Contents
Preface
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1: The Portfolio Process—Start to Finish
You Need a Portfolio
A Portfolio Must Stand Alone
Start Building Your Portfolio
Tailor the Portfolio to Your Area of Specialization
Be Prepared
Chapter 2: Planning Your Portfolio
Concept
Content
Follow-through
Career Development Checklist
Layout and Design Evaluation Sheet
Chapter 3: The Traditional Portfolio: The Résumé, Cover Letter, and Business Card
What Goes into the Written Part of Your Portfolio?
The Résumé
Cover Letter
Business Card
Designing Your Self-Promotional Package
Chapter 4: The Traditional Portfolio: Design and Art Projects
Organizing Your Portfolio
Professional Portfolio Presentation
Additional Display Guidelines
Portfolios for Different Design Disciplines
The Rough Book and the Sketchbook
The Artist’s Statement
Chapter 5: The Digital Portfolio: CD-ROMs, DVDs, and Web Sites
CD-ROM/DVD- or Web-Based Portfolio?
Size and Speed: Primary Criteria
Deciding Which Multimedia Authoring Program to Use
Master of the Web: Choosing a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) Program Editor
Putting It All Together: Additional Software Options
Planning Your Web Design Project
Chapter 6: The Digital Portfolio: Technical Elements
Preparing Work for Digital Presentation
Coordinating Graphics Formats
Inserting, Resizing, and Moving Graphics
Compressing Files to Reduce Size
Using Color Spaces for Multimedia Design
Transferring Artwork into the Computer
The Lowdown on Downloads
Scaling the Learning Curve
Chapter 7: The Design Phase
Organize, Organize, Organize
Designing a Visual Theme: Making Your Portfolio Unique
Navigation: How to Get There from Here
Using Color Effectively
Color and Your Portfolio Interface
Color Wrap-up
Chapter 8: Working with Type
A Brief Lesson on Type for Multimedia Design
Using Type to Express Your Artistic Vision
Visual Organization
The Importance of Consistency
Body Copy
The Psychology of Type
Ten Rules for Good Type Design
Chapter 9: Maneuvering around Your Site
Getting There from Here
Navigation Techniques for Successful Interface Design
Strategizing Navigation
Choosing the Best Navigation System for You
Navigation Review
Chapter 10: The Web-Based Portfolio: Web Page Design
Why Web Page Design Isn’t Like Page Design
Step 1: Start with a Layout
Step 2: Gather Your Assets
Step 3: Create and Code Your Interface
Step 4: Publish Your Pages
Final Thoughts
Chapter 11: The Web-Based Portfolio: Technical Elements
Do-It-Yourself Web Site Development
Finding a Web Host
Promoting Your Site
Final Thoughts
Chapter 12: Multimedia and Your Interface
Multimedia and the Digital Portfolio
Adding Audio to Your Portfolio
Meeting the Video Challenge
Chapter 13: Designer Checklists
Designer Checklist for Digital Portfolios
Design Elements Checklist
Technical Design Checklist
Miscellaneous Designer Checklist
Final Thoughts
Chapter 14: Using Social Media to Land a Great Job
Building Your Brand Identity
Chapter 15: Taking Interviews and Presenting Your Portfolio
Preparing for a Job Interview
How to Take a Successful Interview
Types of Interviews
Presenting Your Portfolio
Length and Breakdown of Interviews
Your Turn to Ask
Close the Interview and Follow Up
Second-Interview Structure
Interviewing: A Two-Way Street
Responding to a Job Offer
Glossary
Print Resources
Electronic Resources
Glossary
Bibliography
Index