Portfolio Critique, ysalex
interpolator
I was hoping to get a critique of my portfolio by the polycount community. I've done this before a while back, and changed most everything that had been in it, and also redesigned it.
The feedback I'm looking for:
1 - on the general quality and presentation of the models. If you think something doesn't belong, or should be removed (for instance the space dive lady isn't finished yet, so maybe needs to be removed until she is).
2 - on the design on the site, and ease of navigation. I use thumbnails on my front page, but I tend to prefer the massive image dumps that some people have as a front page, so let me know if you think something else would work better.
3 - the somewhat embarrassing inclusion of the 'featured in the polycount weekly recap' on the two thumbnails. To be honest, I really wasn't sure if I should add this. The two times I got put in those galleries were awesome, but it might seem really amateur and/or like inappropriate, unimportant bragging to include that, so let me know your opinion.
4 - absolutely anything else that you can crit.
Thanks again polycount.
The link: www.yurialexander.com
The feedback I'm looking for:
1 - on the general quality and presentation of the models. If you think something doesn't belong, or should be removed (for instance the space dive lady isn't finished yet, so maybe needs to be removed until she is).
2 - on the design on the site, and ease of navigation. I use thumbnails on my front page, but I tend to prefer the massive image dumps that some people have as a front page, so let me know if you think something else would work better.
3 - the somewhat embarrassing inclusion of the 'featured in the polycount weekly recap' on the two thumbnails. To be honest, I really wasn't sure if I should add this. The two times I got put in those galleries were awesome, but it might seem really amateur and/or like inappropriate, unimportant bragging to include that, so let me know your opinion.
4 - absolutely anything else that you can crit.
Thanks again polycount.
The link: www.yurialexander.com
Replies
Since you have a lot of work, I think it's good that you have thumbnails instead of a massive image dump. But what bothers me is the amount of repetition you have. Like in your character section you show the high poly sculpts and props, and then you also have another tab for high poly sculpts, and another tab for props, which we already saw in the character section. So it's redundant.
Are you trying to sell yourself as a character artist or a generalist? At first it was not apparent that you had other art tabs off to the side. So it's up to you what you wanna be of course, but I was a little confused what you are trying to convey, since all your big home page thumbnails are characters but then you also have props and environment stuff on the side.
I also think the giant titles you post across the thumbnails is distracting, I think it would be fine if they were a little smaller and not covering the whole image, imo.
You have a very uniformed, clean, kept look to your portfolio, and a lot of people strive for that (including me). I like the amount of work you have on your site personally, but if you are going to keep that much, it needs to be organized well for it to really stand out, instead of distract.
Great work though, I enjoyed looking through your portfolio because I knew there wanst going to be a piece that I didnt like. Was a pleasant experience for sure, aside from art dump styled layout
To add to that, The Steve Z guy and the hipster character both do not look near the same quality of your other characters. I would definitely get ride of the hipster character, and possibly rework the Steve Z guy as the images you have below the first one there look much better than your final render imo.
I absolutely love the photo journalist and I don't go throwing around praise like that very often! You did an awesome job there!
If you could make another character or two at that level of quality with some interesting designs you could just go for all out character art and ditch the rest. You seemed to have really improved a lot over a short period of time, congrats and good luck.
Btw, I like the one long scrolling page with images dumped, but that might just be me. I really don't like that huge side bar you have currently and think you should either put small links at the top to that stuff or find another way to present it as jessica pointed out.
I think with a bit more work you can get rid of everything but the characters (it is characters that you want to do right?). I think Kaneda has a few too many Marmoset shots that seem irrelevant. But the offline (mental ray?) renders of him look awesome.
I love that you have a distinctive style (long torsos and heads) but I think you could push out of your comfort zone more and follow some concepts really accurately.
Really good stuff over all!
@add3r, fantom, thank you guys for the encouragement, it's much appreciated.
@fomori, thanks for the crits. I think you are right, and for my next piece I am going to stick to stricter concept art, and put less of myself in it.
I really appreciate everyones time and for taking a look.
The thing struck me right away is that all the characters are lacking hair or have really short hair. The exception is the character "photo Journalist", my favorite btw, have hair but with a really weird effect on it. Fix the hair on that character and you're good to go
Maybe have your contact details showing in the side bar so you the viewer can always see them. You currently have what looks like an email link in there but it doesn't work. Also add your contact email/website to all of your images incase a prospective employer saves the image locally and forgets where it came from. Some of your images have contacts details but a lot of them don't. Keep it up
I just saw a picture of a french guy I'd like to do. That might be my next project. That or the spacedive 2030 lady. But I'm thinking I have enough women and need more diversity that way.
Breakdown wise I have
2 white women
1 black man head bust
1 futuristic asian
2 old men head busts
1 futuristic white lady female head bust
so I could add:
1 middle-eastern lady space-diver person
or
1 old white guy with a lot of flair.
might want to do a female character wearing a bra for a change of pace though
What I think you could improve on is the thumbnails/images on your home page. At the moment I see a big images with a lot of wasted space and big letters. It is not bad in any way but I think you can work on that. And I don't know how difficult is it to change but have you consider vertical design on the home page as I think it might be better for characters.
Oh yes i almost forgot: more wireframes and texture sheets/ breakdowns