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My burning question is how do I make my online architectural portfolio stand out from other portfolios? I found a blog at www.thinkvitamin.com by author Mike Kus that had some great ideas. One of his ideas was to keep it simple and not be afraid of having blank space. I think this is really good input because having a clean and unfettered layout is attractive to potential employers. How the items are arranged on the site and where the blank areas are can also showcase design layout skills. Another one of his ideas is to have a good set palette of colors. Having a specific palette that is consistent throughout the portfolio helps to give the site a coherent sense of identity and character. Also, the color palettes in the example portfolios he gives compliment and contrast with each other very effectively. I plan on doing further research on effective and attention grabbing color combinations as this seems important. Other important aspects that he can make a portfolio stand out if done effectively are imagery and typography, bucking current web trends, and attention to detail. His examples of portfolios are not all architectural but their merits are definitely applicable and are worth taking a look at.

My question: what are some ways to get my digital portfolio seen by potential clients? This article is more tailored to designers, but it's still relevant for all media types. Get your art featured somewhere. Add a blog to your domain. Do art/design for a well-known name. Give stuff away (info/how-to, links, techniques, templates, etc). Get interviewed. Join a network (behance, flickr, etc). Write an article/tutorial/blogpost for another website/publication. Pay-per-click advertising.

I like that the page is clean and readable. The simple layout make navigation easy, however many of the pages have far too much information on them. I enjoy reading as much as the next person, but for a design portfolio, I feel that the images should convey the ideas more than words. I like that the contact information is readily available and isn't too distracting at the bace of most of the pages.  The pages move way too fast. One can control where they go but the pages fly by kinda erratically. I like the personal touch, however don't understand why people put their picture in their portfolio. I appreciate her looking professional, however care more about her designs. I don't care for the sounds. I like the fact that it comes in automatically disabled, but then what is the point? If I didn't scroll to the bottom and look at the very light and very tiny font, than I would have never known it existed. 

Question: How do I choose an online portfolio layout? What do different layouts express about the designer? This website shows a number of Wordpress themes, and outlines the type of design work they are made for and the kind of feeling they present. Even if you didn't want to use Wordpress, I thought it would be useful to have examples of portfolios with different intentions. There are key words in the layout descriptions, like "elegant" or "artsy" that might tie in with the reading, which doesn't really say what these might look like. A few characteristics stood out to me. "Elegant" portfolio theme tended to have a simple, clean layout with understated backgrounds in neutral colors. The work showed well, but was often uninteresting because there was little wow factor. "Artsy" portfolio themes tended to be more colorful or include a decorative graphic elements, but the work was sometimes overwhelmed by the backgrounds. Work-focused themes tended to have dark backgrounds with a dimensionality to them, which makes the work almost "hung" in space. Text seemed a little awkward in these theme however, since they also "hung" above the background (perhaps if the image and text were in the same window above the background?). Photography had a layout reminding me of a magazine article, exciting and narrative, but more confusing if the information is complex. Some general comments while looking at sites: Some of the architectural portfolios tended toward neutral colors and crisp fonts, however, they often left little impression of who the designer IS, and what their approach is. Some of the graphic design portfolios were highly graphic and visually bold, but were a little "loud" and in the interest of being trendy or current, again left me wondering who the designer IS.

Working: 1. First thing you see on the home page are large sized images of artist's (best/favorite?) work. This shows a lot of detail in his environment layout designs. 2. Work is organized into separate categories in menu bar, easy access to what viewers want to see, 3. Design layout of site is simple and clean. Has a catchy site name. Not Working: 1. Some works included seem to be in the first stages, underdeveloped. 2. Site includes links to the artist's friend's portfolios. 3. Some story board images too small to see. Should upload a larger image.

breathing art

I have been very impressed with youtube architecture portfolios from students. I like the way their work is presented as a small 2 minute film. Its fast, its visual and its a great way of introducing your work, designs and projects to this type of profession. What I like about this portfolio: 1. I love the first image you see: "How I do architecture" its a great "pow" and intro to what comes next (your work) 2. I like it when he shows a project in almost a scrapbook kind of way. You see one large picture of the overall project, then you see smaller pictures of different views of the same project. This is how I thought I might show my architecture projects with a plan, perspectives and a small collection of materials. 3. The ending of his portfolio is very surprising, I like it! It is a final quote from F. Wright about architecture and its connection to the heart. 4. I like his second page set up: a sketch of a seating area he designed. It looks very professional. 5. It is great how he shows sketches/black and white pictures and then it turns into a colored rendering of the sketch. What a great way to show design and drawing skills then to bring that sketch to life with color or turning it into a 3D model. Its fascinating to watch the development of the project. What could be changed with this portfolio: 1. I think this is a great way to introduce yourself and get viewers excited about what you can do, but this video is lacking a Homepage, contact and resume (at the least). I would be using this as an interactive tool (a small slide show) to introduce the viewers to my portfolio. (it will serve as an invitation of who I am to the profession) 2. Its too long. 3. Its not consistent and smooth. Its a bit choppy and shows too many different ways and styles, it feels like a little too much distraction of movements, when it should all be about the work. 4. It feels like an archive, a collection of all he has done. There is no direction or reasoning behind his selection

Works: 1. Clean and simple layout, few tabs. 2. Design is dark color allowing images to pop out. 3. First thing you see are thumb nails of artists works. Does not Work: 1.About does not include a resume. 2."Prints available".... confuses a little. Is this a store? 3. Text color could be white instead of another shade of grey, site is already grey/ash/black.

A great set of minimal design themes for WordPress.

Pros Simple layout and things work well Enjoy the different backgrounds displayed on different links Like the simple title of PUSH Cons Don't know what they are trying to portray or what they are about A little too simple need more info and links Need to talk more about projects that have been done http://www.benarent.co.uk/portfolio Pros Like that it gives a description of the person Very in depth and many pictures of previous work Like the sketchbook idea Cons Simple Design, not very complex Would like if sketchbook flipped pages when you clicked on it Don't enjoy the same font throughout the entire website. http://www.josheyre.com/ Pros Like the scrolling images on the front page of the website Like that the contact brings you to google maps and also includes resume Same top page works well and it doesn't feel confusing to me. Cons Don't enjoy the bland background on every page Small links don't work well with design Home on top right blends in with the design of orange. http://amby.com/kimeldorf/sampler/ Pros Very simple and easy to navigate Glad that everything is in order of steps to take. Cons Too many PDFS that take you to separate windows Last updated in 1998 so very old fashioned Don't know what he does or what he's trying to tell us about himself http://design.ocell.net/ Pros Very simple and elegant Like the white and grey background and Title and text is very different and creative. Cons Too little work displayed Not very many links to click Don't know what he is trying to portray within the website

Pros 1) Text and objects are spaced well on the pages 2) Use of color is effective in separating different types of design work 3) The "about me" section gives the reader insight to his character outside of design Cons 1) Text scanned in from drawings is too small 2) Lack of sensible "flow" Product Design projects come up twice during the portfolio but in different places 3) The "about me" should be on the last page, if someone likes his work, they will make it to the end of his portfolio where they can learn more about him as a person

three good things: great monochromatic design beautiful, relative and expression within images/photographs little text  three poor things: click to enter website, then click again to get info (could just get rid of first click) some images seem too minimal (not worthy) hard to find information and specifications