Looking very sharp -- but for some reason it froze my computer twice.... It could just be my system but......

Yeah i might have to post it online to be viewed in a browser like issuu.com...probably easier than having someone download a 12mb pdf....thanks for the comment

On your resume - no need to include the high school you attended and you should probably come up with a new title for "skills and knowledge" - why not just say computer programs, or something because that is all you list.

and for your professional work you should list what your role was in the project and show images or details that you actually worked on. Maybe a brief reflection on how such task informed a future project, etc.

1: I'm finding your resume to be a little difficult to read. Part of this has to do with a lack of hierarchy with your type, i.e. everything seems to be the same size and weight. I don't think just capitalization is doing it for you. Related to that is the problem with line length in your experience section. This type is too small for this length of text as about halfway through the line you get lost. I would break this up into 2 columns and perhaps reduce the text (as it seems some of this covered later in the portfolio)

2: Your title/section divider pages could be doing more by having less. I think both the amount of content and the washed out color make them blend with the other pages so they don't seem as bold as I think you had intended. Assuming this is meant to be read as a 2 page spread I would suggest locating your title text on the right and either eliminating one or both images. I think these types of pages function most successfully when they are as different from the project pages as possible and it seems like the project sheets have a lot of content so these title pages could use less. A great example is if you took your UC title card (page 22) and moved it over to the facing page and left the left side white.

3: It seems like 2/3 of the portfolio projects begin on black pages. Again this is another instance of being clear with your intentions. They really should be all be black or not. It's mostly about making it easy for the reader to tell when they are entering and exiting a particular project with simple visual cues.

4: The same is true for the project titles. They don't seem to be consistently formatted. This is really apparent with the Filene's basement project that doesn't seem to match any of the other projects in formatting. This isn't to say each page of the portfolio should be identical but this seems too far removed from the other pages to really seem like part of the same piece. Even graphically it seems to depart from the other pages.

5: However the Filene project is successful in that it's the first time in the portfolio (aside from titles) that we get a full-bleed image. Before this all the projects carried the same weight on each page of image and text and all of the images are roughly the same size making it really easy to quickly move through them.

6: The last page is a little bit of a downer. I would try to find a really strong image for this page so that if someone just flips through real quick (like some interviews I have been to have done) at least the last page is really strong and grabs their attention.

Using the Residencia oficial project as an example:

a: The rendering you use on page 10 is a great image that could stand on it's own sheet. Maybe something like the massing model photo on page 13 could take it's place instead or the process/planning diagrams. The facing page could be the rendering

b: Looks like you show the floor plan twice? Eliminate one and place both floor plans on one sheet for clarity.

c: Your following 2 pages could then be line drawings, allowing your floor plans to have their own sheet and the section to occupy the other with the smaller rendered views.

____

All in all, I think the content itself is good but the portfolio needs some work to make sure that things like text length, titles, etc. are consistent. Don't be afraid of white space and just having one image on a page or spread if it is strong enough to command the space.

Think of the portfolio like music. Are all the pages playing the same note at the same volume? Probably not so interesting to listen to then.

All in all, good first effort. The work is there. Now just make us believe in it.

Hey, I'm actually a student at UC graduating next year! I'm laughing because our portfolios share alot of similar projects, and I even worked at Elkus on Filene's as well!

I think your content is strong, I'd just work on composition. Also, I think you write very well - though I might break and spread out your text into less lengthy sections. The text at the beginning of your portfolio... is that your personal statement you'll be using for apps, or just an introduction to your portfolio?

Also, if you're using this for grad school apps, DEFINITELY put your co-op work behind your academic work. Also, make sure you clearly delineate what professional work shown is actually yours and what is a 'team image/rendering.'

1. Is it going to be printed or viewed as double spread? if not it is perhaps a bit long

2. I am not a big fan of the graphic layout of your Synopsis (basically a TOC) or resume. For the synopsis you probably don't need the line between education and professional experience. Actually, you probably don't need this page at all as all the information is repeated in the resume.

Your resume also has some unnecessary info...you don't need your HS, or what operating platforms you know. At this point almost everyone graduating from university can use a PC or a MAC.

under the skills and knowledge section...get rid of all the separate titles. just list computer programs: adobe, autocad, rhino, sketchup, office etc and then your hand media skills: rendering, sketching, model building etc. Don't say you can letter, I don't think that is really a marketable skill at this point.

get rid of the line between the top and bottom of your resume. it is unnecessary.

I agree with the comments above about differentiating the weight of your lettering. use a smaller font size and then emphasize the titles more. I also agree that the length of your text lines in your experience section are too long and hard to read.

references available upon request is much too strong on the page. that can be much smaller and not bold. It is kind of obvious that if a firm asks for references that you will supply them.

I also don't think you need a seperat title for your address....that is part of your contact info. Move it to the top of the page with wour phone numbers etc.

3. Portfolio: when talking about projects you worked on at a firm focus more on the roles you played within the design team. I don't think an employer cares about what firms you were competing againts but would rather know if you were the 3d render for the images or if you collaborated on the master planning concept or was in charge of detailing etc. Did you do all of the images? if not you should mention that you were part of a 4 person design team and collaborated on all images and the design - or something like that. They are hiring you not OAB. Ah, i now see you did put a sentence at the end. Its a bit hard to find especially since an average HR person is going to look at your portfolio for a very short time and probably won't read most of the text. I would again differentiate your information more using different fonts,size or bold or italics.

on page 15 you can't read the text against the white background.

4. There is also a problem with the organization of projects at the end. It is hard to tell when you are switching to the next project since you have many pages with full images and no text. In general I think your work is fine but you need to work on how you present the information. Think about someone skimming through this in 30 seconds. What information do you want them to see? Make some information easy to read with large bold text. Then if it catches someone's eye they will spend more time to read a paragraph of text. Too often all of your pages have the same weight for all the text and images. It's just not clear enough.


Anyway, that's my opinion - take it for what it's worth or with a grain of salt or any other cliche that fits. good luck.

here is a suggestion for most student portfolios i see on this forum and applies to yours as well;

treat the portfolios as if like books or stories. every book has an ending. a lot (almost all) of portfolios end so uneventful that it always makes me think about the persons' ability to think that things must start, continue and conclude in a way compliments the selected collection in a more thought out way. you can say the work is in progress but that is an excuse for not knowing any better. if it is a book or a portfolio, it should contain an epilogue instead of just ending like as if you ran out of paper.
it would also help you and us to understand your development and process..
it would be an interesting read for the reviewer to see how you see yourself and critically look into your own work.

just a suggestion. i usually don't comment on portfolios until much later in your careers.;.)

Great feedback so far, nothing really to add. Now get it out there and land that job so you can get the heck out of Jacksonville ;)

You also didn't include the professor for your Montessori Studio, not sure if that was intentional or if it was a professor that you' rather not recognize (cough...jenny russell...cough)