Last March, I had just left Wildrose Graphics and set out to find work elsewhere. For a week or so, I brainstormed on ideas on how to do this. I read articles online on self promotion and asked all my design and creative professional friends what they would recommend. I settled on an actual “physical” book that potential employers could hold and look at, showcasing my abilities and strengths as a creative.
The book took about two weeks to conceptualize and complete (minus actual print time).
Cover
The theory behind this cover was to incorporate both design elements, typography and my illustrative abilities into one unique piece.
Page 1 – Resume
The resume page or introduction page was to act like a menu screen in a video game giving all your stats to look at.
Page 2 – Design
The design page was to showcase off some typography and placement of objects via asymmetry and various color combinations while continuing to tell the story of what I can do for the employer as a designer.
Page 3 – Illustration
I wanted to go all out on the illustration page using dynamic angles, character designs as well as continuing the flow of the book.
Page 4 – Web/Film/Animation
The web/film/animation page tended to be the most difficult to render…as this was a book, not a digital format able to realize the things I was suggesting. I ended up illustrating an image that I felt worked cinematically and had a degree of energy.
Page 5 – You Gained a New Level!
I toiled and toiled over how to complete the book and then I realized I could just end it by using a metaphor for what I can do for the potential employer. The missiles represent a design solution to the monster that is the communication problem. Once the solution hits it’s target, the problem goes away and you gain a new level (a video game reference to moving to a higher point and thus becoming better).
I printed about 50 books from Kinkos (not recommended) and sent them to over 40 different ad agencies, design firms, interactive studios and film production houses. It must have been bad timing, because after all of those books sent out, I only receive one bite from S2 Interactive. They enjoyed my designs and characters but needed someone who could code heavily for web design and my knowledge is intermediate with coding and thus we went our separate ways.
I am pleased with the final book and still have some left after the initial print.
Method
Hand Drawn sketches and thumbnails, Google Sketch-up, CorelDraw