186 design professionals share advice on what makes a great portfolio in “Flaunt”

The portfolio — it is all about branding yourself or your company, and it is ever-changing and evolving. 

The objective is simple: Create a delivery mechanism to showcase your work and depth of experience in an accessible and attractive matter. The intricacies of the different outcomes are as diverse as the owner.

A few months back, my long-time creative partner Katie Pendlay shared a book-about-books with me:  “Flaunt: Designing effective, compelling and memorable portfolios of creative work,” by Bryony Gomez-Palacio and Armin Vit.

Here is Katie's review of Flaunt.

The book is a collection of 41 case studies of diverse portfolios. The case studies feature close-up photographs; detailed breakdowns of the materials used, techniques, and resources it took to create them; and interviews with each designer.

Under the heading of “speaking from experience”, sprinkled throughout the book are reports from emailed interviews with 186 professionals in the design field such as Steve Liska and Michael Bierut. They share the most common mistakes people make in their portfolios, and offer great advice.

Another survey targeting the interviewee (designer) was conducted and those results are charted throughout the book under the heading of “census of portfolio etiquette.” They answer common concerns like how many pieces to include, method of first contact with potential interviewers, and how to present your work in an interview.

This book is a useful resource for everyone from young designers looking for their first job, to seasoned consultants in search to increase their client base.

(Thanks for the review, Katie. I owe so much of what's in my book to you.)