Portfolio- Ali Khalil

starfrogsplash

hi guys

I wanted to get some critiques and feedback on my portfolio, (and stop lurking around which I tend to do)

here is the link
http://allykhalil.weebly.com/

I know a lot of people have said the same story, so sorry about this, but here it goes!
I graduated in 2010 and ever since then I have been building my portfolio and trying to break into games as a junior artist, whilst looking for jobs to support myself, 2 years later and not getting many replys which means I am simply not good enough to land a Junior position, so I am going to keep on trying to get better.

and here is what i am currently working on
http://allykhalil.weebly.com/work-in-progress-blog.html


I am really grateful for everyone's feedback

Ravanna

Ive seen worse from people who were in junior positions, but that 2-3 years ago. With less and less places available due to downturn, competition is fierce, and as u have to work for a living it leaves less time to practice.

Website is clear and simple, i'm told most employers prefer that sort of thing.
Perhaps some more high detail Zbrush sculpting, and throw some low poly in there?

(also, uni of derby '10, did u know matt syrett?)

megalmn2000

I think there's too much stuffs on your portfolio. Nothing bad, but for a junior, people would prefer to have less works to show. So yeah, keep 5-6 of your very best works and impress them! Also, I would take out the WIP section, people don't like to see unfinished works. And this may be personal, but I prefer to have your real picture instead of a picture with a dog head, especially if you want to present yourself to professionals. Good luck!

nathdevlin

Glad to see you posting Ali If you are going to embark on a new folio the less is more approach never hurts. Quality is preferred over quantity.

I'd even suggest auditing your current folio and cut it down to about 15 of your favourite images.

Even make a new folio at a different address to only showcase your environment art etc. Keep the current site for all your other work and WIPS. At least the environment art one will be more focused on attaining a junior position.

starfrogsplash

thank you kindly for the replys

you guys are right i should cut it down..

i had a question should i put everything in one page i.e like a main page with images

or keep it as it is with fewer pieces?

also sorry about this but im not too sure on what i should scrap, theres probably alot in the prop section that i could cut out and maybe some high poly car componants, and the 'desert road' but im not too sure about the others?

starfrogsplash

ive gotten rid of weaker items in my portfolio

so now cracking on with more portfolio work



started to import everything into UDK

still got loads of meshes to import

its coming along

DrunkShaman

First of all, Greetings salutations and welcome to the Polycount;

Here you will find tips tricks and crits to fine tune your 2d / 3d art skills.

As for the critiques;

You got the grounds for it. You are able to provide the rendered model, your texturing and modeling is good, but its all on the basic level, it is not appealing to the viewer and there fore it isnt selling.

Looking to texturing the environment a bit more, add lights to your scenes and see if you can implement more details in your models without adding more geometry to them.

Good luck

starfrogsplash

its still a work in progress got more to add to it yet

Xoliul

The Tiger tank on your portfolio is a bit strange: at first I saw it and thought "wow that is pretty inaccurate", but it seems that you are aware of the fact that it is some sort of movie prop from SPR ? I'd really recommend not to model these sort of things: do it properly, model the real one instead of some inaccurate clone.
I'd drop it from your website tbh..

starfrogsplash

heres a small update

make mini lion head pieces at the end of the trims
-maybe make a sidewalk with the lampost and street sign like the image

starfrogsplash

heres my progress with the building



still got more stuff to fix i think

like the stairs looking too tall

megalmn2000

The building looks so much better now! Is it real-time or render?

starfrogsplash

The building looks so much better now! Is it real-time or render?

Thank you, i was actually thinking that i am messing this up, but im glad im in the right track

its in udk so its real time

need to change the skydome i think

starfrogsplash

here an update still more things to tweak but its coming along slowly

any feedback would be kindly appreciated

starfrogsplash

made the arches more smoother

and added some slight dirt on the tillable stucco

any comments or suggestions would be kindly appreciated in making this piece better

starfrogsplash

tweaked lighting some more

Di$array

Fantastic job and it's came along way from your first image.

Just a couple of suggestions from me though. I would grunge/dirty up the lower building since this is where all the rubbish, dirt and water clings and collects to the building. Plus it will feel more ground in the scene.

Also I would be maybe add more signs to the scene (similar to the source image you are working from), as well as power/telephone cables to push it that further!

Good Luck!

Ex-Ray

This is coming along, you should work on your window textures get some more variations so there are different interest points dotted around. Some blinds open, some close, some subtle faint details so that you can just about make out table tops, potted plants etc. Then work on your shaders to get the right amount of reflections.

Add some dirt and grime where they would collect naturally but don't over do it.

Having looked at the ref photo you are basing this on I would include how there is elevation in the roads and pavement and how the building conforms to this. Details like this makes a big difference.

starfrogsplash

Hi guys,

I redid my website

www.allykhalil.weebly.com

starfrogsplash

Hi guys i did a quick little photoshop of what needs to be added

anyone else have any suggesstions?

also just doing some zbrush stuff inspired from gow



and started to work on my next piece just created a blockout, really need to refine the proportions first before I go any further





created a tillable wood texture, the panels need to be longer I reckon

nathdevlin

You forgot to post the texture .... PS the new site layout is simple and good. I need to remake mine ..... again ...

starfrogsplash

here you are , Thank you!

nathdevlin

The lighter area in the texture will likely repeat a lot. Wait until it's on the model before adjusting. I'd imagine the spec map would be darker for wood. If you use UDK consider using all channels of a greyscale map for different things such as variation maps and masks, more efficient.

lildragn

I like it, the site reads well, it loads quickly and your work is definitely good enough to enter the industry, but it is harder now with peeps holding down their positions as long as they can. With that said;

- Your first piece is definitely your strongest and it shows, you should definitely add wires and flat shaded pics as well. You're aiming for a junior position, so this is critical to show.
- Also maybe my monitors are too big (doubt it ) but you need some higher res pics, I can barely make out some details in your first image (which doesn't have a name)
- Name your pieces so when employers want to reference something, they won't sound uneducated by saying (I really like that green image of the Subway?) know what I mean?
- One small note on the About Me page, the color and thickness of the font makes it tough to read, make it white for sure and use the same font you used for the "ali_khalil_cv.pdf" text
- Finally and probably should've been first, but you're an environmental artist, are any of these in engine shots? UDK/CryEngine e.t.c are free to use you must show that you understand them and can hit the ground running. Everything looks pretty in Max/Maya

Hope this doesn't sound too preachy, but you do have a shot, and peeps here will help with that for sure.

starfrogsplash

Thanks Anthony, I will def keep that in mind when it comes to applying the textures in USK

Hey lildragon

I have made the changes

http://allykhalil.weebly.com/

lildragn

Much better! And now I know at a glance you use UDK and if I were a recruiter for environments that would pique my interest

starfrogsplash

Thank you for helping me

starfrogsplash

creating a high poly piece for my portfolio

still not done with teh sculpt going to alter the folds so its not all repeated and maybe add some slight damage,

but yea not not with teh sculpt, needs more polish

any suggestions or feedback would be really nice in order to get this piece to a decent standard

starfrogsplash

heres an update

let me know what you guys think

starfrogsplash

redid the damage after observing reference relevant to the piece

neilberard

I'm diggin that couch!

djgardner

Bumping this thread.
You should consider re-doing the spec map on your artillery cannon. The tires are just as bright as the metal pieces.
I'd also like to see some more breakdowns of your Private Ryan scene. You showcased small props... I'd like to see a breakdown of a building, and the tank.
Also some of your images load slow, not sure if you interlaced any of them.

starfrogsplash

@ djgardner yep ill change it actually i made the bloom way to high, I did have the breakdown of the tank, but was told to remove it as the tank was based off the movie version and not the real one,


btw here is the high poly for the sofa

created the flower piece in maya with some zbrush



and here is the sofa, need to add some interest on the sides looking really plain at the moment, im going to make the side piece wooden hence the wooden deco, but I reckon some wooden panels to help break up the emptiness, and dial down the 'wrinkles' on the cushions,



right now im off to bed got work in the morning :P

starfrogsplash

Hi guys, been at this again all day :P

made more adjustments with the high poly sofa

and added in a 3 point light set up in zbrush

light caps is soo much fun

starfrogsplash

started to polypaint the sofa, it doesnt seem like theres a way to adjust the hue or saturation, once the object is polypainted or maybe ive missed it but i cant seem to find an option, so ill have to tweak it in photoshop, Aswell as adding detail like dirt and grime etc

its just the diffuse at the moment going to bake the AO, cavity and normal map from the high poly,

its coming along,

just tried a quick adjustment in photoshop to see how it looks with a bit more 'pop' in the colour

starfrogsplash

new render of the high poly



starting texturing the low poly soon

starfrogsplash

here is the AO and normal map bake,

AO is too strong will need adjusting

Ravanna

love the coloured pic of the couch.
Any possibility of adding a texture overlay of leather over it, just for some extra detail.

starfrogsplash

hey Ravanna most def, but that is just the high poly with just polypainting, will be doing the texture overlay once i begin texturing in photoshop still got a long way to go

starfrogsplash

ok, after a lot of tweaking I have some results

nathdevlin

Looking solid, it could do with increased specular values but also gloss to tighten up the highlights similar to this reference:

http://www.saxonleather.co.uk/images/winchester-2006-2.jpg

What's this game res versions polycount ? The flat edge on top would look great with subtle modelling to highlight the bulges.

starfrogsplash

Hi Ant

i think that's an older image, i increased the spec and gloss

on this version




the poly-count right now is 1,300 tris, but what you suggested will deff help make it better,

also I do not know if this was correct to do? , I did not model the back as this will be against the wall and it saves UV space,