Portfolio review and critic

Cglewis

Good evening polycount,

I have been in the simulation for about 5 years now, but my dream is to make games. But I have had no luck when it comes to finding a job in the game industry. I am constantly working to try to better my self as an artist. I would love to hear y'all's in put on my portfolio and how I can make it more appealing.

I can't show any of the work I do at work due to the nature of it. So all the work I have done is on the weekends or after work.

Here is my portfolio
Www.theartoftylerlewis.com

Please let me know what y'all think.

Myging

Hi Cglewis/Tyler, good job so far.

I am also in need of a good portfolio, and what I saw in other people's portfolio were some super detailed or super-detailed-looking models, so probably the best thing would be to create some super-detailed models, where you absolutely show off your modelling/texturing skills and also do not forget to optimize them and make an in-game look.

On your last image, the Mars Station I am not too sure what is happening, it might be a good idea to check your values and make your render more readable. Another thing that I noticed there that the Mars Station is a Destiny fan art. What I have heard so far that employers do not like seeing fan art, however they like if you try making something with a similar art style to their company.

But as said I am not so good to give advices so see what others tell you and sorry for my English.

Dan Powell

I really like your layout - it's perfectly modern in my opinion. I would however decrease the size of the tiles (maybe have 5 or 6 per row) - though I understand at the moment you've perhaps kept them quite large to fill out the portfolio a bit (I.E. make look like more work because you have to scroll down. :P) It's a bit weird because the tiles contain larger images than the page when you click on the tiles, I'd expect usually the tiles to be a smallish preview and then by clicking on them I get larger breakdowns, etc.

Speaking of Breakdowns, I'd maybe have a breakdown poster for your assets. If you're reasonably new to the industry then I imagine recruitment are going to want to see that you know how to spend topology well - so a wireframe shot is good. Your tyre doesn't look game ready to me because it has the little rubber bits pointing off of it which I guess would use a lot of Polygons, and is also probably unnecessary for a game as that level of detail in a tyre is unlikely to be seen by the player.

I probably wouldn't include "Lunch work" on there unless it's particularly well done. I imagine that means you've only spent an hour on it? Personally I'd aim to include finished work only, which fully demonstrates my ability to produce a nice final product, as for the most part that's probably all the industry are interested in; they don't care how you do it, just that you do it well, and that it meets their needs. :P

Good work and keep it up mate.

ferrettank

I agree with the critiques above, also I would make your "small font" bigger. At a 100% on google chrome it is a bit hard to read.

Other then that, it is looking good

supersnakelx

I think the models are decent, I really like the laptop.
I have two problems, first one is with the camera focal length in the images, it's exaggerated and the models are completely distorted, especially the tires. Try to keep it around 35mm unless you have a backplate with something different. Second, the images are quite small, but it would be ok if they could be enlarged by clicking on them.

Shrike

the website looks appealing and generally it looks like youre on the right way
what I feel is missing are some more complicated assets that stand on their own, like maybe a nice arrangement of props or a state of the art weapon or anything like that. Some kind of unified presentation would be nice too.

Do not waste your time with sci-fi stuff. I think the textures on that drone thing are pretty cool, the wear looks very well made at places, but the drone that weapon, the ship and the mars station, the designs are not that good. Compare how much more authentic the rim looks side by side vs the drone per example. Theres no way they can remotely stand against real assets, and this is true for 95% of concept art. Choose real assets, else they drag your work (the execution / recreation) down, even if you did your part perfectly. No Pistol or drone in the year 2050 would ever look like that, base your work on real work that has 100 fold the amount of thought going in, don't waste your time when you have no time to lose as you say. You may like those designs now, only to realize that you hate them in a year when you have grown, this dosnt happen with real object, don't fall into that trap. GL man!

Cglewis

Wow thank you guys for all the replies! i really appreciate it!

I should be able to tweak the website when i get home, but asset break downs will have to wait till Tuesday since my work pc kicked rocks last weekend

So to recap.....
-make the initial images smaller
-make the breakdown shots bigger
-show wires and break downs
-Game res the tire
-re-render assets keeping the focal length around 35mm
-start modeling realistic assets
-need to model a complicated asset (gun...or something like that)
-remove lunch time project
Question about this, i have since taken the project home and been working on it in my spare time, should i put it on hold and fill up my portfolio with the realistic stuff and when i have a few good real life assets come back to it...or since its fan art come back to it when my portfolio is rock solid?

(current progress on that if your curious)

ounce again thank you guys for taking the time to help me out, i really appreciate it