Our latest Portfolio Showcase comes from designer and illustrator Sarah Jackson. For a closer look, click on the screenshots to visit the respective area of her portfolio at sarahjackson.ca.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’m a freelance designer and illustrator based out of Edmonton, Alberta (Canada). I went to Grant MacEwan University for Design Studies (Illustration stream) and after 3 years of illustrating and another 3 years of doing graphic design for various companies, I decided to take the leap and begin my own freelance studio. Sarah Jackson Design + Illustration was born a year ago and cuss, I’m loving it!
How long have you had an online portfolio?
Before I went freelance, I had an online Flash portfolio (NIGHTMARE!) that I ignored on a regular basis. When I started freelancing full-time I knew that I no longer had any excuse and that I’d have to do something about that god-awful Flash take-a-whole-coffee-break-to-load Nightmare… I’ve had my current customized WordPress portfolio since the Fall of 2009 and it’s been serving me very well.
What was your design process?
I feel like there is a lot of design on the web that is overwhelmingly busy and cluttered. It’s like we’re trying to scare people with our quantity instead of impressing them with our quality, and it never fails to give me a headache. I purposefully chose a VERY simple, very clean aesthetic for my website (a free WordPress theme), and then worked with my brother Justin Jackson to customize and tweak it so that it contained all of the elements that I needed. Lots of back and forth and edits. For example, one thing I really wanted for my site was ridiculously easy navigation – so, now my viewers can access my portfolio from the top menu, but my projects are also all listed and clickable along the right side of the template: easy access at all times, and viewers know exactly how many projects/what types of projects I’m featuring.
I know other designers on your blog have already said this, but it’s worth repeating: more than anything else, I needed my site to reflect me: my personality, my quirks, my uniqueness! Opposed to what some people may believe, I think that clients hire people, not just skills. Generally they hire someone that they know can do the job AND that they will like to work with: I’ve seen it time and time again, and the fact that 100% of my clients are mine through networking and personal referrals speaks for itself. I chose the layout, colors, writing style, and aesthetic to all communicate both my skills and my personality as well.
Finally, I wanted my site to be engaging – that is, to get viewers interested in me and my work, and to encourage viewers to return to my site. My answer to this was to have a “Monthly Highlight” – like a blog feature, but more like a short monthly newsletter – as my home page. Every month I highlight a different project, idea or something design-related that I’m excited about. This adds value to my site, so that people always leave feeling like their time on my site was well spent. I’ve found it’s good to offer value because it shows viewers that you respect them and their time.
Do you have any advice for other designers about creating online portfolios?
Have a purpose and build your portfolio to suit that purpose!
Tags: illustration, Portfolio Showcase, portfolios