Book excerpt: This is an essential guide for architecture and design students struggling to put together an effective portfolio. There is too often a haphazard approach to architecture portfolio design and creation. Without a fundamental understanding of basic graphic design principles, portfolios can seem garish and disjointed, doing a disservice to the work on show and the designers’ professional potential. This concise and highly visual guide explains the fundamental principles of portfolio creation, provides dos and don’ts, common mistakes, and analysis of a diverse range of both successful and unsuccessful samples. Aspirational, innovative design work is also presented alongside detailed commentary breaking down the reasons why it works. Chapters walk through the complete process in an intuitive way, covering purpose, curation, form, layout, content and review, while providing both digital and print techniques. Following the framework laid out in this book will quickly and effectively elevate any architecture portfolio, allowing you to showcase your work in the most professional way possible.