Portfolio Etiquette?

[J Wilson]

I have a question about portfolio etiquette. If I do work for a client that I am particularly pleased with, I'd like to show it to other potential employers when I contact them. Now I don't show work I do publicly until after it prints or releases, but what about showing it privately (such as in the above situation to a potential employer?). Obviously nothing that has an NDA attached to it, so does that make it fair game? Or is it a professional curtesy to keep it totally under wraps until it gets released?

Opinions?

[PsiBug]

I think asking the client's permission first would cast you in the best possible light.

Having said that, if there was no written or verbal privacy agreement, I think it would be acceptable to show the piece on a very limited basis before it's release date. I would still avoid showing it to companies that are rivals of the client.

[Elwell]

Unless there's an NDA, I wouldn't worry about it.

[DavePalumbo]

Not sure what sort of work you're talking about specifically (some industries are different than others), but unless the client made special request to hold off, you should be able to show whenever and where ever you please. I have some clients who encourage me to show work prior to publishing

[J Wilson]

Most of my work is collectible card games at the moment, although I'd be looking to expand on that. I believe they like me to hold off on showing the work in public because it gives them the ability to reveal sneak peeks for upcoming expansions, but I can't see any potential harm to anyone if the work was shared privately.

I currently get 3-5 cards per expansion, with a couple of different publishers. It can keep me busy for a few weeks every few months, but there is time in between projects to fit in more work obviously. With sometimes up to 6 months between when work is finished and when it hits shelves I'd like to be able to show some of the cooler work privately before then.

[Elwell]

Every CCG job I've had has been under NDA.

[mickeymao]

Really, you should always have a contract or letter of agreement spelling out this sort of thing, and by default it should always specify that you can use the work for portfolio purposes, regardless of what other rights you're selling. If there is no contract, LOA or NDA, then you are working in a rather dangerous (for both parties) state of limbo, and you should fix that. If you do have an agreement and it doesn't include a portfolio clause, then you should get that clarified in writing.

[dashinvaine]

Indeed I would imagine that there should be no problem with such use so long as you're not actually reselling the image or publishing it in a way that would present a spoiler for anything the first client may have planned, but best to keep a contract clause enabling you to reuse things in portfolios.

[DavePalumbo]

Every CCG job I've had has been under NDA.

yeah, WotC and WOW are, but I think some smaller publishers don't have you actually sign an NDA and just "request" you not show work early. Still, I think portfolio use is cool if you haven't signed any papers stating otherwise

[J Wilson]

Thanks for everyone's input. Since there's never been any mention of an NDA it sounds like I'm in the clear to privately show the work before publication.