: As a computer science graduate, how can I develop a potfolio? I am a Computer Science Graduate looking to apply for a job in graphic design. I have completed a few graphic design projects

@Odierno310

There are so many resources on how to do this on the Internet, just search on YouTube for 'portfolio graphic design' and you will get exactly what you're looking for. In short:


Choose a couple of projects you are really proud of.
Present the task, some samples of your process (early sketches, prototypes, ...) and finally your product.
Use all these pieces to tell a coherent story that not only includes your final products but also shows the inspector your style of thinking, your capability of self-criticism and your willingness of overthrowing everything that doesn't meet your standards.
Try not to claim things, just give proof of your skills by presenting a nice and round layout that meets the requirements implicitly.
Finally maybe the most important point in case there are many great applicants: Do something creative and interesting that the viewer doesn't expect. This is your job as a designer!

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@Shanna688

For some odd reason, many believe they can obtain degrees in other fields and then call themselves graphic designers. I have seen engineers, architects and other graduates from different fields do this. What do you know about typography? What's the difference between a geometric sans-serif and humanist san-serif? What typeface was used throughout Captain America Civil War? What makes the FedEx logo special?

What are the principles of design? Do you know the current design trends?

These questions aren't even 0.001% of what you should be able to answer before calling yourself a graphic designer. It is possible to become a graphic designer, and if you educate yourself it's doable. But you must know not just where to look but what to look for. We're not only expected to design well and explain all of our choices but also have a lot of technical skills. Keyboard shortcuts for the Adobe Creative Suite (and they aren't always consistent). Many companies want designers that code (that could be to your benefit) or design and wireframe projects for coders. You should be familiar with HTML/CSS and consider learning Javascript, jQuery and PHP if you haven't already.

Even if you know these languages can you apply design principles to make elegant solutions? Can you recognize art/design history influences on different designs?

You should begin by taking courses on Lynda.com. You should create a Behance and/or a portfolio website with your work. Find your style and your specialty. Be honest with yourself and compare your work to others to see if it yours looks considerably worse. I once had a Professor unpin our work and re-pin it in order of best to worst and told us to figure out what he just did. Until you've gone through and understand the many things that forge a designer, you will likely have a hard time being recognized as one.

Check out courses in typography at lynda.com

Also begin checking out websites like:

smashingmagazine.com

howdesign.com

fastcodesign.com

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