[Portfolio] - Shabba

shabba

Hey!
I just upped my portfolio online and was hoping for some feedback on anything from layout and user experience, to comments/crits about the art.

I don't think it will ever be 'finished'. But I would love some fresh eyes on everything.

Thanks in advance!

http://darrenhorrocks.com/

nufftalon

really digging the coke machine

BlvdNights

I think your portfolio is lacking actual scenes which is pretty important in any env portfolio imho. Props look nice though.

Gannon

Agreed, you clearly know how to model stuff, Lets see how you put it all together into a single cohesive scene.

slosh

Yup what people have already stated. The wall looked nice but you need to compose a few fully fleshed out scenes.

shabba

Thanks to everyone ^ who posted their feedback. I couldn't agree with you more.

An environment artist portfolio without an environment...

Sounds like I should either change my title to 'Prop Artist' or work my ass off to complete an environment. I'll choose the work. -- I'm currently working on one for the ESCAPE challenge. So hopefully in 20 days i'll be able to update that to address all those concerns.


In the mean time I almost feel like taking my portfolio down until its actually ready, as I feel I might have prematurely put it online, and now I feel it is lacking and incomplete.

Would that be better than leaving it up? Or is the train of thought, its better to have something than nothing? I almost feel that this industry is very heavily first impression focused. And I want that first impression to be really good, not 'meh'.

Wingednosering

Great stuff shabba, good to see your portfolio up and running again. Good luck on the escape challenge, I'll be following!

[Edit]: I would recommend more textured objects. A lot of these are just highs and lows right now. Also, when clicking on the pieces to see larger images, some of your older models show up (like the dwarven stronghold), which aren't on the main page. I'm not sure if that's intended or not.

serriffe

- great hi poly work man, also like the renders as well. oh yeah- you may want to check your PDF resume link, it's broken-

Jeff Parrott

I'd say start working toward larger scale things. Look you're not going to be asked to do level 1 or final boss level in a game until you have made low level stuff (lamps, crates, etc). Think about your art work as leveling up in an RPG or something. Work small and build big. Like a basketball player would not go professional first before school, high school, college, etc leagues. Build up to BA (bad ass). That way you'll have a strong understanding of what makes stuff awesome.

I'm doing this. I'm just making props atm. Nothing but props. Really it's cause I enjoy the quick turn around. I can already feel my eye developing better for a sense of a larger environment. So when I get back to those I'll be pushing things further than before.

Your modeling skills are good. You might focus on modeling. Make buildings and larger models. But also know how to UV map and apply textures (maybe from a gametextures.com type site). Or maybe know how to texture as well. But don't spread yourself thin. Be awesome at 1 thing or mediocre at a bunch of things. It really depends on where you want to work and what you see yourself doing.

Sorry to go off the rails on this. Don't mean to jack this thread. So here's some portfolio crits:

Remove the mass of text up top. It's small I'm an Artist and just like pictures.

Speaking of pictures make the thumbnails larger. I have to slightly scroll on my laptop. But on a big boy screen This site would fit perfect. So push things a bit. Your lower tier stuff should maybe be a scroll (I dunno just a though).

Consistency in your thumbnail/image backgrounds. They are all different. I would almost image they are by different people.

The work is solid. More of it and take off the less impressive stuff. If you're unsure of what that is just ask friends, twitter, polycount, etc.

Gav

Hey Darren,

Skimming over the other replies here - I think I'm just echoing their thoughts:

-You need to create a cohesive scene. It doesn't need to be a functioning level, but something to give context to your work. The props themselves are fine, I think they look good, but they're not standing out as big pieces of work. Like Jeff is saying, it doesn't need to be this huge taxing game level or something, you're not going to be asked to build an entire level your first day on the job - but - you do need to work bigger. Honestly, what you're showing is a few weeks (maybe) of work in a production environment...i'd like to see bigger pieces of work, more complex, more hero type assets.

-I think your layout is fine. Straight and to the point, i totally get what you're going for. I like the way you have things broken down, though I think you could get by with less "beauty shots" of your props. Even though they're different angles, the extra shots of the prop isn't telling me very much more. The tree, for example, you could condense everything into 3 or so images and 2 construction shots.

-You gotta get rid of that blue background on the construction shots, it tore my eyeballs in half.

-It's odd to me, at least, that when I click on the high resolution thumbnails it brings me to a high poly gallery rather than getting the asset I'm clicking on. Your low poly work sets that expectation, so, it's just a little strange as it seems like you're just padding your high rez work - even though you're not.

-Drop the gun. It sticks out from the rest of your work as an oddity and, to be blunt, isn't at the quality one would expect from a weapons artist.

-I wouldn't take your portfolio down, just being out there is fine...just be sure to update it and seek feedback from a wider range of people.

-If you don't mind, here is the portfolio for the junior artist we hired a long time ago (like, 4 years ago or so?) From my understanding, doing exactly what you're looking to do: http://www.3dpaul.com/index.html

-Moving forward, I'd build out a scene. Make an awesome beauty shot of an interesting environment and then break it down by props. Show off the more impressive assets (like hero assets) and, like you're doing, show how they are constructed. Building a scene doesn't mean you are straying into a level builder role if all you want to do is make props, we just need to see that they function well in a game environment (not just floating on a gradient)and that you understand how to build out a set / dress a scene.

shabba

Man, awesome feedback guys thanks you! This was exactly what I was looking for.

@Jeff - You didn't jack the thread, everything you said is relevant. Building up to Bad Ass sir /w all these great advices! Thanks!

@Gav - Sorry about your eyeballs! LoL. I will fix everything you mentioned and pull the gun off. And that link is great reference. How many pieces like Paul Presleys would be a good goal you think? Thanks for taking the time to crit my folio. Greatly appreciate it!

ZombieWells

okay, so here's my take on it. You have a shotgun, a coke machine, a tree, a wall and some other architectural stuffs. It seems like assignments rather that a meaningful and consistent portfolio. 99 times out of 100 it doesn't matter the format, (unless its completely innavigable) but rather your content that sells it. The best way to take your portfolio to a professional level is looking at professional portfolios, (make sense right?). So here it is, and its very, very, very simple equation. Make X, (X= professional portfolio) gets, or = Y, (Y being a job) its super not that hard to figure out. Now, here are some portfolios,
http://www.torfrick.com/
http://www.peperaart.com/
http://polygoo.com/
http://www.lonewolf3d.com/

Gav brings up some great points too

and here's a big list of portfolios! http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=92838

shabba

Latest Portfolio Update - http://darrenhorrocks.com/

Updated some stuff for Far Cry Primal, Far Cry 4, Devils Third, and Ryse: Son of Rome

Always appreciate feedback, thanks ahead of time!