How are we feeling about printed portfolios?
Are they obsolete? Or are they a good way to get you noticed amongst the hundreds of pdfs and website links? Has anyone bagged a job using a printed portfolio? Is it good practice to send one alongside your digital submission? Anyone out there done this?
I’m very curious! Thanks in advance! 😁
Replies8
- @Anna Goldfinch When they mean to bring in print work, doesn’t mean a printed portfolio. Because there are so much mockups which anyone can slap on a design say look I made printed branded company. What actually happens when you use mockups demostrates that project isn’t tangible or real.This could lead the person/company interviewing you can’t make a judgement if you have experience in print design or how to setup files for print. I don’t mean an A3 poster. I’m talking more as getting a custom bottle and having to design a bespoke label to fit on the bottles shape.
- @Chris Leigh thanks Chris. I had my first interview recently and was asked to bring in work so I did take a printed portfolio book. I think they really appreciated it; I could give a copy to both interviewers as well as a physical magazine I had designed. I don’t think it would’ve worked as well just on an iPad. Particularly as it was for a job that was designing mainly for print! Made sense to me anyway!
- @Chris Leigh replying to my own post. In nearly 20 years I can count the number of people who have posted something physical into me/us/ the studio on a few fingers. Would definitely get you noticed
- Having conducted many many interviews, it’s always slightly odd when the designer just brings their laptop/iPad along and after some fumbling around to get it connected to our WiFi, big screens etc (50% success rate at best, wrong dongle, needs a restart, whatever), browses through the same website and things that peaked our interest in the first place. Sure it’s nice to get some more backstory and fill any blanks and such.But it’s much nicer when they show up with a few physical things to flick through hold and talk about. Brings those project to life and shows just a little bit more effort and enthusiasm
- It worked for me when I moved to London, but I gave it in person during my first interviews and I was called back for the second one all the time. But this was 13 years ago and I think things were different then. I have a feeling that now to impress you need to be really over the top or be the right person at the right time, otherwise - as Luke said - it will end up in the pile of nice things.
- @Luke Freeman thanks for taking the time to give your insight Luke! X
- Great question... Fantastic answer...
- Printed portfolios work either way no different from digital. However printed portfolios are always nice will get a studio/agency attention far longer than than a digital.However working as a freelancer at studios and agencies people have dropped their printed portfolio would mainly end up in a pile of paperwork if left out of place the cleaner will trash it out by the end of the week. It’s not just people like yourself sending printed ephemera, also printers do aswel such as GF Smith, Fedrigoni they will most certained have a longer presences due to it‘s go to function of supplying a service.There are recruiters or reps (B&A, Debut Art) that represent illustrators and digital artist etc that do monthly or annaul subscriptions which there credability stronger to merge top ad agencies with more finish artist/studios for campaigns.Feel what works better is if you are known in the creative industry such as example: a photographer with an archive of photos for commerical campaigns with style you have better chance sercuring work and having a portfolio meet and great (talk). Again more likely that person is represented.There have been hires such as people printing their CV on a tea towel (functional item for the office) accompanied by food (brownies) and tea bags. That was from some sending their CV in mere speculation to I Love Dust https://www.ilovedust.com/ that was years ago — will try dig out the story.To be honest you can invest so much time and money sending out portfolios, it may land you a freelance gig or intern, however don’t spend your career chasing shadows just for a job in a studio/agency when you can work with smaller clients build up a portfolio and a healthy bank balance that gets you noticed a lot more quicker. More important it’s about who you know to get recommended out there.
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