Anyone in a creative business field needs an online portfolio. For writers it’s a portfolio of writing clips, for photographers it’s samples of their photography projects. For other like graphic designers, web designers and architectural designers it can include different forms of media.
Architectural designers start with sketches and digital renders before being able to create a completed project. All of these forms should be included in their online portfolio. A student likely wouldn’t have completed projects but can still share their creative ideas through sketches and renders.
For architectural designers an online portfolio presents a lot of advantages for getting work, reaching new people and simply getting noticed.
Here are 3 ways in which an online portfolio benefits architectural designers:
- Ease of access and share-ability.
Rather than lug around a big folder of sketches and printed renders or even material samples with the online portfolio all you need is a laptop, tablet or smart phone to show it to any one at any time. Simply open a web page and voila!
This also makes it easier to reach new people through social media and architect and design focused groups and forums. With an online portfolio a person anywhere in the world can simply use a search engine and find your work, they then can easily share it, contact you or keep you in mind for upcoming projects.
- Control over what people see of your work through a personally designed medium that further highlights your design tastes.
No more loose papers, no more clutter and confusion, now you can bring it all together in one place. You can choose the design of the portfolio from the colours and fonts to the user experience and how they see and interact with your portfolio material
You can choose your best work to highlight and using your design layout to highlight your tastes you can draw the clients eye to the colours, textures and materials you want them to notice. No more half completed sketches getting tossed in and stuck to papers in your big folder portfolio now it is organized and environmentally friendly.
- Enter and display contest awards on your profile as well as customer testimonials and reviews.
In the online world today artists get access to many more contests that help to build your reputation and gain you recognition. Using your online portfolio or other specifically chosen pieces you can easily enter any contests you are eligible for. Once you’ve won you can then display the award logo in a noticeable location in your portfolio for everyone to see. Ego boosting!!
Another thing you can include is customer ratings and testimonials in your portfolio so that people can look forward to the process of working with you. In the world of social media it’s also becoming popular for people to check for ratings and testimonials before deciding to hire someone. By having the ability to add these details to an online portfolio you’re increasing your chances of getting new and exciting opportunities.
In this digital age not having an online portfolio can cost you quite a bit of undiscovered work which also makes you work even harder just to find that next client. Within the online world your reach, marketing abilities and reputation building options are far easier and you can get help to get the ball rolling and maintain the steady stream of clients that suddenly know you exist.
To help you get started with that amazing, customized portfolio contact blackDot.ca and let the creativity commence!
Image from blackDot.com client http://www.sceconstruction.com/default.asp#0
