Portfolio Leave Behind / Sampler

Scenario: You are a recent graduate of the SFCC Graphic Design Program. You have just received a google alert for a graphic design position. After responding to the request and calling the potential employer, you have been selected to interview for the position.

A leave-behind as the name suggests, is a part or sampling of a portfolio that is left with a potential employer or exhibitor after a meeting or interview. Leave-behinds can be anything from brochures, self-promotional flyers, creative packages with key portfolio elements, or printed images. Some leave-behinds are more elaborate and interactive, depending on time and budget allowances, such as an interactive and/or custom design.

Leave-behinds are typically used in advertising, design, photography and fine art, and is most often a single printed piece that depicts either a single piece from the portfolio or a collage of several portfolio pieces.

The goal of a leave-behind is to help the interviewer(s) remember the candidate and his/her work in the days follow the meeting and/or spark more interest from a potential employer or client one meets briefly in an elevator or at a party, for example. It also works in the same way a business card does, providing contact information to follow-up with.

As an alternative, a leave-behind is sometimes mailed to the potential client, employer, or interviewer(s) as opposed to physically leaving work with them.

You will work with your process instructor on research, idea exploration, and concept development.

Calendar

Step 1: Research.

Research job preparation
Research & collect examples of leave behinds: Pinterest | Pinterest |

Step 2: Develop Concepts

Create a minimum of 3 concepts
Share ideas with your instructor through thumbnails

Step 3: Submit Roughs

Develop roughs from the concepts

Step 4: Determine the feasability and cost issues

Determine the skills and steps needed to produce your design.
Determine where and how it can be best produced.
Check with your instructors to see about any issues that may not be evident.
When it is clear that you understand how to produce your design correctly and efficiently, go into production of the piece.

Step 5: Produce a digital comp

Create artwork, print b/w copies, mock the piece up.

Step 6: Produce final product

Take a photo of the final product and/or hand in a physical example.
Place digital files on the server.