I'm putting together my book and can use any information on where to find materials for a customized portfolio. I'm planning on using bolts to bind my portfolio. does any have any advise on this project?

why not just buy a portfolio?

Yes, why not buy one? What kind of portfolio is this? A good supplies store has a wide variety of portfolios - all shapes, sizes, thickness etc.

because i don't want to be just another graphic artist in the crowd with traditional portfolios. Putting a customized one will give me an edge over others. I'm willing to spend time and money to give off a better impression. There's actually quite a bit of reasons why I'm doing this, but i hope you get the gist.

Hmmokay. But I could argue that it is what is in the portfolio that matters most. However, an interestingly designed portfolio might pique the interest of a potential employer or client, so I see your point. We would need to know in what style you plan to build your portfolio before we could make suggestions on what materials you could use.

Thanks for the philanthropist acts. This forum really has beautiful people in here always ready to lend a hand. I have actually already found what i needed...I found in a site fastportfolio.com, the cover i needed for my book which is made of aluminum covers and screwpost binding. I am also getting a steel lazer cut out of my logo to put on the front of my book. I'm just looking for a really profesional look that is also different from others. Again thanks for replying.

One word of warning be carefull of metal portfolios, They easyly scratch wood table tops which tends to piss off the interviewer. I know, I distroyed my own coffee table showing my portfolio to friends and decided to add small felt pads to the back cover. J. Stuart J.

chuckle Good tip.

I know a few really good designers who always say that portfolios or demo reels packed in special kind of boxes and things are usually the weakest. The less impressive the package, the more impressive is the work. So be careful not to do anything really crazy. You never know that someone might get the wrong impression. But a cool, clean style is always good.

Yeah, compensating. I have to say, I would rather flip through a plain store-bought style portfolio, than some fancy contraption.

yeah have a think about how the bolt would actually hold the artwork? what's going to happen if you want to add a new piece... the mechanism might of retaining the document inside the folder should ad least sustainable

i already had a THINK regarding the accessability of the pages inside the book. The screw post can be easily removed to add and subtract sheets in the book. I agree with what's inside the portfolio is what's important and overdoing things will make a bad impression towards clients. I'm not going to say that I have good design skills because none of you know me and will not affect the judgements made towards me if i do. I will post a picture of the final product once I complete this project so assumptions will no longer arise. also in reply to rork: I think that portfolios is judged on the entire package in and out, plain portfolios can contain shitty material and fancy portfolios can contain good material. The entire presentation counts, althoug it is not necesarry to put together a nice cover, it affects the impression one intends to make. And yes overdoing it will not be a good idea, but I'm not one to commit such mistake. Oh ya, so what if i scratch tabe tops, that's not gonna affect if i will get hired or not, it's the portfolio remember.

Whats IN the portfolio is MOST important. Suggestions Research your market, (determine what kind/subject you client is looking for)Don't send images of a cat to a dog magazine, (no matter how good they are they will not buy them) Find out how many samples He/She wants to see. Draging 200 images and expecting the busy art director to spend the after noon looking at them it the sign of a inconsiderate novice. Beleive me the art director can tell if he/she can use your work in a few images. Show only your best work, (when in doubt, throw it out) If you have 11 great images, and 1 so so image, you will be judged by the so, so, image. The art director will assume you couldn't produce 12 great images. If you're going to send samples, find out what format, CD, Slides, Xeroxes, etc. Show the art in a professional manner(no bells or whistles) remember the art directors time is valuable, don't waste it.