Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
Application software
What software will you need to create a portfolio of your own, not just one on a group or
social networking site?
At the very least, you'll need a portfolio helper like Apple's iWeb to create a simple static
site. For more creative control, you'll want a web publishing program like Adobe Dream-
weaver. To design an interactive, self-contained portfolio, you'll need Adobe Flash, or you'll
have to be clever with coding in JavaScript, CSS, and HTML.
If you're making a CD or DVD portfolio, invest in software that creates
hybrid discs
—discs
that are readable in both Mac OS X and in Windows. For a DVD, you'll need DVD-creation
software to make your interactive DVD menu and link your work to it. On the Mac, that
means iDVD (free with OS X) or DVD Studio Pro, which is part of Apple's Final Cut Studio
suite. The premium versions of Windows Vista include Windows DVD Maker, Microsoft's ver-
sion of iDVD. Prior to Vista, or for more options, seek out a third-party program. Roxio DVDit
(
www.roxio.com)
has many good features, and is fairly simple to learn and use.
If your portfolio is a straightforward slideshow you have hundreds of options, but you
should only use applications that create a self-contained file—one that doesn't require your
viewer to own any software or to use a specific operating system. That's crucial if you will be
sending out the slideshow on disc, or making it downloadable from your site. Anything that
creates files readable by one (or both!) of the standard video players—QuickTime and
Windows Media Player—will work fine. If you own Acrobat Pro, you can create an interactive
file that can be viewed in Adobe Reader.
Presentation programs create slideshows, but they need the application to run. So if you
want to put your slideshow on a disc or on your website, you'll need to convert the slide-
show to a player. If you use PowerPoint, an inexpensive shareware program will do the trick.
There is even one, Wondershare PPT2Flash Standard (
www.sameshow.com),
that will turn
your slideshow into a Flash SWF file. If your program is Apple's Keynote, versions 8 and
below will directly output to Flash. Unfortunately, this option was removed for Keynote 9, so
you'll probably need a third-party solution as well.
active slideshow. You will only need to sequence the work, determine how long each
image stays on the page, and (if the software supports it) select any transition effects.
If your forte is design but you know nothing about preparing work for the web,
your ideal portfolio helper may be an InDesign or Illustrator file, exported or saved as
a PDF. Print designers sometimes own a web address that's one page deep and func-
tions solely as a staging space for a downloadable résumé, mailto address, and PDF.
