sg,

I would have to agree with THuh about the opaque blocks of color throughout. It almost seems like you tried to play over the rigid structure of the large square (portfolio) divided into smaller squares (images). In any case, I wasn't feeling it so much. It felt a little awkward.

Also, the content is really nice, but I look at the title of the image and it says "sketch up rendering" or "created with formz". I didn't really feel that it was necessary. I kind of believe that if you are going to put a blurb of text below an image, it should be used to describe the image, not to tell the story of how it was created. That informatioin is for the resume (what software you are familiar with).

My favorite image was the Retail design perspective from the street. It displayed a really nice play of different mediums. Very nice.

Best,
geland

geland, joe, etc>

Thanks for reassuring me on that one. I am hoping that the pace slows down a bit because I feel a bit like we're swinging in the dark here. I like the suggestion about going back to projects later, I think I'll do that. Hopefully the pace will slow down and they'll let us get our teeth into something next quarter.

if accepted to grad school, is it possible to extend loan repayment?

pencebor_
Are you talking in reference to undergraduate loans? If so, yes. As long as you're enrolled...note I said enrolled not just registered......full time...your loans will be deferred. I'm assuming you're talking about Stafford Loans. There's a 6 month grace period once you either graduate or after u enroll part-time.
If some private loan....ask the lender. If anything...always ask the FINANCIAL AID department.

pencebor- yes you can defer loans-I was paying back loans then came back to school and was able to stop payments on the old loans while I am in school-just call whoever your loans are with and let them know you are attending school again and where.

Hey tinydancer_
I have a question. Do you think it's best to attempt to pay off your loans before beginning graduate school? I see you still have some of your old ones, how's that going for you without getting personal? Is it a huge struggle or did u knock off enough that they're not much of a burden?

Joe Bloggs_
For future reference, look below the "post a response..." box. Note for links,
you must begin with [url then end with [/url]...that doesn't mean repaste the address.

I'm doin' just fine, thank you very much-I'm not worried. Are you?

Mr. Bloggs_
I must say, your portfolio showcases your wonderful attention to detail. Does anyone know how to enlarge the photos on flickr?! Anyway, shame on you for being hesitant. This is really good work. Question, what program did u use for the Palos Verdes project and how did u create that realistic tree shadow? Oh and by the way, I figured out how to enlarge the pics.
Also, I liked the timeline approach.

tinydancer_
Well, I asked because I was considering material costs, living costs and everything else on top of my previous loans and the fear that I may have to take out more loans just to make ends meet. Only asked because your situation seemed similar.

joe bloggs - that's a really nice portfolio too, inspite of it being "architecty" (i am poking fun at myself here). are you applying to an march program?

THuh- didn't mean to snap-but it's an individual decision...for me I have a husband that makes a nice living, so it wasn't as big of a deal. If you have substantial loans currently, re-think grad school, because aside from tuition, food and housing you will spend about $1500-$2000 additional minimum per quarter for supplies and materials...it's expensive.

hi tiny

joe-
nice work. much too packed.

Joe - Thanks for the reading suggestion. I think you bring up an interesting point about architects having a natural affinity for orthagonal lines and such. I would agree, though I don't fit into this category - I'm just an anomaly, I guess. I can now see how my natural affinity for non-linear patterns and the like clouded my judgment when commenting on portfolios. I feel terrible and arrogant! I can also see how and why I was so impressed with e4's portfolio.

on another note - is anyone waiting to hear from a school about their application being complete? I remember there once being a thread about this, but who has time to look?

+q, am I missing something? I dont see any more than the cover when I go to that flickr link...

he must have taken it off...it was all there before.

Ok .. I’ve been working on my portfolio .. and am in the finishing stages .. somehow I feel that I have been allotting too many pages so tell me if I’ve been prioritizing wrong

Intro/title sheet - 1 page
Sop/cv - 2 pages
References - 1 page
Architectural project # 1 - 4 pages
Architectural project # 2 - 1 page
Architectural project # 3 - 2 pages
Architectural project # 4 - 5 pages
Other creative works (includes invitations,
Installations, magazine layouts and sketches) - 5 pages
Photography - 4 pages ; two for b/w and two for colour
( i know that this seems a lot, but have some really good works on
photography, including some national award winners)
Conclusion - 1 page.

that brings the grand total to 26 pages. and besides, I'll be dividing each division with a title sheet in gateway sheet. these Is that enough, or is that too much?

I'm applying to AA and Bartlett, so I wanted to emphasis on overall creativity rather than just Architecture.

I have one more architecture project composed in 2 pages on standby incase it was needed.

Hello All:

now remember I was a Pol. Sci. undergrad major ... so be nice (but not gentle)


I applied to four schools (M. Arch I) - the format was in ArchA (9x12) mounted on double thick illustrator board. packaged in an archival box - the 1st board was a walnut burl veneer with a copper name plate.
This is what followed:
http://www.russellmahoney.com/pdf/RussellMahoneyW.pdf

Online is the way to go:

www.AndrewTRoberts.com

so my portfolio is a little on the long side... its like 80 pages... 40 front and back. I have worked for two years (three different jobs) and done a lot of decent stuff that I just couldn't leave out.

I am way too scared to post my portfolio. I always try and make it an expression of myself and it is way to personal of a thing for me to let the world view it. It is hard enough to let the admissions folk view it.

I always think what I do is crap while I am doing it and get anxious, hen the final product seems to be great once it is over and done with.

Amanning, come on already and post it…. if you can't take the critique then you have not learned a very important lesson of being an architect. Also I think 80 pages is way too long with out seeing it. I just bought a Steven Holl book that is shorter than that. Feel free to check my portfolio out I already posted it but here it is again.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/44154291@N00/

Criticize away I can take it!!!

amanning .... we're waiting ..

c'mon buddy !!

mahoney,
that typeface is terrible. it looks like it was designed by elves or something.

where are all your papers? if you were poli-sci, then your papers and articles must represent you better than your backyard shed. my portfolio only had papers in it when i applied to m arch, and a self portrait i drew for the cover.

+q I can only see your first page on flickr...?

Here's mine that I've just finished to apply for summer internships,
tell me what you think
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/35097330@N00/sets/72057594065804528/dyske[/url]

oops maybe this will work....
[url=http://www.flickr.com]dyske[/photos/35097330@N00/sets/72057594065804528/]

can't do it

dyske...just cut and paste the url, do not worry about creating tags for the link.

ok

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35097330@N00/sets/72057594065804528

5
I was just looking at general guidelines for M.ArchI applications. I tried to put a mix of some different projects from charcoals to garden furniture). The shed I think is an excellent example of traditional "stick" framing and a touch of green architecture (with the materials I chose).

Never really thought of putting some of my pol.sci. stuff....not a bad idea though! I'll keep that in mind for the next round....

Regarding font - no go here - i love it .....

Ok Mahoney, you really should consider changing the font. What you have there is a knockoff of Frank Lloyd Wright's personal font, 'eaglefeather.' Translation for someone applying to an architecture school is: very, very cheesy. Also, you should cut out some of the weaker projects and put in a well-written paper or something.

Mahoney,
I really like the cardboard chair.

It seems like you are trying to cram too much in the last two pages. You have eighteen small separate images and none seem to pop. it seems like a good idea to show your best work well, instead of showing all your work (a mistake I have made...)
Also, I would think more carefully about the order in which you present your projects...

also...

is it just me, or are the font sizes, bold/reg, etc. inconsistant for the project titles at the bottom of your pages? (eg: pp 14 + 15)

while i'm mentioning titles, do you really need to write "title:"?

vman
Good catch on the bold/reg switch. Don't know how I missed such an obvious "holiday"....

What would you recommend in the order?

I agree with the page 15 images - each one of them could be a page in themsleves - but I just wanted to keep the overall length short.

It seems like your strongest work should be in the beginning, end, and middle (seriously).
The first impression made is critical. While your still lifes are nice, you have work that is more indicative of your spatial aptitude.

Have you printed a draft yet? You can usually catch a bunch of "fix me's" in print that you would not see on your screen...

vman
Oh I see...
So since you like the cardboard chair - you think it belongs first in the order?

Place the still life, and some of the iffy stuff as filler projects - and then end up with say the cafe project (btw - I have some Vis drawing I am working on for the cafe - so they might be nice to add) - then maybe the 4347 Terrace Rehab somewhere in the middle....

Yes printed and mounted (already sent out 4 copies) - two schools still need copies.

i'm not saying you should put the chair first.

I am suggesting that you may want to put the project that YOU feel best demonstrates your aptitude as an architect/designer first. Put another solid project in the middle and finish off strong...

What M.Arch. programs have deadlines past the middle of February that you are applying to?

Cool - good advice - thanks!

Plenty of schools have post Feb1st deadlines - NJIT is one them

nothing to add ... just wanted to bring up the post again coz noone's answered my question .. so here it is again !!

Ok .. I’ve been working on my portfolio .. and am in the finishing stages .. somehow I feel that I have been allotting too many pages so tell me if I’ve been prioritizing wrong

Intro/title sheet - 1 page
Sop/cv - 2 pages
References - 1 page
Architectural project # 1 - 4 pages
Architectural project # 2 - 1 page
Architectural project # 3 - 2 pages
Architectural project # 4 - 5 pages
Other creative works (includes invitations,
Installations, magazine layouts and sketches) - 5 pages
Photography - 4 pages ; two for b/w and two for colour
( i know that this seems a lot, but have some really good works on
photography, including some national award winners)
Conclusion - 1 page.

that brings the grand total to 26 pages. and besides, I'll be dividing each division with a title sheet in gateway sheet. there... Is that enough, or is that too much?

I'm applying to AA and Bartlett, so I wanted to emphasis on overall creativity rather than just Architecture.

I have one more architecture project composed in 2 pages on standby incase it was needed.

too many pages, don't use a division sheet or title sheet, keep it short, about 15 pages of solid work

supernova - the only thing i would question about your list of portfolio inserts is the cv and list of references. i would definitely incorporate them into a portfolio to show prospective employers; however, unless the schools to which you are applying specifically ask for them, i would leave them out of a collection of creative work. why? i'm not sure. i guess, maybe, it seems to be over-compensation.

about portfolios in general: the manner in which you display your work is as much a reflection of your creativity as the work itself. massage it until it feels right to you. if you go "out of bounds" for a GOOD REASON, so be it. as far as the rest of your list goes, seems like everything is important enough to you to want to show and it doesn't seem excessive.

is there a work that you doubt? that you kind of know you're using as a filler? if so, i'd leave it out.

hmm thanks guys ..

I actually added the cv and references, coz it seemed to complete the package.

Maybe I should leave out the dividers and just have an index.

tinydancer, THuh, thanks for reply.

+q, congrats!!! The image from your front cover is on the University of Florida School of Arch website (as if you don't already know).

+q, i'm only able to view your cover - have you taken your portfolio off the site? i've heard great things...

thanks frisbee, i did know, it actually is in a few other places and some other work I have done is up on their website too.

jack and all other that have asked, yeah i took it down, I was wanting to put it up on my own website (I already bought a name and started working on it). Anyway I took it down the flicker images to push me to finish the website sooner, but no such luck, and I still haven't had time to do anything on it.

Nowadays i am quite busy and don't have time to do much of anything but work.... Anyway, when the site is up I will post it up in here, along with work from my design partner, my wife.

Alright, here's mine. It's not a grad school portfolio - it's my first two years of undergrad, used it for getting a co-op job, but it will be a grad school portfolio soon enough. Go ahead, tear into it, let me know what I need to change before grad school/what kind of things to add, remove, all that good stuff. It's supposed to be print, so keep in mind the spread when you're looking at it, it looks weird to me on screen.

http://daapspace.daap.uc.edu/~leem1/malcolmleeportfolio.pdf

seriously, tear into it

malcolmelee-
the layouts and design are very nice,
for the first 3/4 of it you have really good balance between the pages (i'm assuming the pages are laid next to each other). when you get to the last project that kind of goes away when you have that huge grid of pictures and then in the next page when you show your week-by-week process. i think its because you're trying to show so much information in not enough space. but i think you could definately simplify it a bit and not take away from the project.

the freehand drawing is awesome

the order is a little weird to me but probably just because im looking at it on the internet... might put resume in back...

the food for thought graphic thing should definately not be the first thing you see (if at all).

good job though, your work is great

jwo - thanks, the last project is a little different in print. the huge grid is a spread, then each of those pages folds out, essentially making a four-page spread with all eight weeks of work. I'm a little worried that people won't actually open the spread, also, maybe all eight weeks at once is a little much. thanks again.