Having an Online Graphic Design Portfolio? Here's What You Need

Written by Debjani Sinha Roy on Feb 14, 2012 5:48 am

Gone are the days when professionals used to carry a portfolio of their previous projects and accomplishments. Today, with the rise of the world wide web, creative professionals can provide an entire presentation on the net for their potential clients to browse through. For graphic design professionals, a portfolio is more than just a means for advertising. It offers a sneak peek into your life as a designer.

When you design your online portfolio, provide answers to all the possible questions a client may have.Your portfolio should reflect your creativity so when you create it, give your utmost attention and care. This is the place where you can include your personality along with your creativity, so do not compromise and be focused. Then only you will be able keep your visitors focused.

Plan your portfolio beforehand. As mentioned above, it deserves your utmost attention and care so give more than what you give into your clients' projects. It can and most probably will take a long time to plan, let alone design, but do not be afraid to put your best effort. Do not force yourself to make a hasty decision as that will hinder your growth as a graphic design artist.

Here are some things you can do:

Keep a notebook/notepad to jot down all your creative ideas. Carry it everywhere because you never know when or how an idea will hit your mind.
Stop using your PC/Laptop and start using pencil and paper. Sketch your portfolio's design on paper and do not be upset by mistakes. You will be able to critique your work better than ever before and come up with innovative concepts.
Your portfolio should answer these possible questions your potential clients might have:

a) who you are – provide your background information, total experience, exposure, and level of education. Be truthful. Do not put any false info.
b) your previous projects – this is what clients want to know about the most. Provide samples of the work you've done before. If you do not have admirable examples to give, wait until you actually get a project.
c) how to contact you – provide the easy ways to get in touch with you. Graphic design clients may want to contact you through phone, email, facebook or Twitter. So, provide every possible method of contact.

Put up your own photograph – you do not need professional photo editing services here because you are not going to participate in a beauty pageant. Upload a picture where you are clearly visible and decently dressed. This helps in establishing a one-to-one connection between you and a visitor.
What if you are new to the world of graphic design – if you are a freelance designer and have just started your career, you are likely to have little to no work to show. Well, you can put up the designs you had created in your design school. Examples from your academic assignments are also considered to be important because that's all a new designer has! If you have experimented with some designs, feel free to showcase them as well.
Upload large screenshots - and also optimize them properly. Use jQuery image plug-ins as that would help your visitors to see remarkably clear and detailed images.
Make an uncluttered portfolio – keeping it clutter-free will impress your visitors. Before adding anything to the portfolio, make sure it is important and deserves to be added.
Do not put music in the background – refrain from using music as it may turn off your visitors rather than getting their interest. People will see your portfolio for business purposes, not for entertainment.
The Spelling and Grammar

should be flawless – do as many checks as possible before uploading the content of your portfolio. Some mistakes can occur and be left unnoticed by you, but they may be noticed by the client and you don't want that to happen.

Stay away from templates – as an artist, your work should be 100% original. If you use templates in your portfolio, how would you convince a client that you would give him original work? If you are migrating to graphic design from print design, you may not know every nook and cranny of the field. In that case, consult someone who knows.
Do not plagiarize – in the creative industry, plagiarism is considered to be a crime. So do not steal someone else's design to create your portfolio because that may close the door permanently for you to get projects.
Provide case-studies – show your visitors the problems you have encountered and how have solved them. Be methodical and honest in your approach.

Finally, understand the fact that being creative has a lot to do with passion. If you can show that you are passionate about your work, you can get not one, not two but several graphic design projects with the help of your portfolio.