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Portfolio Showcase: Summer Edition Round-Up

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010

This summer, we launched the first edition of our Portfolio Showcase series, featuring the online portfolios of writers, editors, and designers. Today we’ll take a quick look back at the visual inspiration, design processes, and creative advice they shared. Click on the respective thumbnail to read the complete showcase.

Sacha Greif, web designer | sachagreif.com

[Set] your goals first. Do you want to get new clients? Raise your profile by writing witty blog posts? Target a special niche? Get hired? If you’re not sure, the easiest and safest route is always to put your work forward. [...] potential clients want to see your work, not become your best friend or comment on your blog.

Matthew Allard, fiction writer | matthewallard.com

Start sending people to your portfolio site! Business cards are an affordable take-away. Super easy. I know they seem like something reserved for a company man. But you are the CEO of yourself. You are the product/brand to someone who may want your work or expertise.

Joe Sak, web developer | joesak.com

For me, the writing is the centerpiece of my portfolio. It aims to communicate effectively and comprehensively my contribution to the teams and clients I have had the pleasure of working with. [...] Pick your favorite work, write about it freely, don’t nitpick yourself to death, and just start sharing with others.

Sarah Jackson, designer & illustrator | sarahjackson.ca

[...] 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.

Victoria Pater, graphic designer | victoriapater.com

[...] find a platform that works for you (whether if be WordPress, Indexhibit, Cargo, or Squarespace), then customize it. They have all the main elements you need, plus the social and community aspects are already built in.

Kristen Byers, designer & writer | kristenbyers.net

Remember that your digital portfolio is an ongoing process — it’s never really “done”. I have found that the best time to work on my portfolio (and resume, for that matter) is when I’m not actively seeking employment. That way the pressure is off and I feel much more relaxed about my design and content decisions.

Grace Smith, freelance web designer | postscript5.co.uk

If you’re not giving an overview of each piece of work in your portfolio, you are missing a valuable opportunity to showcase your skills and expertise on each particular project. You don’t need to write an essay, but it’s your chance to shine by giving some details that will allow each potential client to appreciate each piece not just on an aesthetic level, but on a practical client project level too.

Thank you to all the featured professionals for sharing with us! We will be featuring more portfolios this fall, so if you would like to share your portfolio or one that has inspired you, please share links in the comments or email us.

Tags: Portfolio Showcase, portfolios
Posted in Career, Design, Web | 1 Comment »

Behance and LinkedIn launch Creative Portfolio Display

Sunday, July 25th, 2010

LinkedIn, a networking site for professionals, is a great place to make new connections, learn about new opportunities, and promote your experience. But while it allows for users to customize their profiles with links to their portfolios, it hasn’t allowed for a more visual display—until now.

Thanks to a collaboration with the Behance Network, creative professionals can now showcase their work on their LinkedIn profiles with the help of a new app, Creative Portfolio Display.

Here’s how it works:

Sign in to LinkedIn and install the app (More > Application Directory > Creative Portfolio Display).
If you don’t already have a portfolio on Behance, then you’ll need to upload your work there first. It’s free, and you can upload multimedia projects as well as embed media from sites like Vimeo, Flickr, and YouTube.
Upload as many projects as you like (personal or professional), and then choose the ones you want showcased on LinkedIn.

Once you have your work ready to go, people viewing your profile will be able to browse your portfolio without leaving LinkedIn. And once you’re a part of the Behance Network, there are even more opportunities for employers and other creatives to find you.

To find out more about what Behance has to offer, take the tour and check out their Creative People on LinkedIn group.

Tags: behance, LinkedIn, portfolios
Posted in Career, Web | Comments Off

Portfolio Showcase: Grace Smith

Thursday, July 8th, 2010

Our latest Portfolio Showcase comes from freelance web designer Grace Smith. For a closer look, click on the screenshots to visit the respective area of her portfolio at postscript5.co.uk.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Sure, I’m a 27-year-old web designer and owner of micro-design studio Postscript5, based in Northern Ireland. I work with individuals and companies based mainly in the UK and USA, on a diverse range of projects from branding and blog design to iPhone app development and application UIs. I’ve recently launched my latest personal project—The Freelance Feed—and enjoy blogging and contributing to other publications such as Computer Arts Projects and Mashable.

How long have you had an online portfolio?
I’ve had an online portfolio since my first year of University, which would be approximately nine years now. However, my portfolio for Postscript5 was launched five years ago, which I would consider my first professional online portfolio.

What was your design process?
My focus was on creating a portfolio that was unique. I started with a color palette and went from there, with around 15 various revisions before deciding on the current design. I took the decision to create something that was simple, easy to update and navigate, all with a strong call to action on every page.

Creating a clean, efficient aesthetic was at the core of my process. I’ve actually started the redesign for Postscript5, with a complete overhaul of the brand and design.

Do you have any advice for other designers about creating online portfolios?
Creating a great online portfolio relies on first knowing exactly who your target audience is, what their specific wants and needs are, and then catering to these. You can start by creating an ideal client profile, then define your market by profiling it. Once you know this information, you will be in a much better place to position yourself for the best results and create a portfolio that truly connects with your audience.

I would also recommend:

Only Display Your Best Work – You don’t want to give someone an excuse to say no to your work, so don’t include pieces that you don’t believe showcase your work at its best. Including too much means the viewer could easily get bored of your work, when you really want to leave them wanting more.
Give Your Portfolio Context – If you’re not giving an overview of each piece of work in your portfolio, you are missing a valuable opportunity to showcase your skills and expertise on each particular project. You don’t need to write an essay, but it’s your chance to shine by giving some details that will allow each potential client to appreciate each piece not just on an aesthetic level, but on a practical client project level too.
Provide Testimonials – These are an essential for any portfolio. Having reassuring quotes from previous clients helps quell uncertainty and acts as excellent ‘social proof’. Testimonials also do an excellent job of showcasing who else you have worked with and tells potential clients who they will be joining on your client list.

Perhaps most importantly, make sure it’s easy for them to contact you!

Tags: freelance, Portfolio Showcase, portfolios, web design
Posted in Design | 1 Comment »

Portfolio Showcase: Kristen Byers

Thursday, July 1st, 2010

Our latest Portfolio Showcase comes from designer and writer Kristen Byers. For a closer look, click on the screenshots to visit the respective area of her portfolio at kristenbyers.net.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I work at the Monterey Institute of International Studies as the New Media Development Specialist. I mostly work with the Institute’s web and social media presences, but I get to design print documents from time to time. I also pick up the occasional freelance project, and my portfolio definitely comes in handy for that.

How long have you had an online portfolio?
I’ve had a formal online portfolio since the spring of 2006, so for about 4 years now. You can still view the first iteration of my portfolio online. My portfolio has evolved quite a bit since then as I discovered that a content management system would make it way easier for me to add and feature new portfolio pieces. I’ve been using WordPress for my portfolio since 2008.

What was your design process?
I always start by choosing a color palette and then a typeface for my name. For some reason I see these as small, achievable goals that help me get the design ideas to start flowing. Then I seek out a WordPress theme that meets my basic needs (in terms of general layout, number of columns, built-in contact form, etc.). Determining my WordPress theme needs is probably the hardest part. Once I find a WordPress template that I can use as a starting point, I tweak the heck out of it to make it my own.

Do you have any advice for other designers about creating online portfolios?
Remember that your digital portfolio is an ongoing process — it’s never really “done”. I have found that the best time to work on my portfolio (and resume, for that matter) is when I’m not actively seeking employment. That way the pressure is off and I feel much more relaxed about my design and content decisions. I highly recommend soliciting feedback from friends and coworkers during this time.

Also, don’t forget to create a favicon for your portfolio. It’s a great finishing touch (and often a fun challenge to try to represent yourself in 16×16 pixels!).

Tags: freelance, Portfolio Showcase, portfolios, web design, Writing
Posted in Design | Comments Off

Portfolio Showcase: Victoria Pater

Thursday, June 24th, 2010

Our latest Portfolio Showcase comes from graphic designer Victoria Pater. For a closer look, click on the screenshots to visit the respective area of her portfolio at victoriapater.com.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’m a full-time freelance graphic designer living in (and loving) Chicago. I design for both print and the web, but like to think I specialize in logos & branding. I’m also slightly obsessed with typography and Twitter.

How long have you had an online portfolio?
I launched my online portfolio in November. It’s gone through one massive redesign since then, but my main goal for ’09 was just to get my blog and portfolio up at victoriapater.com. This year I’ll focus on loving how it looks!

What was your design process?
My portfolio site runs on Squarespace, so I picked an extremely minimal theme and designed around that structure. There were a few elements I had to add manually, such as the Twitter feed header. By tweaking existing code, I ended up customizing a lot of the site. Overall, the design was kept simple to showcase a wide range of work.

Do you have any advice for other designers about creating online portfolios?
My suggestion would be to find a platform that works for you (whether if be WordPress, Indexhibit, Cargo, or Squarespace), then customize it. They have all the main elements you need, plus the social and community aspects are already built in.

Tags: freelance, graphic design, Portfolio Showcase, portfolios
Posted in Design | Comments Off

Portfolio Showcase: Sarah Jackson

Friday, June 11th, 2010

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
Posted in Design | Comments Off

Portfolio Showcase: Joe Sak

Thursday, May 27th, 2010

Our latest Portfolio Showcase comes from web developer Joe Sak. For a closer look, click on the screenshots to visit the respective area of his portfolio at www.joesak.com.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
My name is Joe Sak, I’m a web developer in Chicago, IL. Currently, I work full-time with 4 other people at Neoteric Design, Inc. I love bikes, music, technology, books, and friendship.

How long have you had an online portfolio?
For over 3 years.

What was your design process?
I picked a theme on WordPress that was elegant and matched my tastes, then I chose a highly rated plugin for the portfolio and because it was so easy to use, I stuck with it. I picked my favorite projects from memory and wrote about them. I wrote what the project was, what my role on the team was, and the skills I used. I also decided to write about my employers and freelance experience. For me, the writing is the centerpiece of my portfolio. It aims to communicate effectively and comprehensively my contribution to the teams and clients I have had the pleasure of working with.

Do you have any advice for other developers about creating online portfolios?
Pick your favorite work, write about it freely, don’t nitpick yourself to death, and just start sharing with others.

Tags: Portfolio Showcase, portfolios
Posted in Design, Web | 1 Comment »

Portfolio Showcase: Matthew Allard

Thursday, May 20th, 2010

Our latest Portfolio Showcase comes from fiction writer Matthew Allard. For a closer look, click on the screenshots to visit the respective area of his portfolio at matthewallard.com.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’m a fiction writer living in Los Angeles, CA. I’ve always loved writing and enjoyed the storytelling process. I grew up in Michigan, went to school in Chicago and then moved to L.A. to work as a television screenwriter. I got lucky with a few nice entertainment industry jobs, and I got to take a stab at writing/producing in the “real world.” Surprise, surprise: It wasn’t all that I’d imagined it to be. I didn’t like it. But I still loved to write. I switched gears and attempted to break into print and web publishing (which seemed the direction that writing was heading anyway). I landed a gig as an editor for a national cityguide website, and I started writing fiction—my real passion—on the side. That lasted about 3 years; I recently left to pursue freelance opportunities and complete my debut story collection, which will feature illustrations by a good friend of mine named Ian Dingman.

How long have you had an online portfolio?
I’ve had blogs where I’ve aimed to showcase my writing for the last 6 or 7 years. I launched a true sort of portfolio hub 3 years ago.

What was your design process?
First and foremost, I wanted to have a site that reflected myself. I wanted it to be personal and have personality. It was, and is, important to me to maintain something that isn’t stock. It seems like everyone wants to be a writer. And, sure, there is something to be said for letting your work speak for itself—yet, I wanted my design to be memorable as well. I’m fortunate to be working with Ian and have the luxury of using his illustrations in my current design. So it feels cohesive, and, since our aesthetics are super complimentary, it works as a great representation of myself. Beyond that, I believe in making it simple simple simple. I think my site is very simple to navigate and find the goods.

Do you have any advice for other writers about creating online portfolios?
Again: Simplicity is key. If I can’t find your work in one click, it’s tedious. At the point that someone is coming to my portfolio, I kinda view it as them doing me a favor. In that, I want to treat them like they are a guest in my home: I’ll wait on you. That said, I’m all for the creativity of portfolios. Express who you are. Not everyone has an illustrator pal in their back pocket, I know. But showing your personality in a welcome message, maybe some personal pictures, etc. People want to work with real people. That seems important. I have a blog attached to my portfolio for a bit of that reason. (And I have a separate blog for rants and nonsense and whatever else aside from my portfolio site.)

My goal with the portfolio was to have a one-stop-shop for the polished me. My fiction writing is what I’m most passionate and motivated toward right now, so my site is geared solely toward my work in that area. The blog on the portfolio has a few things that I’m interested in, but most often it’s become more of a “news” section. I use that blog to write about professional updates, cool life news and releases, etc. Then it’s easy to click over and see some samples of my work. Or, a picture of me (to put a face to the work). Or, my bio.

Lastly, I believe in business cards. Corny as that may be in “selling yourself.” I have a business card designed in the same theme as my portfolio site. It has my phone number, my name, my email and my web address on it. Start sending people to your portfolio site! Business cards are an affordable take-away. Super easy. I know they seem like something reserved for a company man. But you are the CEO of yourself. You are the product/brand to someone who may want your work or expertise. You should have a personal business card.

Tags: Portfolio Showcase, portfolios
Posted in Design, Writing | 2 Comments »

Portfolio Showcase: Sacha Greif

Thursday, May 13th, 2010

The first in our Portfolio Showcase series comes from web designer Sacha Greif. For a closer look, click on the screenshots to visit the respective area of his portfolio at www.sachagreif.com.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’m a 26-years-old French web designer. Although I now specialize in web and user interface design, I don’t really have a design background. I originally studied computer science and mathematics, as well as Chinese (I’ve lived and worked in China for a short while). So from a design perspective, I’m still a rookie and learning every day.

How long have you had an online portfolio?
I’ve had a portfolio since I started my freelancing career (after one year of working for UNESCO), so it would be about two and a half years. I’ve had the current version for the last six months.

Sacha’s portfolio is navigated using thumbnail rollover images.

Each portfolio piece has a project overview that includes goals, specs, and images.

Clickable images allow for close-ups of portfolio pieces.

What was your design process?
Wow, where do I begin? The design process was frustrating, long, and ultimately fruitless. I went through about 12 variations on two or three different ideas without being satisfied. Ultimately, I decided to completely scrap all of my designs and use a free theme to at least have something to show. After all, a single mediocre site is better than countless great Photoshop concepts.

In the end I modified that theme until I was satisfied, and the result is something that I can live with at least for a few more months. The lesson here is that what makes designing your own portfolio so hard is that you don’t have anything to start from. So using something else as a starting point can be a good way to move forward.

Sacha uses the footer for his About Me, Latest Posts, and Contact Me sections.

Do you have any advice for other designers about creating online portfolios?
The most important thing is setting your goals first. Do you want to get new clients? Raise your profile by writing witty blog posts? Target a special niche? Get hired? If you’re not sure, the easiest and safest route is always to put your work forward. A lot of aspiring web designers don’t have a big client portfolio yet, so they put a blog or huge “Hello, my name is…” tagline first. But the truth is that potential clients want to see your work, not become your best friend or comment on your blog.

Also, it’s always good to add a little personality to your portfolio, but a lot of designers try too hard. It’s become a trend to add a huge welcoming message to your homepage, but this often feels fake and forced. I don’t advise on following trends too much on your portfolio, because it will become dated very quickly. Better to have something a little more neutral that you can use for a few years.

Tags: Portfolio Showcase, portfolios
Posted in Design, Web | 2 Comments »

Designing portfolios: resources + case study

Friday, September 18th, 2009

If I had to sum up my portfolio redesign project, it would be “slow going, with flashes of inspiration”. When I’m stuck in a rut, it helps me to draw from my bookmarks of design inspiration and explore new ways of thinking about what an online portfolio should be. Here are a couple of great reads for those looking to carve out their own online space.

Chris Spooner of Blog.SpoonGraphics recently shared 10 Solutions to Easily Create Your Online Portfolio. Chris put together a list of sites and communities that make it easier to get an online portfolio up and running with a focus on your work.

Smashing Magazine just released its initial Portfolio Design Study: Design Patterns and Current Practices. The team spent more than 75 hours researching the visual design, structure, layout, navigation, and design details of each section of an online portfolio. There is a lot to take away from this initial study, plus there’s more to come: SM will be publishing the second part of the study in two weeks.

Tags: portfolios, resources
Posted in Design, Tutorials, Web | 1 Comment »