The Graphic Designer's Guide to Portfolio Design

Landing a job in graphic design or multimedia starts with the creation of a portfolio that showcases a student's best work. With sample portfolios, interviews with leaders in graphic design and advertising industries, and step-by-step instruction for creating professional print and digital portfolios, this book helps students successfully transition from design student to design professional. Now fully updated, it is the only guide to creating job-winning print-based and digital portfolios specifically for graphic designers.

Preface vii

Acknowledgments x

1 The Portfolio Process—Start to Finish 1

2 Planning Your Portfolio 15

3 The Traditional Portfolio: 31

The Résumé, Cover Letter, and Business Card

4 The Traditional Portfolio: 55

Design and Art Projects

5 The Digital Portfolio: 83

CD-ROMs, DVDs, and Web Sites

6 The Digital Portfolio: 111

Technical Elements

7 The Design Phase 129

8 Working with Type 151

9 Maneuvering around Your Site: 171

Navigation

10 The Web-Based Portfolio: 187

Web Page Design

11 The Web-Based Portfolio: 211

Technical Elements

12 Multimedia and Your Interface 229

13 Designer Checklists 253

14 Using Social Media to Land a Great Job 265

15 Taking Interviews and Presenting 285

Your Portfolio

Glossary 309

Bibliography 320

Index 321

Debbie Rose Myers, MFA, EdS, is a professor of graphic design, advertising, and web design at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale in Florida, where she also teaches portfolio design courses and develops curricula for graphic design and multimedia programs.

How to create job-winning print and digital portfolios

Landing a great job in graphic design or multimedia starts with creating a portfolio that presents your best work in style. With sample portfolios, interviews with leaders in the graphic design and advertising industries, and step-by-step instruction for creating professional print and digital portfolios, this book tells you what you need to know to make the transition from design student to design professional—including up-to-the-minute advice on marketing yourself via social media.

You'll learn:

• What every winning creative or design portfolio should include
• How to design a simple and appealing digital portfolio interface
• Things that can go wrong when developing your portfolio—and how to fix them
• How to write excellent resumes, artist's statements, and cover letters
• How to get the most out of HTML5, InDesign, and Adobe Edge
• Tips and tricks to truly impress during a job interview

The best way to convince a prospective client or employer that you have what it takes to succeed is to let your work speak for itself. The Graphic Designer's Guide to Portfolio Design gives you all the guidance you need to make your work be heard loud and clear.