Zero Cool - Portfolio Site

ZeroCool · 03-19-2008, 01:58 AM

Hey everyone, my name is Shane. I have been a member here for some time and have participated in a contest here and there. I am graduating this week from the Art Institute of Atlanta for Game Art and Design. Just wanted to share my portfolio site with you and hopefully get your opinion on the site and the artwork. Thanks to everyone who has contributed to Game Artist and helped me grow as an artist.

Shane Canning Home

sarge mat · 03-21-2008, 06:48 AM

Nic site looks like a good layout to me. I am stuck with a 1280x1024 screen until my bigger one gets back from LG and it looks good at that rez. The only thing I don’t like is the flash nav bar, I have to click on each button once to activate it and then a second time to use it. I know not every PC is like this but a lot are and you could find some don’t have flash at all or a much older version.

Someone looking though different portfolios for a studio might be on a very old shit PC that just about loads the web browser. It would be a shame for them to miss out on your work because of this. But you will find most do have it. It’s more about ease of use than anything.

Apart from that I love the design of the site and your work.

ZeroCool · 03-21-2008, 10:08 AM

Hey thanks Sarge. You make a good point. Thanks for looking at the site. I completely agree about the buttons. . If I am using Dreamweaver to create the site, how would I create my own buttons or use non-flash buttons?

CounterSeal · 03-22-2008, 07:50 PM

Hey ZeroCool, nice website.

I personally think having a Flash based website is fine, since recruiters or HR departments at any respectable studio would have Flash installed on their PCs. The main concern is bandwidth, just don't cram too much data on any single page so that it loads within a decent timeframe.

I'm not sure if you go to the same Art Institute school I go to (the one in San Francisco), but our Game Art program requires us to take two scripting (high level programming) classes, one of which teaches you basic HTML and Dreamweaver. Regardless, it's pretty easy to make your own buttons. Dreamweaver has an interface that makes it somewhat straightforward. But as I said before, I think a Flash website is fine...

Also, you might want to condense your resume a tiny bit, ideally down to one page. You listed alot of programs under your technical skills, but some aren't really necessary, such as Crazybump, because anyone can literally pick it up and click away. You can also format it so that your name and contact info is higher up on the top page, leaving more room for actual content in the body of the document.

Just some suggestions, as with everything, take it with a grain of salt. Good luck though man, you have some good pieces there. Maybe I missed it, but you might want to put up a download link to your UT3 level as well so people can actually jump in, play it, or open it in Unreal Ed to analyze it if they wish =D

ZeroCool · 03-23-2008, 08:44 PM

I appreciate the information. I plan to upload the file for the map this week. I've been out of town due to the Easter holiday. I plan to tighten everything up on the website this week and make sure I am not just cramming things on it to fill up space.

I went to the Art Institute of Atlanta and we only had to take MEL script classes and C++ with our art program. I think I can fic the buttons if I decide to, but you made a good point with people probably having Flash.

I'm glad you mentioned my resume. I fixed it for my final portfolio review and thought I uploaded the newer one but I guess I was wrong. I'll post the new one.

Thanks so much for your feedback. I'll keep everyone updated on how it goes getting a job. I have a few contacts, so I'll test those first. If anyone is looking for a job let me know because I know there are multiple positions open for the contacts I am using. Talk to you later thanks. again.

-Shane

Shadow71 · 03-23-2008, 11:06 PM

I'd say try for some higher res screenshots, it was kind of difficult looking at the small renders within a pretty small graphic already. Maybe lose all the fancy border stuff and just show the actual output.

TheCorey · 03-24-2008, 05:15 AM

The only thing I see wrong that hasn't been mentioned already is that your resume is a file that you have to download. I think you should also have a version of your resume actually to be read on the site.

ZeroCool · 03-24-2008, 11:21 AM

Shadow71 - Good point. The reason most of my renders are set up with some sort of graphic design is because our portfolio teacher made us make things that way or we wouldn't pass. Now that i am out, I'll go back and make the render a lot bigger and just take out all of the fancy stuff. Good point though.

TheCorey - That's a great idea. Do you think it should be an abbreviated version or just put the hole thing on the resume page?

Thanks again for your input. Keep the crits coming!

-Shane

Thorjan · 03-29-2008, 08:09 PM

skills != software knowledge

The rest is already said

good luck.

03-19-2008, 01:58 AM	#1 (permalink)
ZeroCool New Artist 9 - 0	Zero Cool - Portfolio Site Hey everyone, my name is Shane. I have been a member here for some time and have participated in a contest here and there. I am graduating this week from the Art Institute of Atlanta for Game Art and Design. Just wanted to share my portfolio site with you and hopefully get your opinion on the site and the artwork. Thanks to everyone who has contributed to Game Artist and helped me grow as an artist. Shane Canning Home

03-23-2008, 08:44 PM	#5 (permalink)
ZeroCool New Artist 9 - 0	Thanks I appreciate the information. I plan to upload the file for the map this week. I've been out of town due to the Easter holiday. I plan to tighten everything up on the website this week and make sure I am not just cramming things on it to fill up space. I went to the Art Institute of Atlanta and we only had to take MEL script classes and C++ with our art program. I think I can fic the buttons if I decide to, but you made a good point with people probably having Flash. I'm glad you mentioned my resume. I fixed it for my final portfolio review and thought I uploaded the newer one but I guess I was wrong. I'll post the new one. Thanks so much for your feedback. I'll keep everyone updated on how it goes getting a job. I have a few contacts, so I'll test those first. If anyone is looking for a job let me know because I know there are multiple positions open for the contacts I am using. Talk to you later thanks. again. -Shane

03-23-2008, 11:06 PM	#6 (permalink)
Shadow71 Graphic Artist 129 - 10	I'd say try for some higher res screenshots, it was kind of difficult looking at the small renders within a pretty small graphic already. Maybe lose all the fancy border stuff and just show the actual output. __________________ Graphic Artist - HB Studios \| Portfolio

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03-21-2008, 06:48 AM	#2 (permalink)
sarge mat Senior Artist 794 - 34	Nic site looks like a good layout to me. I am stuck with a 1280x1024 screen until my bigger one gets back from LG and it looks good at that rez. The only thing I don’t like is the flash nav bar, I have to click on each button once to activate it and then a second time to use it. I know not every PC is like this but a lot are and you could find some don’t have flash at all or a much older version. Someone looking though different portfolios for a studio might be on a very old shit PC that just about loads the web browser. It would be a shame for them to miss out on your work because of this. But you will find most do have it. It’s more about ease of use than anything. Apart from that I love the design of the site and your work.

03-21-2008, 10:08 AM	#3 (permalink)
ZeroCool New Artist 9 - 0	Hey thanks Sarge. You make a good point. Thanks for looking at the site. I completely agree about the buttons. . If I am using Dreamweaver to create the site, how would I create my own buttons or use non-flash buttons?

03-22-2008, 07:50 PM	#4 (permalink)
CounterSeal New Artist 25 - 3	Hey ZeroCool, nice website. I personally think having a Flash based website is fine, since recruiters or HR departments at any respectable studio would have Flash installed on their PCs. The main concern is bandwidth, just don't cram too much data on any single page so that it loads within a decent timeframe. I'm not sure if you go to the same Art Institute school I go to (the one in San Francisco), but our Game Art program requires us to take two scripting (high level programming) classes, one of which teaches you basic HTML and Dreamweaver. Regardless, it's pretty easy to make your own buttons. Dreamweaver has an interface that makes it somewhat straightforward. But as I said before, I think a Flash website is fine... Also, you might want to condense your resume a tiny bit, ideally down to one page. You listed alot of programs under your technical skills, but some aren't really necessary, such as Crazybump, because anyone can literally pick it up and click away. You can also format it so that your name and contact info is higher up on the top page, leaving more room for actual content in the body of the document. Just some suggestions, as with everything, take it with a grain of salt. Good luck though man, you have some good pieces there. Maybe I missed it, but you might want to put up a download link to your UT3 level as well so people can actually jump in, play it, or open it in Unreal Ed to analyze it if they wish =D

03-24-2008, 05:15 AM	#7 (permalink)
TheCorey Amateur Artist 165 - 20	The only thing I see wrong that hasn't been mentioned already is that your resume is a file that you have to download. I think you should also have a version of your resume actually to be read on the site.

03-24-2008, 11:21 AM	#8 (permalink)
ZeroCool New Artist 9 - 0	Shadow71 - Good point. The reason most of my renders are set up with some sort of graphic design is because our portfolio teacher made us make things that way or we wouldn't pass. Now that i am out, I'll go back and make the render a lot bigger and just take out all of the fancy stuff. Good point though. TheCorey - That's a great idea. Do you think it should be an abbreviated version or just put the hole thing on the resume page? Thanks again for your input. Keep the crits coming! -Shane

03-29-2008, 08:09 PM	#9 (permalink)
Thorjan Senior Artist 105 - 13	skills != software knowledge The rest is already said good luck.