Computer Arts Projects issue 103

Let’s face it – putting together a portfolio is always going to be a nightmare. No matter how much time you spend sweating over your image selection, deciding on the best format and printing out your work, there’s always going to be something you wish you could have done bigger, better, smarter or neater.

That’s why, in this issue of Computer Arts Projects, we’ve gone deep inside the creative industry to ask the art directors, agents and buyers what they like to see and how they like to see it. At the same time, we take a peek into all sorts of portfolios to see how some of our leading designers and illustrators present their work and offer you help, advice and inspiration in the form of invaluable tutorials, useful articles and plenty of sumptuous visual stimulation.

Talking of visual stimulation, we hope you notice a few changes we’ve made here on Computer Arts Projects. We’ve resized the magazine, improved the paper stock and added more pages – so there’s even more insider advice, practical information and loads of inspiration. Hope you enjoy it…

Dom Hall, Editor

IN THE MAG

FEATURES

Perfect portfolios
Your portfolios could make or break your career. Lawrence Zeegen goes deep inside the creative industry to find out what the experts want to see

Pro folios
Alex Trochut, Alexander Turvey and Neil Duerden show off their latest portfolios and offer some invaluable advice

Portfolio post-mortem
Three rising stars of design, illustration and motion graphics present their portfolios to our formidable panel of industry experts

First impressions
You may have a knock-out portfolio, but do you have the skills to impress an interview panel?

Web folio services
If you don’t want to build your own web portfolio, you can always pay someone to host one for you. But what do you get for your cash?

PROFILES

Imagination
Imagination may be one of the world’s largest and most successful design companies and work for clients including Ford, Samsung and BT, but it still needs to find fresh new talent. Mark Penfold talks to the people in charge of hiring and firing to find out how they do it

Matei Apostolescu
How the Romanian illustrator and designer with the ‘once seen, never forgotten’ style that’s winning high-profile commissions from the likes of Coca-Cola puts together a portfolio and keeps the creative juices flowing

TUTORIALS

Portfolio books
When it comes to portfolios, presentation is crucial and simplicity is always a plus-point. In this step-by-step guide, Brighton’s award-winning design group Red Design shows you how to make a simple portfolio book that will really impress

Flash showcase
Birmingham’s leading interactive design company Slingshot shows you how to create a dynamic Flash-based portfolio website that’s easy to load, simple to update and sure to make your work look fantastic

Plan your portfolio
If you’ve decided to go down the traditional portfolio route, you’re going to need to do some planning. Derek Lea explains how

Instant web portfolios
Get your online showcase up and running in under an hour with a stylish and effective pre-programmed Flash site

Dynamic showreels
Find out how to use After Effects to create a stunning and effective showreel

ON THE CD
Microsoft Expression Media 1.0 trial
CoffeeCup Software’s website creation apps
Fantastic art and design book extracts
Illustration gallery from our featured artists