While I was in Phoenix a few weeks ago, I made a stop at Barnes & Noble for some much needed editorial inspiration to fuel a few upcoming print projects. While perusing the magazine racks, I came across Monster Children, a beautifully designed Australian title with an emphasis on skateboarding, photography, surfing and music.

Though my lifestyle doesn’t necessarily align with the Monster Children demographic, the use of negative space on the cover immediately caught my attention. As I flipped through the issue, I was equally wowed by the sparse yet creative page layouts. The editorial design was so beautiful that I felt like I was flipping through a book.

As budgets for many periodicals continually shrink, a lot of magazines these days don’t put the effort into composing creative layouts like they used to but Monster Children is a huge exception. Even the page numbers look great! If you get a chance, pick up this magazine. After all, beauty is often in the details.

Photographer Luke Copping came to me late last year with a new promotional idea. He wanted to present his top images not in a portfolio but instead in a magazine format. In the few years we’ve been working together on his branding, we’ve collaborated on a number of web and print promos but in Luke’s true style, it was time to push the envelope. You’ve probably noticed the trend of bloggers putting out their own magazines and this seemed like a natural transition for Luke as well. With on-demand self-publishing becoming an increasingly affordable option, photographers can self-promote in ways that seemed incredibly out of reach just a few short years ago.

Photographers know their work better than anyone and after Luke had selected his top images and mocked up a dummy issue, I started playing around with layouts and type-driven introductions for each themed series.

I’ve worked with a lot of photographers and my number one goal as a designer is to never overpower their work. I believe that less is more. Great photographers’ work stands on its own and the accompanying branding should accentuate it, not distract. Because of this, I kept the layouts and overall design fairly minimal.

The outcome was 58 page perfect-bound magazine with matte pages. I commend Luke for constantly being on the lookout for the next promotional vehicle to elevate his brand. It’s been great participating in the evolution from the creation of an identity to print and web promos to premium business cards and now, a print magazine.

P.S. You can read about Luke’s take on the project here.

I’m starting out the new year working on my third editorial design project in as many months so magazines are on my mind big time. I’m constantly on the lookout for inspiring covers and these are some of my favorites as of late. Enjoy!

I know that many of you weren’t able to make it to the opening of My Cross To Bear so I set aside a stack of oversized postcard flyers (5.5 x 8.5 inches) just for you. If you’d like one, all you have to do is send an email to art @ nubbytwiglet.com with Art Show Flyer as the subject line and your address in the body. EDIT: ALL GONE! Thanks for your support, everyone!

This offer is completely free, no strings attached! The first 50 respondents will receive a package in the mail in early 2012. Happy holidays!

Two of my main goals for 2011 included revamping my web and print portfolios. I’d done so many projects since my last version that I felt like my portfolios were no longer an accurate representation of my skill level. So, I got to work, first redeveloping the print version and then basing my web version off of that.

When I’m having a face-to-face meeting, I always present a print-based portfolio. Why, especially in this digital-crazy age? First and foremost, I feel like it’s more formal to present a book of work. Designers are always going to be drawn to the tactile no matter how much digital creeps in. Secondly, remember that your interviewer is not necessarily as young as you; they most likely created a print portfolio of their own at one point. If you’re still set on digital, bring in both; a print portfolio with the best of the best and then an iPad or laptop with even more projects and details if you are requested to show more.

I think of print and web portfolios in completely different ways. Here’s my personal strategy:

My print portfolio is the equivalent of a tightly edited short story. Measuring 11 x 17 inches and sandwiched between custom hardcovers, it is carefully curated to highlight a very select group of projects that flow from beginning to end. Additionally, it features a few projects that are too client-sensitive to share online and allows me to explain the process of these particular pieces in person. In comparison, my web portfolio is a much deeper archive with three times as many projects arranged in chronological order.

Why the difference in scope? When interviewing with a potential client or employer, you have a very short amount of time to share your work and the accompanying backstory, sometimes as little as twenty minutes. Because of this, what you choose to showcase has to be limited to what you consider your absolute best.

Often, this tightly edited body of work opens the door and leaves the interviewer hungry for more. What else do you have? What other clients have you worked with? This is your opportunity to lead them to your online portfolio where they can dig through a treasure trove of projects on their own time, at their own pace. This is your chance to go big and to even share more.

When putting together your print portfolio, here are some tips that can help you along the way:

1. Edit, edit, edit.

Limit the projects that you choose to showcase to the absolute best. A combination of projects completed for top clients mixed with those that you feel most confident about should round out the mix. A good number to keep in mind is 10 to 12 projects max (only if each project is not longer than 1 to 2 pages each — otherwise, include even less). As you gain more clients and a wider variety of work, it becomes harder to narrow down the amount of pieces that you feel are worthy of inclusion. I always try to get a second opinion (or two) before finalizing the mix. Remember that the people reviewing your portfolio usually have very tight time constraints so keep your book short, sweet and on-topic. The last thing you want to do is annoy the people in charge of hiring you!

2. Showcase as much professional work as possible.

While there’s nothing wrong with showcasing some school work (especially if the project is absolutely amazing), including client work in your portfolio projects a level of expertise and professionalism. It demonstrates that you are able to work in the real world with companies who have actual deadlines and budgets. Client work implies that you can handle feedback on your work while delivering solid results. Also, when working with clients outside of school, the deadlines tend to be tighter, the guidelines are often more firm and the the expectations for professionalism are higher. Interviewers want to know that you can handle the intensity, stress and demands while still delivering a quality outcome.

I interned at an ad agency my entire second year of school and worked as hard as I could to replace as many school projects in my book as possible. Within a year of graduating, I had maybe one still lurking. Now, I have none. It takes some time but work as hard as you can and as fast as you can to get real world projects in your book!

3. A portfolio is never truly finished.

You just printed your brand new portfolio; think you’re done? You might be for the moment but set a goal of revising your portfolio at least once per year. The reason I say this is because the longer you wait, the more overwhelming the process of revamping your portfolio becomes. For instance, I’d completed between 20 and 30 new projects since my last portfolio overhaul. The process of collecting assets and writing the descriptions was too much; I didn’t know where to start. If I’d kept a list of new projects I’d completed and took an hour to gather assets once each project was wrapped up, the process would have gone much faster. Now that I’m finished, every time I complete a new project that I can share publicly, I upload it to my web portfolio (along with a description) since it’s in chronological order so I can see what I’ve completed.

You never want to find yourself in the position of having a job suddenly end and get stuck revamping your portfolio before you can start looking for a new one. Always be prepared and ready to go!

4. Invest in a format that you’re passionate about.

Some designers present their portfolios as handmade books or even create specially made cards but I prefer to keep my presentation as clean and unfussy as possible. Since my work changes so often, I want the ease of reprinting and assembling the pages without too much time investment. For three years, I had been using a white glossy acrylic 11 x 17 portfolio cover by Pina Zangaro and I absolutely loved it. The simplicity, durability and expandability all played prominently into my decision to go with this format. As time went on and I did more student portfolio reviews, I realized that we often had the same portfolio covers. My business was growing a lot and I wanted to stand apart from the competition so I recently had covers custom made with my brand name embossed with silver foil. Everyone has different budget constraints and preferences so do some research to find the best fit for your brand.

5. Embrace simple layouts.

Remember, the focus should remain on your work, not your portfolio. For this reason, I recommend sticking with white backgrounds, clean layouts and developing a grid and margins that carry through from beginning to end. White space is your friend! Think of your portfolio like a design book — the pieces that you’ve chosen to showcase should speak for themselves; keep flourishes, gradients, drop shadows, patterned backgrounds and textures to a minimum.

6. Develop an order that works for you.

This is another area where everyone has a differing opinion but you really have to weigh what’s right for your needs and also consider who you’re meeting with. Creating an order usually begins with selecting two of your strongest pieces to begin and end with. The middle should be assembled in a way that creates an interesting mix through varying color schemes, styles and formats. I usually begin with a page of logos (since branding is one of my primary focuses) and then move back and forth between larger corporate clients and smaller, more creative clients to show variety and that I can handle jobs both big and small.

Though, when building a portfolio, don’t be afraid to break the rules. Last year, I had a meeting with a designer that I really admire. She had some interesting advice about how a portfolio should create a vision. Her idea revolved around beginning with flat, 2-D based work (such as print design and logos) building to interactive, web-based work and ending with 3-D based work (packaging design, retail displays, etc.) Though this advice won’t necessarily work for everyone, it’s always interesting to hear a new perspective.

In Closing.

Remember that everyone is going to have an opinion about your portfolio. What matters the most is that you’re proud and confident about your book since you’re the one that will be presenting it. Feedback is great and often, it will address details that you’ve overlooked but it’s important to filter it and to do what suits your work best. Your portfolio is your vision as a designer, not anyone else’s. A portfolio is never truly done but as designers, we need to learn to let go and to accept that we’ve done our best for that moment. As you grow as a designer, your portfolio has the potential to grow with you. Each project, each internship and each job should be viewed as a stepping stone to an even better portfolio.

Designers, what format do you prefer to present your portfolio in? Any tips or advice that you’d like to share?

One of my big goals for 2011 was to launch a web portfolio. I’ve had many web portfolios in the past but I wanted this one to be different and to stand in as a design retrospective of sorts. Instead of limiting the work I showed to the standard 10 to 15 pieces my print portfolio has, I wanted a place to show everything.

Now you can view nearly every project that I’ve worked on in the five years I’ve been designing professionally. My overarching goal was to share a sense of progression with each project being arranged in chronological order. It’s like a timeline of my design, unfolding and telling a story. Instead of bits and pieces, you can see every step along the way. Also, I sized each image at a generous 850 px wide because there’s a lot of detail that goes into some of these projects that you’ve never been able to see at the smaller sizes they were originally posted in.

I graduated from a community college graphic design program in 2008 but I started designing professionally early on during my time there. Five years ago, things quickly changed for me when I designed CD packaging for Virgin Records during my second semester. This gave me a jump-start and one internship, five agencies and a whole lot of personal freelance later, this is my life.

Next week, I’ll be sharing the print version of my portfolio and some tips for building your own as well. Also, some more projects will be trickling into the web portfolio mix; there are a lot of hard drives and dark corners to still dig through! Design really is a never-ending journey, thanks for coming along for the ride!

I find inspiration in everything, including restaurant menus. If you’re familiar with Art Of The Menu, you’ve probably come across the striking design of The Arrogant Butcher. The restaurant is based in Phoenix and as soon as I realized this, I began pestering my mom to take me the next time I visit her. Never one to disappoint, she downloaded and sent me their beautiful PDF menu, details of which are shown below.

I love the attention to detail that Tunnel Bravo put into this project. The type, color and textures all fuse so well together. Even if I can’t eat half of what’s on the menu, you can be sure I’ll be visiting as soon as I’m in town to admire the branding.

In the spirit of Halloween, I thought I’d share a recent set of landing pages I designed for Solestruck. Glitter-covered, heel-less platforms are the perfect finishing touch to all those Lady Gaga costumes that must be floating around, don’t you think?

These ads feature the Jeffrey Campbell Night Walk in Glitter Multi which is already sold out but some of the other colors are still available. Have a Happy Halloween! I wasn’t planning on having a costume this year but then I stumbled upon one this weekend when I least expected it and I’ll be sharing it a little later today.

Landing Pages for Solestruck.com, October 2011. Design: Nubbytwiglet.com. Photos: Joey Maas.

There’s no denying that Kat of Rock N Roll Bride has some serious enthusiasm for her brand. What I admire about Kat is that she doesn’t just let things be — she keeps pushing ahead and thinking up new ideas. What started out as a small collaboration two years ago creating a new brand identity has blossomed into even bigger projects. Earlier this year, the Rock N Roll Bride media kit debuted. Then, over the summer, Kat proposed creating a magazine for an event she was attending. Not content with just handing out a business card or brochure, she wanted to offer something that encompassed her online brand that people could take home with them.

And that’s an interesting point in itself. With brands that are formed and presented digitally, when you turn off your computer, how do you stay in touch? Even with media increasingly going digital, there’s still something to be said for an object that you can hold in your hands. Call me old fashioned but that feeling and interaction just can’t be replaced. Just this weekend, I picked up a copy of TIME magazine with Steve Jobs on the cover because I wanted something I could keep. All you hear these days is that print is dead…it’s slowed down but it’s definitely not dead. It’s just changed. Half of the things that I design for print now never actually make it to print; they end up in a PDF. But this project was different. 1,000 copies would be printed.

Kat originally proposed a 14 page mini magazine but the more I thought about it, the format seemed too close in size to her media kit. And she didn’t need another media kit. I grew up reading fashion magazines and I wanted this to have a more editorial feel with full articles, a letter from the editor and a front and back cover.

When I did the original Rock N Roll Bride identity, I created a horizontal lockup of the logo that I don’t think was ever shown. Even though it was never used in the web header or media kit, I had designed it with the thought of it working well on a magazine or book cover.

So far, this first issue, numbering 40 pages and with three distinct sections (Real Weddings, Rockin’ Fashion and Rockin’ Lifestyle) has exceeded our expectations, with 500 copies handed out in one weekend alone. The rest of the copies will be available on Rock N Roll Bride. The magazine was just written up on Print Week and we’re now planning issue 2. I love seeing brands blossom from an idea and an identity to something much, much larger. Thanks to Kat for letting me give you a peak inside our most favorite collaboration yet. And thanks for reading!

When you’re nonchalantly checking your email, the last question you’d expect to see is, “Hey, do you have any elf shoes?” But back in January, I was faced with that very question. The natural assumption would be to write it off as a creepy fetish inquiry and delete it immediately…except that this email was from my friend Anna who just happens to be a senior designer at Simon & Schuster in New York. Anna designs book covers for a living and runs one of my favorite blogs on the planet, Door Sixteen. She was working on the cover for Rev Jen’s new book, Elf Girl (formerly Elf Like Me) and needed a cover shot. Of course, I was up for the job.

Joey and I immediately got to work shooting the cover ideas (well, sort of…Anna had to help us track down elf shoes first). Anna gave us some great direction and we then tried as many variations as possible; I know from experience that when I’m pulling selects for a job, it’s best to have ample options to work with.

We shot the images in our all white dining room, stomped through rainy, muddy parks, stood under bridges and visited the industrial area of S.E. Portland (cobblestones galore) to get the combination of images we wanted. These are a few of my favorite unused photos:

Anna came up with some truly stunning options that summed up the premise of the book perfectly and besides being a fantastic designer, she’s an all-around awesome person. We’ve known each other for a decade now (online and off) and it’s easy to be friends with someone who shares a passion for graphic design, a love of Michael Jackson and is as excited about home decor as I am. Thanks Anna for the amazing opportunity!

Elf Girl Cover Design & Direction: Anna at Simon & Schuster. Photography: Joey Maas. Model & Concepting: Nubby Twiglet.