PROTOTYPING!

This is my working idea for my portfolio leave-behind... I wanted to create objects that were clearly hand-constructed (as opposed to having a pre-made object personalized through an outside vendor) because physical construction is one of my favorite parts of the design process and I think leaving something that work and care has gone into will (hopefully) make an impact. That being said, I needed to come up with something that was reasonably quick and easy to make multiples of, and that wouldn't require any expensive materials (I figure those can come into play once I've had a job for a while!).

I made it all out of scrap newsprint, so it's obviously really flimsy here, but I plan to find a heavier stock for the box. It needs to be something that will hold ink well, and that will allow crisply-folded edges with minimal "fuzzy" damage to the ink when pressed (see  magazine cover in the background for a bad example of fuzziness!)

You open the box, and --voila!-- there's something interactive inside. That tab is not particularly attractive on the edge there, so I may try something more in the middle of the square. This paper will be sturdy, but probably a little thinner than the box paper.

I need to work out the proper measurements for a good, even fit inside the box... this was mostly eyeballed.

Pull on the tab to reveal the box's secrets.

Look at that! An accordion book! This book will include my contact information, images of my portfolio pieces, blank "texture pages" to break up the works, and probably a few short blurbs from my designer's statement (which I NEED to work on...). The length of the book will be determined later, but it's so simple and versatile that it can really be any length I need

So that's the basic gist of it for now. I think the square is a little too large at the moment, and I may try to figure out how to make the box a little shorter (right now there is a lot of empty space inside, when the booklet is folded down). I think the idea is interesting, though, and it's very representative of me and my interest in physical craft... hopefully I'll turn it into something that will be unique, easy to make, and will leave a good impression with potential employers.