Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
Personal website
As a presentation form, a personal website is somewhere between a mailing
and an in-person visit. It is unquestionably the single most valuable portfolio form
you can create—even more than a physical portfolio. In fact, for many creatives, not
just web designers, it is the only portfolio they maintain.
Pushed to its highest form, a personal website creates an avenue for creative
expression, and a marvelous opportunity to highlight your skills, taste, and unique
world view. Through linking from the other portfolio venues discussed below, it can
bring contacts to you that you would be hard-pressed to reach and impress otherwise.
And unlike every other online venue, your work doesn't have to compete with other
posters while they are visiting it.
Personal websites are not yet a perfect medium. They are a one-way street. You
can't watch how someone is responding to your work and adjust your tone, emphasis,
and pacing the way you can easily do face to face. They also demand up-front design
work, a host of visual and content decisions, and much more significant time in their
creation and upkeep than other online options, or PDFs.
It is possible to mitigate some of the burden of creating a personal website
from scratch (see “Partnering” in Chapter 1). Some people also elect to purchase and
then customize an HTML or Flash portfolio template.
Self-publishing site
Self-publishing sites, from YouTube to Flickr, have pushed out most of the free,
non-curated sourcebook sites that were prevalent a few years ago. Those that remain
tend to be the repository of mediocre talents and part-time artists. Since most also
have very limited storage space and a utilitarian interface, it's not surprising that
they have been overwhelmed by the Web 2.0 self-publishing site.
The self-publishing site is a great step forward in portfolio maintenance.
Although not a substitute for a personal website, it is an excellent second outlet,
particularly for people whose work can be compiled into one large, well-designed
package or batched by theme, subject, or style. These sites offer tremendous browse
appeal, and can bring your work to the attention of people who would never find your
personal portfolio site otherwise.
Most self-publishing sites are defined by their primary medium, and are orga-
nized in a way that makes them more useful to some creatives than others. For exam-
ple, although Flickr posts many videos and illustrations, it mostly comes to mind as a
site for sharing photographs. YouTube's obvious
raison d'etre
is moving image, which
not only covers the digital videos it's known for, but also 2D and 3D animation reels,
architectural walkthroughs, and portfolios full of 3D models made by industrial
designers and computer artists.
