wow I think that it sounds a little low on page numbers....
How many projects?

Wait, 12-14 is the number of projects, right? How many pages? I would say 12 is high.

If I can recall, mine was about 8 projects: 4 full 2-page spreads, and 4 one pagers.

Just finished my portoflio, I think is on the verge of being too long.

7 projects
36 pages double sided

I couldnt count drawings, etc....

JdesP just do enough to feel like you have reprenseted your way of thinking/personality/and design philosophy accurately.

Wow, +q.! 36 pages? That is so many! Or am I confused and you don't actually mean you have 72 pages total?

JdesP: All the advice I've received and research on portfolios I have done led to one thing: pick what your best work is and concentrate on making that shine. Don't overdo it; try to say more with less.

actually 64 pages but plus cover, back cover, etc...
So I guess I only have 32 pages more or less. ooops

I'm in the process of finishing mine and it will be about 26 pages, or 13 two page spreads, trying really hard to keep it concise and not offer up too much info.

I have a portfolio for work purposes going on right now. It will be about 12 pages of work. No use junking it up with boring projects or showing skills many times over.

I dont think that is meant for me, but...
I am not simply just showing thta I can sue form-z over and over again, each project is unique and Im showing the thinking that got me to the project, how it got resolved, and what the sapce would look like.
Since each of my projects is vastly different in process/resolution/idea they need space and tiem to exaplain...

i'm not sure that you can ever show too much....as long as it's not all fluff....most admissions boards tend to enjoy looking at good work(as long as the book is within the schools requirements in terms of dimensions) that said, most schools do have limits on thickness, but i only know of one that sets specific page limits (Penn limits portfolios to 10 sheets of paper)
if it were me, i would shoot for somewhere around 7-9 projects or 20-25 double-sided pages.

It all depends on the kind of work you've got and the presentation you're trying to make. If you've got 40 pages of stellar work, then by all means show it. I however, do not. Therefore I have to get creative with the way I show my projects and at times I need to prune here and there to develop a succinct package that gets the point across. Really isn't that all we're trying to do, get our point across....?

+q - yeh, I wasn't addressing you, just giving what I was doing.

Mine is different b/c it is a portfolio for a job of professional work so most all projects were in a group at the firm, and I want the projects to show what I can do, not a project I did a little bit on and have the employer ask what my role was and I say, "Um see that casework back there? I designed that. And here, see this, I picked up the redlines on this project, it won some awards, isn't it fabulous?" It is not really architecturally flashy, but I am doing my best to make what I have look great and make someone interested in me, I guess that is the point of the portfolio.

But I do tend to think that people in general try to cram too much in and don't give the images breathing room, and accompany the whole thing with enough verbage to be a book. "Succinct" is a good word to describe a good portfolio IMO, as given by Gravitas above as well. My first portfolio for employment was only a few pages as well (12 maybe?) and many (half?) of the pages had a single image and a few words. I got plenty of good feedback on it from employers. As for if academia would like it, I don't know.

Sometimes I wonder if the cluttered layouts are hiding something and the author wants the reader to be pleasantly overwhelmed, like they are in over thier heads, rather than engaged in the work.

Maybe I will post my portfolio and let y'all rip on it, um, I mean give constructive critism.

thanks everyone.

I meant 12 projects with the number of images hovering around 16. I'm not sure how many pages the portfolio will come out to since I am doing the initial layouts now.

great input.

+q : what kind of printer are you using to print double sided and what type of paper? thanks.

I don't like to give away my trade secrets, but Ill od anything for you jdesP

printer:
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF05a/18972-238444-410635-421635-f57-441247.html
paper:
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF06c/A10-12771-215521-322565-322565-321900-321902-321903.html

I make my own binding, I aint need no stinkin' kinkos.

I already printed a copy out and it (the colors, etc...) looks yummy.

hey lets all post portfolios. i'd love to see other people's. not like i'm about to change mine for m.arch admissions right now. but i used the most stringent constraints of all the programs to determine size and length.

so right now its 4 architectural projects each two pages, one industrial des project two pages, then personal stuff total of four pages. so if my mental math is working that's a total of 18 pages (page = one side of the piece of paper). then cover and contents. so 19 pages which is ten pieces of paper. so mine is short.

but its dense.

Ill be willing to share in a few months... Ill post it when Im ready to share with the world.

I did 8 pages double sided, 16 total, printed on home printer, folded and stapled, keep it simple, don't put too much in

a few months??? post now so you can take our critique and have plenty of time to make changes. i'll post mine (again) if you post yours...

oh and totally unrelated but if you're applying to berkeley they've changed their essay requirements. its not ON the grad arch website but the lady on the phone yesterday told me so.

i called to get clarification for the essay prompts (it was confusing) and she told me that one of the three essays had been eliminated. but its not changed on the website. so, like, um, how are we then supposed to get information on the school's application process if NOT for the website. hello! personal rant. thanks. :)

the infamous Kai is back!!!
Iwish I could be that short. As nayone knows me I have a problem not allowing my baroque tendencies take over. Too much, with lots of emotion!

sort out the chaff, condence the quality. I only had 6 projects between 1-3 pages. keep text to the essential and include some personal stuff, photography, sketches etc.

Quality and depth of the thought process is as important as the pure visual impact.

8888 I have had almost too much criticism, Im ready for it to be over!!!
After Im done printing, etc... I will make a website out of it and post it on-line for all our viewing pleasure.

oh we'll be nice. i promise.

just that sounds interesting to me, even if you're not mentioning 'baroque' literally.

I can tell you this. Two or three projects is pleanty to show off your work. Just make sure they are quality projects that show your process from conception through the final project. The real secret besides the obvious is in the binding. Get them so interested in the construction of the portfolio that they do not want to put it down.

And if you have a lot of digital stuff do not make the whole thing digital. Try to include a few different types of media including trace, vellum, mylar, bond, etc.