Please critique my website and work

A_GAME

Hey guys. I have been trying to break into the industry since 2008 with little to no success. I have had my website up for like a year and a half and it does not seem to be helping. I have massive student debt and am starting to find it hard to justify putting more and more time into this. If any of you could critique my site and my work, and tell me why it sucks so much and perhaps how i could improve it, it would be much appreciated.

The website is http://www.austinhart.com

octokitty

A lot of your images are really small. also, your masonic lodge environment needs work. It looks really flat and the textures are really repetitive. It needs some good lighting and shadows and you should work with the textures more. The barn interior is much better, so you need to bring the quality up to that level at least. If i were you I'd also take out the barrel, i don't think you need it. The samurai armor looks pretty cool, but make it bigger! And I must say, your 2d stuff is really good!

Dan!

this'll sound harsh- but when I first viewed the site I went "hmmm....ehhhhhh" and left. I only returned to finish the critique- I didn't even click the 2d, I only checked that out when I read octokitty say you had good 2d work. The feaux dollar bill - gameboy idea is more distracting than clever IMO. Larger pics for the 3d would be nice. /2 cents

A_GAME

Thanks for the comments guys. I think I'm going to just have to bite the bullet and start from scratch.

Wish me luck.

Snowman

Personally I find it isn't the most attractive website.I'd simplify it more make it more attractive and lose the graphics around the outside if this is a professional portfolio it should look it. Id also lose light box some of your work loads slow.

The demo reel could use some fixing up.The demo real starts with the barn but the camera starts then whips out so fast giving very little time to see what you have going on in there slow the camera down.I also noticed under your reel that you have noted your number has changed, if your number has changed then so should your demo reel someone who is clicking through your site would most likely overlook that and its kind of lazy.

Since you are looking for a job in games I wouldn't end your demo reel with paintings I wouldn't include them in the reel some may feel otherwise. Id also say add the Elder scrolls texture and model set in there.

In terms of the work on your site.You have some decent pieces in there but some need work. Id say the elder scrolls mod work is your strongest piece.
Alot of pieces can be fixed up, alot of your texture work is stretched and muddy very muddy.

I'll use this piece as an example



I would leave this off the site unless you plan on making some changes to the work.You lack a focal point when I saw it my eyes went everywhere.Some of the things to think about with a piece like this is

-Stretched textures- The door for example does a wooden door look like that? They are also really apparent through out alot of your work.

-The Rug- When you have such a large area like that with a repeating texture its always good to break it up. Right now it looks like a giant muddy mess.Think of how you could break something like this up, maybe a rug down the middle?

The walls and trim look bumpy like rocks

-Atmosphere and lighting- The room is flat and boring think of ways to give it life.Maybe use the stain glass windows have a nice subtle splash of light coming through them.Think of how lighting is going to play in the overall picture think of ways to use highlights and shadows and how to use this to sell your focal point.I think you need to figure out a palette and some tones the colours are all over the place.

Lastly you have things in your reel that isn't on your site which isn't good if someone like a piece in your reel and wants to see some stills it should all be there.I took this screen from your reel I am surprised this isn't on your page.



If you took this scene say added another nice house or something western in terms of architecture in the background and maybe some rocks and nail the lighting really push it this could be a strong piece much stronger than inside the barn.

I checked out your blog and noticed you have some strong stuff on there a some nice high poly stuff and I am not sure why this is not on your site.I would highly suggest adding it alot of the work on the blog is much stronger than what is on your site.

Sorry for the long post but take a look at your stuff and get some reference and ask yourself do games look like this do doors look like that in games today.I based my crit off what you posted but again by your blog you do have better work keep it up man!

imijatov

A_GAME wrote: »

Thanks for the comments guys. I think I'm going to just have to bite the bullet and start from scratch.

Wish me luck.

It's okay to start from scratch. Sometimes you just have to. Trust me I know, as I've started the same exact process at the beginning of this year. More likely than not, it will be worth the investment put in and will open more doors up for you than the artwork you've been pushing previously would've.

Kurt Russell Fan Club

I'd drop the comic sans gag. It's amusing, but it's also hideous and it's not productive -- it says you know what's ugly, but not that you can make things beautiful.

Alberto Rdrgz

TOO BUSY! sell your art not your self. you need something volumes simpler. The first thing i wanna see is ARt!

http://www.thejonjones.com/2005/10/07/your-portfolio-repels-jobs/

A_GAME

Thanks people! I think i was in denial about how bad this really looked! But now my eyes are open!

I read all your posts and links and have decided that rather than commit seppuku I will rebuild my portfolio and work from scratch (maybe retaking a couple of pieces from what i have now).

I'm going to leave the site up for a couple more days in case more people want to comment on it, but then I am going to take it down and rebuild it.

Thanks again especially to the guy who decided to go back and look at it despite being extremely disgusted the first time! Hopefully I can turn this site and subsequently my life around!

chrisradsby

You got some pretty cool stuff, it's very cluttered, I'd recommend against using sepia/blackwhite thumbnails. And don't use Comic Sans, it doesn't look professional.


Go with an art-in-your-face portfolio. You have some nice work, show it off properly Good luck!

A_GAME

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IxenonI

I tend to agree with most of the comments posted in here. The sepia theme does not work for me.

Make your art the first thing ppl see when opening up that page

Mask_Salesman

Simply put, when I looked at your site, I could not see your art. There in lies the problem.


Lol I was just about to link "your portfolio repels jobs" Article, but I see Alberto was on the ball.

Read that article and everything will work out fine, Gudluck!

Amadreaus

Hey Austin - I think a lot of your work, if presented differently (different output/format) could actually be helpful to you. Also, have you thought about hooking up with other ex AAU allum for collaborations? A lot of guys in your position, and a lot of them would be down for that.

seth.

In addition to the article that Alberto linked to I would check out the last two episodes of the crunch cast too man ( 7+8 ) Chris Holden and Jon Jones (same bloke that wrote the linked article in question) mention some pretty invaluable stuff about folio sites

http://chrisholden.net/crunchcast.htm