Are large portfolios really necessary?

Question: Are large portfolios really necessary!?

I have book covers, book tear sheets as well as prints up the wazoo!. I have now copied many of them!. Is a disk or travel key ok or should I still schlepp all this weight!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

Sadly, half of the graphics industry is still in the stone age and they require printed proof of your work!.

Personally, I stopped doing this a while ago!. I've been a graphics professional for close to twenty five years, and I noticed, almost no one really looks at the pictures in your portfolio!. I even know artists who get gigs by putting other people's work in their portfolios because art directors aren't really paying attention!.

If you got lucky, and were hired by a major company to do some graphics!.!.!. the company logo in your book means more to most art directors than the work behind it!.

For myself, I put my portfolio on line, have it burned to disks to hand out and usually keep a copy in my portable USB!.

That said, I don't get work on the basis of my portfolio!. I usually get it by word of mouth or simply because I can easily prove to whoever is interested that I have the chops!.!.!. usually by taking a little job on spec and turning in excellent work!.

Portfolios are a little like actor's headshots!. No one evergets work based on them, but they are a necessary myth in the industry!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

YES and NO but more yes, if your talking about interviews and stuff like that people like to physically touch and be able to analyze work and see its quality, not just look at it from a computer screen, I think I have lost jobs for just bringing in a CD with my work so I try to haul my portfolio with me now!.Www@QuestionHome@Com