Hello everybody, I am questioning how do you guys get concepts to make portifolio works, like creating pretend manufacturers and stuff to show your expertise. I all the time had a tough time developing with stuff for myself so any suggestions or sources can be a lot appreciated.
I am primarily in emblem design.
Go to the supermarket or department store. Take a look around at the products on the shelves, specifically the lower quality brands. Take some photos for reference.
Also, not to push the scope of your question, please expand your horizons *beyond* logo design. Logos are but a drop in the bucket of graphic design. Learn and practice more packaging design, UX/UI, typography, etc.
What area do you want to get into? I’m sure there are people on here who would give you a brief based around their own area of expertise
What’s your background? Are you aiming to just improve your portfolio for depth or to have more recent work, or do you not yet have a portfolio of any kind?
If you’re a beginner, you shouldn’t even be thinking about a portfolio until you’ve gone through enough development, practice, etc and can get to a point you have a good handle on what you’re doing and can put out even entry-level professional work. basically, you do a ton of practice, and eventually you’ll have done enough that you can pull out some projects to form a portfolio. No one starts out trying to make a portfolio, all their first work would be bad.
Even though you want to focus on logos, the design fundamentals you should be developing would be applicable to any area within graphic design. You don’t focus on a niche until you have that more universal understanding down pat, otherwise you risk being like so many others who just learn software and can replicate work but not understand what they’re doing or why. With logos, so much is about the message and brand, understanding the context, it’s not simply aesthetics.
Logos is also a fairly limited scope. If your intent is to do this professionally, it’d be beneficial to handle more design needs than just a logo, as how often does any one company need a logo compared to how many design needs they may have overall.
Brief bank on instagram are really good for this !! Have a look at their posts, they do weekly inspirations/challenges for things like this!
Use a brand assignment generator. Or just use brief babes
offer a friend or someone here to do their logo or branding for free. That way they are the ones with the idea.
Challenges are great for this. There’s usually some sort of prompt list going around.
What kind of work do you want to get paid for? Are you going to do magazine layouts? Are you going to design book covers? Are you going to do illustrations for children’s books? Show the kind of work that you want to do, and what you’re capable of.
look up “design brief generator”
One way to come up with ideas for portfolio projects, especially when talking about logo design, is to look for inspiration from real brands in your industry.
Take a look at the logos and branding of companies in your field and consider how you could put your own spin on their concepts or design elements. Another option is to use design prompts or challenges, which can be found online and can help spark your creativity and give you a starting point for your project.
Collaborating with others, such as friends or colleagues, can also stimulate new ideas and perspectives. Participating in online design forums or joining a local design group can expose you to new ideas and challenges, and may even provide opportunities to work on real-world projects.
Lastly, don’t forget to consider your personal interests as inspiration. Think about what you’re passionate about and how you could incorporate those interests into your portfolio projects. This can help make the projects more meaningful and enjoyable for you.
Remember, the key is to stay open to new ideas and be willing to experiment with different approaches. It may take some trial and error, but with persistence and practice, you’ll be able to develop a portfolio that showcases your skills and creativity.
Be creative.