Portfolio Critic Please?

seandxyz

Firstly I'm a student, just currently started work on a portfolio website, I know its still lacking content, but I'm after website design ideas mostly, and best ways to display work, i have a few props up there atm, feedback and ideas appreciated thx

seandxyz.com

BetaRazer

Hi there, I know it's still under construction. But as you're after early portfolio critique, here goes;

The home page really needs images of your work! This will be the first thing the viewer should see and almost always they will make an impression of you based upon that. At this point, most people won't go any further.

However as I did, here are some suggestions. Show off the beauty shot first, instead of a 3D plugin such as Sketchfab or Marmoset. They are taking too long to load and will begin to lose interest in others. Then break down how you did it with wireframes, materials, etc. 3D Plugins might be better as you grow over time, but you need something that will stand out and can be instantly shown.

Your props are all metallic objects so far. The quality is decent and consistent, but include a wider variety of objects.

What kind of artist are you trying to be? Character? Hard surface? Weapon? Environment? Stick with your strengths then label that somewhere at the top header! People always want to find out what kind of artist you want to be, so make this really obvious to them.

Include an "About" section. Get others interested in you and make your description connect with them. And a "Contact" page too, including an email address and CV. Remove the "journals" section as this isn't relevant right now.

As for displaying your work; make the images as high resolution as you possibly can. "Stuff" the art in the viewers face and take up as much screen space as possible without them having to scroll down too far.

Hope this helps.

seandxyz

Ok thanks, this helps a lot, as for the journals section, it was there i was going to include break downs of the things i make, so would you still recommend removing that ?   soo have say props , each prop has renders first of all, followed by sketchfab, then break down to the bottom of the page?
ps. props and/or environment I'm aiming at

BetaRazer

Yes, include the renders first, then a breakdown of how you produced them. This shows your technical ability and process through images and not words. As time goes by, you'll get more comfortable and confident with certain workflows. When you reach a seniority level, you can give back to the art community by explaining your workflows. But if you're starting out anew as you are now; such breakdowns at this time are not necessary. Just focus on producing great content.
I'd reconsider Sketchfab or Marmoset Viewer. ArtStation for instance is ideal for this. Not everyone will have fast internet speed. If it takes too long to load your 3D viewers; others can be put off easily, including art directors.

As for your choice of specialism; research what other similar people have done and compare their quality and variety to yours.