How to create a portfolio that stands out.

Every creative person needs a portfolio! It helps showcase one’s skills, accomplishments, potential, and creativity to future employers, other artists, or potential clients. However, creating a portfolio is not easy! It takes time, energy, and resources. Back then, portfolios used to be pretty straightforward, a collection of your work on paper or film. Today, however, there are endless ways to create your portfolio, making it unique to you as a creative person.

In today’s blog, I will share five tips and tricks for preparing your portfolio to show the world!

Step 1: Find out why.

Before creating a portfolio, you must understand why you are building one. Every creative person is unique, and so are their portfolios! You need to narrow down 1-2 goals on what you want your portfolio to achieve. Could you need it for a school project, or are you applying for a new job? The reasons are endless! Once you figure out your why, you can create a portfolio that is truly an extension of you.

Step 2: Choose your medium.

Now that you know why, you need to figure out where. In art, different mediums can significantly affect the final outcome. Similarly, choosing where to build your portfolio will affect how others view it. You can choose from many channels, like a personal brand website, portfolio websites, a PDF file, social media, and so on! Different channels have different audiences and reach, and once you know where and to whom you want to showcase your work, it gets easier to curate native content that is best suited for that channel.

Step 3: Collect and organize.

This is the fun part! This is easier for you if you are a seasoned creative person with a few projects or accomplishments! Start by auditing (most of) the work you have done so far and ranking them. A good portfolio should have no more than 10 – 12 of your best and brightest! For those who are just starting, do not worry. Start by looking at other portfolios from professionals in your industry/field. Look for patterns, the type of work that is in everyone’s portfolio and that is not. For example, a good architecture portfolio will differ from a graphic design portfolio. Set a deadline for yourself and create those pieces of work you want to showcase in your portfolio.

Step 4: C.R.A.P.!

Please repeat after me: contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity! The C.R.A.P. principle of design is foundational to anything you create, including your portfolio. Ensure that your portfolio follows a theme. It could be that of your personal brand or unique branding. Focus on the layout, patterns, colours, fonts, and spacing! By following this design principle, you can build a portfolio that is easy to follow and tells your story how you want to, without your reader being distracted by poor design.

Step 5: Grand finale.

You’ve made it to the end! Before sharing your portfolio with the world, send it to a trusted friend or mentor. It is always good to double, triple, or quadruple-check your work before sending it away. Use grammar checkers to get your spelling and sentences right. Ask a trusted friend or mentor what they think of it. Their viewpoint could either align with the story you want to share or be completely different!

Now that you know what it takes to build a portfolio, what are you waiting for? Create something beautiful!