Many of the folks that try their hand at our makeover projects on this site do so to practice and improve their design skills. Some of their work may make it into their portfolios, especially when just starting out. A post at Just Creative Design Fake Logo Designs: Revisited raises the question of whether using these types of fake design projects can be used by clients as a fair measure of the designer's skill and competence. One suggestion is that these fake pieces should be disclosed as such in the portfolio.
What do you think? Should these practice pieces be just that, for practice and peer critique only? Or is it fair to include projects like these -- especially the type highlighted here with specific design parameters similar to what a client might ask for -- in a portfolio? Should you draw attention to the fact that they were not done for actual clients? Share your thoughts.
Of course it’s totally ok to have fictitious projects in your portfolio. You just need to state it, so people know you didn’t really work for, let’s say, Coca Cola, but they can still see your design skills.
Of course showing a portfolio full of fictitious projects will also tell that you don’t have experience in dealing with clients, but at least they can see how well you design. Some companies have their own salesmen, and they don’t require designers to deal directly with clients anyway.
I think it would be ok to have a few. I am just beginning and my husband is going to get things together for to build a guild site for his game. It won’t be used for a guild anymore since they disbanned. But it is still good for practice. Even with these fictitious projects you still have to meet the design prameters. Just like if you were dealing with a client.
In the university portfolio course I teach, we encourage students to enter contests as well as make up clients and fictitious projects in order to boost their portfolios, but they must always identify the projects as “self initiated”. Including these projects demonstrates they are keen and willing to work beyond expectations.
I think it is okay to have them, but it should be disclosed. The reason – real world contracts have constraints. I come up with three good ideas, but only one will make it to press in it’s final iteration. It is too subjective and the client already knows what they want, but not necessarily what looks good.
I think and know its ok, got me the clients I have today. Most clients want to see how creative you are, and level of skills u have.
As a designer, I believe clients should remember that we are designers and a Portfolio is Proof of your creativity.