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Feedback on portfolio for Swedish game education

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Nuclear Angel polycounter
Hello there Polycount. I am a person who is going to apply to the YH (game related, like The Game Assembly and Future Games) programs in Sweden. The schools require a portfolio so I have created one for this year, but before i send in my application I would love some feedback on the presentation of my pieces, and what I should remove or if I should remove anything. Also if the colors or anything like that is bothering you, hit me with it.

Worth noting is that every piece will have its own page in an PDF. Though for feedbacks sake I put it all in one page for easier looking.

wYyRX2E.jpg

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  • Denny
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    Denny polycounter lvl 14
    I don't think you will have any problems with a portfolio like this, unless the competition has skyrocketed. My only recommendation is to show you're a great person in the interview, because sometimes a good portfolio alone is not enough. I personally was denied entry to a school in Sweden because they didn't like me as a person. Not because my portfolio was bad. Apparently, me saying I wanted to specialize in game animation but not rigging was contradictory. This I learned unofficially through a friend who had insider information.

    So make sure you nail both, you never know what weird preferences the interviewers have. From what I know I would really recommend TGA as your primary choice. I can say that TGA has great teachers and contacts, some of whom frequent these forums. Say you are a Polycounter and they'll grant you entry in a heartbeat. :poly121:
  • Nuclear Angel
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    Nuclear Angel polycounter
    @ Denny, thanks man! =) I hope i get in to the interviews, thats step one xd, but I think the interview will be my strong part
  • Shrike
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    Shrike interpolator
    id cut the savannah soldier

    well should really be no problem tho, question is if school gives you what you expect.
    Remember its 80% what you do in your freetime afterall, no matter how good the school is.
  • Nuclear Angel
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    Nuclear Angel polycounter
    @Shrike, I thought about cutting out that piece too, but I am rather conflicted about it though. It got some nice colors that I do not have in some of the other pictures, and also I like it. But other people have told me it is the weakest link of these pieces, and I do sort of agree. So it comes down mostly to if it would help me or not to have that piece.

    So question to anyone that wanna help me. Should I keep the "Savannah soldier" picture?

    And also Shrike, what the school would give me is time, I wouldn't have to work on the side with something that I do not like, right now I am working in the dishes in a nightclub. So I can't work with art as much as I want. So the school would give me a lot I reckon. But thanks for your comment, really nice of you =)
  • JamesArk
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    JamesArk polycounter lvl 10
    So question to anyone that wanna help me. Should I keep the "Savannah soldier" picture?

    You should not. The rule is that your skill level is judged based on your worst piece, which really wouldn't be doing justice to your 3D work which I would say is your strongest.
  • Nuclear Angel
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    Nuclear Angel polycounter
    @JamesArk Thanks I appreciate the feedback =). I will then after all of the Feedback I have gotten, both in real life and whats said here, probably remove the "Savannah Soldier" piece. Thanks again =)

    My other question then is if the 6 pieces that are left are enough?
  • Denny
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    Denny polycounter lvl 14
    Shrike wrote: »
    Remember its 80% what you do in your freetime afterall, no matter how good the school is.
    Don't forget that the contact network of a great school could be that last stepping stone for a student to get a foot into a studio for the first time, and stay there. While I agree that it's up to the student to make the best of it, it doesn't outweigh the power of a contact network.

    I have met plenty of people in real life who have managed to get a job in a studio, while being far below the skill level of your average Polycounter who's working hard to get a job. I once thought that skill alone is what opens up the majority of possibilities at the end of the day. From keeping track of many great artists through the last couple of decades, including friends of mine, it's clear that a good contact network will get you further than any piece in your portfolio can. Unless you manage to reach the 1%, those artists that land in the hall of fame and leaves people aw-inspired at a first glance. Ironically though, most of those people got there through experience by having a full time job. Everyone can't be 'that' artist that somehow manages to blast past all of us in a couple of years of practice.

    So take the safe route, work hard on your portfolio AND make sure you get a big network of contacts. (or a small quality network) You never know what can happen if you befriend someone on the internet. I got my current job abroad thanks to a friend, who I once helped many years back, while expecting NOTHING in return. What happened? He was tasked by a startup company to find skilled people and I was one of the first people that came to his mind. Now I'm working at a great place on a great project, having better pay than I could ever expect to have without an education.

    What I'm trying to say is, don't get lost in work and neglect the people around you. The people around you are the ones who one day will help lift you up and bring you success. See your friends as future candidates of success, if they one day strike gold they will remember those who supported them... and those who ignored them and pushed them down in the dirt, or simply not believing in them.
  • Arcaid
    Your portfolio is good and getting to the interview process is certainly possible.

    the Souleater piece is good overall, there are though some ways of emphasizing on the important parts of the drawing.

    His arm and hand were too far out from his body and some detail was taking away from what you were trying to direct the viewer to see. the mist inherently because its so bright doesn't direct the viewer towards the focuspoints, so by darkening the mist around the edges brought focus back to the subject.

    ZBBzjHl.png
  • Nuclear Angel
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    Nuclear Angel polycounter
    @Denny Cheers for the info, I new friends were cool and all but not that all important, so I will remember that for the Future! =D Also that si the main reason I want to get in to a YH school in Sweden, because of the internship they give you afterwards is gold worth and I know I will meet a lot of nice people during the school as well.

    @Arcaid, thanks for the image breakdown. I will certainly fix that, and I love that you increased the saturation as well, plus you got in some nice blues. So I will fix that ^^ Much appreciated.

    So "Savannah Soldier" I will remove in the final presentation that I submit. And also fix up souleater. And then just bring a smile and a good impression for the interview =D. Any other good advice from fellow Polycounters. And thanks to everyone who has responded, you are awesome!
  • PerH
    Hey dude! Im a first year student at The Game Assembly and comparing the portfolio level to what me and my class sent in last year i think this should be enough to get you to the interview stage. I would also cut the Savannah Soldier :) like someone else mentioned i believe the interview actually has the most impact ^^

    good luck
  • Nuclear Angel
  • thatanimator
  • Nuclear Angel
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    Nuclear Angel polycounter
    @thatanimator Haha Its quite funny now after I read through it a couple of times. It has been fixed on my latest version so no worries about that ;) Copy paste gone wrong indeed. S
  • Jonas Ronnegard
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    Jonas Ronnegard polycount sponsor
    Didn't go to TGA but showing you know the workflows should be enough to get in to most schools, so it should be more about you as a person and ambition, which considering you found your way here should be ok.
  • Nuclear Angel
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    Nuclear Angel polycounter
    @Jonas Ronnegard so being a Polycounter is a good thing? =D But back to seriousness, thanks for the heads up, what I gathered here, the interview will be important.

    And here is my updated folio =), I see it as rather final now. But anymore thoughts on it?

    BOgwtp8.jpg
  • Jonas Ronnegard
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    Jonas Ronnegard polycount sponsor
    Nuclear Angel: Well at least it shows that you can make good choices :P
  • modebloggen
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    modebloggen polycounter lvl 9
    I was accepted to TGA in 2012 (but opted out for PSQ instead), and was told that they wouldn't even look at our 3D works. What they told me was that you would learn 3D at the school, and what was important before that was how well your "eye" for shapesand colours etc was. That might have changed though!

    With that said, you shouldn't have any problems getting at least an interview with this, the quality overall looks good!

    (En liten grej, ang. anv
  • Nuclear Angel
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    Nuclear Angel polycounter
    @Jonas Ronnegard, thats neat =D. And your portfolio is sick man =O

    @Modebloggen, thanks for the reply and comment =). One question though, why did you choose PSQ, I have applied there two, but I am wondering what made you decide one over the other?

    Also that with "Hon", was more like in the moment of writing something that felt right. But that I took away in a later version, like the one in my previous post. S
  • modebloggen
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    modebloggen polycounter lvl 9
    @Nuclear Angel

    I'll PM you!

    Good luck with the applications! The waiting is the hardest part;)
  • Mathew O
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    Mathew O polycounter
    TGA is really good, the standard of interns that we've been looking at for massive is really high and we have a lot of ossum ex - TGA students here :)
  • palm
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    palm polycounter lvl 18
    Looking good! I'm glad to see that universities look at portfolios these days and just not good grades.;)

    Lycka till!
  • Nuclear Angel
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    Nuclear Angel polycounter
    @Modebloggen, gosh yes, waiting sucks =(

    @Matthew O, cool to know, lets hope I get in too TGA then ^^

    @Palm, thanks for the compliment, and I also agree, for me it feels very professional that they use portfolios. And also its cool to know that students actually has sort of a standard before they even start the education. Makes it better for everyone.

    In 2 weeks I will get info if I make it to the interviews or not, looking forward to the future =) And thanks again to everyone who has commented here.
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