E-Portfolio... in the design world, you need to have one!

The following is a Web Design Class assignment. We were to answer questions regarding E-Portfolios and list a few references.

WHAT IS AN E-PORTFOLIO?
An E-Portfolio (electronic portfolio) is a web-based site, which showcases design work as well as a resume, blogs and anything else you’d like to add. These portfolios are also known as an Online Portfolio or a Digital Portfolio.

This type of portfolio is used a lot by creative people such as graphic designers, web designers or freelancers to show their design work and achievements to colleagues, employers, clients, family, friends, etc. on the internet. Many Photographers, Writers, Actors, Animators, Interior Designers, etc. also use E-Portfolios. Depending on your field, it is good to have one.

Some people might sign-up for an account that hosts online portfolios through sites such as Coroflot, Behance, Carbonmade, DevianArt, etc. With these sites all you have to do is basically fill-in the blanks and upload samples of your design work, resume, etc. A good thing to having an account with one of these sites listed is you can join their forums and communities and make connections really fast.

Others, if they’re able to, will design their own E-Portfolio site. This process can take anywhere from about a month to a few months depending on how simple or how elaborate you want your online portfolio to look.

If you design your own online portfolio, that in itself is one example of your web design work. Your online portfolio can be one page or multiple pages. But of course, you must keep in mind that less is more and you don’t want to overdo it.

An E-Portfolio is also good for creative people who just want to network and to build business type relationships. In most fields it is necessary these days to have an online presence. For example, you never know when an excellent job lead might come up (even though you’re not looking for one) from one of your network connections. You can then e-mail your online portfolio to whoever it needs to be sent to or if you’re face-to-face give that person your portfolio address, preferably your business card which has the link on it. Sure you can write out your information on whatever piece of paper you happen to find at the time but, it is best to look and be professional.

No matter what, just like your resume, you should form a habit to always keep up your online portfolio. It is an ongoing process. Visual communication is very important these days. It’s your digital identity.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF AN E-PORTFOLIO?
An E-Portfolio is designed to show your web site design work and/or your print work. And, if you have any, you can also show your animation work. Animation is not something you can show to its fullest extent such as with a book portfolio.

One way some creatives use their E-Portfolio is to find employment and/or freelance work. Besides samples of your work, an E-Portfolio can contain your resume which names/lists companies that you have worked for.

Depending on the purpose of your E-Portfolio and whatever it is you plan on using it for, in the end, you want to put just enough information on it where they will then want to speak with you further to find out more information about your design skills and goals. You want to get them to call you! It is all about promoting yourself… branding and identity!

Also, if you’re seeking employment and/or freelance work, it is good to have a separate e-mail account just for that purpose. It is also good to utilize your online portfolio link as part of your e-mail signature. That way, you don’t always have to type it in.

Once you have your site designed, hosted and ready to go, all you have to do is to add (copy and paste) your URL address (link) to an e-mail. Of course, the link should be posted on your business card too.

E-PORTFOLIO BEST PRACTICES
Should contain
• Full name
• Office/Business Address
• E-mail Address
• Phone Number (with proper voice mail message)
• Fax Number
• Site Name

Depending on how you are using your E-Portfolio, the following is
optional or should be listed
• Social Media Site Links: LinkedIn, Blogs, etc.
• Home Address (for freelancers if they don’t have a business address)
• Resume (if you’re searching for employment)
• Client or Industry List
• Services Offered (if you’re a freelancer seeking employment)

Page Layout
• Appealing
• Consistent
• Not Cluttered
• Good Navigation
• Organized Content
• Easy to Read Text
• Fast Download
• Common Header and Footer

Color and Graphics
• Consistent Color (throughout site)
• Subtle Color
• No More Than 3 Different Font Types
• Optimized Graphics
• Image Alt Tags

E-PORTFOLIO SITE INFORMATION
Web designer wall – Visited March 31,2011
Web Designer Wall: Single Page E-Portfolio Sites

Freelance Folder – Visited March 31, 2011
Freelance Folder: 20 Inspiring Personal Portfolio Sites You Should Explore

DesignM.ag – Visited March 31, 2011
DesignM.ag 50 Excellent Designer Portfolio Sites

DesignM.ag – Visited March 31, 2011
DesignM.ag: Inspiration, 101 Awesome E-Portfolio Sites

VALENTINE'S DAY & OTHER UPCOMING HOLIDAYS...

The holiday's will soon be over. Or, will they?...LOL

Everytime we turn the corner there's some kind of holiday such as Valentine's Day, Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, etc., or an Anniversary.

Ok, a birthday is not a holiday...lol but, it's always someone's birthday, or someone has a new addition to the family, maybe someone got promoted, or you just want to show someone some love. It doesn't have to be a holiday in order for you to show you care. Besides receiving cards, it's always fun to give them out too.

So, thinking about upcoming parties and events, you could start getting that special greeting card/announcement all ready to go. People still love receiving mail and cards. It makes their day much more special.

Get in touch with Visual Xplosion to help you create a one of a kind birthday card, baby announcement, graduation card, valentine's day card, etc.

We look forward to assisting you with your graphic design needs.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE:

E-mail Visual Xplosion

Visual Xplosion.....Creating Design Solutions for Your Industry

The HOLIDAYS are coming!.....

Can you believe it? Half the year is OVER and the holidays are just around the corner...LOL

Have you thought about your Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Eve party invites as well as your Christmas and New Year's cards and/or any other parties/gatherings you'll have going on these next six months? Most likely not. Well, if you haven't, it's time to RESERVE YOUR DATES before someone else takes them.

We know e-mail and e-vites are a whole lot easier and faster, but an actual card/invitation these days makes it so much more special. People still do save their cards/invitations and find them years later and remember the good time they had at your party.

So, get going, get those cards designed, printed and ready to drop into the mailbox two to two and a half weeks before your gathering.

A TIP:

You don't have to have an actual date, etc., printed on your invitations just yet. Get all the other wording printed on the cards but, leave blank spaces and by hand, write in the date, time, location and phone number in their appropriate spaces when the time comes. Just an idea to consider.

Contact us and we'll assist you with creating and designing your 2010 greeting cards, fliers, post cards, promotional kits, etc. We can also assist you with finding a printer to print your item(s).

Happy Halloween, Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and everything else inbetween...LOL

We look forward to working with you!

VISIT OUR WEBSITE:

E-mail Visual Xplosion

Visual Xplosion.....Creating Design Solutions for Your Industry

Time to Promote Yourself?!?!

Welcome 2010! It's a new year! Isn't it time to start promoting your company/business with a new promotional kit to hand out to potential, new clients? Or, clients on your list that might have not have needed your product/service back then, but could use it this year.

Your kit should include information sheets about your product/service in a new folder or container of some kind; and it could include, pens/pencils, a postcard, doorhanger, a fun giveaway, etc.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE:




E-mail Visual Xplosion

Visual Xplosion.....Creating Design Solutions for Your Industry

Visual Communication Messages.....

What's yours?

If your business needs fresh new brochures, ads, post cards/mailers, a newsletter, interactive PDF's, a promotional kit, etc., we can help. Send us an e-mail with all the specs on your project. We'll then contact you for a consultation and go from there.

Visit our website at: Visual Xplosion

Send us an e-mail: Visual Xplosion

Visual Xplosion.....Creating Design Solutions for Your Industry

Are You Ready.....

To promote your company, your business and/or yourself? If you need any promotional items such as postcards, door hangers, business cards, t-shirt designs, brochures and more, send us an e-mail.

Once we have all your project information, we can then give you a quote and get your project started once the contract is signed. So, contact us today!

Visit our website at: Visual Xplosion

Send us an e-mail: E-mail Visual Xplosion

Visual Xplosion.....Creating Design Solutions for Your Industry

Tweet....

Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/visualxplosion

Find out what we're up to. Right now, we're seeking graphic design projects such as designing ads, brochures, postcards, fliers, handouts, PowerPoint presentations, etc. Let us know how we can assist you with any design projects.

Visual Xplosion...Creating Design Solutions for Your Industry

Promoting The Business.....

Let's help each other out and band together to get our businesses' going.

MODELS, PHOTOGRAPHERS, BUSINESS OWNERS, BUSINESS PEOPLE, MUSICIANS, BARS, CLUBS, PROMOTERS, ETC....

ADD US!!! VISIT OUR PAGE!!!Let people know about us!!! Promote Us, And We Will Promote You!!!

Visit us on My Space:

---

VISUAL XPLOSION STORE

Vist the Visual Xplosion Store at CAFE PRESS where you can purchase a variety of items such as, t-shirts, hats, post cards, framed artwork, pillows and more to give as gifts or for yourself.

New designs will be added soon. Please come by often to check them out and purchase your cool stuff.

Visual Xplosion CAFE PRESS Store

Trying To Get My Graphic Design Company Started! It Sure Does Take Time...

Greetings! I'm a freelance Graphic Designer (Print) who is currently looking for a permanent, full-time position in-house or with an advertising/marketing firm. I can't wait to get a great job, with a great firm. May 2009, I will have five years of experience in my field. How exciting!

What sucks these day's is company's want you not only to do graphic design print work but, also web design. Instead of earning a Computerized Graphic Design Associate degree, I should have gone for a Web Design degree. Oh well, all I have to do now is learn Dreamweaver and Flash. That shouldn't be too hard. I do have basic HTML knowledge.

Again, first, I need that job to be able to pay for classes. Then, I can go take semester classes on Dreamweaver and Flash. Or, at least, take a basic class on each to get me started. There's so much I want to learn.

STARTING MY OWN GRAPHIC DESIGN BUSINESS

In the meantime, I'm trying to start up my own graphic design firm too. It's called Visual Xplosion. After coming up with some names for the company, I asked my son what he thought and he came up with the VX name. I thought that was even better than what I had. At this moment, it's myself and my son in the business. He's my Account Manager. He's supposed to go out and get those clients...LOL Well, so am I.

I received my Computerized Graphic Design Associate degree with Honors in May of 2007. But, I have been doing graphic design since May of 2004. I was lucky! I got to design ads for trade publications, brochures and course catalogs, etc., that were mailed to internal and external customers and, I got to do some website maintenance. So, besides class projects, I was able to put real world design pieces in my portfolio.

So, what does it take to start a business? First off, you need to have cash to buy the things you need to get that business going. In my business of graphic design, it could be anything from a PC or laptop, software, hardware such as a bigger internal harddrive, an external harddrive. Man, those things (the harddrives) fill up fast! You need to have at least 200 MB of space on your harddrive in order for your PC to run right. And, don't forget you need to get your stuff printed such as business cards, flier, etc.

Another important thing is keeping up with your field! Adobe has upgraded the Creative Suite a few times now and they're up to CS4. I've heard there's not much difference, but still. I'm still using CS2. Oh, and can you believe all the things you can do with Adobe Acrobat? When I found out one of my classes for my degree was Acrobat, I asked myself "Acrobat? Why do we need to take Acrobat?"...LOL Now, I know why...LOL

It's also a good thing to join some graphic design forums. Or, at least, read/skim through some. You can learn so much there. If you do join some forums, you can, of course add you two cents and it's a good way to network. Yeah, there's a lot of competition out there, but there's also lots of work out there too. It's just getting the right company's that are willing to pay you what you're worth.

And, one of the most important things is forming and keeping RELATIONSHIPS! Whether it's in person, by phone, through e-mail, by snail mail and even by utilizing IM's, you need to keep in touch with the clients you have already established. And for those you want to have as a client, anyone of the ways mentioned or a combination there of is the way to begin your relationship. Of course, in person is always best, but in this day and age, if you do gain clients on the other side of the world, you can always stay in touch some how.

So far, I've been able to do a few freelance jobs that I got on my own. One was a T-Shirt design for Orbitz Worldwide. The guy saw my posting online, called me up, we discussed what he needed, I gave him a quote, he accepted and I went from there. It's cool having a big name in your portfolio.

Another job I got was from my neighbor. She found out another neighbor who owns an interior design firm needed a half-page ad really fast. I had the interior designer come over and bring her business card and brochure, we had the consultation, I got back to her with a quote and she accepted. I can't believe I made big money for a half-page ad which took no more than maybe a day/day and a half to do. I wish I could get more clients like that. One's that will pay what you're worth.

Right now, the promotional kit that I want to put together for Visual Xplosion has to be on hold. I know, it does take money to make money. I'd like to be able to purchase some giveaways, I need to get the folder I designed printed, samples of my work printed (to put into the folders), etc. I also really need to purchase a bigger internal harddrive. Mine is so full! I don't want to have trouble when I have Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and/or QuarkXPress open all at once.

Well, I guess I should do something about the few clients I did freelance work for (these last 2 years) such as, keeping and forming a working relationship. I have some postcards I created quite awhile back. I'm going to send those out this new year (2009) to my existing clients and to new clients that I would like to form a working relationship with. The nice thing is, a postcard is a bit cheaper to mail out than regular snail mail. I know, e-mail is the cheapest, but I want them to have a piece of my artwork to actually view and hold in their hands. Maybe they'll post it on their bulletin board or something?...LOL

Hopefully, 2009 will be the year I get a good job so, that I can get some cash to purchase the things I need and to print my pieces for my promotional kit. I'm trying to stay positive. Only time will tell.

You can view my website at Visual Xplosion