Why Build a Portfolio?
As a designer, you will need a portfolio to showcase your very best work. Don’t worry about setting one up right away. But as soon as you have taken a quarter of design classes, it is a good idea to start curating your work. The more practice you have designing and building your portfolio, the better it will be. Start now so you can update it as you learn and become a stronger designer. Having a portfolio will help you market yourself and create opportunities for you to gain professional experience.
You might be thinking, “I can’t have a portfolio; my work isn’t good enough.” Stop it. Confidence in yourself is key. If there is work you are proud of, it deserves to be in a portfolio. If you are unsure of what work to use, talk to your peers and program faculty to gain insight and advice on your work. Consider revising some of your weaker projects to make them stronger pieces.
For each project you include in your portfolio, it is important to describe the problem you were trying to solve and your approach to the solution. For example, for a branding project include something like, “A local brewery needed a logo and brand identity documentation to encompass their unique mountain malt flavors and hipster style.” From here, describe your approach and process during the project. Then end with a conclusion stating why your solution works (or doesn’t work), what you learned, and if there is anything you would do differently.