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Graphic Design Portfolio

Whether you want to join a company as an in-house designer or you hope to expand your freelance graphic design practice, a solid portfolio can help you start conversations that lead to solid work. When you're just starting your career as a graphic designer, you might not even have enough pieces to build a strong portfolio. If that's the case, use these tips to build exactly the kind of professional-looking graphic design portfolio that will grow your business and your income.

First, investigate the kind of design you specialize in. So many novice graphic designers present themselves as "jacks of all trades" that clients will home in on a designer that stands out as an expert in solving their particular industry's problems. Choose one or two areas that bring you the most joy, and concentrate your attention on building your portfolio in those areas. For example, if you decide that designing corporate logos and branding makes your heart soar, avoid sketching portraits for your showcase. Focus your energy on standing out in your chosen specialty.

Second, beef up your graphic design portfolio with pro bono work for local non-profit organizations.

Though many large organizations retain design firms or in-house designers to meet their graphic design needs, you can still find plenty of grassroots organizations in your area who would enjoy your help. Not only will you create some memorable "before and after" pieces for your portfolio, you'll enjoy the satisfaction of seeing your work improve your community.

Next, experiment with your own takes on some otherwise familiar ideas. Many graphic designers won some of their early projects by performing an extreme makeover on an existing brand, website or ad campaign. In fact, many of the "viral ads" popular in Europe right now started off as experiments by budding designers who wanted to test the limits of their imagination against a familiar backdrop. Remember that your graphic design portfolio does not have to consist solely of work that you have completed for paying clients. In fact, your prospects will appreciate the chance to gain some insight into your process when you show them how you can solve a problem for a sample client.

Finally, every award-winning graphic designer agrees that customizing your portfolio to fit the needs of a potential client helps them keep their pipeline full. Instead of
forcing your prospect to hunt through dozens of samples to find work that closely fits their expectations, spend some time learning about their wants and needs. When you put together a customized graphic design portfolio that shows your prospect exactly how you can solve their problems better than anyone else, you'll win the contract and all the repeat business that comes along with it.

Start your graphic design career today by requesting information from one of our highly respected graphic design schools! Find a school near you >>

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