First post in this blog will be about portfolio. Because this is where everything starts. When you choose a programme you want to study in, portfolio is the first thing you’ll have to think about. Do you do things which university/school requires you to do? What will you show? How will you persuade you are the best and should be selected? How will you present your portfolio – book, posters, etc?

When I came to see Type&Media graduation show in summer’13, I was not quite sure I’m gonna go for the programme, so I wasn’t really prepared. I only had a PDF presentation on my iPad.

It was quite large, had many of my works, but I can’t say teachers were very enthusiastic about it. Why? Because it was a PDF on iPad. It was obvious I didn’t put that much effort in it. So if you don’t bother, why should anyone else. The second thing, and a very important one, was process. I hardly had any process in it, only final pictures of my work. This was a huge disadvantage. Sketches show your thinking process. And this is what teachers want to see. How do you make decisions, why do you make them.

When I came to Type&Media next time, for an January Open day, I was prepared way better. I made six books, each dedicated to a special part of my portfolio: CV, Layout, Identity, Lettering, Type, Teaching. It turned out to be a good choice, as during the interview there were several teachers and all of them had an opportunity to have something in their hands, while I was talking. No one was bored or had to wait for his turn to see my portfolio.

How did I do everything? A4 printer and bunch of coloured papers. I even did book binding, for the first time in my life!

To sum this up. Do something that will outstand and present your portfolio in a best way. I did mine this way, because I had lots of works, but most of them were graphic design or lettering. So my goal was to show that I have experience in many fields, am hard working and want to specialize in type design and typography. And what place can be better for that, if not Type&Media?)

PS
Maria Doreuli, thank you for taking a picture of me and Erik van Blokland!