To separate or to leave in one section.
Working on getting content up, a lot still to do:
As it stands in the Visions section I've got Personal stuff and Client stuff, in the Sightings I intend on putting my Photographs. I'm debating if I should leave it this way or separate and redo the sections to something like:
A) Visions (All graphic design work) Sightings (Photography) Writings Experiments (flash, constructs, miscellaneous)
B) Self (Photos and Graphics combined) Client Miscellaneous (writings, flash experiments, constructs, and anything else)
C) Self (Graphics) Client Photos Misc
(I probably would think or something better than Photos and Miscellaneous for the actual titles if I separate)
If I was you mate, I'd make the site more about building your personal brand than being a strictly portfolio site. Use your work in Samoa and anything else you've done that makes you stand out. Include some anecdotes and sell yourself as a designer who's lived on the other side of the world and can bring some of that unique perspective to your work.
There are a million designers out there competing for jobs. People hire people they find interesting. Put a bit of your personality into it and make it fun for yourself.
I'm only seeing a single page here and it doesn't tell me anything about you other than you can use photoshop.
Focus is important. If you really think you will be applying for writing, photography, design & flash jobs... well then keep everything there.
In truth though you will be applying for one job, better to make minisites for each skill set and only send potential employers to the relevant one.
Too much varied content will confuse people & make you seem unsure of yourself
- I also have a really varied skillset and it took me some time to realize most people just want one or two skills, not a huge range.
Telling people I could do frontend coding and design kept landing me the lame-o site maintenance jobs, for instance, and it took me a few years to figure that out.
I understand that right now you just want a foot in the door but after that first break, focus will allow you to guide your own career path to where you want it to be faster.
As to your original question, I'd include both client and personal but clearly say which is which UNLESS you have very little client work. The most important thing is your work, the second most important is who you can namedrop they might have heard of.
Thanks for the feedback,
Im working diligently on making a more useful website - actually have a friend that might get into it with me and we'll make it a little side business venture that if it develops great and if not at least it gave us something to do while looking for employment.
Came up with a name but its taken. I'm debating if its smart to use the same name but with a hyphen between words since thats not taken.
TwinRabbits www.twinrabbits.com just forward to some website for watcheswww.twin-rabbits.com is completely available
What do you all think? Take twin-rabbits, or go with a different name entirely?
Originally posted by: Nat If I was you mate, I'd make the site more about building your personal brand than being a strictly portfolio site. Use your work in Samoa and anything else you've done that makes you stand out. Include some anecdotes and sell yourself as a designer who's lived on the other side of the world and can bring some of that unique perspective to your work.
There are a million designers out there competing for jobs. People hire people they find interesting. Put a bit of your personality into it and make it fun for yourself.
I'm only seeing a single page here and it doesn't tell me anything about you other than you can use photoshop.
EDIT: Read this post by Dave Trott on pitching for work.
Hmm I'm not sure I understand, in fact I'm quite sure I don't.
You mean just add some Samoan patterns to it and an about section that talks about my personal experiences?
And that link is worthless because without a client list who am I emailing anecdotes too?
Im clearly missing something.
Step 1. Make website Step 2. Step 3. Profit
Originally posted by: Media44 You mean just add some Samoan patterns to it and an about section that talks about my personal experiences?
I think he means integrate that kind of stuff more thoroughly into the whole site. Present yourself as a 'designer from Somoa' for example - a multicultural designer - a designer for peace ... something that leverages your unique experiences.
Or maybe not. :shrug:
It's not just adding some Samoan patterns dude, it's putting a bit more of yourself and your story into it. Give it some personality and have fun with it. I know it's only in development, but it's pretty boring as it stands and tells me nothing about you.
I've been interviewing designers for the last three weeks and the ones that get a shot are people who can bring something unique to the table and communicate it through their work.
Re: the Dave Trott link above. The point was to make your site, portfolio and approach different somehow. Something that will get you noticed and might score you an interview. Pitching for freelance and pitching for a job are essentially the same thing.
Originally posted by: Nat It's not just adding some Samoan patterns dude, it's putting a bit more of yourself and your story into it. Give it some personality and have fun with it. I know it's only in development, but it's pretty boring as it stands and tells me nothing about you.
I've been interviewing designers for the last three weeks and the ones that get a shot are people who can bring something unique to the table and communicate it through their work.
Re: the Dave Trott link above. The point was to make your site, portfolio and approach different somehow. Something that will get you noticed and might score you an interview. *Pitching for freelance and pitching for a job are essentially the same thing. *
And I'm terrible at both.
Do you have any examples? I mean I look at other designer websites and I see nothing unique and interesting. Its just a portfolio with their own style. The only difference is some have a blog which I just don't enjoy at all. Or Follow me on twitter. I don't have Twitter, I don't have a smart phone even. My phone plays no mp3s nor takes video. Its a phone. Its used for making telephone calls.
Originally posted by: mclarkson [quote]Originally posted by: Media44 You mean just add some Samoan patterns to it and an about section that talks about my personal experiences?
I think he means integrate that kind of stuff more thoroughly into the whole site. Present yourself as a 'designer from Somoa' for example - a multicultural designer - a designer for peace ... something that leverages your unique experiences.
Or maybe not. :shrug:
[/quote]
I also think so.
HOwdy and welcome aboard! Wednesday is your turn in the barrel. :beer:
//edit
even if I suspect you are a spammer for that movie site you used to have linked in your sig so I changed your sig to show why I think that (plus getting a friendly tipoff form another forum member) 