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Portfolio help

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Well, it's that time again. I need some help deciding what to do with my portfolio. I've been working on my first environment for the past 2 weeks. I don't have much progress to show for those 2 weeks though. I've realized that I don't actually want to become a level artist. I don't enjoy it as much as making assets. I just want to make props and weapons. So wouldn't it make more sense to focus on that? I'm thinking of putting the environment on hold until after I get a job, when I can work on it more leisurely.

As I see it, I've got a few options:

1. Force myself to finish the environment.
2. Find another unique prop to do.
3. Make a modern gun, for example I started working on a hk416 a few months ago.
4. Try a vehicle.

I've been looking for a job for the past 3 weeks or so. Got a phone interview next week but not much success otherwise.
I'd like to find a job before July when my lease expires. So I need something that will make me more hire-able, but won't take 3 months to finish.

Here's my portfolio and some samples:

http://joostvanhoutte.com/

screenshot020-1024x576.png

c1XKswN.png

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Whether it's about content, the website layout or whatever.

Replies

  • RobeOmega
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    RobeOmega polycounter lvl 10
    The knife on your portfolio seems to be the outdated version
    I would make an option to download your CV as a word document or a PDF always good so they can find you again rather than bookmarking 100's of CV's and getting buried under there
    I would put some contact information on your CV
  • Kel-Shaded
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    Kel-Shaded polycounter lvl 6
    The SIEGE OF INAOLIA section actually has a lot of very good stuff on it (strangely the stuff nearer the bottom should be at the top btw) and swap the banner image going into it. The tree in a field is very basic when theres a lot of good work in there.

    Your folio looks very empty without that section and the header made me not want to go into it.

    An environment would be great to finish not for 'hey im an environment artist look what i'd like to do all day' but for 'hey, Im a junior artist with a grasp on importing, lighting, working to grids and engine spec, look heres proof'

    Sorry, may not be fun, but it's the most important
  • Joost
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    Joost polycount sponsor
    @Robeomega: Thanks for the feedback! I'll update the knife asap, and I'll include a download link for my cv.

    @Kel-Shaded: Thanks! I'll try to come up with a better banner. Maybe I should move it up to the top? Though my portfolio is ordered chronologically atm. It's hard to be objective about my own projects. I hate most things I've made, looking back on them. If you have any suggestions for something that should be closer to the top please let me know.

    I guess you're right about the environment. It's a daunting task but I should just grab the bull by its horns instead of dancing around it. I think I'll start with some smaller props for the environment to get back into the proper mindset.
  • RobeOmega
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    RobeOmega polycounter lvl 10
    I always get the vibe I am the only person on polycount who's favorite parts are UV unwrapping and retopology (or making low poly via optimization)

    Oh yes and optimizing levels so they run better

    anyway back to the stuff I was about to type before I had to go last time :P

    Thinking about this again can I do a video with on screen text annotations because I am too lazy to type it.
  • Joost
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    Joost polycount sponsor
    Well I had my first (phone) interview ever on Monday. I think it went pretty well, although I was a bit of a nervous wreck. They said they'd reply in a few days but I haven't heard anything yet. Should I send a reminder on Tuesday? And what would you put in a reminder email?

    Also got another interview at a local small studio next Friday. I really want the other job, but if I don't get that I guess it's good to have something to fall back on.
    Still need to fix some parts of my portfolio and do more work, but I've been really nervous about the result of the interview, so I've been on a bit of a hiatus. It's weird but now that I'm closer than ever to getting a job I'm losing motivation. :(

    @Robeomega: I actually like unwrapping too. There's a clear goal and it's mostly technical thinking and problem solving, as opposed to creativity. I don't mind the creative stuff but it's nice to have a break sometimes.
    Any advice would be appreciated.
  • Kimon
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    Kimon polycounter lvl 6
    hey komaokc, I know that feeling. I'm sure you did just fine! Try not to think about too much :) And yeah, show that you care, call them back and say that you care too much to just let this one slip.
  • Shrike
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    Shrike interpolator
    stuff looks good all in all, but you show too many pictures of the same thing for your 3 first props. You gotta get to the point. Also its better if you show the stuff in a fashion like "oh and btw here is this (really nice) knife i made somewhen" not like "look at my magical knife, check out every side because its so important to me and I have not much else to show"

    Stuff is good, but what impresses the most, is when some people making an amazing render and just posting a single pic, just like they dont care. That makes you think "oh shit, guy can throw these out of his sleeve" even if thats totally not the case.
    Im not saying put only one pic or nonsense like that, you lack the content, but dont push it in peoples face as hard. Yea things are nice, but people see that after a couple pics. Also the pistol looks vastly inferior on every pic but the first.

    Oh website looks good, nothing about that. And you impressed me with that logo of the mask (i assume you did that) leaves a nice impression but maybe im biased there

    The red chair is porn

    Also take the newer siege of ianolia logo at best, the old one is super ugly and drags your site down. Following them on indie db for some reason since a couple years haha
  • Bek
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    Bek interpolator
    I'd suggest removing the single image of the red stool by itself; the lighting doesn't make it look as good as it does in the (smaller) shots of it above. Perhaps also remove one of the highpoly shots of the knife and one of the side views. I'd probably bump the revolver down below the Siege stuff.
  • Meloncov
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    Meloncov greentooth
    The hood at the top of your portfolio seems like your single weakest piece to me. It has some nice details, but the sculpting is a bit muddy in places, and the texturing doesn't make it look like it's made from several different pieces of leather.

    The rest of your stuff looks pretty solid, so you're definitely doing yourself a disservice.
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