Been a long while since I posted any comments on folios so what the hell:
- Cover: I understand your intention of going minimal but you could probably reconsider a different cover. The current one looks like it's filled w/ filler text instead
- pg2-3: No CV? I'd rather the CV go with the content page. That way your actual project starts from a fresh spread.
- pg3: Text are pretty small, gotta squint my eyes to even read the subtitle. Got a sketch to go with the introduction like your 2nd project?
- pg5: Re-think your parti (standardize it w/ parti at pg13)
- pg6: Excellent
- pg15/16: Is this drawn by hand? Any chance you could darken the section lines to differentiate fore/background better?
- pg19/20: Add scalebar & North sign (Basic stuff tend to be overlooked) Same goes for all other plans/sn/elevation which you should be acquainted by now
- pg22: Pretty interesting stuff going on there. Could you enlarge this? If you're hiding your flaws thru its scale, touch up some images on ps.
- pg26: Again, sketches for conformity.
- pg33/34: Lovely parti. Why aren't other partis following this style?
- pg35/36: Eh...Place the 3 tiny images below the beautiful Section and you're good.
Overall, the published 24 pages could be trimmed down to 20 if you didn't overspread them so minimally. The remaining 2-3 pages could be used to include more sketches/artsy stuff that exhibits your creativity.
Competition's bit stiff this year but this folio should do fine. Let us know how your application went.
natematt
Mar 5, 17 3:11 pm
Here is my broad perspective.
There are qualities of your work that I really like, but if I am honest, there is a consistency of simplicity that makes the whole thing a bit flat. On a somewhat related line of thinking, I feel like there are two main things I consider when looking at someone’s portfolio for professional applications. Quality and “A”rchitecture (emphasis on the capital “A”). I can appreciate your design sensibilities, but I feel like it’s a big jump into real architecture from the work you do. Even if just one of the projects had more architectural realism I’d be sold that you have that sensibility and I would appreciate your other work more. But that’s just me.
Here are some select specific comments.
Not a fan of the white cover.
Turn off hyphenation in your body text.
There is something a bit off with the writing, particularly the syntax. It’s not illegible, but it’s not great either. I’d ask a native English writer to look at it; it wouldn’t be that hard to clean up.
randomised
Mar 5, 17 3:18 pm
Just some opinions here, am more of an enthusiast than an expert, I never hired any one but got myself hired multiple times and counting (fingers crossed) and always receive compliments for my portfolios, even if, in the end, I don't get the job :)
"Application for Internship position at Bjarke" hahaha, that's the spirit!
And indeed ^^ where's your CV? Especially for internships it would be handy for Bjarke to know what kinds of software you're comfortable with, he would want you to be able to hit the ground running. Also, what other skills you have that might make you stand out from the crowd and enhance your chances, high-light those.
And finally, don't be afraid to zoom in and show how you think your projects are put together, don't know what scale you stop working out your projects, looks like 1:200 or the US equivalent but you don't show any facades, materiality, fragments 1:20 or details 1:5, is that intentional?
Also, try putting a bit more hierarchy or contrast in line weights of the drawings, too much grey.
Quite the ambitious list of grad schools, hope it will work out.
hey guys I just wanted to do a bit of a self-reflection here.
I am an international students studying in MN and I used this portfolio for grads school applications (GSD, Yale, GSAPP, Rice, Cornell, Princeton)
I am also thinking about turning this into a portfolio for applying for jobs.
Comments and critique will be really appreciated~
https://issuu.com/jiagengguo/docs/portfolio-digital-jiageng-guo
Been a long while since I posted any comments on folios so what the hell:
- Cover: I understand your intention of going minimal but you could probably reconsider a different cover. The current one looks like it's filled w/ filler text instead
- pg2-3: No CV? I'd rather the CV go with the content page. That way your actual project starts from a fresh spread.
- pg3: Text are pretty small, gotta squint my eyes to even read the subtitle. Got a sketch to go with the introduction like your 2nd project?
- pg5: Re-think your parti (standardize it w/ parti at pg13)
- pg6: Excellent
- pg15/16: Is this drawn by hand? Any chance you could darken the section lines to differentiate fore/background better?
- pg19/20: Add scalebar & North sign (Basic stuff tend to be overlooked) Same goes for all other plans/sn/elevation which you should be acquainted by now
- pg22: Pretty interesting stuff going on there. Could you enlarge this? If you're hiding your flaws thru its scale, touch up some images on ps.
- pg26: Again, sketches for conformity.
- pg33/34: Lovely parti. Why aren't other partis following this style?
- pg35/36: Eh...Place the 3 tiny images below the beautiful Section and you're good.
Overall, the published 24 pages could be trimmed down to 20 if you didn't overspread them so minimally. The remaining 2-3 pages could be used to include more sketches/artsy stuff that exhibits your creativity.
Competition's bit stiff this year but this folio should do fine. Let us know how your application went.
Here is my broad perspective.
There are qualities of your work that I really like, but if I am honest, there is a consistency of simplicity that makes the whole thing a bit flat. On a somewhat related line of thinking, I feel like there are two main things I consider when looking at someone’s portfolio for professional applications. Quality and “A”rchitecture (emphasis on the capital “A”). I can appreciate your design sensibilities, but I feel like it’s a big jump into real architecture from the work you do. Even if just one of the projects had more architectural realism I’d be sold that you have that sensibility and I would appreciate your other work more. But that’s just me.
Here are some select specific comments.
Just some opinions here, am more of an enthusiast than an expert, I never hired any one but got myself hired multiple times and counting (fingers crossed) and always receive compliments for my portfolios, even if, in the end, I don't get the job :)
"Application for Internship position at Bjarke" hahaha, that's the spirit!
And indeed ^^ where's your CV? Especially for internships it would be handy for Bjarke to know what kinds of software you're comfortable with, he would want you to be able to hit the ground running. Also, what other skills you have that might make you stand out from the crowd and enhance your chances, high-light those.
And finally, don't be afraid to zoom in and show how you think your projects are put together, don't know what scale you stop working out your projects, looks like 1:200 or the US equivalent but you don't show any facades, materiality, fragments 1:20 or details 1:5, is that intentional?
Also, try putting a bit more hierarchy or contrast in line weights of the drawings, too much grey.
Quite the ambitious list of grad schools, hope it will work out.