Debate: Client feedback made me ditch my portfolio format

Had a client last month say my samples looked 'too clean' and asked for rougher drafts. Half of me thinks they're right - shows the process. Other half says clients should judge finished work not scraps. What do you all think? Does showing your messy work actually help land gigs?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_daniel15h agoMost Upvoted

Client feedback can be wild. Some people genuinely want to see the messy middle. But there's a line between showing your process and giving away free work. I've had clients who treated my rough drafts like final deliverables. Total headache.

caseywalker15h ago

Buddy of mine does graphic design. Had a client ask for his "process" once. He showed them three versions of a logo sketch. Client picked the ugliest one and ran with it. Then blamed him when the final looked bad. Said he "didn't push back enough." Total lose-lose situation. Some people just can't handle seeing the sausage being made.

fionamurphy18h ago

Honestly I had this one client who asked for my "roughs" and I sent them what I thought were rough drafts but they sent them back saying they looked too finished. Turns out they wanted literal pencil scribbles and photos of my notebook pages. Ngl that experience made me realize some clients want to feel like they're part of the creation process not just buying a final product. It's weird but showing some messy work can actually make them trust you more because they see you're not just pulling polished stuff out of thin air.