The Final Project - your own Photoshop and Graphic Design Portfolio
The portfolio project is your class final
Why a portfolio instead of a final Test?
About the portfolio...
- It's the best way to demonstrate what you've learned in this course.
- It proves your ability to apply graphic design principles.
- It demonstrates the photoshop skills you've acquired.
- It serves you as a working professional portfolio.
About the portfolio...
- Your portfolio needs to be an online website gallery - professionally designed and presented.
- Your portfolio's URL needs to be submitted to the instructor by the time the first portfolio assignment is due.
- Would you like to see an example? Please have a look at Galleries 1, 2, and 3 in my own online portfolio. These galleries I have specifically created as examples for you - and are the quality I'm looking in your portfolio. Other galleries in my portfolio are for sharing my photography and art with the world.
- Google Sites, Weebly.com and Wix.com are great tools for creating a free website portfolio. There are many other free website hosting and creation tools available as well.
- If you're worried about your own tech ability to create a published online website, I would be happy to assist you! Have a look through the tutorials below - it's really not that hard to do anymore!
Tutorials
Below are two video tutorials I've made to show you how to create your online portfolio in Google Sites and Weebly. My example portfolio was created in Google Sites.
Below are two video tutorials I've made to show you how to create your online portfolio in Google Sites and Weebly. My example portfolio was created in Google Sites.
Video: Create an online portfolio using the new Google Sites (16:38)
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Video: Tutorial on setting up a Weebly portfolio (14:50)
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What does your portfolio need to contain?
- A landing page with a brief bio and introduction of yourself, along with a photo of you.
- A gallery of 10 required exhibits that will be assigned and scored throughout the semester. Each needs to be clearly labeled - exhibit 1, exhibit 2, exhibit 3, etc. You are welcome add more exhibits to your portfolio than the required 10, and up to two may be used as extra credit. Label them Extra Credit 1, Extra Credit 2, etc.
- Contact information so people can connect to you.
- Your portfolio exhibits this semester need to demonstrate a wide variety of skills you've learned. As you gain experience, you may wish to update portfolio exhibits. Make sure your portfolio covers a variety of instructional graphic design products. Below are several ideas. Avoid repeating any you've included already in your portfolio unless they're demonstrating a skill that's very different from your earlier exhibit:
Landing page example
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Gallery page example
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Exhibit page example
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Exhibit page example
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Ideas for portfolio exhibits:
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What does each portfolio exhibit need to contain?
- Each exhibit needs to be on its own page. Your exhibit should be the star of the show on your page!
- Begin with a title (Exhibit 1, etc.)
- A large exhibit image, or images.
- Using before/after images is a great way to demonstrate changes you've made in Photoshop.
- Screenshots that show alignments, etc., are also great!
- You need to describe your design thoughts. What design principles did you consider and use? This is worth as much as the exhibit itself! My purpose is to have you demonstrate that you have considered and applied graphic design principles, and you know how to speak design language.
- Also, each exhibit should contain a section where you credit and cite fonts, images, or other items you've used that are not your own creations. Links to tutorials and other resources are helpful, too!
Exhibit page example
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Exhibit page example
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Exhibit page example
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How will my portfolio be scored and what is it worth toward my grade?
- The portfolio project will be worth up to 280 points of your final grade.
- Each of the 10 required exhibits will be scored during the semester shortly after they are due (and will be worth 200 points total toward your final grade). You can have more than the 10 required exhibits in your portfolio. In fact, up to two of them can be used as extra credit (for up to an additional 40 points). Portfolio Exhibits will be scored with the following rubric:
- What does each category mean?
- Incomplete - this wasn't turned in at all. Please finish and submit. The only score you can't change in this rubric is the submitted on time section. All the other sections can be rescored for a higher score if you improve on your exhibit and resubmit.
- Emerging - It's at a very beginner, basic level. You should work on this and improve. Please try again - practice - improve - resubmit.
- Developing - It's moved past the beginner stage. You are improving. Still needs more work and practice. Please try again - improve - resubmit.
- Proficient - It's now at an acceptable level. You've done a good job! The practice has paid off. Nice work!
- Advanced - It's now at the WOW! stage. You've done a fantastic job! It's professional in every respect. Well done!
- At the end of the semester, when the final portfolio is due, up to 40 additional points will be awarded for the overall look and feel of your portfolio. It will be scored on the rubric below.
- Remember to use the design and composition principles you've learned this semester when designing your portfolio. It should look very professional - something you'd be proud to submit to a potential employer!
- As part of each portfolio assignment, a required Canvas discussion will give the class an opportunity to view, critique, and suggest helps that will give you ideas for improving your exhibit! We're in this to help each other become better designers and Photoshop users!
Before you upload your images into your online portfolio, you should optimize them for quick viewing on the internet! To optimize your images for the web - do the following:
- Pull the image into Photoshop.
- Go to the FILE > EXPORT > SAVE FOR WEB (LEGACY)... Or if you're using artboards, go to FILE> EXPORT > EXPORT AS...
- Make sure it's set on JPEG Medium - Quality = 30.
- Optimized is checked.
- For image size use 1000 pixels for the largest side. The other dimension will resize accordingly.
- Then click the [Save...] or [Export All...] button.
- Use these saved images in your online portfolio. Your images will load much faster, and you won't get that size restriction limit message in many of the free hosting websites like Weebly or Wix.
- Click on the images below to see the save for web (legacy) and Export As dialog boxes.
Export As... dialog box with settings
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Save for Web... dialog box with settings
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Frequently asked questions about the portfolio final
Can I focus my portfolio around an interest of mine? - Yes, just be sure it meets the requirements of the assignment. Ask yourself, "Do I have an exhibit that is a good demonstration of the principle of contrast?" (or repetition, alignment, color theory use, typography, photoshop filters, effects, styles, type, etc.). Also ask, "Does this exhibit demonstrate something new that I've not shown before in my portfolio?" (You want variety in the types of designs and exhibits you submit!)
Can I use assignments I've completed during the course? - Yes! For ten of the course's lessons you'll be submitting a portfolio exhibit as part of your assignment. I'm looking for 10-12 exhibits of your best work this semester, and a description of your thought processes as you created them. If you've been given a design assignment in another class this semester, you could use that as a portfolio exhibit for this course, if you've used Photoshop to create it. You should not submit work you created prior to this course!
If I do photographs, how can I show the skills I've learned? - If the assignment allows for photos, yes! Be sure to include a before image as part of your exhibit, so we can see where you started, as well as your final exhibit. Be sure to describe what you did to make the difference between the before/after images. For example, if I were assigned to create a newsletter - it could (and should) include photos. Be sure to use Photoshop and Camera Raw to makes those photos the best you can, and show that in your portfolio exhibit!
Can I use ideas I got from the internet or print examples? - Yes, but be sure to cite them in your description with a link to them! Don't copy them - that's plagiarism - and it will get you in trouble with USU and cause you to receive a failing grade. Take the idea as a starting point, and redesign it so it is truly your own.
Can I use public domain images in my design? - Yes, just be sure to cite them in your portfolio description - and include an active link to them. I have listed many websites for free fonts and public domain images in the resources section. Two of my favorite sites for free images are Pixabay and Pexels.
How detailed to my descriptions need to be? - I'm not looking for a dissertation, please! Detailed enough to convince me that you know what you were demonstrating. The main reason I require a description is to get you thinking about and discussing your work in graphic design terms. I want you to internalize the language! When I design anything, I'm going through the principles and elements of design in my head. I want you to learn to do that! Again, I've created a portfolio (website), and you're welcome to look at it - that's what I'm trying to have you do.
Can I use assignments I've completed during the course? - Yes! For ten of the course's lessons you'll be submitting a portfolio exhibit as part of your assignment. I'm looking for 10-12 exhibits of your best work this semester, and a description of your thought processes as you created them. If you've been given a design assignment in another class this semester, you could use that as a portfolio exhibit for this course, if you've used Photoshop to create it. You should not submit work you created prior to this course!
If I do photographs, how can I show the skills I've learned? - If the assignment allows for photos, yes! Be sure to include a before image as part of your exhibit, so we can see where you started, as well as your final exhibit. Be sure to describe what you did to make the difference between the before/after images. For example, if I were assigned to create a newsletter - it could (and should) include photos. Be sure to use Photoshop and Camera Raw to makes those photos the best you can, and show that in your portfolio exhibit!
Can I use ideas I got from the internet or print examples? - Yes, but be sure to cite them in your description with a link to them! Don't copy them - that's plagiarism - and it will get you in trouble with USU and cause you to receive a failing grade. Take the idea as a starting point, and redesign it so it is truly your own.
Can I use public domain images in my design? - Yes, just be sure to cite them in your portfolio description - and include an active link to them. I have listed many websites for free fonts and public domain images in the resources section. Two of my favorite sites for free images are Pixabay and Pexels.
How detailed to my descriptions need to be? - I'm not looking for a dissertation, please! Detailed enough to convince me that you know what you were demonstrating. The main reason I require a description is to get you thinking about and discussing your work in graphic design terms. I want you to internalize the language! When I design anything, I'm going through the principles and elements of design in my head. I want you to learn to do that! Again, I've created a portfolio (website), and you're welcome to look at it - that's what I'm trying to have you do.
This page last updated March 3, 2020. This lesson combines my own work (images, text, videos) which are ©2020 by Nathan Smith. All other images, videos, and cited text sources are curated from the internet, and are publicly available.
