Most successful portfolios that I've seen include well documented process of only a few of their studio projects, from preliminary, back of a bar mat type sketches, to the money shots of completed models and renderings.

Are you planning on including a section dedicated to sketches in your portfolio? Figure drawing? What are you looking at for binding?

I won't have a particular section for sketchs, but rather have them integrated into the project layout.

Binding, my little secret. Thats all taken care of though. Sorry.

Thanks for the input. I think 4 will be enough.

More comments welcome.

"Binding, my little secret. Thats all taken care of though. Sorry."
don't go overboard....this is a thing that will put off an admission board. I always recommend a simple metal "c" binder. Go to a printing press and have it done for about 6 bucks....I hope you haven't prefected the art of asian book binding.

also, no "background" images set at 15% opacity please.
keep the pages black or white. I recommend white....good luck.

no, no.. its a very simple binding, i just want to try keep in differentiated from others

i would say no black pages ever, way to harsh on the eye... the first portfolio i made 2 years ago... background images at 15% opacity and black background, i should have kicked my own ass

Binding-wise. I just saw a saddle stitch booklet that was had these oddly shaped staples that allowed you to put them in a three-ring binder. Does anyone know if this is a common binding you can get places. I am in San Francisco.

Curious.

I think I'll go for eye candy.

why can't u do both??

43N88W: speaking from experience, I agree that admisisons people often spend only a few seconds per page on portfolios - especiallly in the early stages of the process. But: they don't necessarily spend any more time on the final products as on the process. It's true that the reviewers might not take the time to track the process through your project to see how you got from beginning to end - but often your sketches and other work-in-progress materials are better indicators of your design sensibilities, approach to your work, and even basic drawing competency than the final computer renderings, presentation drawings, etc.

If for some reason you'd rather not include rougher, earlier sketches and models from the studio projects you're presenting then you may want to create one or more sections in your portfolio to show individual drawings or other not-specifically-tied-to-projects work. Many applicants include one or several 2-page spreads of things like: freehand drawings (not necessarily architecture related,) sketch book pages, sculpture or painting or photography or any other work that would show the hand/craft of the individual.

Yeah, I dont have that diversity outside of the projects. But within, I do. And by eye candy, I meant the main objective is to make it look good using whatever means necessary and all forms of representation rather worrying about if they can read the story first.

I have all the initial concept sketches and workings to include.

Still questioning whether 4 is enough i guess?

4 projects is enough. But if you don't have "that diversity outside of the projects" then I'd strongly suggest adding some process sketches and such. I'm not sure I understand your hesitation to do so. These elements are at least as important as the finished presentation work, if not more so.

Sorry for confusion, I do have them and will include them, with the intent to make the first, look good, and second, make sense to help understand the overall project.

what about one huge final undergrad project? like 12 pages + text? I'm also thinking of a few smaller installations.

what whould you say is the max page size? with or with out overlays (which by the way I think are a passing fad)

why don't you make it look good AND make sense all at the same time, is that not possible?

Perhaps making it first look good and then concerning yourself with readability is an indication of your overall attitude towards design, including your studio projects. Is it all just a bunch of smoke and mirrors?