Just as Zoom doesn’t give you a way to shake hands, a graphic design portfolio doesn’t deliver a satisfying tactile that many designer used to designs experience for potential clients. This article will teach you how to create a graphic design print portfolio.
Research has shown that, even for a visual medium like digital graphic design software itself, physically interacting with a visual design process or user interface presentation is far more powerful than interacting with it virtually.
Touching paper and turning pages produces a deeper emotional response, is perceived as a more “real” experience by the human brain, and increases the amount of information the reader retains.
For the graphic artist and designers working with you, that means a print portfolio will get a client much more excited about your work and make them more likely to remember it. And that’s how you get more work.
What is a Print Portfolio?
A print-based or graphic design portfolio website, graphic art or design portfolio is a creative brand identity or statement expressed on paper (or any other material). It’s a physical representation and display of who you are, the work you do, your experience, your skills, and fine arts, design ideas, and your point of view.
And it is a key element of your overall marketing strategy as creative director. Generally, your own graphic design portfolio website graphic design portfolio website contains images of your work, information about you and your experience, skills, clients, bio, artist statement, etc., and your contact information, social media, and website.
![Create a Print Portfolio](https://justcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Create-a-Print-Portfolio.jpg.webp)
![Create a Print Portfolio](https://justcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Create-a-Print-Portfolio.jpg.webp)
Best Practices for a Graphic Design Portfolio
Whether you’re a graphic designer or creating a print or digital graphic design portfolio, there are some universal best practices, graphic design portfolio tips, design principles, and experience designers have to follow:
- Curate Your Best Work: Only include your strongest, most impressive pieces in your portfolio site that accurately represent the type of graphic artist, art director, and design work you want to get hired for. Leave out amateur or student projects.
- Highlight Your Process: In addition to showcasing final designs, give a glimpse into your creative process – sketches, research, iterations – to provide context.
- Demonstrate Versatility: Include examples across different types of graphic design industry disciplines (print, digital, branding motion graphics, UX, etc.) to show your range of skills.
- Update Regularly: Continually prune older, weaker projects and add new, refined pieces as your experience grows.
- Have a Unifying Concept: Whether highlighting a specialty, aesthetic style, or passion area, have a coherent theme that ties your portfolio together.
- Get Outside Feedback: Share your portfolio draft with other freelance graphic designers you work with instructors, or trusted peers to get constructive criticism before finalizing it.
By following these portfolio best practices, you’ll create a compelling representation of your design talents to share with potential employers or clients.
Should You Create a Print Portfolio?
In the technological age, most graphic designers understand that an online presence is necessary to create credibility and help customers find you. But don’t overlook the need for a physical design portfolio. This essential branding interface design and marketing asset lets your potential clients to hold your work, flip through the pages, and interact with it in an entirely different and more tangible way than a website.
A printed portfolio template that helps you market your services by:
- Showing off your print design skills
- Creating a visual content tactile experience that makes more emotional impact and will be remembered longer
- Presenting it in a format that makes it for the reader to focus and to absorb
- Telling customers you’re willing and able to invest in your business by creating a print marketing piece
- Leaving a customer with an eye-catching piece that sits on their desk and keeps you top of mind
11 Tips for Creating a Knock-Out Print Portfolio for Your Graphic Design Work
When you create a print portfolio, you’re telling your artistic story, so each element you use to tell it should be intentional and resonate with the reader. Carefully consider each aspect of your composition, from the font you choose to the paper, to the quality of printing. These tips can help you create a creative portfolio that customers won’t forget.
1. Ideate
Start by thinking about what you want to include, what you want to say, how you want want the book covers your portfolio to look and feel, and what kind of work you want to attract.
When selecting work for your portfolio:
- Think about how to organize or categorize it so it tells a story.
- Include work that illustrates the type of work you’d like to get.
- Demonstrate your versatility.
- Show additional skills. If you’re also a writer, photographer, or printmaker, then include it.
- Provide written context for the work.
![Graphic Design Print Portfolio](https://justcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Graphic-Design-Print-Portfolio.jpg.webp)
![Graphic Design Print Portfolio](https://justcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Graphic-Design-Print-Portfolio.jpg.webp)
2. Let Your Work Speak for Itself
Design is a visual medium. Go heavy on photographs that let the audience focus on your work while providing just enough information to create a framework and complete the story. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words. That’s because images tend to stick with us long after we’ve seen them. And you’re certainly more likely to close the deal with a customer who remembers your work long after they put down your design portfolio.
3. Keep it Simple
Keep the focus on your work by giving it space and minimizing distractions on the page. That doesn’t necessarily mean a big white space around each image. But it does mean you want the images to be the first element the eye is drawn to. Text, other environmental graphic design graphic elements, and background colors should not overwhelm your work.
![Resume](https://justcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Resume.jpg.webp)
![Resume](https://justcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Resume.jpg.webp)
4. Create a Consistent Look
Your portfolio website is a key piece of your personal branding. When you meet with someone, they have probably seen your website. The user experience there should be consistent, but still distinct.
Make sure your portfolio echoes your website without being a paper version of it. Use similar fonts, color values, lines, contrast etc., but highlight different work and vary the page layouts. If your print portfolio includes multiple pieces – such as business cards, postcards, a resume, etc., make sure they create a cohesive look.
![Create a Consistent Look with your Portfolio](https://justcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Create-a-Consistent-Look-with-your-Portfolio-428x400.jpg.webp)
![Create a Consistent Look with your Portfolio](https://justcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Create-a-Consistent-Look-with-your-Portfolio-428x400.jpg.webp)
5. Select Size and Format
Portfolios can be any shape or size. You may choose a single large sheet that folds up to a compact size or large layout the size of a coffee table book. Many graphic designers will use a book format.
But you can get creative with a newspaper layout, a package of postcards, or a folder containing a separate resume, business card, and work samples. Some considerations when choosing a format include how much work you’re including, whether you’ll be mailing it, and your budget.
Unusual formats make for eye-catching portfolios. But, before you fully customize every aspect of paper portfolios, consider using standard presentation materials. It can keep costs down and make layout easy since templates are available for products like presentation folders, envelopes, and 3-ring binders. You can find a lot of free templates online which you can edit in all formats and download them at ease.
![Size and Format.](https://justcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Pick-Your-Paper.jpg.webp)
![Size and Format.](https://justcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Pick-Your-Paper.jpg.webp)
6. Pick Your Paper
Choose a stock that works for your portfolio examples your budget, your brand aesthetic, the feel you want, and the way the paper will be used. For example, if your portfolio is going to unfold like a newspaper, select a stock that will provide that experience.
Considerations to keep in mind when choosing stock include:
- Weight – Paper weights are measured in grams. GSM stands for Grams per Square Meter. The higher the GSM number, the heavier and thicker the paper. A lighter stock may create a magazine feel, whereas you’ll need a heavier stock if you’re adding a die-cut to your piece.
- Coating – Coatings protect paper and keep the ink on the surface of the paper, making text and images appear more vivid and defined. There are several options[SB1], including gloss, which provides a shiny surface; satin, which is less shiny and shows fewer fingerprints; and matte, which protects paper without reflectivity. You can also opt for uncoated stock which will provide a more natural look and absorb ink, so images and artwork look softer.
- Texture – The texture of your paper determines how your portfolio feels in your customer’s hands and affects how your artwork reproduces. Images look crisp on a smooth surface but take on some depth and variation on textured linen or felt stock.
![Special Design Touches](https://justcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Special-Design-Touches.jpg.webp)
![Special Design Touches](https://justcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Special-Design-Touches.jpg.webp)
7. Add Special Touches
Take full advantage of the medium. Print offers some fun ways to add texture, shine, and dimension to your own portfolio design. You may want to add a little pizzazz with foil stamping or make an impression (pun intended) with embossing or debossing. You can also use die cuts to add an interesting window or edge or create a completely unique shape for your portfolio.
8. Make a Matching Mailer
The impression your portfolio makes starts the moment your customer receives it. If they’re getting it in the mail, that means your packaging will make the first impression. If you’re going to be sending your portfolio, you’ll want to print a portfolio envelope that creates a high-end introduction to your work.
9. Find a Good Printer
A portfolio is a big investment. Make sure you’re working with a printer or graphic designer who can deliver great quality and peace of mind.
- Quality – Make sure you’re going to be getting a good quality finished product by looking at samples of similar jobs.
- Responsiveness – You want a printer who is available and will make it right if there’s a problem. Check to see that they answer the phone, and you can easily get ahold of someone when you need to. And check out Google reviews – they usually tell a pretty accurate story.
- Consultation – Call and ask if you can get a free consultation. Regardless of your level of print experience, you want to work with an expert you can bounce ideas off.
- Selection – Go through the printer’s website to make sure they have a broad selection of products, papers, imprints, die cuts and overall ability to do any customer project.
- Warranty – An average printer gives you two weeks to inspect your items, but if you order for a client, it’s not realistic to ask them to check each piece within two weeks. Make sure your printer has at least a one-year warranty. We like Company Folders, Inc. for their lifetime warranty.
![Find a good printer](https://justcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Take-Photos-of-Your-Portfolio.jpg.webp)
![Find a good printer](https://justcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Take-Photos-of-Your-Portfolio.jpg.webp)
10. Take Photos of Your Portfolio
Once you’ve created an amazing portfolio, you’ll want good pictures of it for your website. It’s an example of your work and an opportunity to demonstrate your branding graphic design skills to visitors to your digital portfolio. You may also use it as a lead magnet, sending it out to prospects who provide contact information or join your email list.
With some basic photography know-how and a DSLR camera, you are just a few steps away from great photos of your portfolio. Start by creating a well-lit space with a background that isn’t distracting. Take your photos in a brightly lit room—the best light is natural light so you might pick a spot near a window.
Or consider buying or making a lightbox. Make sure to shoot your print work from angles that show it clearly and capture interesting details. And take your time and try different combinations of light, backgrounds, and angles until you get images you love. Then use an editing tool to get composition, color, and contrast just the way you want them.
11. Aim for “Wow”
The goal of a full portfolio book or great print portfolio is simply to make your customers say “Wow!” It is a piece of art and a sales pitch that both shows and tells a prospective client what you can do for their brand.
These tips will help you use your graphic design portfolios and skills to market yourself in a powerful and compelling way. So, have fun, show off a little, and dazzle your customers with a thoroughly well thought out and well-crafted presentation.
How to Showcase Your Graphic Design Print Portfolio
Once you’ve created a stellar print media portfolio, it’s important to find opportunities to showcase it effectively to potential clients and employers. Here are some tips:
1. Portfolio Reviews and Interviews
Bring your print portfolio to any in-person portfolio review events, job interviews, or client meetings. Having the tactile piece allows you to walk through your best work in an engaging way.
2. Design Studio Visits
If you have the chance to visit design studios or agencies you’d like to work for, bring your print portfolio. You can leave it behind as a memorable and tangible representation of your skills.
3. Print Portfolio Mailings
Research companies you’d like to work with and send your print portfolio in the mail, properly packaged. Include a well-designed cover letter or sleeve introducing yourself.
4. Design Competitions and Events
Enter your portfolio into respected design competitions. Even if you don’t win, getting it in front of the judges is valuable exposure. Also, display it at local design events and gallery shows.
5. Online Portfolios
While you’ll want an online portfolio for easy viewing, be sure to also include high-quality photographs of your print portfolio design. This provides an additional example of your branding abilities.
By finding strategic ways to get your real print portfolio in front of prospective clients and employers, you can make a strong creative impression that online portfolios alone cannot match.