Portfolio review and career advice
polycounter lvl 2
Hello. Due to life reasons I have to move and I need to get a new job as a 3d artist. Unfortunately, due to the NDA, I am unable to give my former projects from work. I would like to ask what I could improve in my portfolio or which works to improve and how.
Here is my portfolio: https://vargow.artstation.com/
Thanks for the help!
Replies
I don't know anything about the job market, I'll just make some general assessment of the models.
The revolvers are the strongest piece IMO. I think the materials are nice and no edges jump out as being wrong.
Most of the models come short of AAA quality though. Maybe that's fine and you can still get a job, I have no idea about that.
The hunting rile might be fine for a topdown of third person game I imagine but up close it looks like something you rushed to finish. The normal map details look smudgy and the modeling is crude enough that it looks like a model from a few console generations back.
The hard surface models seem basic in the way you've handled edges and complex shapes. Again, probably not bad at all for some types of games, but the way you are showcasing them, its hard not to notice that they aren't as sophisticated as what we see regularly from AAA studios.
I never think about stylized stuff but i suppose that gold bonded chest is basically fine? Perhaps those corner bracket things appear too sharp on the edges?
The characters I think you ought to cull, and probably the gauntlet and the fantasy weapon. I suppose some more work on the materials of the weapons could go a long way as something quick to do before starting any new models in the interim time it takes to find a job.
Lots to learn from the wiki here but for hardsurface stuff especially look for FrankPolygons post, he's the master at that sort of thing.
Final summary:
Revolvers = damn that's pretty slick!
other weapons = eh... they show a lot of flaws looking at them up close
characters and fantasy weapon = meh
stylized chest = maybe its fine, but totally different style from your better works
Hi! Thanks for your answer. It is good to get some feedback from specialist. I thought it over and hid the stylized designs from the portfolio. I will limit them to 5 projects and I will try to work on something new with better refined materials and textures.
is there a particular area you'd like to specialize in? That could help immensely - narrowing down what you enjoy modeling most, and getting good at that one thing or category of things. It's easier to get hired if you're really good at one thing, then you can branch out from there.
do a bigger deep dive into the things you are making. I don't know why, but it feels like artists are using less references these days, and just making things because they 'think it looks cool' instead of learning what makes things look cool.