Hi, I want to do environments for a living after graduating this easter. I have thrown up a bunch of my work on a very simple webpage for people to look at. Its pretty much chronological in order. I aim to replace the weaker images with more up to date stuff as i complete it. Is there anything that reaaaaally needs to go? What am i missing/still need to show? Thanks for your time! Terror Visual Dan.

There is no organization to your site whatsoever. Divide your artwork into sketches, environments, whatever and create pages for them. Also, as an artist your site should be aesthetically pleasing. You just have a blank white page with pictures plastered on it. I also see no resume.

[Edited by - zer0wolf on September 18, 2007 2:21:31 PM]

I agree with zer0wolf, I had no idea what I was looking at or what you were aiming for (e.g. modeler, concept artist, animator).

I recommend you Google for artists' portfolios, study them, and understand why their portfolios are presented the way they are. Which ones are "good" to you, and which ones "bad"? What makes some appealing and easy to use? If you were an art director looking to commission a piece of work, which site would help you more?

Base your portfolio site, conceptually, on the ones that receive top marks. In developing a portfolio, think like an art director.

Sorry, I didnt make myself clear!

I have spent no time on the site design. Its only feedback on the content i was after. :)

Oluseyi's link was badly formed. What he meant to link to was: search Google for artists' portfolios

You 2D work is nice (indie sci-fi game) but that is it. Everything else is very average, nothing stands out. You models are very basic compared to what I have seen from other artist portfolios. On you mushrooms for example, you haven't used smoothing groups for the stalks so they look blocky in the render.

Only show your VERY best work. Everything else should go.

Quote: Original post by frob
Oluseyi's link was badly formed. What he meant to link to was: search Google for artists' portfolios

Thanks.

Quote: Original post by yaustar
You 2D work is nice (indie sci-fi game) but that is it. Everything else is very average, nothing stands out. You models are very basic compared to what I have seen from other artist portfolios. On you mushrooms for example, you haven't used smoothing groups for the stalks so they look blocky in the render.

Only show your VERY best work. Everything else should go.

Even the top two renders? I guess they are more where i am at these days. The stuff lower down is work that i did 9 - 12 months ago when i didnt even know what a shading group was hehe. The early stuff was done in Maya but after doing work experience where i had to learn Max i switched.

The problem is, i have no formal 3D education. I started to teach myself alongside my graphic design degree this time last year, and excluding 5 weeks work experience at Kuju Interactive everything i have learnt was in my spare time.

I guess my plan was to show prospective employers that i can create established cliches (Example, a sci-fi corridor, fantasy crates and barrels ect) then add some more creative stuff using my education in more experimental graphics. Are there any technical skills you would recommend i learn/demonstrate (other than smoothing groups)?

Thanks again for your time in helping me.

Well, the problem is that you still haven't mentioned what you are aiming for (modeller animator etc) so it is difficult to give complete advice in what should say, what should go and what should be added. The general trend in you portfolio looks like Environment Artist perhaps?

Looking back at the the first render, it is good although the crates look low res due to the texture compared to the exterior. I have also just realised that the second picture is actually render rather then concept art. Very nice and different from the norm so you should build on that. For example, do some interior shots and props. Also the render doesn't show any light from the windows being casted onto the surroundings.

Quote: I guess my plan was to show prospective employers that i can create established cliches (Example, a sci-fi corridor, fantasy crates and barrels ect)

Been done to death and usually gets ignored. Crates, marines, spacecraft, generic monsters, guns etc. Anything different from the norm immediately gets more then a glance.

All the old stuff that looks poor should go. Pixel work, RPG stuff, wood chopping, fireplace, trapdoor, concept paint work, concept sketch, flash game should go. The Faded Offline piece is nice but not sure where it might fit in so you may want to get rid of it for consistency. This leaves your best work, the top 4 images although the 3rd and 4th images could do with some bump mapping as they look rather flat.

I would then take the Ghost house and do a couple more renders from different angles, a wireframe shot to show how it was built and some interior work in the same theme and style. If you have an concept artwork for it, that be great as it shows your progression from concept to render.

If you can expand on the corridors and room so it forms a 'level'/floor plan, that would be better then just showing random parts of interior.

Bear in mind that I am a programmer that has dabbled in 3D modelling and animation but not an artist so you may want a second opinion before storming ahead.