Portfolio Review Hardsurface/Environment (2)

FissionMailed

Hello fellow Polycounters!
I've taken the feedback I've gotten to work on lighting/rendering. I've also added new pieces to my portfolio. I would love to get some feedback from you guys.

You can find my portfolio at: https://www.artstation.com/artbyfan
My previous progress thread is here: https://polycount.com/discussion/233893/portfolio-review-hardsurface-prop-environment#latest

My current goals are to get into the AAA industry as environment artist/ prop artist. I would appreciate any advice regarding polishing my portfolio further, what it is lacking compared to current hires, and what other skills I should demonstrate with my next portfolio piece.

Thank you for your time and keep on rocking!

coolguyslims

Something that stuck out to me in your 'SCP Office Prop Breakdown' is how dense a lot of the props are. How are you creating those props? Are you baking down from a high poly mesh? It looks like you might be creating those props using face weighted normals with no bake (no curvature, normal bake)? I'm a little confused.

FissionMailed

You're right! 
I've taken a stab at reducing the geometry of the props and added weighted normal + hardedges to the reduced low poly. Thankfully it worked out well enough I think. The results are posted back on Artstation.
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/xD0ZVX

Reflecting on it now, my workflow was to build a mid poly with mostly quad faces, add holding lines, and subdivide. And bake the high poly down to the mid poly. I think this worked for baking as the holding lines that helped create the high poly also do a good job of orienting the normals (essentially emulating weighted normaled lowpoly?).

I somehow had never heard of weighted normal before today, definitely will include it in my next project. I think I'll need to reorganize my thought on what my baking mesh vs low poly should look like.

Appreciate you pointing that out, keep on rocking!