Consider creating a complete website redesign for a well-known brand to demonstrate your skills to future clients. This is a well-known strategy already implemented by plenty of designers -- just take a look at some of the impressive Behance mock-ups for designers like Michael Kors.
Additionally, Amanda Chong told me, "If you're creating mockups for established brands to use as part of your portfolio, it's important to pair this with a case study or description of the process that helped you arrive at your proposed design. Talk about what you think wasn't working with the existing design, some of the constraints that you think the designers were working with, and why you made the decisions that you did.
Chong added, "Mockups are great at showing your visual design skills, but don't necessarily demonstrate your ability to work in a real-world context, so you'll want to take the time to explain how you would have approached it in a true business setting. If your designs are impressive enough, potential clients won't necessarily care whether you created them for a fictitious company -- and, in fact, they could be impressed with your innovativeness and creativity.
Consider demonstrating your skills by putting together a creative brief for a fake company, complete with wireframes and sketches. In due time, real companies will take notice. Stick to the type of content you enjoy designing. If you're particularly adept at creating logos, and are often inspired by the logos used by real brands, consider designing an alternative logo for a brand you like. Just take a look at some of these inspiring potential Uber logos -- while they ultimately weren't used by Uber, they're nonetheless good examples of the designers' skills.
WordPress, a popular content management system, allows users to develop stock themes for WP -- best of all, if your theme is approved, you can sell it as a premium theme for extra cash. Begin by studying WordPress's most popular themes, and considering how you can create an impressive alternative. To get inspired, practice your skills, or interact with other designers in a community and build your portfolio at the same time, you might consider participating in a design challenge.
Design challenges can also help you uncover skills you didn't know you had by forcing you to step outside your design comfort-zone. There are various daily, weekly, or monthly challenges which will send you prompts on things to design -- for instance, try checking out Daily UI Design Challenge.
Editor's note: This post was originally published in March and has been updated for comprehensiveness. Originally published Oct 19, AM, updated October 29 Logo - Full Color.
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Click here to download the materials. I started my own business because I want to maintain a healthy work schedule that honors my family life. Business Tips. Jan 6 Written By Hayley Fedders. If you front load the good stuff a client might be left with a poor impression if the work tapers off or weakens as they click through.
Captions or explanations should be short and to the point. Let your work speak for itself—clients can contact you to ask questions if they have them. Any writing on your portfolio should be both sincere and confident. If you choose to include longer narratives, like an About or Bio, keep them on-topic and avoid rambling thoughts. Be sure your contact information is easy to find, thorough and up to date. Remember to include your social media handles. Social media can be a great way to build your brand and bring the necessary human element that might convince a client to hire you.
Cultivate social media streams that connect and interact with your portfolio—maybe retweet a web poster you designed for an event or use your Instagram feed to show works in-progress, killed drafts and even mistakes. Apps like Hyperlapse or other time-lapse programs show your workflow on a large project in a condensed and entertaining format.
Link to your portfolio to show the final product. You can also use social media to show who you are as a person. Remember: if you choose to use social media this way, keep your feeds clean and professional. The last thing a potential client wants to see is a person who is difficult to work with or not discreet. And to retain privacy and security, keep some social channels open and keep others private, like your personal Facebook page which should be the home of all those other cat photos.
One of the greatest feelings in the world is is tightening your portfolio, removing the waste and filler and adding more relevant, updated content. Update it often as your skills improve and your focus changes. As you gain more experience, update your portfolio to reflect the kind of work you want to do more of. Put your best foot forward and share only the best examples of your work. Quality over quantity. Creating thoughtful and detailed case studies can be a lot of work, but don't skip this step!
Creating personal or conceptual projects is a great way to flex your creative muscles and attract more of the types of projects you actually want to work on.
In your portfolio, treat these projects just as you would an actual paid project. In other words, write up a case study to explain your process and include plenty of supporting visuals to showcase the depth of your work. Social proof goes a long way in the freelance world. Testimonials help you look more trustworthy to a potential client who has never met you before. Even if your portfolio looks fantastic, a client may prefer to work with someone who has more testimonials that speak to the experience of working with him.
If you're brand new to freelancing and haven't worked with any clients, consider doing a little bit of unpaid or discounted work in exchange for a testimonial. A strong testimonial pays long-term dividends. Looking for even more portfolio inspiration? Watch Ran Segall review one of the best portfolio websites he's seen. All of the graphic designers featured in this post are insanely talented and working with amazing clients. And while their portfolios are inspiring to look at, it's important to remember that they each have many years of experience under their belt.
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Click here to learn more about what's covered in the course, and find out if it's a good fit for you. By submitting, you agree with the Terms and Conditions and Priviacy Policy. Web Design Pro. Notion Freelance Hub. Log In. As a freelance graphic designer, your portfolio is one of your most important business assets.
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