design projects. These will help to focus the potential employer on your strengths as a creative designer, so it’s important to choose thoughtfully and carefully. Each piece should establish your conceptual skills and problem-solving abilities. In addition, the pieces you include must demonstrate not only your talent but also your potential for growth.
Most employers agree that the design portfolio should be composed of ten to twenty pieces of recent, original work. These pieces should demonstrate your strength and experience in design, as well as highlight skill areas of particular interest to you. In sum, you must use your portfolio to create a coherent, comprehensive message about yourself as a designer.
Fig. 4–1: A small booklet of your work, like this one by Daniel Maxwell, allows you to showcase your designs in a keepsake that will help potential employers remember you.
Before we go much further here, though, I want to stress that there really are no right or wrong pieces to include in your port. That said, you should also be aware that the first piece viewed by an employer is the most ...
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