My Digital Portfolio

My digital portfolio can be viewed here:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8AicS_JCT1mQ3Z0THBTN0hkZUU

Digital vs Physical Portfolios

Digital vs Physical Portfolios

From: http://www.thedesignrange.com/digital-vs-print-when-presenting-your-portfolio/

  The ‘portfolio meeting’ is become a rare occurrence in the lives of today’s designer, with more and more clients finding you through your online portfolio it’s more often the case now that by the time you’re having your initial meeting with a client they’re already well versed in your back catalouge. However there are still cases where a client may well want you to present your work to them, perhaps you’ve been recommended by someone they trust or you’re the one who has approached them for work? In any case it pays to know what you’re doing when those meetings roll around.

Aside from the obvious questions of which parts of your work do you want to show off and what is your pitch going to entail, there is a much more basic question of justhow are you going to present your portfolio to this client? Do you plonk your leather-bound A3 portfolio down on the table, bursting at the seams with all of your amazing artworks printed up and looking glorious? Do you crack out your laptop or that new iPad and offer up a targeted slidshow to the client safe in the knowledge that anything they may need is only a few clicks away? It’s a tough call, as each method has it’s advantages and disadvantages, so lets go over a few of them and hopefully by the end of it you’ll have a better idea of what might work for you.

DIGITAL

There’s no doubting the fact that we’re living in a digital age and that if something doesn’t exist (in some way) digitally, then it’s probably the case that not a great many people are every going to know about it. It then makes a lot of sense to put some major effort into your online portfolio, and in doing so surely this is the portfolio that you want to be showing to prospective clients? Also there is the point that if you’re showing you’re work off on a laptop then you have access to your full catalogue of work- which may prove useful if a client is interested in learning about your design process, step by step (this can be especially beneficial for web designers). Also there is the simple fact that if you have something like an iPad, it’s a pretty cool toy that your client will no doubt either enjoy playing with, or be impressed that you’re up to date (and affluent) enough to own one.

On the flip side of the coin however, digital does have some pitfalls. The main one of course being the size, laptops are small and iPads are smaller still. Whilst this may not matter too much for showing off website designs, when you’re talking to your potential client about the possibility of a bill board campaign or the intricacies of your illustrations the magnitude of it all may fall flat. Sure you can zoom in to show off the details, but in my opinion, you loose something when you’re not taking in those details as a part of the whole. I suppose the main downfall here is that whilst digital in itself is very impressive, a digital representation of your designs can be a little lacklustre. (Click to Tweet this!)

PRINT

The greatest asset of print by far, is that it’s print. Or to put it another way, think about all that time you spend on your designs, slogging away at the computer for days on end until it’s pixel perfect. You run down to the printers with your USB stick in hand and stand there diligently as that Goliath of a printer chugs and churns. Finally you get your design placed in your hands, still warm, it’s looks huge compared to what you’ve been looking at over the past few days and you quickly scan through all those little details you’ve spent so long perfecting. Now I don’t know if this is just me, but I always feel that my designs look better when they’re printed, being able to touch an feel them just makes them seem more real somehow. Clients may well too feel this way, and be more impressed with what you’ve made rather than what you’ve designed if that makes sense? Plus your print portfolio is just bigger than a digital one and bigger is better (or at least more impressive) to a lot of people.

Of course you have to weigh up the negatives of having a printed portfolio as well, the fact that it’s bigger means that it’s real pain to lug around everywhere and for me at least, it’s constantly getting a battering as I catch it on corners or get in trapped in a Manchester tram door. The result of all this is that over time you’re portfolio is going to end up looking pretty knackered and in turn make you look like a bit of a shabby operation when you present it to a client. Another downside is that you’re limited to what you have with you, if a client wants to see your design process and all you have is finished works then you’re stuck trying to describe things without any form of example.

So in the end, what’s the best decision to make? Well I suppose it really depends on you. Neither print nor digital is 100% perfect for every scenario, but you can weight things in your favour by looking at what kind of work you do the most. For web designs, it makes sense to show off your works digitally so that clients have the option of playing with them. AtHunting Town we specialise in illustration so I always try to make sure that my portfolio is printed and up to date, however as Hunting Town grows we’re doing more and more web work, so it may be the case that things will have to change at some point. Currently I’m looking at investing in a company iPad so that we have a lightweight ‘backup’ option to show off our digital designs if needed (-and play Angry Birds on the train), but that’s still a ways down the road.

University Interview Tips

University Interview Tips from www.Studential.com

Before the interview

• Find out what form the interview will take – if you know how many people will be interviewing you, and whether it will be formal or not, you will know what to expect.

• Read the prospectus – have an idea about the course and university to show you're committed to studying there.

• Look over your UCAS form – it’s often the basis for interview questions so make sure you can talk about the things you’ve said on it in detail.

• Read over your A-Level subject notes – you may be asked why you took a particular A-Level or what parts of your A-Levels you enjoy.

• Read a quality newspaper or magazine related to your subject – interviewers may ask for your opinions on current affairs or developments in your field.

• Have a mock interview – get a teacher you’re not familiar with to prepare a formal interview to give you an idea of what it will be like.

• Speak to students who’ve already had an interview – ask them what to expect or if they have any tips.

• Think of points you may want to make in the interview – prepare specific things you want to say or subjects you want to discuss if you get the chance.

• Prepare answers for common questions – for example, why do you want to study this course or at this university?

• Think of some questions to ask in return – how is the course assessed? What teaching methods are used? Although make sure they’re not already answered in the prospectus.

• Plan your journey – take into account rush hour traffic and finding the room/building so you arrive in plenty of time.

On the day

• Get a good nights sleep – be ready for your interview and don’t stay up all night drinking or worrying about it.

• Arrive early – allow 20 minutes for traffic and finding the place. If you have extra time, take a look round the university or talk to other applicants.

• Contact the university if there’s a problem – if you’re going to be late or unavailable due to circumstances beyond your control you should be able to rearrange the interview.

• Dress smart but comfortably – formal clothing may be uncomfortable if you’re at the university all day, and dressing scruffily may give a bad first impression.

• Turn off your mobile – you don’t want any distractions in the interview and it will not impress the interviewer.

During the interview

• Be aware of your body language – look at the interviewer, make eye contact and try to smile from time to time.

• Be enthusiastic about your course – make sure you get your interest in the course across to the interviewer.

• Take your time with questions – don’t feel pressured to answer immediately, take a little while to develop your answers to avoid saying the first thing that comes into your head.

• Say if you don’t understand a question – interviewers don’t expect you to know everything and will often prompt you or rephrase a question if you ask.

• Give full answers – the interviewer is trying to find out about you, so make sure you tell them something. Don’t waffle just to make your answers longer though.

• Don’t try to bluff questions – admissions tutors will know a lot more about their subject than you will. If you don’t know the answer to a question be honest and admit it.

• Listen to the interviewer – answer the questions asked rather than the ones you’ve prepared for.

• Ask questions – use ones you prepared earlier or new ones you’ve thought of. It shows you’re enthusiastic and will help you get more out of the interview.

• Try to relax – interviewers will expect you to be nervous and will try to make you feel comfortable.

• Be yourself – interviewers want to know about you, not just what tips you’ve read off the internet!

After the interview

• Don’t worry if you found it hard – some interviews are designed to stretch candidates.

• Make the most of being at the university – talk to students, have a look round the city or sample the local pubs.

• Think about what you’ve learned – the interview also allows you to find out more about the university and course. How have your opinions changed?

• Write down your answers to questions – this will come in handy for other interviews you may have.

• Discuss your interview with other people – they can give you feed back on how they think you did and give you advice for other interviews.

• Don’t worry about whether you’ll be offered a place or not – prepare for your next interview or just enjoy yourself, as you can’t do anything to change the result.

My Personal Statement

My Personal Statement

Since seeing the film Jurassic Park as a child and being blown away by exceptional practical
effects and computer generated graphics I've had an intense interest in visual effects.
Finding a second hand book about the work of the legendary Stan Winston as a young teenager
solidified my interest. I also became a fan of graphic novels and manga around that time.
These mediums, along with animated films by Disney and others, developed into an interest for
visual storytelling, with my preference to create character and emotion driven stories driving
me to explore visual themes and character design. I would love to work in industry creating
characters or effects, either animated or practical, and communicating ideas visually.

I am currently studying Art and Design at Level 3, which has given me valuable experience
working with many different mediums and materials, and has introduced me to a lot of art
history and movements. Many of my modules allowed to work in 3D, which I really enjoyed. So
far I have created a high heeled shoe inspired by Louise Bourgeois' 'Maman', and a dolls house
living room with a self-portrait string puppet. This course has given me a great start on the
path of art and design, and I look forward to continuing.

Living so close to London I enjoy visiting galleries and museums whenever I can, one of my
favourites is the Victoria and Albert museum. I also took a recent holiday to Amsterdam in
August last year and visited the Rijks Museum and the Van Gogh Museum. In the Rijks Museum I
got the opportunity to view and learn a great deal about one of Rembrant's most famous works,
The Night's Watch. The Van Gogh museum was my favourite of the trip, it was fascinating but
somber moving around the museum viewing Van Gogh's works in chronological order, as if viewing
his life from start to finish.

I worked in a photographic shop before I returned to education, and a large part of my work
was taking portrait photographs of children or families. I learned a lot about photography
there, but I also learned other valuable skills such as managing responsibilities.

I like to connect with art through my love of dolls. I love customising dolls to create new
characters, and browsing the internet to see what other people have created.
I am constantly working on and starting new projects at home, including making costumes to
wear to conventions and experimenting with toy customisation.

I hope to be able to apply my artistic interests to industry, learning from more experienced
people and experimenting with and sharing what I learn with others. I'm excited to see what my
peers can create and to be inspired by them. I am also looking forward to be able to solidify
my skills and work on bigger projects.

Universities And Courses I'm Interested In

Universities And Courses I'm Interested In

At the University of Hertfordshire:

• Model Design (Character and Technical Effects) (W452)
• 2D Animation and Character for Digital Media

At the London Metropolitan University:

• Illustration (W220)  

At Staffordshire University:

• Games Concepts Design (G613)  

At Teesside University:

• Concept Art (IW29)  

At the University of the Arts London:

• Graphic Communication Design (W215)