Brand Peel: Peeling back the juiciest self-promotion projects, and showing how it’s done.

Ideas for thanking your clients, but it’s also another chance to promote yourself, as well.

Here are some tips about how to present yourself, and your portfolio, over at Vitamin.

One of my daily stops in the blog world is CreativeBits. They have a great roundup of unique business card designs.

This site has some sample pop-up forms that can be incorporated in books, brochures, or even business cards. The site might look a little “crafty”, but the techniques can be applied to so many interesting self-promotional ideas. I’m thinking of ordering these soon:

A simple but inventive process for turning a simple photograph into a 3D pop up.

Graphics.com ran a small story about a brochure designed by Sussner Design. They used a velo-bind book, tang fasteners and a simple in-house laser printer for the inside pages.

If you happen to come across Computer Arts (or Computer Arts Projects) magazine at an actual bookstore, you were probably going to buy it until you saw the price. Here in San Francisco, the typical price for the magazine is $18.45 at the checkout. The higher cost is a result of being a UK-based magazine and being packaged with a CD that has various shareware, fonts, links and tutorials, etc. Personally, they should just lose the CD completely (or make a digital version available for subscription). At first glance, the magazine itself seems very flimsy (around 100 pages per issue) for such an expensive magazine.

That is, until you open up the magazine. Then, if you’re like me, you end up buying the darn thing every single time.

Almost each month, there is a detailed technique or article that completely justifies purchasing it. Not to mention, the magazines are getting very inventive with their packaging, which is seldom seen here in the U.S. For instance, the August edition of Computer Arts Project came inside a clear plastic zip-lock portfolio. One or two issues ago they packaged a stencil kit based off a font they made for the magazine. Great stuff to have around to add to your creative juice. Not to mention, they give new designers a large amount of press that unarguably gives their careers a well-deserved boost.

But the coolest part of Computer Arts is that they make their best tutorials available as downloadable PDFs! There’s a lot of good stuff on the site, especially for new designers. Sure, the tips may use Freehand instead of Illustrator, and talk about mailing through Royal Mail, but I’m sure you’ll adapt.

A few Brand Peel favorites:

Make a 3D business card

Build your own customized box to send your portfolio.

Make your own paper container

Making custom packaging templates using Illustrator CS

Great tips for making your first brand package

Create a self-promotional book

An usual article about making a typeface 3D (it’s not what you think)

Design a portfolio slipcase

Tips on printing your portfolio

Designing a portfolio magazine

A guide to spots and varnishes

Designing a flatpack toy

CommArts has another viewpoint about the evolving portfolio. Even thought it’s a couple years old, I tend to agree with everything she says.

I can attest that when I review designer portfolios that are sent to me online, those that have an expanded PDF version (with samples!) not only shoot up the list of prospective hires, it skyrockets them, officially knocking off three that don’t. In fact, I’m pretty militant about résumés. If they aren’t designed at all (think basic Word documents), I instantly put them at the bottom of the pile to possibly revisit later. I know, most big corporations are requiring basic word docs, but when I request online samples, that is a pretty good indication I can handle an email attachment over 1MB. To me, if a designer doesn’t take the time to design his or her own résumé, and that’s the first thing I’m going to see, they already missed a huge chance to catch my eye. Thoughts?

I bought some of these CD packages when they first came out, just to have them around for future projects. If you need short-run but high quality DVDs or CD packaging, I highly recommend using Jewelboxing. The hinges are sturdy, and come with the insert booklet, disc labels, tray and tray liners. The templates are spot-on, and come prescored and perforated. If you have larger runs, they have options for that as well. Check out some design samples.

Another AIGA story about how to present your portfolio. What was your experience showing your portfolio or self-promotion project?

AIGA has updated their series of ethical brochures available for designers/artists. “The intent of this series is to develop content that is useful to designers, as well as being a resource to educate clients on standard practices and legal requirements faced by design firms.” The brochures cover  the use of fonts, software, illustrations, and sales tax/copyright information. Download them here and use them in your proposals.

Action Envelope has pretty much any type of envelopes you could want for a general mailing. It’s worth looking at the different papers and sizes when you are gathering ideas for your next project.

Via Balloon Tales: Check out how to make 3D letters pop out of a fold. Great for simple or complex shapes, especially on a business card.

Paperhaus has a great selection of cases, stylish 3 ring binders, portfolio books and more. You can get the pina zangaro cases I love so much.