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That time has come to update the ol' portifolio again, you know,put the better stuff in. Well, I've got ALL my pictures spread out and picking through them. I want to have one portifolio for everything I've done, and another to be used only for presentations to new clients. I was wanting to hear some ideas that some of you have done with your "presentation" portfolio". Any ideas besides just a plain picture album? Thanks, Jeff
------------------ Jeff Alumbaugh Ad Trendz Signs e-mail Trendz66@aol.com Why Zig? Zag!!!
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Hey Jeff, Good Luck, thats what I'm trying ta' do as we speak....... gotta' get sumthing going myself. Ol' unk Mark saw my portfolio and let me know it could use sum work. He told me ta' remember your portfolio should be well laid out. Just like a well layout on a sign.
Bama Boy
------------------ Robert Fair(Bamaboy) Creative Images Studios Fayette, Al. USA "Stay Fresh, Be Creative."
Posts: 346 | From: Gordo, Alabama USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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Dana Aaron
unregistered
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I finally finished my wedding photo album - did the whole Creative Memories thing... acid free paper & glue, taking a scissors to the photos, adding stickers here and there. Turned out really nice.
So I did kinda the same thing with the portfolio, only not so much. Acid free page protectors, black paper, white pen and scissors. You can cut off a lot of stuff and make an ok photo a great photo.
I've had a couple people comment that they like the info I write as well, since it is hard sometimes to tell just how big that sign was, or what it was made out of.
------------------ Dana Aaron Sign-A-Saurus Nevis, MN ICQ# 37949659
When you're swimming in the creek, and an eel bites your cheek, that's a moray!
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I made a nice little varnished wooden box with slots in it to hold pieces of glass with samples of my gold work, and pictures of completed jobs.
Jerry Mathel Jerry Mathel Signs Grants Pass, Oregon jmathel@grantspass.com
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Posts: 916 | From: Grants Pass, OR USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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The portfolio I am using right now does not have any photographs. It is all sketches. Most are scale drawings, a few color renderings, and a few partially colored. All have been reduced from original at the quick printer. Some pages have three or four sketches, some have only one. I have also included copies of finished logo designs, plus some thumbnails showing the development of a logo. Most of these reduced size sketches still contain notations on dimensions, color, materials. Some show brackets and other installation details, even landscaping. Some show alternate designs that were not actually produced, but this serves to illustrate multi-tiered pricing. A couple sketches even have prices notated on them. I can always tell when the customer spots the price. They get down closer to try to read it better, giving me a chance to say, "Oh, don't go by those figures...that drawing is old." Sometimes their reaction can be revealing.
I have long noticed that little sketch reproductions like these seem to look more dynamic, if that makes sense, than the photographs of the finished work. Often, even a color rendering seems weak in comparison to a crisp black and white copy of a pencil sketch. Then again, this could just be a sad commentary on my color choice and/or ability as a photographer.
At any rate, my next portfolio will include a few selected photographs in addition to the little sketches. It's important to me to keep a portfolio for presentation very lean, lest it become a 'time bandit'. In fact, most of the time I prefer to not bring it out, unless the job looks like it's going to be cherry. Inevitably, too, people will want me to duplicate something they see in the book, whether it will work for them or not. Without the portfolio, it's sometimes easier to steer them toward what I want to do. Of course, a picture has an obvious advantage when you are trying to describe some technique or treatment, a beveled letter, for instance. I have noticed, too, that some portfolios include awards, press photos or clippings, and photos of work in progress or being installed. I think these things add interest.
Brad in Arkansas
------------------ [EMAIL]Brad Ferguson 4782 West Highway 22 Paris AR 72855 501-963-2642 signbrad@cswnet.com[/EMAIL]
Posts: 1230 | From: Kansas City, MO, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Great info Brad. I had nearly forgotten what I was taught in graphic design school for portfolios.
Back in 'those days..' your artwork was placed in an interesting manner on matte type boards. If the board was to do with a logo, you would show the best chosen rough sketches, trim them up and glue them to the board as part of your display. You'd also show the finished drawing, along with a letterhead and biz card.
I purchased a portfolio case for these boards (which I now use to carry decals to other locations, keeps them dry and clean).
I personally find these boards abit inappropriate for a sign shop storefront atmosphere, as you'd need an awful lot of display room for them. However, they sure come off as professional when you want to show steps involved in some design work from start to finish.
To take this idea and make it work into a smaller carry type of book or portfolio is a great idea. Thanks for the heads up on this. This type of display really does sell your work and show that you're knowledgeable in the well paid graphic design part of this profession.
------------------ Graphic Impact Beautiful BC Canada proud $upporter of this site gisigns@sprint.ca
[This message has been edited by Donna in BC (edited November 06, 1999).]
Posts: 5630 | From: Yarrow, BC Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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Jeff, Seems like at one time or another we all have to update the portfolio. I got to thinking, I have thousands of pics of signs I've done in the past, and they just sit around in folders, or binders, just for customers to see. Since more and more people are jumping on the world wide web, I thought... "Why not make a Virtual Portfolio?" So I scanned osme of the pics I've reciently done and threw them up on my site. (domain) Heres the URL: http://www.studio-b.net/images/portfolio/index.htm
Each small picture, or thumbnail is linked to a larger picture. This reduces the time it takes to download the entire page. The page also shows a number of thing I do.
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i got the photo alblum...on the counter in the shop....and i also got a big piece of glass for the top of my counter....and i put all the new stuff under the glass..this way new clients standin ther have to look at what i can do..and have done... old paint joe
------------------ joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 6050 mobile hwy pensacola, fl 32526 850-944-5060
Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
What I find works well for me...i picked up a few of those cheap lil photo books and fill em up with pictures and put them in the dash of my wagon...open of course, to the more elaborate ones.
Of course, I have to repeatedly answer that question..."do you have any pictures of your work?" while they stand there salivating and staring in the direction of the books...but this offers me a chance to pull them out and hand out cards...I even get cards attatched to my car when i shop and some perty strange calls on my machine when i get back, like, "I was sittin next to ya at the corner of yadee yadee and blah blah...give me a call when you get back!"
In a real book, Donna is right...organization and creativity is a must!
I know you can do it!
------------------ Linda Silver Eagle #5653 Silver Eagle Graphix Studio in GA, USA Big on Murals and Tight on Camera Ready
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Jeff, When putting your pictures in your portfolio, make sure they all face the same way. It will make it alot easier for your customer to look through, like a good book!
------------------ Jeffrey P. Lang Olde Lang Signs Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 412 322-5264 oldelangsigns@msn.com
i found a spiral 'scrapbook'. i took my pictures into 'kinko's', had them enlarged and made them all the same size. then i had them laminate the photos and put one on each page.
i thought about writing descriptions along with the jobs but decided against it. i explain them in short detail as i go along. it gives me more of a contact (one on one) feeling with the prospective client. they seem to have questions about certain projects that would apply to them.
on the cover of the portfolio, i put my company logo in vinyl (which also shows how detailed i can get working with vinyl. i always notice the clients running their fingers over the logo. it gives them the actual product.
seems to work for me, but i love reading other ideas also.
------------------ Mary Joe MJ Design Trenton, MI mjgrafix@ili.net
Posts: 189 | From: Trenton, MI 48183 | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Lots of good ideas here! SignCraft Magazine carries a real nice leather portfolio that you can purchase. You'll find it in the Letterville Book Shop at http://www.letterhead.com/bookshop/index.html
The Letterville Book Shop is a great place to purchase your books. The prices are the same as in SignCraft and we earn a commission on all sales. Please remember to specifically mention us when you place your order so that we get credited with the sale.
The Letterville Book Shop also carries all the books, music and now gifts available from Amazon. If you make your purchases thru Letterville, you will save money and we'll make a commission. It all adds up!
Next time you are looking for a special book or music CD, why not click on the Book Shop and/or Amazon icon at the top of this page. It's a wonderful resource that we are just not taking advantage of. Please take a look.
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Photo Albums,sectioned as per substrates.Walls,Windows,Boats,Racecars,Pinstripping,oddball stuff,etc etc. These are for MY BENIFIT to see IF and HOW I have improved! IF the customer absolutely has to verify that I am qualified to do his work.Then he can look at what I have done over the years. I don't use a portfolio as a sales tool,or to be put on the portfolio table here to be looked at. Rather I give a guarantee"If you don't like it,you don't have to pay for it"!!!!Never NOT got payed in over 20yrs.Go figuire
------------------ PKing is Pat King of King Sign Design in McCalla,Alabama The Professor of SIGNOLOGY
Posts: 3113 | From: Pompano Beach, FL. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
I am notorious for saying to myself I'll take the picture after installation and then not doing it until a year later. One time I took a whole day off just to drive around and take pictures. I use a large leather portfolio with the black pages.....do you remember the old time corners that people used to use to stick pictures into albums, well, I've done the same thing by designing a cool corner and cutting them in black vinyl, gives a photo a nice look and makes placing them easy.
------------------ Terry Teague James River Signs Reeds Spring, MO tlteague@tri-lakes.net
Posts: 434 | From: Reeds Spring | Registered: May 1999
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your artwork was placed in an interesting manner on matte type boards. If the board was to do with a logo, you would show the best chosen rough sketches, trim them up and glue them to the board as part of your display. You'd also show the finished drawing, along with a letterhead and biz card.
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