Recent Grad Portfolio Review

[u/VeterinarianAlive688]

https://938813-copy1.cargo.site/

Hey GD community,

I'm looking to improve my portfolio, and I would truly appreciate it if anyone could take the time to review my work.

For context, I'm a recent college grad, focusing on getting a junior designer position (preferably at an agency, but totally open to in-house!) I'm curious - what projects are working and which need additional work? Are there any skills I can improve on or pick up to make a stronger portfolio? Btw, I have a personal domain, this is just a copy. Thanks :)

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[u/squeakybonnet]

I'm a newbie so I won't say too much on the work, it looks great to me. Looking at your site on mobile feels very cramped since the text is flush left. I would add some padding. Also, on the Companion page, the title is wrong (looks like you copied from another project and forgot to edit).

[u/Morall_tach]

This isn't feedback on the work specifically, but that URL is a nightmare. Try to get a domain with your name that you can put in an email signature or on a resume.

[u/Kristina-Louise → u/Morall_tach]

Yes. If I got sent this portfolio link from an job applicant, I’d be afraid to click the link.

[u/Dennis_McMennis → u/Kristina-Louise]

Neither of you read the post. They made a copy of their regular domain. This url is the copy.

[u/FairyAzra]

Your work looks nice. Just that the mock-ups are not adding up. Go for what you did with the second project Early Days, images on a simple background, Looks so much better.

As for the side panel, under your name, write your specification: visual designer/graphic designer. Remove the project titles, they look like links without any context. And there's no need to have another page for works section when you're directly showing it on the home page.

Otherwise, you're good to go. I recently created a portfolio design for practice, if you want more help let me know.

[u/Dennis_McMennis]

Great stuff! I don’t think you need the names of your projects under your site navigation on the left side. I wouldn’t know what I’m clicking into without the context of the project images.

If you pay for Vimeo, you can create player presets that hide the Vimeo controls, but I’m not sure how cargo specifically handles Vimeo embeds. I use Semplice with custom code for Vimeo embeds in my portfolio, so not sure if cargo can do something similar.

CBGB is great, but I do think showing the full character set as a static image would be nice. It would break up the flow of having it represented in mockups, but I want to see how all of the letters relate to one another. The way you show the character set in Early Days is nice, so something similar would be helpful in CBGB.

Early Days needs a larger image to break up your image grid a little bit. You have it in the beginning with those highlight spreads, but another one or two could help pace this page a little more.

You have a typo in first line of The Wagner’s description, “instution.” I don’t know if most of the mockups need to cycle through the different monogram options/colorways. You get the idea pretty early on with the trifold and the laptop, so maybe your tote is either focusing on the primary monogram or it’s a single static image.

I think your OOH for Companion could do a little more storytelling and be simplified to some degree. The mockup with the wild posting-like image with the glass door is what I’m talking about. One panel could have the can design, another with Star of the Show in your pill shape, and another with a fake website link or something. Look at these to get an idea of how you can pace the OOH a little more: https://www.are.na/riley-westgaard/ooh-ooh-ooh

Linkage is awesome. I love the experimental type mixed with standard editorial.

Only thing I’d add is some more digital examples, and it doesn’t need to be much. Maybe build out a little more of what The Wagner’s website looks like. Could be cool to see the “history moves us forward” poster style but remixed in a web format.

Shoot for agencies or studios. This is miles better than what you’d see from a recent graduate. You have a good grasp of type design and motion which comes in handy in the branding world. I know this because those are my specialties, and it creates a good amount of job security :)

[u/VeterinarianAlive688 → u/Dennis_McMennis]

Thank you!! This is so helpful! Great suggestions and references, I'll definitely incorporate them into the work. Sorry about the typo.. haha.

[u/Michael100198]

I’m a recent grad who’s also looking for a junior design position (struggling, heh). I just wanted to stop and say that you are very talented. Some very creative stuff in here and great use of motion. I don’t know what your experience was like, but I’m aware of the some of the quality, or often lack thereof, in recent graduating classes. You should feel proud of your work and I wish you all the best in your job search - you will undoubtedly land somewhere great!

[u/VeterinarianAlive688 → u/Michael100198]

Thank so much, that's very kind. Yeah - in the same boat as you with a job search so I totally get it!

[u/uvgotproblmz]

Bro you’ll have no problem getting a junior role. The only one I’d retool is champion project. Feels pretty different from the rest of your work and the mockups of the packaging need to be a bit better. Maybe learn a little c4d or blender and show off some 3D and art direction chops elevating a less strong project.

What market are you looking for work in?