[Portfolio] Chemical Alia
polycounter lvl 7
I'm putting together a new portfolio site, and any feedback regarding navigation, organization, load times or the content itself would be much appreciated. It's a simple Carbonmade, with fairly limited layout options, so for now my goal is to present the images in a clean and non-confusing way. I'd like to add more detailed descriptions, and new content is always incoming.
http://shaylyn.carbonmade.com/
Thank you!
http://shaylyn.carbonmade.com/
Thank you!
Replies
Your texturing style in that section is really unusual... it's cool, but weird. Like if HL2 and TF2 had babies.
the layout works for me, I know some people like to stress the "keep it all on one page" thing, but your strong in all the categories you've got up. And while it's one extra button press, it's a button i want to press.
I might suggest moving the Abandoned mine to the top of that stack (and trying to keep the top image and the Enviro's image in sync), but also spend some time with the smaller details. It looks really good from far back but up close its a little boring.
I will PAY you for tutorials of your 2D workflow. My God, that stuff is savagely awesome.
And art intern on Rage? Bastard.
That little lowpoly transistor radio really doesnt deserve to be with the rest of your work though, it needs some beveling and a rebake. For the highpoly I think your have the coord space of your environment map setup incorrectly. it looks like its being projected in screen rather than spherical space.
On a picky note I would consider increasing the sampling rate of your ambient occlusion renders. If your using a Mentalray equiped app a Physical Sun/Sky system could really make your buildings look nice(since your going down the offline render route.)
http://www.icy-bee.co.uk/crits-n-shit.jpg
I did a quick image (with super awesome spelling mistakes) to express my feelings better. My main concern isn't with the modeling but with you texture usage.
Also with you 2d stuff I would personally remove
http://media.cmcdn.net/8625391/722x1550.jpeg
and maybe these
http://media.cmcdn.net/8625197/783x1000.jpeg
http://media.cmcdn.net/8625387/666x850.jpeg
Also push this image to the top it is just fantastic.
http://media.cmcdn.net/8625388/800x1066.jpeg
I agree with Surfa in most points, even you don´t want to change your already finished work those are good tips.
That radio doesn´t fit on that...
In my opinion don´t remove 783x1000.jpg and 666x850.jpg they are nice.
By the way...your image:
http://media.cmcdn.net/8625388/800x1066.jpeg
What a great image!!!...I also need a tutorial...
I think your TF2 characters look great!
But I don't agree on removing these;
http://media.cmcdn.net/8625197/783x1000.jpeg
http://media.cmcdn.net/8625387/666x850.jpeg
I agree with ScudzAlmighty that you should move the abandoned mine piece up to the top of the 3D section, and like Surfa's crit image says, I think it would benefit you to remove the transistor radio until you can get a better bake out of it.
I might also suggest that you switch the position of your mod projects directory with the 2D section... I think your TF2 characters are a really strong portion of your work and it would help if people saw them earlier rather than later (left to right, top to bottom reading style?).
The hair on this is amazing btw:
http://media.cmcdn.net/8625388/800x1066.jpeg
Exactly, I think the mine probably makes sense to be first, but I was undecided since the WIP is newer . I guess I'll leave the mine first until I get father along with the street corner scene. That dilemma has been really bugging me, lol. But yeah, I spent so much time researching TF2 when working on my master's, it doesn't surprise me that some of the style might have leaked into my other stuff v: I don't really see it, but it's been pointed out a bunch of times. Not sure if it's just my preference for settings or the work itself.
I'd be more than happy to share my process, I just need to make a note of it when I'm working! I rarely work the same exact way (or adhere to best practices), but I have some methods that work for me overall and I've been meaning to do a tutorial for a while. This is a pretty crappy example, but sometimes I keep track of my progress and share it at different stages of refinement, maybe a drawing like this might interest you for now: http://chemicalalia.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2jwrz0
Thanks, I'll check that out! And ugh, yeah, radio normals desperately need attention. That's one of the ones I was really hesitant to include, though I like the hipoly itself, but the more I think about it, having it there just draws attention to my CONSPICUOUS LACK OF INDIVIDUAL ASSETS. Which I'm currently rectifying, anyway c:
Thanks for the in-depth look! You're totally right about the textures (the point about the fence made me lol). It's hard for me to draw the line when it comes to including earlier work, since I've made a lot of mistakes along the way. I would prefer to just cycle old stuff out, rather than going back and fixing it, but maybe this scene could benefit from some re-work. I'll ditch it until then, in either case! No scrubs.
This is totally logical and makes sense. I feel that the section is strong, but I am also somewhat paranoid of being perceived as a character artist. :shifty: I'll be adding more props and textures to that section shortly, since I'm creating assets for a map contest, so it's definitely something to consider.
I also don't like how the actual links are all the way at the bottom. I really want to get them a different color too. Suggestions would be awesome, and I wonder how confusing it actually is right now. I could maybe make it available in the "About" link, but I actually find that a little hard to notice as well.
Hmm.
http://shaylyn.carbonmade.com/
Haha, thank you.
I'm particularly interested in the TF2 Spy Drawing, and possibly commissioning prints in this style.
Edit: Awesome work!
For example, on your 3d page, you have a wireframe shaded as your first image. Shove that down and put your best rendered/engine full piece on top so that it's the first thing a director would see. Provide some texture flats as well to display your ability to texture utilizing various maps.
You have very strong traditional skills which makes me very envious
As for the rest of your 2d stuff or if you need help laying out some things talk to Elliot Lilly, he's a concept artist about to join you folks down in ID Software and is very talented.
Good luck!!
True that, thanks for the suggestions! I currently have what I'd consider my best work up, though I definitely want to go back and get some more renders with wireframes, texture samples etc. Right now my main focus is to simply make more stuff, both full scenes and individual assets, so I'm getting there little by little. Working is pretty much my only hobby until I'm satisfied with my body of work and the quantity of it.
I remember when Elliot came down last month, we all went to lunch, though I didn't get a chance to meet him personally. His work is completely badass, glad to hear he'll be starting here soon!
Sorry I missed your question before. I can do commissions, but right now it mostly depends on the scope of the project and what the time requirements might be. Feel free to drop me a line, I'd be interested in hearing what you had in mind.
Amazing portfolio, probably one of my favourite so far. Clean presentation; your 2d stuff is especially solid. My only issue is too few 3d works, and being generally weaker than your 2d stuff. But some of them are still great!
You're very talented, great work and good luck!
Seeing a portfolio like yours certainly gave me a swift kick in the pants. Back to work on the projects for me!
Thank you kindly! And yeah, I have a traditional fine arts background, so I've been accustomed to that much longer than I have 3d. I really enjoy it now, and I'm trying to focus on those skills in particular.
Haha, projects are good. One of my friends is working on that Art Pass TF2 map contest, and I'm helping him by creating custom textures and new assets, since it's a Middle Eastern theme. I've started slowly adding some new hand-painted stuff to the mod section, hopefully that helps fill it out a bit by the end of the project.
Did anybody actually click or notice the tiny little About page at the top? That's where my contact info and stuff is outside of the resume, and I really hate how much it's off to the side like that. If it's hard to notice, maybe it would be worth it to put that info in the resume section as well? I don't think I want to add another non-image thumbnail, but it seems pretty important.
Hmm, interesting. I mostly brought it up because totally failed to notice it myself for like, several days. But I'm fine with it too, as long as people can find my email and what not.