A cartoon illustration of a sumo wrestler standing in a Vitruvian man pose with multiple arms and legs extended. The wrestler wears a red mawashi and slippers, and there's a thought bubble above his head containing an image of a bowl of rice with chopsticks.
A cartoon illustration of a sumo wrestler standing in a Vitruvian man pose with multiple arms and legs extended. The wrestler wears a red mawashi and slippers, and there's a thought bubble above his head containing an image of a bowl of rice with chopsticks.

Tips for a professional presentation of your work

Work presentation

Your customer calls or emails you, asking for you to show what you’ve been working on for him. What are you going to do? Send a jpg showing exactly the file as you see it when working on it?

Well, you could do that if you are near the end of the project and it all looks good. But what if your project needs a lot of work done?

In this case, you need to know how to present your stuff. If you send a file that shows both the sketch layer and the layers you are actually working on, it will look too messy for the eyes of a client that has no idea how working in a graphics program goes.

work presentation
Photoshop

This is when you have to use some tricks.

First of all, clean your file. Show only the parts you are done working with, and send the sketch/ideas in a separate file. Also, you need to explain how you intend to go on working on the image, giving specific details about colors, positioning and other things. Even if the customer has no clue about what you just said, it still helps you put your thought process in order and to establish some of the things you will do next.

work presentation
Photoshop

Also, never underestimate the power of colors. If you send a very detailed one color sketch, it might look killer to you or other designers who can see the final product through the sloppy lines of your drawing. But, most customers will be more impressed with your work if you slap some colors on it, even if it’s just the base colors you will use. Never think your client can see your work as you see it. Most clients are not artists themselves, and even if they are, the process of work can differ a lot between two designers, so they need to see as much as you can show of the final product.

Work presentation
work presentation

Don’t forget that sending a good mock t-shirt also has its benefits. For example, ifthe customer hires you for girly apparel line, will you send the design mocked on a XXL male t-shirt? I sure hope not! Finding the proper solution to mocking your work up can save you a lot of effort later on.

Work presentation
Photoshop
Work presentation
Work presentation

Not the most pro ways to present your work, right:)?

Keep in mind these little tricks and try to do things as you would be the customer expecting stuff from the designer. Putting yourself in other people’s shoes makes you better prepared for your job.