portfolio Options

[Smarmosaur]

i'm just gonna stick this here 'til somebody moves it to where it should go...webmaster's corner, maybe?

so, i'm starting to kind of plan out a portfolio (website), just to show off my skills when interviewers ask. i was wondering, what kind of stuff do you have on your portfolio? obviously, your work and info about you, but what else should and/or can be included in a portfolio, so it's still professional but personal? is it a good idea to include a blog (not one about typical teenage crap...), and resources you've made such as brush packs?
links, screenshots, or just a nice description would be great. it doesn't really have to be a portfolio, any "personal" websites will help.
thanks in advance.

[synatribe]

you could also put some awards that you may have received or if you have won any contest from like grpahic design challenges you should put that also so that people will get a better understanding just my opinon though:]

[Smarmosaur]

^i thought of that! then was like...well it would help if i /had/ any.

[synatribe]

lol well it isnt easy to get awards, but just by looking at ur layout submissions I think ur portfolio would look awesome:]

[Smarmosaur]

this is in the original post, but just to bump it...

is it a good idea to include a blog (not the typical teenage crap, stuff related to web design), and self made resources, even though it's a "portfolio"?

[libertie]

Using a blog is a fine idea, especially if you have something to blog about. At least that's one way to ensure that you have some sort of content consistently being updated on your site. If someone is checking out your portfolio, there's a chance they want to know more about you and your work, so blogging about what you've been doing related to your site, art, work, etc. is a good idea.

Offering your own personal resources is a good idea, too - if you're building a portfolio there really isn't that much more to it, you seem to have a basic idea of how the site should work. :)

[Smarmosaur]

thanks, i just wanted to make sure i was going in the right direction.
oh, one more thing. i currently (i plan on mass photoshopping) really don't have that much...well, "stuff", to use on a professional standard. how can i make it look like i'm dedicated to design without using all the typical icons and simple banners and such?

[absinthe]

generally, what people are looking for is proficiency, creativity, and dedication.

all three can be seen by your designs, and how often you update.

even if all you have on your portfolio ARE icons and banners, if they're creative and aesthetically pleasing, it shouldn't matter. quality over quantity.

but to further answer your question, putting up a wide variety of artwork in terms of style and type should establish you as a dedicated designer based on the quality of your work.

TOPIC MOVED TO DESIGNER'S CAFE.

[queen]

there are many designers that do a good job of balancing their portfolio/blog on the same site, ie: http://www.ndesign-studio.com/

if you're asking if you should LINK to a personal blog, that's fine, too, depending on how personal your blog is and if you're willing to reveal that portion of yourself to your soon-to-be coworkers/boss. then again, they'll prolly look you up online and find you anyway.