Fresh graduates and non-working professionals shouldn't worry. They don't need to show off actual final designs and paid work - Behance is a platform to show that they know how to use today's tools. Even the choice of software really doesn't matter. Skills and creativity are visible even if the artwork was made using open-source software such as Gimp or Krita or more commercial suites from Corel or Adobe. Users don't need to compete with the amazing work posted in Behance or feel insecure about their work at all. Posting work in Behance is proof a user can work with illustration and design regardless of profession or industry.
Although I work mostly with words, I uploaded a few old vector projects I worked on that I'm actually allowed to publish. I don't expect anyone to view my portfolio, much less give me "appreciations." However, I do find it invaluable to have some presence online that show proof I can work with Corel Draw, Paint Shop Pro and Adobe products. For job seekers looking for a professional platform to show off their work and get a leg up in the design or media industry, Behance is perfect.
What about DeviantArt?
DeviantArt is great fun. It's a free and open community in every sense of the word with artists sharing their dreams and their creativity. There are tons of great homages to comic book characters, movies, and more recently, TV shows like Game of Thrones and True Blood. With Marvel and DC experiencing an all-new level of popularity (which I have mixed feelings about since I prefer the old 70s-80s books), there's a mishmash of fan art and designs from Batgirl to Tony Stark. DeviantArt has some of the best independent artists in the world. However, design and digital media professionals may be put off by the lack of professionalism in the community and in the site. In Behance, you would see contributions for real companies like Marvel Comics, Coca-Cola, Ferrari and Warner Brothers plus advertising designs for foreign companies from all around the world. In DeviantArt, on the other hand, you're more often than not going to encounter people who don't care where you've worked or what you do for a living. Instead, the artists are more prone to making cracks at other people's designs or criticizing how the drawing just doesn't work (even if it's just a rendering of the Hulk).
DeviantArt is lively and inspirational and I can't remember how many times I wish I could post 3D digital redesigns for Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future and characters from Silverhawks. Unfortunately, adding DeviantArt in your resume or LinkedIn won't exactly impress headhunters or maybe even other art professionals especially when your most popular artwork is putting Kate Upton in Wonder Girl's costume.
Dealbreaker
Besides communicating with other artists, Behance.net also lets you sell your work or put up a professional site. However, it's a single feature that convinced me to sign up for Behance and post a few of my works. One of the most important aspects of any web service is the ability to delete any uploaded content and remove traces of yourself from the service. It's not just about privacy or copyright. It's about maintaining your identity online. Unlike the old web interfaces of AOL and Yahoo, Behance makes it very easy to remove all associated work and delete your account. A quick trip to the Account Settings then the Privacy tab lets you disappear from Behance forever. For me, that's one of the best features of Behance and which is why after 2 years of meditating on this decision, I forked over my email to sign up.
For examples of what a simple portfolio might look like, visit http://www.behance.net/unsolicited and click some of the images.
For examples of what a simple portfolio might look like, visit http://www.behance.net/unsolicited and click some of the images.
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