I searched around and found little pertaining to what I'd like to do — here, some other forums, blogs. So, I'm deciding to stick a toe in the water and beg for advice. So... Chatty Cathys, Know-it-all Kenneths and Sassy Sallys to the front of the line for this.

Preface: I have spent the last year-and-a-half doing absolutely nothing — like literally almost nothing. I did some tutoring. I've done some booking for bands. A little graphic design work here and there... mostly bar flyer ads for skank indie electro nights.

I have spent this time partying hard... like waking up in LaGuardia and not knowing how I got there when I was in Atlanta six hours prior. But fun isn't even fun for me anymore, fun is an obligation.

I'm not going to even pretend like I have done anything upstanding.


Question: Is it possible to make a stellar portfolio for less than 300 dollars in two months?

I have nothing saved from school. My current work is salacious at best. And my current "references" are "people" that aren't exactly the most savory of "people." They're mostly hollowed out, coke-riddled clay soulless visceras devoid of anything other than tom collins and weed resin.


Background: When my mouth wasn't on the opening of a gin bottle I so lovably referred to as "mother's teet," I was a decent student.

Liberal Arts, 3.0, excelled in sculpture (wood and clay), public policy and art history. Bam, that's it. No name school. No stellar work experience. No internships.


Hypothesis: I can "overcome adversity" and land a job. However, I need to make a portfolio in two months with less than 200 dollars... 300 if I give up gin for a month.

Low-end, I'd like to make at least 14-an-hour adjusted to a national living standard.

Mid-end, I'd like to make at least 18-an-hour with at least dental. I'd also like to be accepted into Harvard GSD. I'm not sure I'd like to actually go. I just want validation.

High-end, I'd like a decent job in a decent area. I'd like to a grad school of my choice, finances permitted. But ultimately, I'd rather be employed than go to school for another decade.

I'd like to work in urban design, environmental design or comprehensive planning.


Experiment:

Option A: I buy 100 dollars worth of flour, food coloring, marzipan and cream of tartar and model my entire portfolio out of ghetto playdoh.

Option B: I buy 100 dollars worth of clay and acrylics.

Option C: I get Sketchup and a rendering program (Vray, Podium, Vue) and virtually do the above.

Option D: I buy a cheap hard drive, download demos of expensive programs on a boot partition and keep wiping it out til it is finished.

Option E: I buy something modular like legos or building blocks and model with those.

Option F: I use fabric, wires and spray paint to make all the things I want to make.

Option G: I go with wood.


Results?

I would like all of my ideas and models to have the aesthetic of a model train environment. Cutesy, a little edgy, some detail but passing the gist of my ideas.

I am working on Option C and have produced this idea:


Click here for full size

I would like to perhaps do more but cost and quickness is key for me.

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Your analysis?

Can I be successful in any of my goals?
Do you like my rendered model?
What should I focus on?
Can I build a portfolio for cheeps?
What styles or firms should I emulate?
Can I get into Harvard GSD?