New Portfolio
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- ********0
the works load waaaay too slow. sorry. :(
- Concrete0
Relevance of intro?
I feel like invoicing you for my time.
Go with the one pager! Do it!
- chunkified0
I feel like invoicing you for my time.
Concrete
(Jun 14 06, 03:07)---
haha
- nooner0
I just had a seizure... thanks.
chz
(Jun 13 06, 14:10)giggle.
- kyl30
hey helix
don't be discouraged by some of the posts. That why you posted it right, to learn. If you want to experiment with flash, thats great but the point about presenting your work better for possible hire are valid. Go simple on your portfolio. the easier to use the better.
- tommyo0
Ahhhh man I see some of my first attempts at flash in this site. Don't get discouraged Helix, keep at it, seriously buy a book on grids, maybe a couple books on typography and then try again. Like myself in a couple years you'll look back at these first attempts and laugh.
They feel right in the moment but the main thing is that while you're focusing on designing in flash you forget about the user experience. I can tell that you've invested a lot of time into this site and it must hurt to read some of these comments by people who've forgotten that they were in your shoes not so long ago. You'll get it right, it just takes time. Oh and sometimes it also takes a kick in the ass by people who are better than you. Just stick with it and wow us in a year. Cool?
- kelpie0
eeeeeeeeek, pretty brutal crit, but a lot of it makes sense mate, the site you've built is detracting from what's good in your work. Cut it back and just think about it as a simple efficient way to display a bunch of jpgs on a screen. One of the most common problems with young guys sites is they try to make more of a statement with the site than with their work, it makes people think your not confident enough to let the work do it all.
You've some really promising stuff in your portfolio (I really liked the Russian poster stuff, I'm a sucker for that kind of thing), with the right simple approach you'll do fine.
good luck, show us if you come up with something new :)
- tommyo0
One of the most common problems with young guys sites is they try to make more of a statement with the site than with their work, it makes people think your not confident enough to let the work do it all.
kelpie
(Jun 14 06, 07:59)Well said!! +5
- kelpie0
"I can tell that you've invested a lot of time into this site and it must hurt to read some of these comments by people who've forgotten that they were in your shoes not so long ago."
and +5 to you, too sir.
- Nac_part20
I applaud you on your work ethic because it did take time to sit down and work out site. However, just some better planning/education and sharpening your skills a bit will help you tremendously.
Listen to what Kelpie and TommyO said. To reiterate use your illustration skills for examples as your strong point, and make up a simple clean portfolio for now to show it off. In the background tune up on flash, type and grids and come back here and have them critiqued, don't put them in your portfolio, or even use it as your portfolio until you know you are ready to REALLY show it off.
Learning is something we all still need to do, and I applaud you for your effort. For now though, keep your strenghts original and sharp, and work on your tuneups.
Keep working hard brother, it will pay off.
- HelixDnB0
I really appriciate what the serious replies were hinting at as it gave me a lot to think about. When I finished it I was thinking "damn, this is awesome, turned out just how I wanted it to". After taking into consideration the things that people ahve been saying. I'm planning on trying to re-work everything and keeping what I have as a more "version 1.0" kind of thing. If nothing else to give myself a type of mark of where I was at with it and where I'm going. If you can see the select section, you'll notice I tried keeping it clean, minimal, and to the point. The thing that sucks is not having recieved any formal education on typography or the like. As it was, my program at the university I was in left a lot to be desired and I had to self-educate myself on all that I know now about photoshop/flash/etc.
I'll be back with version 2.0. Like I said, It sucks that I have to re-work it now, but I'm glad I got the perspective and opinions of people who have been in the field and working at it for much longer than I have.
- tommyo0
And that is the attitude to have!
Type:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product…Grids:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product…I'm sure there are some other less pricey books on grids that you can get. Maybe some of the nice people on here can suggest a few others?
- kyl30
atta boy.
- kelpie0
I know exactly what you mean mate, I dropped out of my uni course for precisely the same reasons, had to treach myself everything I now (and it took me a while) know.
There is a book called 'the designer and the grid' which I found one day, and while its nothing like as good in a pro sense as the Brockman book, it really opened up my eyes to what I had been doing wrong, great for someone in your position, students or recent graduates of gash courses! - honestly after a couple days reading it my work became twice as good as before. Give it a shot, but remember not to lose what you're good at as well!
good luck, you've got the right attitude :)
- HelixDnB0
Thanks tommy - just ordered both of those - should really help me out. For now until I get the books I plan on really reviewing designbreakdown and daily slurp and whatnot and seeing what I can go with for cleaner design.
- tommyo0
Good stuff man, you can't go wrong with those two books. They'll both help you gain a really classical understanding of grids and typo. So after you read these then you can start picking up books that are a bit more modern in their approach. I'm willing to bet you'll learn more from your own personal studies than you did at your Uni...and spend a hell of a lot less doing so.
The Bringhurst typography book is pretty fucking boring, so what I do is either drink a lot of coffee before I start reading it or I take it to the pool. It's full of really great information, if you can stay awake to read it.
Good luck man!
- HelixDnB0
So with going back to the drawing board and coming up with a new design, I thought I'd share the progress with those who supported and gave very good feedback. To Compare and Contrast:
http://www.1217design.com/select…
Click on Visual Propaganda and check that out (this is the section that I'm using as a reference).now here's how it'll look with the update:
http://www.1217design.com/layout…
Note: only the links under Propaganda work as it's just a test to illustrate how the layout will work and look. Hopefully you'll have noticed significant increases in load time and the complete lack of flash with more CSS goodness.
Let me know your thoughts once again - thanks in advance and please, honest feedback?
-Sean
- Hewmiri0
compared to what it was before, it looks better. that said, I wouldn't say it's anything special... any average Joe would be able to pull that off. at this stage, I really think you should be reading those books and looking at what the pros are doing and WHY they're great. if you can be satisfied with that website you had after 8 years of designing, I think the problem is your sense of taste.
sorry if that all sounded harsh, that's my honest criticism.
- CFish0
I think it's much better than before.
- nooner0
compared to what it was before, it looks better. that said, I wouldn't say it's anything special... any average Joe would be able to pull that off. at this stage, I really think you should be reading those books and looking at what the pros are doing and WHY they're great. if you can be satisfied with that website you had after 8 years of designing, I think the problem is your sense of taste.
sorry if that all sounded harsh, that's my honest criticism.
Hewmiri
(Jun 18 06, 02:02)slightly harsh but true. even during design school i really didn't start understanding things till was thrown into the real world. i would say fuck the flash, because your skills aren't that hot. focus on your layout/type skills in a one page folio rather than a outdated flash site.