I noticed there was a serious lack of portfolio feedback threads on here so I figured I'd add mine for good measure. Applying to the grad programs as follows: GSAPP, Pratt, GSD, MIT, IIT (in order from most>least cripplingly expensive).
From glancing these types of posts over in the past, my portfolio should incite harsh criticism and I'm here for it, so have at it.
Non Sequitur
Nov 19, 18 10:33 pm
Serious lack? There are literally hundreds of portfolio review threads here. Many with good feedback.
Your folio is pretty pedestrian. Nothing unique to stand out above the average, page layout is terrible, and projects look unfinished. You need to iron out the graphics and set out clear hierarchy within each project. Where are the dirty progress drawings that led you to these final images? Baby jesus is crying, if he ever existed, over these teeny-tinny muddled images.
arch76
Nov 19, 18 10:54 pm
It appears that on your index page, the project names have a different font size. its distracting, almost as if they were just scaled to fill up the vertical page indicators. Order your information.
placebeyondthesplines_
Nov 19, 18 11:00 pm
you knew it was garbage before you posted it. congratulations, you were correct.
h0wl
Nov 19, 18 11:51 pm
Looks like my sarcasm was not well received.
Thanks anyway everyone. Keep em coming. Let the helpful (hopefully not hateful) energy flow onto the thread and I'll try to channel it into the projects.
Anon_grad2.0
Nov 20, 18 3:08 am
I actually like the cover, but I’d get rid of “architecture portfolio”. We know what it is.
My biggest issue with this is the lack of cohesiveness in presentation. It needs a lot of manipulation in order for everything to tie in together.
Your color ranges are all over the place. Like a recently posted portfolio, there are almost no drawings. I went to one of the schools on your list and helped review applications at one point. This is a MAJOR issue. It speaks about ones ability/inability of conveying ideas. Your “stair survey” drawings are beautiful, but they’re so small. I can see those drawings printed individually on vellum/mylar.
Typography is one of my favorite things to look at. It can help create hierarchy in a presentation. Right now your using the same sans serif font (you bold some text, which helps some). Combining serif/sans serif (methodically) will make information pop in your layouts.
randomised
Nov 20, 18 6:23 am
Your Site Collage is not too awful
thatsthat
Nov 20, 18 9:51 am
I'm not too sure what the cover image has to do with any of the projects in the portfolio. You may consider going with a plain black or something more fitting to what's inside. If nothing else, manipulate the colors so they fit the rest of the work. ?
I agree with what others have said about the typography. I'd try a few different mockups using san serif/serif font mix and adjust the sizes a few times to see what you like. Making the text fit a box (and making it all different sizes) is distracting. Is there another size you could use so it naturally fits? For instance, the numbers on the project index. The 10 is smaller than the others, and all numbers are left-aligned, which makes them look a little messy.
The colors could be a in a more consistent palette so the projects read more cohesively. Cohesion makes it look more like you have an aesthetic style you prefer. Currently, it looks like you either threw work in altogether or you are still conflicted on your personal style.
Yazan Akkad
Nov 20, 18 10:37 am
Hey Folks,
I took a look at you portfolio. First you have done great job. Second I would say just reorganize the projects "I know everyone hate to rework on portfolio". Put your best project first and then go in sequence. That only the thing quick I noticed. Perfect Folks :)
chi-arc
Nov 20, 18 10:45 am
I too went to one of the schools mentioned above and I feel like the biggest thing missing in your portfolio is process. Dedicating only one spread per project doesn't give you opportunity to show the "dirty process drawings" as NS mentions. And those process drawing are just as, if not more, important as your final images. Schools want to see if you how you think about design and your portfolio shows no thought process whatsoever. Instead of 10 project, pick 3-4 of your most successful projects and really tell their story.
Also, just because you have a thousands colors available doesn't mean you use all of them. Refine your color palette. Some of the most successful portfolios I have seen use a few colors to create hierarchy on a page.
Yazan Akkad
Nov 20, 18 11:03 am
Hello Chi-arc, That is right, Concept and Design process is significant to have them on Architecture projects.. "Do not forget we are still in engineering industry", It is not only about design and color. Our job to improve human living in a safe way, so is good to go in logical method. I wish all the best for you guys. Respect,
Dangermouse
Nov 21, 18 11:16 am
Applying to GSAAP GSD MIT with that portfolio...you won't even get past the initial screening. I'm sorry, but you have no chance so don't bother. A portfolio is a highly refined, edited visual document, not a miasma of whatever final graphics you have floating around from previous projects. Nothing is going well for you here--bad layouts, bad font choices, absurd array of colors, average projects, no thinking drawings. Bad projects with good layouts and thinking drawings would at least get you past the initial screening and then you'd have a ~10-20% chance, depending on the faculty that sees your work. You aren't expected to be good, they'll train you for that, but you are expected to think. I don't see any evidence of that here.
( o Y o )
Nov 21, 18 1:06 pm
put your worst projects first so they make your less worse projects look better.
Non Sequitur
Nov 21, 18 1:12 pm
or better yet, don't put any of your worst stuff in there.
randomised
Nov 22, 18 2:57 am
Would be a slim portfolio about narrow content
sanjeevthapa
Nov 22, 18 8:49 pm
hello, I am a recent grad as and looking into applying for jobs/Masters.
I would love some feed back on my folio as well.
Any suggestions are highly welcomed, Thank you in advance.
What moved you to position the main images and text square on the page gutter? Automatic design fail. Try and put a little effort in the layout and hierarchy of the images instead of throwing everything into InDesign. Besides that, images are too small and generic and those watercolour sketches don't help at that size.
Hey Folks,
I noticed there was a serious lack of portfolio feedback threads on here so I figured I'd add mine for good measure. Applying to the grad programs as follows: GSAPP, Pratt, GSD, MIT, IIT (in order from most>least cripplingly expensive).
From glancing these types of posts over in the past, my portfolio should incite harsh criticism and I'm here for it, so have at it.
Serious lack? There are literally hundreds of portfolio review threads here. Many with good feedback.
Your folio is pretty pedestrian. Nothing unique to stand out above the average, page layout is terrible, and projects look unfinished. You need to iron out the graphics and set out clear hierarchy within each project. Where are the dirty progress drawings that led you to these final images? Baby jesus is crying, if he ever existed, over these teeny-tinny muddled images.
It appears that on your index page, the project names have a different font size. its distracting, almost as if they were just scaled to fill up the vertical page indicators. Order your information.
you knew it was garbage before you posted it. congratulations, you were correct.
Looks like my sarcasm was not well received.
Thanks anyway everyone. Keep em coming. Let the helpful (hopefully not hateful) energy flow onto the thread and I'll try to channel it into the projects.
I actually like the cover, but I’d get rid of “architecture portfolio”. We know what it is.
My biggest issue with this is the lack of cohesiveness in presentation. It needs a lot of manipulation in order for everything to tie in together.
Your color ranges are all over the place. Like a recently posted portfolio, there are almost no drawings. I went to one of the schools on your list and helped review applications at one point. This is a MAJOR issue. It speaks about ones ability/inability of conveying ideas. Your “stair survey” drawings are beautiful, but they’re so small. I can see those drawings printed individually on vellum/mylar.
Typography is one of my favorite things to look at. It can help create hierarchy in a presentation. Right now your using the same sans serif font (you bold some text, which helps some). Combining serif/sans serif (methodically) will make information pop in your layouts.
Your Site Collage is not too awful
I'm not too sure what the cover image has to do with any of the projects in the portfolio. You may consider going with a plain black or something more fitting to what's inside. If nothing else, manipulate the colors so they fit the rest of the work. ?
I agree with what others have said about the typography. I'd try a few different mockups using san serif/serif font mix and adjust the sizes a few times to see what you like. Making the text fit a box (and making it all different sizes) is distracting. Is there another size you could use so it naturally fits? For instance, the numbers on the project index. The 10 is smaller than the others, and all numbers are left-aligned, which makes them look a little messy.
The colors could be a in a more consistent palette so the projects read more cohesively. Cohesion makes it look more like you have an aesthetic style you prefer. Currently, it looks like you either threw work in altogether or you are still conflicted on your personal style.
Hey Folks,
I took a look at you portfolio. First you have done great job. Second I would say just reorganize the projects "I know everyone hate to rework on portfolio". Put your best project first and then go in sequence. That only the thing quick I noticed. Perfect Folks :)
I too went to one of the schools mentioned above and I feel like the biggest thing missing in your portfolio is process. Dedicating only one spread per project doesn't give you opportunity to show the "dirty process drawings" as NS mentions. And those process drawing are just as, if not more, important as your final images. Schools want to see if you how you think about design and your portfolio shows no thought process whatsoever. Instead of 10 project, pick 3-4 of your most successful projects and really tell their story.
Also, just because you have a thousands colors available doesn't mean you use all of them. Refine your color palette. Some of the most successful portfolios I have seen use a few colors to create hierarchy on a page.
Hello Chi-arc, That is right, Concept and Design process is significant to have them on Architecture projects.. "Do not forget we are still in engineering industry", It is not only about design and color. Our job to improve human living in a safe way, so is good to go in logical method. I wish all the best for you guys. Respect,
Applying to GSAAP GSD MIT with that portfolio...you won't even get past the initial screening. I'm sorry, but you have no chance so don't bother. A portfolio is a highly refined, edited visual document, not a miasma of whatever final graphics you have floating around from previous projects. Nothing is going well for you here--bad layouts, bad font choices, absurd array of colors, average projects, no thinking drawings. Bad projects with good layouts and thinking drawings would at least get you past the initial screening and then you'd have a ~10-20% chance, depending on the faculty that sees your work. You aren't expected to be good, they'll train you for that, but you are expected to think. I don't see any evidence of that here.
put your worst projects first so they make your less worse projects look better.
or better yet, don't put any of your worst stuff in there.
Would be a slim portfolio about narrow content
hello, I am a recent grad as and looking into applying for jobs/Masters.
I would love some feed back on my folio as well.
Any suggestions are highly welcomed, Thank you in advance.
Portfolio
What moved you to position the main images and text square on the page gutter? Automatic design fail. Try and put a little effort in the layout and hierarchy of the images instead of throwing everything into InDesign. Besides that, images are too small and generic and those watercolour sketches don't help at that size.