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Which medium would be best for a graphic design portfolio?

I am not sure whether to print/mount my graphic design projects or provide a electronic version of my portfolio.

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Darryl’s Answer

Hi Rebecca,


Great question! Ideally, you could have two versions of your portfolio (one printed, one electronic). The printed version could help distinguish you from all those who only have digital portfolios. In all reality, though, it's essential that you have an electronic portfolio. The way jobs are posted now, every position for a creative requires a link to a personal website or portfolio. It's just not practical to mail out samples of your work to every posting that might interest you.


Your portfolio could be as simple as a PDF that showcases a variety of your best work. Or it could be something more elaborate such as a personal website or online book. The main thing to keep in mind is that you only want to present your very best work. Since you're still a student, don't worry about including "real world" pieces, either. I would much rather look at five great student projects than 20 mediocre samples that were actually produced.


Finally, if you have three-dimensional graphic design pieces such as packaging or product designs, feel free to take those along on interviews. Use a digital representation for your book, but keep a physical sample to show someone if you get a face-to-face interview.


Best of luck to you! I hope you create a memorable portfolio that takes you farther along on your graphic design path!

Darryl recommends the following next steps:

Keep electronic files of EVERYTHING you want in your portfolio. You might also consider documenting how you produced various pieces to show your creative process.
Make backups of everything electronic and keep those backups current! The last thing you want to happen is for all your hard work to disappear because of some power surge or blackout. USB drives are cheap, and well worth the expense.
Look into online portfolio sites and personal Web pages. There are lots of options available, ranging from free to however much you can afford. Don't be scared off if you're not technically inclined. Most sites are drag 'n drop user-friendly, and don't require any coding skills.
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Eric’s Answer

Digital is a must, but it's always nice to have both. You can present a lot of work on an iPad or laptop, but if you have a really nice printed piece or 3D package it's always impressive to have one on hand if it's an in person interview. There's lots of great sites for sharing your work and having an online presence that doesn't require you to design a website from the ground up.
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Roger’s Answer

Electronic is going to be the quickest, easiest and most convenient way you can share your work broadly and efficiently. While many folks still bring in a physical book, these can be damaged, lost, expensive, tricky to reproduce color and tone accurately and hard to replace. Most folks who come in for interviews these days bring a laptop or a tablet that showcases their work in the perfect light, color and contrast.
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