In the grand way of taking blog risks, here’s my stab at reaching out and letting the anonymous public openly critique the logic of my beginning attempts at learning to teach graphic design theory and practice. If I’m really, really lucky, some or several of the students I’m even teaching at the moment will happen on to this and have a chance to directly sound off for or against what they’re experiencing in my classroom right now.

Of course, I suppose that also means they’re opening themselves up the same doses of public scorn / praise that this medium enables… Let’s just see what happens.

So class, let’s start with storytime and then move into the question and answer period of the course, shall we?

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After reviewing design portfolios for the graduating class of a local school last week, I decided to post a few tips on making the most of a design portfolio and presentation itself. The following advice is based on the many books I have reviewed over the past years, not just this one class. I have noticed that the print quality available to almost all really has made the books get even stronger, as you no longer need 4 color offset printing to create what looks like a ‘professional’ finished piece.

Below are 10 basic tips (in no particular order), because 10 is always a great number to make the list look more official.

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Long ago in a land far away. OK, so it was six years ago and about eighty miles from where I sit, but the distance I have come in that time can only be measured in eras or ages.

When I was an insecure design student, as opposed to a semi-secure professional designer, I held onto every invention and technique that I came up with, like it was my holy grail. Whether these techniques were actually unique is a whole different story. These techniques gave me a much needed identity and as soon as I graduated from school this “technique” was going to make me famous and win me awards. I’m still waiting. While too many awards are granted on technique and texture, it is obvious that great design doesn’t come from either.

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