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The Benefits of a Print Portfolio

2010 January 24
tags: , , ,
by Binaebi

So I made a print portfolio, which is really just a brochure of my web portfolio. A couple of people have asked me why I did this. Here goes!

  1. I love InDesign, and this showcases my print layout skills
  2. It’s like a mini-portfolio that employers can carry with them
  3. If I go to an interview, I can leave a sample of my portfolio behind
  4. If the tech doesn’t work somewhere, I still have something to show at an interview, along with my sketchbooks
  5. Not many people go through the trouble of making a print portfolio, and this is a classy way to stand out

I’ve been meaning to make one for over a year. Only after seeing Xuan Wang‘s awesome print portfolio the other day did I finally get the fire lit beneath me. I hope she makes her brochure available online, it was super nice from what I remember.

You can see my print brochure at my Lulu storefront: http://stores.lulu.com/siriomi

If you’re interested in making your own print portfolio, take a look at these articles for a start…

  • This Web Designer Depot article is for online portfolios, but has good information for print as well
  • NubbyTwiglet has an awesome article about the importance of print portfolios for designers
  • And then there’s this one from PSD Tuts

Know of any others? Leave a comment and spread the love.

from → Design, Life in General

  • http://hcidesigns.com Christian

    This looks great. I completely agree with all your reasons above. I got my job at Autodesk at CHI 2007. When I got a chance to sit down and talk with my future boss, I flipped through my simple 6-page portfolio and really help me get the job. When I went to do my real interview, I also brought in my print portfolio for all 5 interviews. I didn’t have my laptop to show my digital portfolio. And frankly, I think my print layout skills are better than my digital skills.

    Digital portfolios start all looking the same online. Blogs are probably more valuable than portfolios because thoughts tell me more about a person. But, honestly, when I’ve had to look at people’s work online, the portfolios start all looking the same. People say the same things about their projects and they’re all relatively the same. Something about print is more exciting to look at.

    Great work!

    • http://www.siriomi.com Binaebi

      Thanks Christian!

      I’m working on a revision to really tighten things up, thanks to some excellent critique from Chad Camara.

      I love print design. I’ve done it since high school when I was graphic editor for the school’s newsmagazine, and then continued in undergrad when I was the art editor/editor-in-chief of the student engineering magazine. I think the nice thing about print is that you can take it with you, whereas online portfolios require you going to them.

      It’s a convenience factor; an intimacy factor. With a print portfolio, you can write your thoughts in the margins about me, and ask questions for later. Online portfolios just don’t have that option.