Creative Latitude Articles

www.creativelatitude.com


Portfolio Design 101

• Three types of portfolios: traditional, online and PDF
• Many portfolio formats are available, from custom-built cases lined with beautiful fabrics to mass-produced vinyl portfolios with acetate sleeves to 3-ring presentation binders. - Employers are usually more impressed with a custom built case
• A good rule of thumb is to include between 12-15 samples. Don’t go over 20.
• The first, middle and last projects in my portfolio are examples of my strongest work and usually feature large, integrated campaigns.
• Craftsmanship counts – take care that there are no smudges, glue spots
  or poorly-trimmed boards.
• Decide on a horizontal or vertical format and mount all work to stay consistent within that format.
• Consider integrating sketches to show how a concept evolved. This can be done by building a pocket on back of a board or acetate sleeve, and storing the sketches there. The sketches can also be mounted directly below a larger version of the project so they can be viewed as the project is discussed.

http://www.creativelatitude.com/articles/article_200701_swengler.html

Setting yourself Apart from Other Designers

• You may be talented at graphic design, but what else are you good at in related fields that could make you a far better designer? A passion for photography, creative writing or an unusually high ability in color and composition are just a few. Any of these add value, so invest the time and energy to develop them further.
• Sitting in front of a computer is the worst place to be for brainstorming.
• Remember everything you experience today will effect what you design tomorrow, so go to plays, visit art exhibits, see movies and absorb the world around you. Finally, analyze and critique everything you see and experience in life.
• Taking risks is one of life's greatest joys and can be the first step to success or failure. I believe that success can even be found in failure.
• Take time outside the work environment to learn more about your profession. Becoming more familiar with the operation system and software as well as keeping up with the latest design trends benefits you and your employer, and will help you rise above your coworkers.
• It is vital to you and your client that you write clear contracts, explain additional charges before they occur, and provide the best customer service possible. That means returning calls and emails when it's not convenient, extra meetings to explain your concepts and meeting unreasonable deadlines. Your goal is to provide a level of service unlike the designers around you. Your reward will be the coveted "referral".
• Developing a unique set of talents, abilities and business skills will eventually get you noticed and raise you to a level of success that will be measured in personal satisfaction
• list of attributes I keep above my computer to remind me what I need to be each day to reach my personal and professional goals.

My "Setting Yourself Apart" List 

• Be honest

• Be friendly

• Be positive

• Be focused

• Be intelligent

• Be respectful

• Be persevering

• Be sales-minded

• Have a sense of humor

• Listen more than speaking

• Be different than everyone else

• Do not take rejection personally

• I am an intelligent colleague who is here to offer help

• Have an engaging conversational tone

• Be relaxed

• Speak clearly and concisely

• Don't use slang or profanity with clients or vendors

• Don't communicate political or religious views in business

• Don't hesitate or procrastinate

• Set goals

• Keep learning

• Be friendly, firm and fair in all your business activities.

http://www.creativelatitude.com/articles/article_1204_schul.html

Self Promotion Finding your theme

• When you do start sketching out ideas, it is important to remember that unabashed honesty is a critical ingredient in creating designs that successfully represent you as an artist.
• Finding our own unique theme for self-design requires coming to terms with ourselves, and not just as creative lifers but also as people. Like many forms of art, it can often seem like public self-examination.
• Our process to this point includes: (1) self-examination (2) defining a collective theme about "you" (3) building art direction (4) actual design. The audience will process everything in reverse order. (1) Your design (2) they "get" the art direction (3) infer your theme (4) make assumptions about your personality.
• 
  
• If your design is successful and honest, your audience, namely potential clients, will create a mental image of you and subconsciously decide if they like you or not — all by interacting with your self-design.
• For freelancers working from home or out of an office, sometimes we have to go through the Five Stages of Procrastination before the creative juices start flowing:

Denial – “I have nothing better to do tonight…maybe I can sway a couple of my colleagues to go have a couple of drinks and hang out – besides, it is soooo nice out.”
Anger – “You want me to write how many pages in an hour? Isn’t it enough that I got my daughter to school, showed up on time for the staff meeting, got caught up on my emails, and actually organized my desk before 11am?”
Bargaining – “If I spend 45 minutes working on the article, then I deserve to play Tetris for 15 minutes.”
Depression – “There’s too much to do, it is so overwhelming, where do I start, I’ll be up all nite…..gosh, I’m so tired - I think I’ll take a nap.”
Acceptance – “Why didn’t I start this article sooner? A paycheck would be nice right about now, so I guess I’ll do it.” 

• Why do we procrastinate? Let us count the ways:

1. Lack of vision. 

2. Distractions.

3. Fear of Getting It Wrong and Lack of Confidence.

4. Indecision.

5. Boring tasks.

6. This task is overwhelming! I just don’t have the time! 

7. I don’t have a “real” deadline, so I should get something else done.