Help please: Serious Critique of my portfolio
fistpump (47 points) | Sun, 2007-09-30 01:36Hi. I would like some serious feedback on my portfolio. I'm a graphic designer and I didn't go to school for Graphic Design so I never had the benefit of a Professor's critiques/feedbacks.
I would love to hear your honest opinions about my portfolio and how I can improve it. Thank you so much.
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You have some REALLY cool stuff. However, your website is WAY too wide -- enough to make it completely annoying navigating your site. Restrict your website width to about 800px if you can.
Instead of Main Paage make it Home Page. This is standard web design convention.
Instead of 'click each image' say click a portfolio sample; something more descriptive relating to these items so the audience knows what they are looking at.
Lastly, describe your work in a few sentences. Are these paid work or promo pieces? (Non-paid work you do to strengthen your skills.)
You should be proud of your work, especially since you didn't go to school. Not that school is the only learning source, far from it. I didn't go to school either! Well done.
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Powerpoint is not a design application
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Dirt and Rust
Thank you natobasso. I kinda fell into Graphic Design in my junior year of college and I knew this is the field I wanted to be in. I was very unhappy with my earlier designs so I trashed them and try to develop better skills overtime.
i will implement your advice. I designed the site on a 1680x960 imac so i guess it looked right from here
i did work in a print design studio but i was unhappy with my work there, so i took the initiative to develop my own work using real businesses.
Also, I would like brutal honesty. The last creative director I met was very honest with me and really opened up my eyes and realized I needed to put together a better printed book.
nice job!
comments:
1.
try to have a simpler grid system. one simple grid system worth a try is fitting everything to the width of the page title, "PORTFOLIO." and once you have a grid system, align elements better. for example, in the current design "PORTFOLIO", "Most recent works 2007", and "Featuring advertising...", and the navigational element all are not aligned. set up a strong grid system and follow it like it's your life.
2.
i would try simpler navigation buttons instead of current dark-outlined boxes.
3.
and finally, try to have the thumbnails in a single format, like 100 by 100px square or something like that - you don't have to show the whole thing in the thumbnail. having all thumbnails same format sane size will make your page less busy, much easier for the visitor to understand.
zagadka, thank you so much for taking the time to help. i will definitely implement those
i was very concerned with the user interface as i wanted to make navigation easy to understand and use as possible
thank for all the comments on the website
any comments or feedbacks on the works? im a little more concened with the prints
and also, is it bad to use a existing company or lesser known company and improve the product?
i wanted to do real world examples instead of creating my own fictional companies and stuff
I recommend you put a few pieces up in the 'critique' section, give a short brief/description of each one. Then you'll get more specific responses. When taken as a whole, your work is great. That's why it's difficult (and time consuming) for us to try to give you things to improve: Too much information!
Hope that helps.
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Powerpoint is not a design application
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Dirt and Rust
natobasso, im not sure what else to put into my portfolio, maybe i need more logos or page layouts? more business collateral perhaps?
natobasso, im not sure what else to put into my portfolio, maybe i need more logos or page layouts? more business collateral perhaps?
No, I mean take a few pieces from your online portfolio and put them into creativebits.org/critique. That's the best way to get specific feedback on your work.
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Powerpoint is not a design application
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Dirt and Rust
I see. Thanks.
Do you guys think I have enough talents to get a job in the field? I'm kind of in doubt because my lack of education. I really wish I could have gone to a design school.
in my opinion, you won't have too much trouble getting a job in the field.
but, since you asked for honest and harsh critique,
you may have serious troubles getting what you deserve for your talent.
you seem to lack knowledge and education. i'm not saying this because you said so. it's visible in your works.
you don't have to go to a design school although it helps a lot. READ/BROWSE/STUDY BOOKS. just go to design section of BN bookstore and pick up books. start from fundamentals: typography, grid system, layout, color theory. there is much more than they appear on the surface. you have to know why you are doing what you are doing.
then move on to history (not old old history but contemporary design history and designer biographies) and see what they did and most importantly why they did based on what you have learned from fundamentals.
good luck.
zagadka, thank you for taking the time. i really appreciate it and take all of members advice here
im working on the print aspect right now so i cant update the website until tomorrow, but i will implement suggestions and advice
and im educated, just not in graphics, i have a degree in marketing but its not really something i want to do, i love graphic design and web development and really want to pursue it, its the only thing that doesnt bore me to tears
thanks again
I did a major overhaul as well as fixing all the suggestions and advices. :)
Well done. Looks even more usable!
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Powerpoint is not a design application
Boot in Single User Mode
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Dirt and Rust
me myself haven't gone a major on graphic designing or even a fine arts major. I just practice and need to practice more.
Give Your Business The Power of Credit with Business Credit Cards
Nice try, but you still look like a spammer to me. The sig tipped me off. :)
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Powerpoint is not a design application
Boot in Single User Mode
Repair Permissions
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Dirt and Rust
Where is the link for the portfolio?
Nate Vaughn
Vaughn Imagination, Inc.
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www.vaughnimagination.com
Nate Vaughn
Vaughn Imagination, Inc.
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www.vaughnimagination.com
The link is missing. The link is missing! Does anybody know where the link went?
The Construct Agency
Building Creative Brands for People
FistPump packed up and left town and took the link off his post on the way out the door.
I remember viewing the site after his Oct-05 major overhaul post and most likely have the link in my browser history at home.