how to build your industrial design portfolio

How To Build Your ID Portfolio

Based off

The Portfolio Handbook, UCID ‘12

10 Essential Tips for Creating that Killer Portfolio, Brian long

Portfolio basics, Carly Hagins

What Are “They” Looking ForAnd what should you include in your portfolio

Skills to show

Know Your Audience

You only get a few seconds to impress them

Show only your best work

Start on a high note; end on a high note

Don’t include work you aren’t confident in

How To BeginAnd create order

Don’t be boring!

Tailor the voice of your portfolioto fit your personal design style

Tell a story with your product visualization

But keep each page clean and concise

Establish Order

Is the most important contentthe most prominent?

How does the focus relate to the content around it?

Putting The Document TogetherAnd making it look professional

Use InDesign

It’s the best program. Period.

Use Grids to layout your content

It’s critical to have a consistent and logical alignment throughout your portfolio

Only use 2 typefaces

Sans-Serif works good for titles and taglines

Serif works well for large paragraphs of text

Less is more!

No crazy logo’s, fonts or punctuation

Let people focus on your work

Overall layout

Keep your resume clean and concise

Show only your most recent top 10 projects

Telling Your StoryYour portfolio is a conversation. How you lay it out is how helps direct that conversation.

Chronological Method

The traditional method for storytelling

Product Manual Method

For when you just want to showcase your final solution

Skill highlight method

When you just want to showcasewhat your great at

Cover page/Problem Statement

Don’t overdo the graphic content

Keep message simple and unique

Research

Make your most important thoughts stand out quickly

Highlight the issues you honed in on

Use research to demonstrate how you think about problems

Ideation

Don’t just cover pages with sketches

Link your research to your sketches and communicate your thought process

Sketches

Vary the sizes of the sketches (important sketches are the biggest) and overlap them to lead the viewers

Add shading and a touch of color to make certain sketches stand out but don’t over-do it

Finalization

Here is your chance to show off your final design

On A Final NoteFinishing up your portfolio

Ask for Feedback

Learn from your peers, professorsand professionals

Digital vs. Print

Design your portfolio based on your medium

It’s a living document

Update your portfolio every 6-12 months