Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
Designed by Janine Fron and
Jack Ludden, Ellen Sandor's
virtual photography site
uses a gallery metaphor.
Each major category of work
(in this case, virtual archi-
tecture) has its own “room.”
The individual images are
previewed from thumbnails
running along the bottom,
and can be selected for
closer view. As with a
museum or gallery in the
real world, a short label
identifies the work and its
provenance.
Terminology for portfolio metaphors is neither standardized nor precise. At
best, it's an attempt to focus the concept process. Even so, most portfolios do adhere
to at least one of the following basic metaphorical concepts:
• Gallery
• Spec sheet/brochure
• Outreach
• Diary
• Narrative
• Experience
But it would be a mistake to believe that these are the only ways to think
about structure. Nor is this list a suggestion that you exactly mimic a real-world for-
mat in an electronic one. Even if you could, you shouldn't. Doing so would not only
artificially limit you to real-world constraints, it breeds a tendency to make your site
boring and literal.
Gallery
The museum or gallery is a formal space where you come to see work. When
you use this metaphor, you say, “This is my work. Draw your own conclusions.”
