Portfolio guide

The design and layout you choose will be an indication of your creative skills. Ensure your portfolio has a consistent layout and a design background that does not detract from the content itself.

Ensure that the quality of any photography, images, audio samples or textile swatches included is high as this will impact on the viewers engagement with your content. Aim for clear, professional photos and/or high quality renders.

Accessibility to your portfolio is key, so make sure digital file sizes are compressed to reduce any access issues when the employer is receiving your content via email. Follow any employer guidelines if these are made available to you.

Create a narrative with your content, ensuring impact is created at the start of your portfolio and a lasting impression towards the end.To help explain your vision as you progress through your portfolio include tags and labels to help guide the reader through.

Although you want to ensure only your very best work is highlighted, consider using incomplete as well as finished examples of your work in your portfolio that help to demonstrate the process of your work.

• Some recruiters will ask for the portfolio not to exceed a particular file size, typically no more than 5MB. A maximum permitted will frequently be quoted in job advertisements. 
• Include a timeline that can act as a contents page.
• Curate the portfolio carefully, including work that shows evidence of a breadth of skills, especially those being sought by the recruiter. Think about work that covers the full range of architectural traditions, from initial concept sketches, site plans and axonometric views to cross sections, final visualisations and construction details.
• If possible, include photos of hand drawings and physical models, to evidence of software skills and to show a range of ability - this will bring an interesting variety to the portfolio.  
• Try to include work that will be of particular interest for the type of practice you are considering; (for example, do they specialise in commercial, residential etc.)

• If you are including photos of work such as paintings, pottery, sculptures or any other medium which includes fine detail, you may find it beneficial to include a mixture of close up and wider images, and also consider a range of angles, to more fully display the complexity of your work.
• It can also be effective to showcase a piece or design at several stages within the journey from conception to completion. Including your initial ideas and sketches can help to illustrate how your thoughts developed and potentially changed throughout the process, including your response to any challenges that might have arisen.

• A consideration for boosting your online presence is self publishing games. This can be really effective in your portfolio to showcase your work to potential employers, as well as a way in which to generate revenue.
• Steam is a popular games platform which allows for self publication, or you might explore app stores as a means of distributing your work.
• It is important to consider all of the permissions and associated paperwork that come with self publishing your own content, and platforms will have their terms and conditions listed for you to read through so that you can make an informed decision.

• It would be useful to have both a physical and online portfolio and adapt the contents to suit each role that interests you
• Include a variety of work samples, such as sketches, technical drawings, mood boards, fabric swatches, and final garment designs
• Demonstrate your ability to conceptualise and execute full collections or lines, not just individual pieces
• Highlight your understanding of fashion trends, textile materials, and construction techniques

• Choose the right platform to showcase your work and include a professional case study, or client recommendations.
• Describe your creative process as well. Employers will probably want to know how you approach your work and work with ideas, any favourite genres, styles or designers, other influences and so on.  
• As well as commercially relevant work, try to show some non-client work, or side projects as well in your portfolio.

• Try to include images that highlight excellent composition, use of industry standard equipment, interesting use of exposure, and creative use of lens length.
• Varying the subject of your photos can keep the portfolio exciting while still showcasing a consistent style.
• Consider the inclusion of any specific skills or requirements provided to you within a job description or brief from a client.
• It is okay to include more than one image from the same shoot, but try to avoid images which are too similar.

The information and advice included below is largely focused on those students or graduates from the Faculty of Technology. This will include individuals looking to secure opportunities relating to product design and development, manufacturing, design engineering and/or some computer-based roles, especially web design/development. 

When designing and developing your portfolio or website, ensure you highlight:

• The core skills you have for the role – clarify the premise and show how you can communicate and respond to actual briefs
• Software skills - using work created via 2D or 3D CAD such as Photoshop, SketchBook Pro or SolidWorks for engineering/product design-based students or examples of web development, user interface design, application development and/or network management for computing-based students
• Drawing skills - if relevant - demonstrated through observational and concept design sketches highlighting perspective, form, surface and detail
• An ability to develop concepts through experimentation – show how you research and illustrate the journey including things like mood boards, colour palettes, sketches and renderings for product design and/or code samples, screenshots of a working programme or application, data representation or data structures for computing.
• Problem-solving abilities - taking a design and/or software or hardware issue and showing how you reached a fully developed solution. For Product Design students this could include use of software such as Creo, Keyshot, Photoshop or Spaceclaim. For Computing students this could include use of Python, C or C++, HTML, CSS or Javascript.
• Written elements such as project titles and concise descriptions of your work – writing is an essential tool for designers to develop critical and communication skills

Showreels are a short video version of a portfolio, commonly used for roles in film, TV or animation.

• Aim to make your showreel brief and impactful - they are typically between one or two minutes long
• Put your best work first within the reel to wow the viewer and encourage them to continue watching
• Try to show some of your personality where possible to create a memorable impression on the employer
• Don’t be afraid to cut weaker or less relevant footage in order to ensure that your showreel is of the highest standard possible
• If you’re including collaborative work in the showreel, make sure you clearly show what your contribution was, and credit the work of others
• Include a title card as part of your showreel which lists your name and contact details

• Online portfolios can provide interactivity for viewers and reflect your technical skills
• You could opt to use a portfolio template, or create your own to exercise greater control over the format and demonstrate your capabilities.
• Another consideration for you will be whether you use a free hosting site or purchase a domain name, which can enable you to personalise the name to match your professional identity..