Building a Portfolio

[woolade]

I was after some feedback on how many sites some of you designed before you created your own business site.

Obviously you need some work to show potential customers before you start marketing your business.

How many sites would you recommend to have as a starting portfolio?

Also did you do some freebies for people to build this portfolio.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

woolade

 

[Cadwalader]

Good question...

As it turns out, after serveral months, I am still building a portfolio. I have built/rebuilt over 25 sites so far. I am not too impressed with any of them because my creativity is unable to blossom and show it's true colors (I work for a guy who doesn't care what things look like--long story).
I am working on two free ones right now that are jam-up to compensate for the junk I am commisioned to create/modify from 9 to 5, Mon. through Fri.

It's hard work. I work all day just to come home and put in another 6-8 hours. It'll pay off in the end.


Anyway, about 5 should do it--as long as they don't all look similar. Unfortunately, a few freebee's are what it's going to take, nobody in thier right mind is going to pay $30+/hour to someone who can't prove their worth.

Good luck with your carreer! Hope I was of some help...
--OR--
Thanks for the help...
--Rich

 

[RISTMO]

Hi,
I am just starting my business, so I haven't tested my opinions, but here is what I'm doing. I have made a number of sites before (none of which I'd want my name to have anything to do with!). Now I am working on a very large site (freebie). My goal is to have a google rating of at least 8 and to have it come up in the top 10-20 results for "Arab" in Google. This may be a high ambition as there are 7,000,000 results! My point is this: Even if you don't have a large portfolio, if you can get at least one very large and successful site, it will say a lot for what you can do (I hope!). They also will want to know that you can do it again, and with a different look. What I am doing is making 5 different designs for my design site. Their purpose will be to say that I'm not limited to the very few real sites I've made. I think that if they see that you have done very well, you have a varied portfolio (although maybe not very big), and you have some clients who are willing to recommend you, you will have a fair chance. The big thing is that your business site is the top of the top. If, once your site is up and working, you have a JS script that "breaks", you will definately lose the potential customers who see it.

My opinion (& I hope it works!),
Rick

 

[sirjon]

Let’s say you have a good portfolio, good recommendations and are a trusted worker.
What could you expect to earn from designing web sites?
Does the pay reflect your technical expertise or your artistic talent? Or both.
Just curious.

 

[cian]

woolade,

I personally think you need to display 4-6 sites minimum in your portfolio. And HINT that you have done a lot more.

I have seen quite a number of design sites which have a portfolio of 3-4 sites and give the impression that that's all they have done.

And, of course pick the best ones for the portfolio, that goes without saying!

Sirjon: you can expect to earn quite a lot if you put in the work required and are good at what you do! But it's a competitive business.

"Does the pay reflect your technical expertise or your artistic talent? Or both."
That's the goal! Not always achievable. In any job!


::

http://www.endamcg.com

 

[RISTMO]

It depends who hires you. If you can get a big business, you can make a ton, but you have to not count on getting very many contracts.
Goto:

http://www.hussmann.com

The designer of that site made $40,000. It is all static html with a little JS and some images. I don't know if he was supplied with the images or not, but putting the fade effect would have taken hardly any work. Also, remember that he has a year of maintenence.

For a small business, you might get $5,000 for a 20-25 page site with images, search engine submission, and a little maintenence.

For me, I totally stink at imaging. I have Adobe PhotoShop 7 and I can do stuff I never thought was possible for me to do, but I still have no artistic ability. I have a graphics guy here that I hire. Living in a Third World country, I can pay him very little and he will be more than satisfied--a good monthly wage for most people is $400 and lots of the carpenters work 8-10 hour days for $3 a day!
Artistic ability is required to makes the site look good, but I think that often the main part the scripting.

Rick

 

[woolade]

Thanks to all for your experiences.

RISTMO,
I think you have probably hit the nail on the head as far as I am concerned. I have no problem coding web pages, it is the design I am having the problems with. I have only created two sites but I am really struggling to like the artistic side of the web sites I have designed.

A friend of my brothers has just completed a graphic art degree and I think I should work in conjunction with him because what I have created is very basic and I am struggling to find that professional touch as far as presentation goes.

e.g.

http://www.senet.com.au/~seaforth

Anyone else with some feedback on this would be appreciated.

Cheers

woolade

 

[cian]

Woolade,

experiment! Get away from obvious recngular blocks, maybe use easier colours.
Best way: surf the net! take snap shots of all the cool sites you see and check out the way they make use of space and colours and how they are able to present content.
There's nothing wrong with the layout in the site you posted, but it would be a good experiment ovr the weekend to create 10 alternative layouts! Good practice too.
U just need to awaken the creative genes in you!

Btw, I have the exact same problem! Just struggle on and we'll get there.


::

http://www.endamcg.com