Designing and developing websites is an extremely lucrative and rewarding career path, especially for those who are creative, introverted, and self-motivated. If you want to create a web design portfolio but you do not have any experience with large or known clients, there are a few tips to help get you started on the right track.
What is a Web Design Portfolio?
A web design portfolio is a showcasing of web design projects that a designer or developer has created for clients or even themselves. Web design portfolios can include everything from wireframe ideas and mockups to walkthroughs, demos, and even live links to designs that are currently live and active in a client’s domain.
What Programs Can Help With Building a Web Design Portfolio?
Adobe has had the design and development markets cornered since the late ’90s and has since expanded into providing robust cloud services for creative types of all kinds.
If you want to learn more about web design or you are working on developing your UI (user interface) and UX (user experience) skills, you can do so via Adobe Creative Cloud as well as with Adobe Xd.
Adobe Creative Cloud provides instant online access to an array of Adobe products: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Xd, Adobe Premiere Pro, and Adobe InDesign.
Familiarizing yourself with Adobe products is highly advisable if you are committed to developing your career as a professional web designer.
How Creating a Portfolio Can Help You to Land Your First Client
Creating a portfolio to land your first client may seem counterintuitive. You may be asking yourself, “How can I create a portfolio to showcase my designs if I have yet to even land a client of my own?” Luckily for web designers, being creative is typically right in their immediate wheelhouse.
Developing a web design portfolio before getting your first client is possible by creating designs of your own for mock websites and even for your own online projects. Some ideas of content types that you can create on your own to help flesh out your portfolio include:
- Mock logos
- Branded items such as signatures, logo variations, color themes, stationery, etc.
- Banner advertisements (standard sizes, squares, and unique banners)
You can also reach out to family members, friends, and business associates you know to provide free design consultation services or even free design services in exchange for the opportunity to promote your finished work within your portfolio. As you continue to build and add to your portfolio, you will begin attracting new clients who are larger and will help you maximize your appeal even more.
Building a web design portfolio and getting a bit creative can be just what you need to attract your very first client as you make a name for yourself. With a bit of time, patience, and a commitment to your craft, you can begin building a client list that allows you the ability to work full-time independently.
