The Final Project
Your own Photoshop and Graphic Design Portfolio
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Your class final. Why assign a portfolio instead of a final Test?
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My Online Portfolio. Click image above to view it.
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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.
- The new Google Sites is a fantastic tool for creating your free website portfolio. There are many other free website hosting and creation tools available as well. Use whatever works best for you. I would be happy to assist you setting up your Google Sites portfolio site if this is stressful. I'm here to help you with this, not to stress you out!
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Tutorial for helping you create your online portfolio
Here is a tutorial I've made to show you how to create your online portfolio in Google Sites. I also just created a tutorial for my technology integration course, because they are required to create a Google Sites website. My example portfolio was created in Google Sites. If you're worried about your own tech ability to create a published online website, I would be happy to assist you! |
Video: Create an online portfolio using the new Google Sites (16:38)
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What does your online portfolio need to contain?
- A landing page with a brief bio and introduction of yourself, along with a photo of you.
- Contact information so people can connect to you. This could be included on the landing page, or as a separate page.
- 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. Each exhibit needs to be on its own page. You are welcome add more exhibits to your portfolio than the required 10. Only 10 will be scored.
- Your portfolio exhibits this semester need to demonstrate a variety of Photoshop and design skills you've learned. As you gain experience, you may wish to update portfolio exhibits. Revising your exhibits is an important part of this course as you gain new skills! Make sure your portfolio covers a variety of instructional graphic design products. Below are several ideas to help you get started. Avoid repeating any you've included already in your portfolio unless they're demonstrating a skill that's very different from your earlier exhibits.
Landing page example
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Exhibit page example
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Exhibit page example
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Need portfolio exhibit ideas? Here are a few:
Example: Flyer template layout
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There are several more ideas for portfolio exhibits on each lesson's home page.
What does each portfolio exhibit need to contain?
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Exhibit page example
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Exhibit page example
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Exhibit page example
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Exhibit page example
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How will your portfolio be scored and what is it worth toward your grade?
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I have thought long and hard on this for many years. Evaluating a graphic design or art work is such a subjective endeavor. Have you ever gone to an art museum and viewed paintings worth millions, and thought to yourself, "Gee, my three year old could do that!" or "That is horrible! Whoever thought to hang that in a museum of art must be crazy!" It just goes to show that tastes vary widely from person to person.
Let me share another example: I once met a person, who, when she learned my name, said, "Oh! I have one of your paintings hanging on my wall! I just love it!" I told her, "I don't remember ever selling a painting to you. How did you come to get one of my paintings?" She replied, "I found it in the dumpster behind the education building." She had framed a piece of my trash - a painting I didn't think was any good. That's how subjective tastes are! |
Video: How Your Portfolio Exhibits will be Scored (6:09)
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During the semester - your 10 portfolio exhibit submissions (15 points possible on each. Up to 150 points total during the course): I will score each of your online portfolio exhibits using this scoring rubric:
During the semester - your 10 portfolio exhibit revisions (5 points possible for each. Up to 50 points total for the course): Each of your portfolio exhibits will be critiqued by other students in the class, and by me (your instructor). We will give you feedback on what we thought worked well in your design, and suggestions for improving. This is not only a great way to learn, but an opportunity to improve your exhibit. The goal: end up with a critiqued, and then revised, professional portfolio you can share with potential employers.
All professional graphic designers take time away from their design and come back later for a fresh look. They will often spot problems they hadn't noticed before and revise them. Critiques also give them a look at their design through another's eyes. As mentioned earlier about other's critiques of your work - our feedback on any design comes from our own views, experiences, background, culture, and personal tastes - and is subjective. You should consider feedback with an open mind, but in the end, you are the designer. You should make revisions that feel right to you, personally. You'll be given an opportunity to earn additional points for revising your portfolio exhibits, based on feedback given you by the instructor and class.
Portfolio revisions you submit will be scored using this scoring rubric.
During the semester - your 10 portfolio exhibit revisions (5 points possible for each. Up to 50 points total for the course): Each of your portfolio exhibits will be critiqued by other students in the class, and by me (your instructor). We will give you feedback on what we thought worked well in your design, and suggestions for improving. This is not only a great way to learn, but an opportunity to improve your exhibit. The goal: end up with a critiqued, and then revised, professional portfolio you can share with potential employers.
All professional graphic designers take time away from their design and come back later for a fresh look. They will often spot problems they hadn't noticed before and revise them. Critiques also give them a look at their design through another's eyes. As mentioned earlier about other's critiques of your work - our feedback on any design comes from our own views, experiences, background, culture, and personal tastes - and is subjective. You should consider feedback with an open mind, but in the end, you are the designer. You should make revisions that feel right to you, personally. You'll be given an opportunity to earn additional points for revising your portfolio exhibits, based on feedback given you by the instructor and class.
Portfolio revisions you submit will be scored using this scoring rubric.
- Based on the feedback you received, revise your exhibit and post the revision in your online portfolio. Revision is a constant in any graphic designer's livelihood, and it should be a habit you form as well.
- In the description area of your portfolio add a revision section with bullet points about what you revised and why you did it.
- Then notify me in the revision assignment by submitting, "I revised this and it's now in my portfolio online." I will go have a look and give you credit for revising your exhibit if you have improved your exhibit.
- If my feedback on your original exhibit was that it is completely professional, then submit "Your feedback was that my exhibit was professional, and I am choosing not to revise it." - and I will excuse you from this revision assignment, and it will not count against your final grade for not revising it. You will see an EX for the score.
- However, you are the designer - you may still choose to revise it - and that's great! That's why I don't automatically excuse you from revising if it looked professional to me. If you do revisions to make your portfolio look even better, I'll give you the revision points for doing that. I was visiting with a student, and she said, "You know, I look at my earlier portfolio exhibits, and back then I thought they were great! But now, I'm having second thoughts because I understand more, and have more skills I can apply." She is thinking about completely replacing a couple of her older portfolio exhibits with new ones. That's awesome!
At the end of the semester - final portfolio completed. (Up to 20 points possible) Your completed portfolio will be scored this way: (Advanced = 5 points; Proficient = 4 points; Developing = 3 points; Emerging = 2 points; Incomplete = 0 points)
- Your portfolio contains a landing page with your photo, short bio about you, and contact information. Contact information can be on a different page if you wish.
- Your portfolio is clean and easy to navigate
- Your exhibit descriptions are error free and written well
- Overall - your portfolio is clean, professional, and designed well - both visually and functionally
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Important! Before you upload your images to your online portfolio, you need to optimize them for quick viewing on the internet!
Please go through the short tutorial, Optimizing Images for your Online Portfolio. |
Click to view tutorial.
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Frequently asked questions about the final portfolio
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 exercises I've completed during the course as a portfolio exhibit? - Yes! The course's lessons will have you submitting exercises. I'm looking for 10 exhibits of your very 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 even 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 (Example). 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, even stock photos you may download and use, 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 do 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 exercises I've completed during the course as a portfolio exhibit? - Yes! The course's lessons will have you submitting exercises. I'm looking for 10 exhibits of your very 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 even 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 (Example). 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, even stock photos you may download and use, 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 do 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.
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QuickLINK to Lesson 00 FP 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15
This page last updated February 24, 2021. This lesson combines my own work (images, text, videos) which are ©2021 by Nathan Smith. All other images, videos, and cited text sources are curated from the internet, and are publicly available. |
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