Lamar''s Portfolio Site Redo

lamar McHaney

Hello everybody i changed i re-did my website according to the changes suggested, still i would like to have some more critique with my new design.
Thank you in advance.

http://lamarmchaney.webs.com/index.html

PogoP

You may want to post the link

lamar McHaney

LOL ty pogo

sltrOlsson

First impression, annoying. First thing that happends is that i get loud music I (your future boss or whatever) don't even like.

So imagine you just opened 20 portfolio links your friend gave you cause your looking for people. And now, one out of thous 20 have loud music, and you need to check all of them and you will probably close that one with the annoying music. Yours.

Just saying.

Then i think your demo reel is kinda bad (sorry). First thing, it squashes your guns and make them look very long and unnatural.

Secondly i think you really need to work on your material definition. It's not really anything in the folio that is spot on the material your trying to sell to the viewer.

And thirdly, do you want to be a 3D-artist or a 2D-artist? Skip the sketches, i does not help you as it looks right now.

Don't take it personally, I'm just honest and it's my opinion. Great to see more young guys come here! Good luck and keep at it!

lamar McHaney

Ty sltrOlsson, i agree with the video auto start, i felt it was annoying especially when coding my site and constantly refreshing the page. No, problem with your view on the demo reel i still think i need work and i constantly keep myself working on new stuff. You saying it is bad is not harsh, it's apreciated. It just tells me i need to work harder and get to a higher point. Thanks for the critique.

PLing

I agree with sltrOlsson, take the sketches out. Your metal is very scratchy and pictures you showed of the environment scene are at very bad compression.

And I'd prefer to see the vehicles before the guns. And maybe drop out the job at DSW too. I know it's work experience but it has nothing to do with entertainment industry and is irrelevant to your boss in the game company.

lamar McHaney

ok ty PLing

Darkleopard

My first thoughts. The background and the titles clash. Its just unpleasant to look at. Ive found that most really good looking portolio websites have darker background pages because it makes everything else stand out more. Right now everything is struggling for attention.

I personally feel that links to facebook and stuff looks unprofessional. I know its used by almost everyone on the planet but they are coming to your site to look at work, not to be buddy buddy with you.

I wont comment on the video itself as i believe whats been said is fairly accurate.

Just my personal opinion

lamar McHaney

Ty Darkleopard for your input, My original design was a dark background but the main comments i received from the original critique was the dark background was to intense. i just something a little brighter because majority of people's website was a dark background, I wanted to create something that will stand out. The added links to facebook was suggested by a couple of people who were in the industry and suggested to add the link. Majority, of industry people are looking for people who are social as well as a hard worker so that is why i added it. I would have to disagree with you with you on the buddy buddy thing. All the industry people i have talked to, are eager to hire people who they are going to enjoy being buddy buddy and working with.

thanks for the critique and sorry my work is not at your standard i will be working hard though to improve myself

mrturtlepaste

What is the reasoning behind the absolutely tiny textures in your environment? I'd say either scratch that from your portfolio entirely or make a version that really focuses on making content that would appeal to someone looking to hire you. Focus on making some really nice looking stuff and leave the crazy lowpoly/lowres textures for another day. The images on your entire site also have some terrible compression issues.

Also, like sltrolsson mentioned, you really need to work on your material definition. Spend some time really analyzing how some of the artists around here texture. Your spec maps are not working in your favor and your diffuse maps look like you are jumping into details way too quickly. Try to slow down and really think about what you are doing.

D4V1DC

I don't know about the music situation but I wouldn't mind some music in the reel.
Just have to find the soothing hype music that puts someone viewing your portfolio in a good mood.

Complete silence in a reel is odd to me, their should be something playing, also you should have the option to turn It off maybe including a shortcut key for that option somewhere visible to the viewer so they can do that with ease.

Otherwise I echo the working on the texturing part more, you don't have to start new pieces just work on what you got if you don't want to make new ones and don't rush It, you really have to learn techniques that you can use again. Example: like metal, paint and wood, what works what doesn't scratches/dirt and grime are last.

Keep up the work and keep us posted.

lamar McHaney

I understand Mrturtlepaste, I guess ill just work on some new stuff and look up some new texture technique's

mrturtlepaste

http://www.philipk.net/tutorials/materials/materials.html These tutorials are great if you haven't seen them.

lefix

I don't think having music in a reel is bad. It's actually pretty common.
I think it's just that in the game industry you usually only see image based portfolios instead of reels.

BARDLER

Your video is pushing the limits of clipping and I think at some points it actually does clip. Re-render the video with much, much lower audio. Adobe Premier and Final Cut both have audio level readings that show when audio clipping is happening, make sure you are well below this.

Also make separate pages for each prop so you can see larger pictures right away. The details of your work get lost in those small thumbnails.

Last the Typography on the top should be a little more readable, I would ditch the white roughness thing you added to it.

lamar McHaney

thanks guys for the advice i will be updating this spread frequently with changes

@mrturtlepaste thanks for the tutorial, it actually helps a lot and it will keep me busy for awhile lol

lefix

Darkleopard wrote: »

I personally feel that links to facebook and stuff looks unprofessional. I know its used by almost everyone on the planet but they are coming to your site to look at work, not to be buddy buddy with you.

What about linkedin? i see alot of portfolio sites having a linkedin button lately.