(It's only 19.6 mb, it only takes 2 mins of download)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This is the portfolio I submitted for architecture school, but to my dismay, it was rejected by 6 professors and was graded as 1 out of 5. I was not admitted into the school for this reason; I really want to know what were the reasons my portfolio was ranked so low. At the end, the school never told me what I did wrong... but it's understandable.
Can someone here please review my portfolio and tell me what it lacks, what I did wrong, or what I have to emphasize more? Tell me if it’s the photography, the font I used, the colors, or the way I arrange things… Perhaps I’m doing something that I’m not supposed to do, and/or, there are things that I need to work more on… whatever it is, please tell me what I need in order to improve, your help it’s going to be much appreciated.
There are only 17 pages, nothing more. They are numbered in order for you to see the flow (or at least the flow I was trying to achieve).
If you have ideas that you might want to share with me, in order to improve and have a more coherent portfolio, then please, do share them.
Thanks in advanced. :)
BTW, I'm new here, so I don't know if this is the right place to post this thread.
So first thing, you look to have some interesting projects, but that seems to be lost with how all your images look to be just thrown onto the pages. There's no flow, grid, use of white space, the pages are just filled with images and it causes a distraction from the actual projects. I'd look into learning about layout and graphic design, grids and use of white space, again, I think the projects are good, but the layout kills them.
overall, it does seem to be missing flow. You obviously have some craft skill, but there the relationship between the end products and and process is really fuzzy because of the graphics. There arent enough explanations or diagrams that talk about your thought process or approach to space and geometry. It would definitely help you to show more process and explanation. And most of all to clarify the way your portfolio is arranged, because as of now, it doesnt look that clear.
-the intro and 1st page are of a different language then the rest of the format of your portfolio.
-the text you used doesnt have much elegance too it
-items are numbered wrong on page 3, get rid of "moving on"
-page 5, when i see the plug of that light bulb you used, it really turns me off, on top of that, I see you made an effort to create a "dynamic" layout, but its kind of confusing. The images look like they just fell on the page. There are probably only 2 pictures in there that can explain the whole project
-page 6 - sketch on the left looks cool, but i dont know what its about. and the "final evolution "connecting squares" its a towel right? you have to show deeper thinking and not just object drawings.
-pg 7, the end product looks good, if you diagram out your thought process, add some text, and make the images less yellow i think it could look really good.
-pg 11 is ok, but the khaki color is kind of wierd, and the neon yellow dot at the bottom of each page, i would get rid of.
pg 12 is ok, reminds me of 60s jetsons drawings
-13 is ok, but there is a typoe, and at first i didnt know it was the intro for your project
-15..
-pg 16 you start to get something cooking again, but the graphics and layout just seem a little strange, less yello
-17, i dont understand what the stuff on the right is
The biggest problem is one of arrangement and graphics, because so much of the text is the same, i get lost in trying to find where the hierarchy is, where does one project end and where does the next one starts. The content doesnt look like it is controlled at all. You have to make it look easy, cause the admissions people dont want to get dizzy looking at your work. Just combine clarity with elegance and you should be ok.
Now that you mention it, the portfolio does look condensed; I'm going to have to enlarge all the elements and then spread them to more pages. They'll read better that way.
I'm going over everything you are telling me here.
That guy's portfolio looks good. I noticed that one of my main errors is trying to get the whole picture into one page. I guess I should stop doing that as it makes it more difficult for me to arrange things... it's never clear at the end anyway.
I'm sorry for having them in different links, I just don't know how to link them as one.
THANKS!!
Oh, are you are regular here? when I have it done can I show it to you?
you can combine everything into one pdf and just upload that onto issuu. There is tons of stuff on the net that I wish was around when I applied, so long ago. Making it look easy, is one of the best formulas. This link might help you too: http://archinect.com/features/article/90236
Ill be around most of this summer. if I dont respond somebody else will at some point.
good luck again.
This is probably going to hurt. Please take it constructively.
The presentation is distracting. It’s more like an experiment in graphic design than a presentation of architectural work. Keep in mind that this will be viewed by architects who (in theory, at least) are accustomed to seeing things clearly laid out in plan and section.
I could barely get through the intro. Do you even know what urbanity means? This is bullshit, and if it is your first page you are DOA. You need a better reason – a real reason - for wanting to be an architect. And what do the bicycle, chair and shoe have to do with architecture?
“The House” is pretentious. It’s a house. If you are going to talk about psychology as the basis of the design, you need to do more than say that, you need to demonstrate how it is. “Various architectural procedures” is more bullshit. “The Church” is more of the same. Since most architectural professors are highly accomplished bullshiters (at least in their own eyes), you’re not going to get very far along this path.
30-50% of the presentation is graphical / textual nonsense. Presenting site plans (or any of the work) as artistic (“mixed media on vellum”) is unbelievably pretentious. That weird laser-eye-bird character is immaterial, distracting and annoying.
If you are going to use Albers (or any other source of inspiration), subtly weave it into the presentation. Better yet don’t. If it is there, a knowledgeable professor will find it. The other side of this is to make the project a reinterpretation of Albers, but then you have to call out and address his failures or transcend and surpass his work in some way. Better to leave yourself lots of wiggle room rather than narrowly define something.
Suggestions:
A portfolio needs no introduction. A portfolio should include a variety of work (life drawing, painting, sculpture, renderings, photography, architectural drawings and models, etc.). A portfolio typically includes a resume of your education and experience. Nothing in the portfolio has to relate to anything else.
The work should not need much explanation. If it does, it should be a minimal, simple and honest (no BS) description of the piece or project. Since the work is visual, text should be minimal. A picture is worth 1,000 words. For an architectural project a program is appropriate. Informative labels on architectural drawings are normal.
Your models and drawings lack scale elements. Additionally, they should be viewed from eye level as a visitor would experience them.
Do you want a really impressive portfolio? Commit time to figure drawing classes. Not open studio, but with an instructor. This is an excellent skill to develop as it trains the eye as much as the hand. All the great renaissance architects were classically trained in art, and all architectural professors know this.
Portfolio seems fine. Your inability to upload a single file onto issuu had me expecting the worst, but the folio is quite nice. Most of the comment above are valid, but I think it's a matter of fine tuning rather than starting from scratch.
My bigger question to you is, you only applied to one school? Even kids with flawless porfolios who got into AA, GSD and Cooper probably had at least one rejection from other schools (lesser one like Sci-Arch for instance :p ).
"All the great renaissance architects were classically trained in art, and all architectural professors know this."
we don't live in 1450 so maybe its worth learning about something a bit more recent than that. All the early modern architects were classically trained too, so you know whatever. training shmaining, i say.
your drawing skills are pretty good. don't need to learn any more than what you go to be an architect. the above comments are all good. try to figure out "why architecture" and present from that point of view rather than just tumble it all out onto a page and you will be fine.
All my work is usually done from eye level. I'm too lazy to adjust SketchUp's first-person camera setting. I also work exclusively in 35deg field-of-view for the same reason.
I have already started working on it - 3 pages so far. By the end of the week I might have the first project done...it's not going to be the final one as it needs to be reviewed.
I did started from scratch, but not from zero, since I have all my elements saved to my HD.
I'm gonna have to contact the guys from ISSUU, cuz I still can't figure out how to share more than one document as one link.
I think what fade to blackoe meant by using issuu is that you'll want to combine all of those documents into a single file (.PDF). I saw that you had used Photoshop CS4 to produce the JPEG files; am I right to assume you have Adobe Acrobat as well? You can easily create a multi-page PDF file by opening Acrobat and clicking on the "Create PDF" button and selecting "From multiple files". Then just make sure all of your pages are in the right order.
there aren't enough plans and sections. sections from sketchup don't count in my eyes. the models are nice, and the drawings are okay... some really good and others i wouldn't bother including because they're just confusing. diagrams would be nice. some of the perspectives are outstanding.
not sure if you're applying to grad school or looking for a job, but if you're looking for a job i'd put some real drawings in there.
i don't know what your projects are really about either... hard to tell by looking at them. the people who look at your portfolio aren't going to spend much time reading it-- more like browsing. points need to be immediately clear, and there's way too much going on on every page for me to figure out whats most important to look at.
also, i'm personally against the passionate intro page but i've seen a lot of people include it. and what's up with the shoe? if you're trying to tell me that you're good at art, it should be (and is) evident by thumbing through the portfolio. it also says to me that your priorities lie in creating art, not constructing a building. thats not necessarily a bad thing and in some cases might even be preferable... but thats how you come off.
what i think about you when i look at this portfolio:
pros:
-good at sketching
-has a generally good design sense, at least theoretically
cons:
-not the best communicator
-can't use cad (aka useless in an office)
-isn't very technical... a lot of these projects look cool but, like for example the last one... i can't figure out where the floor is. pretty shapes, but i see more of the pretty shapes than buildings.
i'm a student myself (for one more week anyway). take it the same way you would if you were being criticized by your peers.
think of it as a test. if you can't work out how to get your entire portfolio into a single file on issuu then...
check google i am sure she will tell you exactly how to upload your portfolio so its not annoying just to access it.
not sure how you did your layout but if it was in-design you can export as a pdf easy. if you did the portfolio in photoshop you might consider also learning in-design. it will likely make your life easier.
Jul 27, 11 8:55 pm ·
·
"This is the portfolio I submitted for architecture school, but to my dismay, it was rejected by 6 professors and was graded as 1 out of 5."
First post Due89. If this is for applying for a B.Arch then they might want to see Artistic creativity because they probably don't want alot of technical drawings. Now an M.Arch Option I or II types degree (1 or 2 years depending on whether the person has a B.Arch or a pre-professional B.A or B.S. in Architecture.) - he might want more demonstration of design thinking process in architectural related endeavors and less on the pure art but might not be too interested in the technical knowledge unless the school is very technical oriented program.
Just a personal nitpick I have about sketches: they are essential for the act of designing (for me at least) but unless they are clean and of presentation quality, they do not belong in published documents like portfolios. Some of the sketches I see in your portfolio are extremely difficult to read and obscure what could be a really interesting project. What you want are drawings. Don't be afraid to go back and redo anything you find less than presentable (or since you seem good at it, Photoshop them clean). It's better I say it now than to have a professor berate you in person. Trust me, it hurts a lot more live.
Going off your latest iteration, I'd get rid of the red band you have running across all of your pages or use a less striking color. It catches my eye when it shouldn't and I find my focus constantly shifting back and forth between the red color to the actual content. Due89 is right on about the lack of clarity in your sketches. You need to have some sort of logical connection between the sketches and the final design, not just a quick and unexplained jump to the end result. If you need to produce new drawings to accomplish this, do it. It'll be worth your time.
Also, whether you're going to print this portfolio yourself or through a printing service, I'd be wary of placing images or drawings across the gutter (the space between the printed area and the binding). This area tends to get cut off or condensed to the point where anything there will be difficult to read if present at all. If each page in the new issuu document is a 2-page spread, you'd have quite a few of these. While we're on the topic of printing, you should really be compiling your pages as separate files for print. Pull up two windows side by side to work in spreads if you must, but each page should be its own file. Issuu already displays your portfolio in 2-page view and printing and binding will be much easier.
Oh about the shoes and the chair.... those are requirements for the school, it's mandatory to draw them. It's not like I wanted to draw them out of the blue. hhahahaha
ah i see you are applying to just one school and they want you to draw a shoe. amazing requirement. not sure how that makes any sense, but good luck to you.
i definitely recommend applying different schools, not just one, and to make a portfolio that you can take apart and rearrange to suit. you will be adding to it and subtracting from it from now on and it is useful to get into the habit earlier than later in any case.
You should remove the black borders around your images if you can or make them much thinner (a hairline, really). The drop shadows are a little intense. Try lowering the opacity on those. Something I like to do with drop shadows is to remove the offset completely so that the shadows appear from all edges and make the image pop out a bit. This requires that the shadow be as subtle as possible so use a maximum of 15% opacity.
Your background images are making things visually noisy (this wasn't as apparent with the red band, but the red had to go). Lower the opacity on those too and make them consistently light. The first page is closest to the opacity I would use, but I'd make them lighter still. You want to maximize the contrast between the foreground and the background so that your work is even clearer and easier to read.
On page 7, the image between the cube drawings confuses me. Will you be explaining it in text? In any case, I'd remove the black letterbox you have above and below it. The image will call attention to itself without it.
That image on page 7 transforms the new version of the house into another identity... perhaps I need to explain that in writing :s
I thought it read clear... :(
I'll remove the black boxes from page 7, and make the background lighter... though I'm afraid the pages might look empty after that. I'll go with the hairline border, and lower the opacity of the drop shadows.
Thanks man, I really appreciate your help.
PS: how is my flow going? Do you understand what's going on? Is it still hard to understand? Is there something else I can do to have quality work?
We always seem to read our own work clearly, don't we? That's why crits exist.
To me the image doesn't visually connect with its adjacent images (someone else might have a different opinion). If your text will be explaining the transformation, it could be better to omit that image entirely and shift the remaining images to balance the void (note I didn't say fill). The connection between the two cube images is too strong to interrupt.
Don't worry about the pages looking empty. More often than not I see an evident fear of white space ruin graphic presentation in everything from portfolios to presentation boards. The trick is to maintain a good balance; white space should not be a coincidental afterthought.
Looking through your portfolio again, I'd convert the color image on the second page to a grayscale. The colors seem out of place when looking at the rest of the project. On page 6, move both floor plans to one side of the page and shift the large image to the other side. If these drawings are the end result (they appear to be), I would switch pages 6 and 7. Page 7 conveys more process and should be placed before the final result.
Your flow is steadily improving with each iteration. You'll want to start adding text to your work. I've never believed images can speak for themselves and I've yet to be convinced otherwise.
Btw, am I being micro-managerial? It feels like I am, lol.
While I think it does give your portfolio contrast, I'm not entirely sold on the new background color. The rest of your project is beautifully composed in black and white, which would be undermined by any vivid color background. What I had meant was that the background of your previous iteration was good, just that it needed to be lighter so that it would contrast more with your deep black line work.
Be careful about using the reflection effect on your images. It could come off as a gimmicky attempt to call attention to an image. Especially on page 6, where you have a completely reflected drawing that isn't doing anything to help explain the project further. You could put the missing floor plans there instead.
That's just a quick run-through. I'll have to take a closer look a little later.
wow! winterfront it looks amazing, what an improvement, seriously. Theres an interest in grids which seems more apparent now. Cover page is perfect, it flows right into the work
I love the teal background. it seems to create an ambiance that at least graphically unites the project together. Its a color i havent seen applied much, a nice surprise that makes your drawings look really strong
I do agree about getting rid the reflections though, It is a fun effect, but it will distract from the work.
Wish I could get into more detail about the projects, but im busy at the moment. Your work looks super interesting now.
I've been working on them too much already... it's giving me nausea . Tomorrow I'll dedicate myself to hand drawings.
I'll get rid of the reflections, not all of them, and do something for page 6 - those floor-plans don't go there anyway.
As for the background... hummm..I guess I'll have two versions. The one that gets more votes wins hehehehhe (one green and the other one white vanilla)
HUmmmm/ I've been thinking... what if I keep this first part of the folio green, and make the second project white, and the third project of other color? Would that be an intelligent move?
Need help reviewing my architecture portfolio
http://www.mediafire.com/?lte676ae4uf6g23
(It's only 19.6 mb, it only takes 2 mins of download)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This is the portfolio I submitted for architecture school, but to my dismay, it was rejected by 6 professors and was graded as 1 out of 5. I was not admitted into the school for this reason; I really want to know what were the reasons my portfolio was ranked so low. At the end, the school never told me what I did wrong... but it's understandable.
Can someone here please review my portfolio and tell me what it lacks, what I did wrong, or what I have to emphasize more? Tell me if it’s the photography, the font I used, the colors, or the way I arrange things… Perhaps I’m doing something that I’m not supposed to do, and/or, there are things that I need to work more on… whatever it is, please tell me what I need in order to improve, your help it’s going to be much appreciated.
There are only 17 pages, nothing more. They are numbered in order for you to see the flow (or at least the flow I was trying to achieve).
If you have ideas that you might want to share with me, in order to improve and have a more coherent portfolio, then please, do share them.
Thanks in advanced. :)
BTW, I'm new here, so I don't know if this is the right place to post this thread.
im really curious, but my job blocks your link, can you put on issuu or something similar?
Oh ok, I'm going to create an account there, Don't know how long it takes to upload things there.
Thanks for replying, though :)
It's uploading to ISSUU now.
yep, should be pretty quick for your file size i think
So first thing, you look to have some interesting projects, but that seems to be lost with how all your images look to be just thrown onto the pages. There's no flow, grid, use of white space, the pages are just filled with images and it causes a distraction from the actual projects. I'd look into learning about layout and graphic design, grids and use of white space, again, I think the projects are good, but the layout kills them.
Thanks Lomas, are there any other things hurting my portfolio and presentation?
@ Fade TO bLACK
they are uploaded to ISSUU, but how do I share all 17 pages in one link?
LOMAS, could the portfolio read better if I put less elements by page?
you can select it from your documents, then paste that link here
Thanks, Fade To black
Here:
http://issuu.com/winterfrontkendall/docs/0--introduction-
http://issuu.com/winterfrontkendall/docs/1
http://issuu.com/winterfrontkendall/docs/2
http://issuu.com/winterfrontkendall/docs/3
http://issuu.com/winterfrontkendall/docs/4
http://issuu.com/winterfrontkendall/docs/5
http://issuu.com/winterfrontkendall/docs/6
http://issuu.com/winterfrontkendall/docs/7
http://issuu.com/winterfrontkendall/docs/8
http://issuu.com/winterfrontkendall/docs/9
http://issuu.com/winterfrontkendall/docs/10
http://issuu.com/winterfrontkendall/docs/11
12 ) http://i738.photobucket.com/albums/xx22/WINTERFRONT/12.jpg
http://issuu.com/winterfrontkendall/docs/13
http://issuu.com/winterfrontkendall/docs/14
http://issuu.com/winterfrontkendall/docs/15
http://issuu.com/winterfrontkendall/docs/16
http://issuu.com/winterfrontkendall/docs/17
LOL, oh man one page at a time? ok well...
overall, it does seem to be missing flow. You obviously have some craft skill, but there the relationship between the end products and and process is really fuzzy because of the graphics. There arent enough explanations or diagrams that talk about your thought process or approach to space and geometry. It would definitely help you to show more process and explanation. And most of all to clarify the way your portfolio is arranged, because as of now, it doesnt look that clear.
-the intro and 1st page are of a different language then the rest of the format of your portfolio.
-the text you used doesnt have much elegance too it
-items are numbered wrong on page 3, get rid of "moving on"
-page 5, when i see the plug of that light bulb you used, it really turns me off, on top of that, I see you made an effort to create a "dynamic" layout, but its kind of confusing. The images look like they just fell on the page. There are probably only 2 pictures in there that can explain the whole project
-page 6 - sketch on the left looks cool, but i dont know what its about. and the "final evolution "connecting squares" its a towel right? you have to show deeper thinking and not just object drawings.
-pg 7, the end product looks good, if you diagram out your thought process, add some text, and make the images less yellow i think it could look really good.
-pg 11 is ok, but the khaki color is kind of wierd, and the neon yellow dot at the bottom of each page, i would get rid of.
pg 12 is ok, reminds me of 60s jetsons drawings
-13 is ok, but there is a typoe, and at first i didnt know it was the intro for your project
-15..
-pg 16 you start to get something cooking again, but the graphics and layout just seem a little strange, less yello
-17, i dont understand what the stuff on the right is
The biggest problem is one of arrangement and graphics, because so much of the text is the same, i get lost in trying to find where the hierarchy is, where does one project end and where does the next one starts. The content doesnt look like it is controlled at all. You have to make it look easy, cause the admissions people dont want to get dizzy looking at your work. Just combine clarity with elegance and you should be ok.
This guys portfolio looks pretty good: http://issuu.com/bwaters/docs/landscape_portfolio__internet_
good luck
OH WOW!! THANKS MAN!!
You really went deep into it. :)
Now that you mention it, the portfolio does look condensed; I'm going to have to enlarge all the elements and then spread them to more pages. They'll read better that way.
I'm going over everything you are telling me here.
That guy's portfolio looks good. I noticed that one of my main errors is trying to get the whole picture into one page. I guess I should stop doing that as it makes it more difficult for me to arrange things... it's never clear at the end anyway.
I'm sorry for having them in different links, I just don't know how to link them as one.
THANKS!!
Oh, are you are regular here? when I have it done can I show it to you?
no prob winterfront,
you can combine everything into one pdf and just upload that onto issuu. There is tons of stuff on the net that I wish was around when I applied, so long ago. Making it look easy, is one of the best formulas. This link might help you too:
http://archinect.com/features/article/90236
Ill be around most of this summer. if I dont respond somebody else will at some point.
good luck again.
I'm reading that right now, thank for the link.
I'll try to have a rough version for this weekend, cuz i don't think it's gonna take me that long now.
cheers (^w^)
This is probably going to hurt. Please take it constructively.
The presentation is distracting. It’s more like an experiment in graphic design than a presentation of architectural work. Keep in mind that this will be viewed by architects who (in theory, at least) are accustomed to seeing things clearly laid out in plan and section.
I could barely get through the intro. Do you even know what urbanity means? This is bullshit, and if it is your first page you are DOA. You need a better reason – a real reason - for wanting to be an architect. And what do the bicycle, chair and shoe have to do with architecture?
“The House” is pretentious. It’s a house. If you are going to talk about psychology as the basis of the design, you need to do more than say that, you need to demonstrate how it is. “Various architectural procedures” is more bullshit. “The Church” is more of the same. Since most architectural professors are highly accomplished bullshiters (at least in their own eyes), you’re not going to get very far along this path.
30-50% of the presentation is graphical / textual nonsense. Presenting site plans (or any of the work) as artistic (“mixed media on vellum”) is unbelievably pretentious. That weird laser-eye-bird character is immaterial, distracting and annoying.
If you are going to use Albers (or any other source of inspiration), subtly weave it into the presentation. Better yet don’t. If it is there, a knowledgeable professor will find it. The other side of this is to make the project a reinterpretation of Albers, but then you have to call out and address his failures or transcend and surpass his work in some way. Better to leave yourself lots of wiggle room rather than narrowly define something.
Suggestions:
A portfolio needs no introduction. A portfolio should include a variety of work (life drawing, painting, sculpture, renderings, photography, architectural drawings and models, etc.). A portfolio typically includes a resume of your education and experience. Nothing in the portfolio has to relate to anything else.
The work should not need much explanation. If it does, it should be a minimal, simple and honest (no BS) description of the piece or project. Since the work is visual, text should be minimal. A picture is worth 1,000 words. For an architectural project a program is appropriate. Informative labels on architectural drawings are normal.
Your models and drawings lack scale elements. Additionally, they should be viewed from eye level as a visitor would experience them.
Do you want a really impressive portfolio? Commit time to figure drawing classes. Not open studio, but with an instructor. This is an excellent skill to develop as it trains the eye as much as the hand. All the great renaissance architects were classically trained in art, and all architectural professors know this.
Portfolio seems fine. Your inability to upload a single file onto issuu had me expecting the worst, but the folio is quite nice. Most of the comment above are valid, but I think it's a matter of fine tuning rather than starting from scratch.
My bigger question to you is, you only applied to one school? Even kids with flawless porfolios who got into AA, GSD and Cooper probably had at least one rejection from other schools (lesser one like Sci-Arch for instance :p ).
Next time, apply to more schools.
"Your models and drawings lack scale elements. Additionally, they should be viewed from eye level as a visitor would experience them."
Not even grown up architects do that anymore. Working on an imposing development? Show it from outer space.
"Not even grown up architects do that anymore."
That explains much of what is wrong with architecture today.
"All the great renaissance architects were classically trained in art, and all architectural professors know this."
we don't live in 1450 so maybe its worth learning about something a bit more recent than that. All the early modern architects were classically trained too, so you know whatever. training shmaining, i say.
your drawing skills are pretty good. don't need to learn any more than what you go to be an architect. the above comments are all good. try to figure out "why architecture" and present from that point of view rather than just tumble it all out onto a page and you will be fine.
All my work is usually done from eye level. I'm too lazy to adjust SketchUp's first-person camera setting. I also work exclusively in 35deg field-of-view for the same reason.
Thanks guys!!!
suggestions so far:
1) Try to have less writing
2) Give them a sense of scale
3) Eye view is much better than bird's.
I have already started working on it - 3 pages so far. By the end of the week I might have the first project done...it's not going to be the final one as it needs to be reviewed.
I did started from scratch, but not from zero, since I have all my elements saved to my HD.
I'm gonna have to contact the guys from ISSUU, cuz I still can't figure out how to share more than one document as one link.
And yes, I did BSed LOL ><
How about use a zip file?
I did
The first link (mediafire) is saved as a rar file
I think what fade to blackoe meant by using issuu is that you'll want to combine all of those documents into a single file (.PDF). I saw that you had used Photoshop CS4 to produce the JPEG files; am I right to assume you have Adobe Acrobat as well? You can easily create a multi-page PDF file by opening Acrobat and clicking on the "Create PDF" button and selecting "From multiple files". Then just make sure all of your pages are in the right order.
I downloaded ADOBE ACROBAT and did what you told me.
So this is what I have so far:
http://issuu.com/winterfrontkendall/docs/rough_lo-fi
BTW, I'm working 2 pages per document (22 X 8.5), so each page in ISSUU is actually 2 pages.
there aren't enough plans and sections. sections from sketchup don't count in my eyes. the models are nice, and the drawings are okay... some really good and others i wouldn't bother including because they're just confusing. diagrams would be nice. some of the perspectives are outstanding.
not sure if you're applying to grad school or looking for a job, but if you're looking for a job i'd put some real drawings in there.
i don't know what your projects are really about either... hard to tell by looking at them. the people who look at your portfolio aren't going to spend much time reading it-- more like browsing. points need to be immediately clear, and there's way too much going on on every page for me to figure out whats most important to look at.
also, i'm personally against the passionate intro page but i've seen a lot of people include it. and what's up with the shoe? if you're trying to tell me that you're good at art, it should be (and is) evident by thumbing through the portfolio. it also says to me that your priorities lie in creating art, not constructing a building. thats not necessarily a bad thing and in some cases might even be preferable... but thats how you come off.
what i think about you when i look at this portfolio:
pros:
-good at sketching
-has a generally good design sense, at least theoretically
cons:
-not the best communicator
-can't use cad (aka useless in an office)
-isn't very technical... a lot of these projects look cool but, like for example the last one... i can't figure out where the floor is. pretty shapes, but i see more of the pretty shapes than buildings.
i'm a student myself (for one more week anyway). take it the same way you would if you were being criticized by your peers.
think of it as a test. if you can't work out how to get your entire portfolio into a single file on issuu then...
check google i am sure she will tell you exactly how to upload your portfolio so its not annoying just to access it.
not sure how you did your layout but if it was in-design you can export as a pdf easy. if you did the portfolio in photoshop you might consider also learning in-design. it will likely make your life easier.
"This is the portfolio I submitted for architecture school, but to my dismay, it was rejected by 6 professors and was graded as 1 out of 5."
First post Due89. If this is for applying for a B.Arch then they might want to see Artistic creativity because they probably don't want alot of technical drawings. Now an M.Arch Option I or II types degree (1 or 2 years depending on whether the person has a B.Arch or a pre-professional B.A or B.S. in Architecture.) - he might want more demonstration of design thinking process in architectural related endeavors and less on the pure art but might not be too interested in the technical knowledge unless the school is very technical oriented program.
Just a personal nitpick I have about sketches: they are essential for the act of designing (for me at least) but unless they are clean and of presentation quality, they do not belong in published documents like portfolios. Some of the sketches I see in your portfolio are extremely difficult to read and obscure what could be a really interesting project. What you want are drawings. Don't be afraid to go back and redo anything you find less than presentable (or since you seem good at it, Photoshop them clean). It's better I say it now than to have a professor berate you in person. Trust me, it hurts a lot more live.
Going off your latest iteration, I'd get rid of the red band you have running across all of your pages or use a less striking color. It catches my eye when it shouldn't and I find my focus constantly shifting back and forth between the red color to the actual content. Due89 is right on about the lack of clarity in your sketches. You need to have some sort of logical connection between the sketches and the final design, not just a quick and unexplained jump to the end result. If you need to produce new drawings to accomplish this, do it. It'll be worth your time.
Also, whether you're going to print this portfolio yourself or through a printing service, I'd be wary of placing images or drawings across the gutter (the space between the printed area and the binding). This area tends to get cut off or condensed to the point where anything there will be difficult to read if present at all. If each page in the new issuu document is a 2-page spread, you'd have quite a few of these. While we're on the topic of printing, you should really be compiling your pages as separate files for print. Pull up two windows side by side to work in spreads if you must, but each page should be its own file. Issuu already displays your portfolio in 2-page view and printing and binding will be much easier.
oh jeez sorry, i think i accidently skipped a paragraph. my apologies.
Oh about the shoes and the chair.... those are requirements for the school, it's mandatory to draw them. It's not like I wanted to draw them out of the blue. hhahahaha
Next steps then:
- Get rid of the red band and place something less catchy instead.
- Draw more sketches or diagrams to make it more easy for anyone to see the connection.
- Use photoshop to make my drawings a bit lighter,
it isn't mandatory to include the drawings in your portfolio is it?
you have good dwg skills, but perhaps you can use them to explain your projects better. perspectives concept diagrams and such.
I'm doing those drawings now. Gonna place new pages in between the current ones to explain the process better.
And yes, those shoe drawings are requisites for new applicants like me.
ah i see you are applying to just one school and they want you to draw a shoe. amazing requirement. not sure how that makes any sense, but good luck to you.
I guess they want to see drawing skills.
i definitely recommend applying different schools, not just one, and to make a portfolio that you can take apart and rearrange to suit. you will be adding to it and subtracting from it from now on and it is useful to get into the habit earlier than later in any case.
Okys... remember when I said that I'll be having something for the weekend??
well here it is:
http://issuu.com/winterfrontkendall/docs/portfolio_project_1?viewMode=magazine
You should remove the black borders around your images if you can or make them much thinner (a hairline, really). The drop shadows are a little intense. Try lowering the opacity on those. Something I like to do with drop shadows is to remove the offset completely so that the shadows appear from all edges and make the image pop out a bit. This requires that the shadow be as subtle as possible so use a maximum of 15% opacity.
Your background images are making things visually noisy (this wasn't as apparent with the red band, but the red had to go). Lower the opacity on those too and make them consistently light. The first page is closest to the opacity I would use, but I'd make them lighter still. You want to maximize the contrast between the foreground and the background so that your work is even clearer and easier to read.
On page 7, the image between the cube drawings confuses me. Will you be explaining it in text? In any case, I'd remove the black letterbox you have above and below it. The image will call attention to itself without it.
That image on page 7 transforms the new version of the house into another identity... perhaps I need to explain that in writing :s
I thought it read clear... :(
I'll remove the black boxes from page 7, and make the background lighter... though I'm afraid the pages might look empty after that. I'll go with the hairline border, and lower the opacity of the drop shadows.
Thanks man, I really appreciate your help.
PS: how is my flow going? Do you understand what's going on? Is it still hard to understand? Is there something else I can do to have quality work?
We always seem to read our own work clearly, don't we? That's why crits exist.
To me the image doesn't visually connect with its adjacent images (someone else might have a different opinion). If your text will be explaining the transformation, it could be better to omit that image entirely and shift the remaining images to balance the void (note I didn't say fill). The connection between the two cube images is too strong to interrupt.
Don't worry about the pages looking empty. More often than not I see an evident fear of white space ruin graphic presentation in everything from portfolios to presentation boards. The trick is to maintain a good balance; white space should not be a coincidental afterthought.
Looking through your portfolio again, I'd convert the color image on the second page to a grayscale. The colors seem out of place when looking at the rest of the project. On page 6, move both floor plans to one side of the page and shift the large image to the other side. If these drawings are the end result (they appear to be), I would switch pages 6 and 7. Page 7 conveys more process and should be placed before the final result.
Your flow is steadily improving with each iteration. You'll want to start adding text to your work. I've never believed images can speak for themselves and I've yet to be convinced otherwise.
Btw, am I being micro-managerial? It feels like I am, lol.
Nagooyen, I did everything you've told me:
http://issuu.com/winterfrontkendall/docs/portfolio_take_3
My bad, that's not supposed to be the 3rd page. This one is the third page:
http://issuu.com/winterfrontkendall/docs/p3_copy
While I think it does give your portfolio contrast, I'm not entirely sold on the new background color. The rest of your project is beautifully composed in black and white, which would be undermined by any vivid color background. What I had meant was that the background of your previous iteration was good, just that it needed to be lighter so that it would contrast more with your deep black line work.
Be careful about using the reflection effect on your images. It could come off as a gimmicky attempt to call attention to an image. Especially on page 6, where you have a completely reflected drawing that isn't doing anything to help explain the project further. You could put the missing floor plans there instead.
That's just a quick run-through. I'll have to take a closer look a little later.
wow! winterfront it looks amazing, what an improvement, seriously. Theres an interest in grids which seems more apparent now. Cover page is perfect, it flows right into the work
I love the teal background. it seems to create an ambiance that at least graphically unites the project together. Its a color i havent seen applied much, a nice surprise that makes your drawings look really strong
I do agree about getting rid the reflections though, It is a fun effect, but it will distract from the work.
Wish I could get into more detail about the projects, but im busy at the moment. Your work looks super interesting now.
Thanks guys!
I've been working on them too much already... it's giving me nausea . Tomorrow I'll dedicate myself to hand drawings.
I'll get rid of the reflections, not all of them, and do something for page 6 - those floor-plans don't go there anyway.
As for the background... hummm..I guess I'll have two versions. The one that gets more votes wins hehehehhe (one green and the other one white vanilla)
HUmmmm/ I've been thinking... what if I keep this first part of the folio green, and make the second project white, and the third project of other color? Would that be an intelligent move?
that sounds good, would give the whole thing a good amount of variety
Sounds intriguing, let's see what color combinations you come up with.
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