“How can we use technology to create a better artist’s portfolio?”

What is the problem?

An artist’s portfolio is a large binder, usually made of leather, which contains the artist’s creations. The size of these traditional portfolio’s are 20 by 23 inches and a zipper. The problem with these portfolio’s is that they are rather big and a hassle to lug around. When it comes time for an artist to present their pieces to a gallery or a school, they constantly have to carry this portfolio with them everywhere they go. There could be a situation where you need to give your portfolio’s to more than one gallery or more than one school. If you only have one bulky portfolio, how are you going to show all the other places your work? Also, what if the zipper breaks? Your pieces are not secure in the portfolio and you could lose some of your artwork.

Why does this problem exist?

This problem still exists because most artist’s have not come up with a better way to carry around their artwork. With time everything evolves and these portfolio’s are one thing that have not evolved.

Why is it a relevant problem worth solving?

It is a problem worth solving because like I said earlier times are changing. Things are evolving becoming simpler and more efficient. There are many methods, many technologies that we can use to fulfill this need to simplify these portfolios.

Design Brief

These are the possible solutions

Website - A website is an interesting way of showing your artwork. You can do many things on a website like decorate the background and perhaps add some music. Within the website you can have links that will lead you to other pages holding more pieces of your artwork. However, it is probably not the most practical way. The reason for this is because sometimes the gallery or the school may not have access to internet. It also doesn’t look very professional when your asking these people to review the work you show them yet you ask them to look up your website? It may be an interesting choice but not the best one.

CD-ROM - A CD-ROM is a very efficient way to present your artwork because you can use any program of your liking and simply burn your presentation onto the CD-ROM. These programs can be copied onto several CDs and these CDs can be distributed to the galleries and schools that are interested in your portfolio.

USB Key - A USB Key can also be another way of storing your programs. It depends on how many gigabytes it can withstand, the more gigabytes the more it can hold a bigger document. The only downside about a USB Key is that you would have to bring a laptop with you incase the gallery or school does not have a computer to view your work. If that is the case then it does not fulfill the need to simplify the “baggage”.

What will I create?

I chose to create a very straight forward slideshow that I will then burn onto a CD-ROM. This CD will be practical and easy to transport from gallery to gallery or different schools.

What will it look like?

The slideshow will entail of a “silent movie” if you will. I will have 10 of my best photos in stay on the screen for about a minute and a half and then fade out for the next photo to be seen. I will use my digital camera to take pictures then upload them onto the computer to actually put into the slideshow.

Testing

1. I will test if the CD responds on another computer by putting it into the disc drive.

2. Once the CD is in the disc drive I will open the document, slideshow, and see if it opens on the computer.

3. I will test if it is portable by bringing it with me in my bag wherever I may go.

4. I will also test if it is durable by trying to bend a blank CD.