[Portfolio] JackyBoy, Environment Artist
polycounter lvl 10
Well after getting nowhere with jobs, I wanted to see what was actually wrong with my portfolio.
http://www.jackwilliamhayes.co.uk
I am currently looking for a position as an Environment Artist anywhere in the UK. I have applied to about 20 places and 5 of them got back to me just saying no, essentially.
I just wanted to see what was wrong, is my work sub par? Is there any particular part that makes me look bad? Does my "about me"/CV make me sound like an asshat?
Thanks
http://www.jackwilliamhayes.co.uk
I am currently looking for a position as an Environment Artist anywhere in the UK. I have applied to about 20 places and 5 of them got back to me just saying no, essentially.
I just wanted to see what was wrong, is my work sub par? Is there any particular part that makes me look bad? Does my "about me"/CV make me sound like an asshat?
Thanks
Replies
The car is really awesome though.
Basically my main crits are:
Lack of content, need more environments than just single props like the pillar. Make a scene out of that pillar with other models, like the Warehouse. Improve your lighting ability.
That's not helpful though is it? Well to improve you need to use more colour than just desaturated peach or white. I'm referring to Warehouse again.
I'm also not seeing any current gen examples either. Well, the pillar shows it but I think most studios these days are looking for really strong examples of high poly, low poly and then showing you can transfer the detail to low successfully.
Keep trying for jobs, maybe go down a level and try other roles such as testing or working with indie's. Heck, working on your own games for say...Iphone.
At the same time make more environments and work on your texturing & modelling skills.
*edit* Looked at CV as well, very professional! No crits there.
I can't give you an opinion from a pro point of view since I'm in the same position as you, but some advice I've been given recently is that employers like to see complete environments. As it stands, you only have one. And it's not really that fantastic... some ok work, but it's a bit sparse and the floor kinda screams 'CrazyBump'.
Your prop work is nice, texturing skill is good, and that column looks awesome.
But yeah, I'm guessing it's a lack of 'complete environments'.
The best advice I've been given (and that which I am currently working on following) is to just look at sites like:
http://www.brameulaers.com/
and
http://philipk.net/
And try to make your stuff as close in quality as you can. Chances are you won't, but aiming high and aiming for quality, finished environments as a whole should help a lot.
Also I started to think in the mind of an employer, which instantly made me realise the problems with my folio... If I scroll through my site for 10 seconds or so (which I hear is about the amount of time you have to grab the Art Directors attention) do I get 'wowed'... currently, no, so that's what I'm working on.
Keep going though, I hear it is actually possible to get a job sometimes, there's one or two people here who can prove that
EDIT: Habboi and Mike beat me to it... listen to them!
If you want to sell yourself as an environment artist, I would say take some time, maybe even 6 months to a year, and pound out 4-5 un-frickin-believable game environments that make full use of all next-gen standards and effects/shaders. I know that's a lot to aim for, but I have seen portfolios of people like that would are out of work. As an art director, I just wouldn't hire you for what you have on your site. Your car is even on your main page twice, which is a clear indication that you just don't have enough good work to show off, and nothing that really blows my mind. You aren't untalented, it just is going to take working your butt off to deliver work that is industry-worthy.
Hope this helps and best of luck with the job search.
EDIT: Just realized that your second car actually is a different car. It looks extremely similar, and I would display them both from a single thumbnail, because it does really come across as padding.
A guy in my old uni class managed to snab a level designer job with no professional experience and a decent portfolio. It's more like an internship from what I hear. (This is in the UK btw.)
At this time of year you are not only competing with the professional job seekers, but also the wave of graduating students. Honestly ask yourself, does your portfolio give you an edge over the many student portfolios being viewed at the very same time as yours.
I haven't been tracking the British industry of late but periferally i have heard of several studios downsizing or closing? im not sure of the scale but if this is the case you may find that your current industry is saturated with professional artists, making it very difficult for anyone without experience.
And to add some personal perspective, i relocated to the UK about 6 years ago. I had come off a very strong title and had a strong portfolio - it was a nightmare finding work, ended up taking me about 3-4 months to find a far less than ideal position (long commute times). A year later, very same portfolio and i had recruiters/studio's cold calling and offers all over the place.
Moral of the story - it might just be bad timing
The ISA Control Desk link at the top of the page dosen't work for me.
Keep it up and good luck on the job hunt
I'm not saying you should spend a fortune on getting a good website but on it first opening my first impressions were damaged from the poor website design. That about me just looks like it's just dangling off the bottom and not in a real place. So sort the appearance of that out. You can get free ones or ones for little money that are much better.
Like everyone else has said though you need more projects on there. Also as well laying diffuse, normal and specular over each other and cutting edges off is a poor way to display them especially when you have the room on your site to do it. It seems like your trying to hide something.
Maybe on the opening page make a show real?
I'm not looking for a job but my website is the portfolio site available when you sign up for a premium membership on Deviant Art, have a look at how clean it is.
I will also change the floor texture in the warehouse and completely re-light it, as this seems to be potentially one of my greatest assets but am ruining it with lighting.
I am really happy with that feedback. Not as bad as I thought it could have been, but expected similar since I haven't got a job yet!
(oh and on a sidenote, is it polycount "tradition" to post my updates in here when I have done something new for a bump/re-evaluation? not as in a project thread but a "hey here is my new warehouse scene")
That breaks the illusion for me and I immediately realise it's not a real place.
Also the floor bothers me. I think it could use some bumpage to it. It's a bit flat. Maybe some sort of dip where water from the pipes above has gathered over the years?
Now that I think about it, who made the fire? Was it hobo's? Where's their stash of food, where's their seats? Cinder blocks work well as makeshift seats.
What I'm trying to say is, what's the story. Always tie a story to an environment because honestly, it makes a whole lot of difference. Not only does it give you ideas for props to model but it gives you a focus point and something to improve upon.
Keep it up though. The lighting makes a ton of difference.
P.S. what are u rendering this piece in (maya, UNreal, etc)
yeah, haven't touched that yet. I think I will have to try and find a cool night scene skybox, or make my own...
And yeah, using some kind of drip is a good idea. People have said that to me before but wanted to get on with my next project but I think I shall have to revisit that!
Epic made the fire, I just adjusted it for my needs. Thinking more about the story, I was thinking of adding in a couple more assets to back it up ( I don't want to go mad, just a few more) So I'm thinking: more rubbish, sleeping bag or papers on cardboard for a "bed". Anything else?
Thanks for that man
All rendering done in UDK
Sorry if my early comment was a bit up front. Hope no harm was done, I was tired :P.
I was thinking after reading someone elses comment about the company hiring looking through thousands of portfolios and thought your home page of the website should definatly have something which quickly grabs the attention of your peers and makes them want to click in instead of just turning a blind eye to what could of been.
Some things I say may have already been said, but I didn't just want to say it... I wanted to show you. Not saying this website idea is perfect, but it is a bit more streamlined and sleek.
How you have your pictures desaturating when you mouse over them, you could do just the opposite and have a much more interesting effect since you are already on a black and white website. So when you first get to the site, it comes off as consistent.
You need more content. It has been said... but I am over here wondering what you have been doing since you don't have a job. Not making more models obviously. lol
I hate your font... lol and that may just be me, but it looks like you designed your website in microsoft word. Take some time, go through some fonts, and design with them a little bit.
I don't like how you have your "About me" on your home page. If I am an employer... I want to see your work, not an about me. And I understand that you are letting people know what programs you use... that should be left up to your resume which is in there and looks great btw.
I feel like you should take out your "About Me" page as well. It is a stereotype for young artists to want to tell everyone their touching story about how when they were kids they loved video games ect ect... *sshuder* I think that is something you could tell a nerdy girl and she would melt all over you, but man... you are marketing yourself to a male dominated industry. And that is a little too touching for me. I would hope you love video games if you are trying to get into this industry. Just try not to fall into that stereotype.
I don't agree with you explaining every single one of your models. Let your art speak for itself. I don't really care that your pillar was a test to see how accurately you think you could model... Show me the concept on your site... and let me be the judge of that. And if you want to share what programs you used to create it... say just that... "Created in: Autodesk Maya, Adobe Photoshop" You don't really need to let them know you used crazybump and Xnormal. Those are tools not really your main programs... and that last note is subjective.
Your "Pillar" link is blurry and your ISA Control Desk link does not work... attention to detail man... As an employer I might see that as, "I hope he wouldn't let little things like that slide if we hire him."
Last thing I am wondering about your website are the model pages... Where are your highpolys man? You said you cast from a highpoly... and then you don't put the highpoly up...
Now on to your models...
Pillar:
I don't see a highpoly so on to the lowpoly... Your "lowpoly" looks like you just ran an optimize on it. Like you decimated it down. Makes me wonder if you even know how to lowpoly something. *shrug*
I like your lighting and textures for the most part... except your pillar looks like it has rust on it. Idk what those orange spots are but they look like rust and concrete doesn't rust. And even if it did... it wouldn't be evenly spotted around the bottom of the pillar. Where does water collect? Where where and why would something rust... If it is dirt? Same questions... Where and why would something collect dirt. Create a story for this prop through your textures.
For presentation... you might could get multiple textured views on one image...
And multiple shaded views on another, then you could put your tricount on those... rather than having a nasty screengrab from maya.
ISA Control Desk:
Your story for this prop tells me that someone stood about 30 feet back and chuncked rocks at it for a few hours. Then they decided to roll it around on its side on rough concrete. If that is not what happened to it... you should really tone those scratches down.
On this model... you didn't show your highpoly, your tricount, or your textures. Why? Are they bad? That is what it makes me think if they are not on there.
Gobbstopper:
I really think you could combine both of the cars. They do come off as the same car... if you are not looking really close. I don't see any wireframe renders... Or textures.
Warehouse:
Your new one looks better. But your tricount on the majority of your lowpoly objects are way too high. If an edgeloop, polygon, triangle is not helping your silhouette get rid of it. Your cylinders that represent the glow coming from the lights... have about 8 edgeloops going upward that do not do anything for the shape of it. Would love to see some highpoly stuff on this environment too...
Keep it up man! Your stuff is good and I know you can do it... I just think maybe you haven't been putting the amount of work in that you should. I say I know you can do it because I just saw how you made that environment a million times better. I agree with everything that has been said by other people. Don't take my critiques too personal... Just trying to help you become a better artist... just as I hope you would do for me
JJ
I am going to go through the textures and models and see if I can make them better with what I have got, but also by the sounds of things I need to make another full scene that just blows everything else out the water. Was thinking of following the guidelines of the Eat3D enviro comp, but not use the deadline so much because I would rather have an epic piece of work than a rushed one.
Obviously I do take the things I say about my work personally, it is my work after all:p, but I don't let it discourage me. It just encourages me to get to a point where people say "wow" about my work.
I like that design of the site too, I like the monochromatic feel, but didn't think of using say white and blue instead
I'll start showing off some of my HP renders too. Thanks guys! *back to work*
But anyway, this isn't everything so far and textures aren't finished, but I'm pretty happy with it so far!
Otherwise that scene is coming along really nicely. If you're looking to add something else to it, try adding some big rusty metals and Ibeams to it. Try adding some boxes piled up in the corner, or at least something to make it seem a bit less empty.
I want to make it seem more filled like you say, but I don't just want to ram it full of assets. If people think it needs it then I will. Perhaps I could just use the assets I have more wisely...?
And you have a little seam where the grunge meets the protrusion on the far wall (over by the "DY" graffiti). It goes from super grungy/dark to light.
Keep it up man! To be honest you might just move on to a new piece. This one could stand by itself and you could probably end up tweaking forever on it.
I did a quick and weak hack of your render using photoshop to encourage you to explore all the tools available to developers : )