Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

scadboy · Oct 23, 2003, 02:48 PM

Anyone care to critique my web portfolio? I've just relocated to the metro atlanta area and am about to start the great job hunt, I'd appreciate it if anyone might offer a fellow mac head / designer some insight and opinions on how I might improve my site, portfolio and resume?

the is located at http://www.geeraff.com

any and all opinions welcome

thanks

michael

bmmp · Oct 23, 2003, 05:18 PM

Fo Shizzle Mike!

Nice Site and Well Done.

Just some recommendations, it seemed to load a bit slow.
What you can do to optimize your graphics more, use photoshop's Save for Web Option.

For example, I downloaded your Mellow Mushroom Jpeg, and it still has an Embedded Icon Preview. This is bad since this alone can triple the size of a web graphic. Using the Save For Web Feature in photoshop will give all your GIFs and JPEGs, generic file icons (no thumbnail) which will shrink your file size Considerably.

The next thing I didn't like was minor, but the changing of text color on your punctuation, like periods (.) and commas (,) on some of your copy. I like the idea of selecting words to highlight important phrases in your copy, but highlighting punctuation, takes the emphasis away from what your trying to say. I dont think you want to highlight your grammer.

But these are just my 7 years worth of 2 cents.
Great Job! I'd hire you!

scadboy · Oct 23, 2003, 05:52 PM

Hey, thanks for your "two cents." I swore I got all of those nasty little, well big, I guess, image previews out of there, but I guess I missed some of them. Most of the images were saved with the save for web, but most of the larger images weren't, so I guess that's where I missed it.

I'm going through and getting rid of all that stuff...

Hmmm, with the text, it really isn't that I intended to highlight the punctuation, so much as that changing the color of the words that I did mean to emphasize, and leaving the punctuation its original color, emphasizes it. er, something like that, but I'll probably go and change that too.

thanks for the tips

michael

ultra-V · Oct 23, 2003, 10:59 PM

A strong site, I agree. A few things:

I like the idea of highlighting key words, but I think you've overdone it, not just with the punctuation. For example, why is the word "and" highlit on the web portfolio page? Give it some thought and only highlight the words that deserve it. Be picky. It gets particularly confusing when some are links, but most are not. With highlit words being a convention for denoting a hyperlink, I kept thinking I could click on the orange words. Alas, there is no way to know what's clickable or what's not (aside from the cursor). A big no no in usability. Find a separate way to denote links, at least a rollover effect.

Spealing of text, I'd cut the second paragraph on Work. I don't think you need to explain - on a portfolio page - that the site is here to get you a job and whether you would relocate or not. Saying you are "currently seeking..." on the About page is enough (Could add "...in the Atlanta area" if you want.)

Secondly, I'd make the distinction between print and web portfolio sections more clear. Right now the "web design" icon looks like a head for the print page. And on the web portfolio page, there should be a link back to thr print page.

I love the ability to get text details, a great idea. I'd consider having it come up in the same window, though.

Anyway, the site is nice, and so is the work. Good luck finding a job. Atlanta has some great agencies.

CobraNT · Oct 23, 2003, 11:53 PM

Honestly I don't think the site matches your talents. Judging by your portfolio of work you are an amazing designer, but the site didn't reflect it. I found it confusing to navigate.
I think you are on the right track, and I seriously doubt you will be jobless long.

scadboy · 11:53 AM

Hey guys, greatly appreciate the advice so far. I've taken much of it to heart and made some changes to the site.

One of the things I hate working on projects alone is that it's hard to give yourself feedback. Things may seem perfectly sensible to you, but until someone else sees it, it's hard to pick out the flaws.

CobraNT, it would be great if you could elaborate as to how you find the site difficult to navigate / confusing?

Hmmm, according to my web logs, someone in the Atlanta area has been looking at my site, and was referred from this forum. Come on, who is it? Fess up, tell me what you think...

thanks again guys, keep it coming!

michael

scadboy · Oct 27, 2003, 07:00 AM

I've made some changes to the site based on the comments received here, and on other forums. I toned down the text highlights, attempted to distinguish between the print and web portfolio areas more (the web stuff was really an after-thought, and it shows), and I've made the inter-gallery navigation a little more straightforward.

Lots of great feedback!

Interestingly, due to some absolutely bizarre circumstances, that I will not go into at any length in this forum, I am no longer seeking employment in the atlanta area, I'm headed back to savannah this week.

*sigh*

thanks for all your feedback so far.

michael

andi*pandi · Oct 27, 2003, 11:43 AM

well, for the site, two things.

Splash screens are annoying and delay content. Float your box in a frame and keep it in one window. Also annoying is lack of nav bar, especially considering there is no intuitive "home" button. At times the "drippy ink" effect gets cumbersome, but I I like the orange and grey with the text.

For your portfolio:

Some nice things, I like. I would make it more clear which is student work, and which is professional. It's a little cheesy to title a link "apple" when apple was never your client. Separate into categories: packaging, advertising, etc.

Your resume:

Way too wordy. Put your skillz at top (apps, specialties) and then with the jobs. I know there's only two jobs so you may have felt a need to pad a bit, but for a first job it's ok to put non-design jobs on a resume, at least it will show you have a work ethic and possible diverse skills. So go ahead and put gas station clerk or sales associate for the Gap.

Pretending I'm an HR manager, (ACK!) I want to know less about your employer and more about you. Keep the description of the hotel or whatever to one line, I don't need their history, you can direct me to their website if I'm really curious, but I won't be. You can explain any design inspiration in an interview while viewing the portfolio.

You get points for no obvious typos in your resume, although the usage of the word "ooze" is suspect.

Good luck!

scadboy · Oct 27, 2003, 03:11 PM

this is excellent advice, and now that I have more time than I originally anticipated, I'm going to go for a complete overhaul of the site based on the feedback I've gotten so far.

I appreciate the constructive criticism and look forward to hearing your opinions once the new site and resume are up! hopefully sometime next week. I have to move back to savannah this week, erg....

I ran into some really prickly bastards on some of the other boards, one of whom berated my for thinking of myself of an artist. he seemed to have a very narrow view of design.

anywho, thanks again to all those who contributed, look for an all new www.geeraff.com by the end of next week.

ciao,

michael

spatterson · Oct 27, 2003, 06:23 PM

Originally posted by scadboy:
Anyone care to critique my web portfolio? I've just relocated to the metro atlanta area and am about to start the great job hunt, I'd appreciate it if anyone might offer a fellow mac head / designer some insight and opinions on how I might improve my site, portfolio and resume?

the is located at http://www.geeraff.com

any and all opinions welcome

thanks

michael

First off it�s nice to see another person from around the Metro Atlanta area! I like your entry page - Clean and Easy to use. The page directly thereafter was a bit difficult to navigate. Sure there was the links on the bottom. Maybe place some direction, or something that calls out "bring the mouse to me". However the design is very creative and I like it a lot. However, there are people out there that may have not noticed that they should mouse over there. As for your gallery, well I think you did an awesome job right there! It clearly showed your cliental and well� good job! Your about page was clearly easy to use and I like the graphic work done there best. On a 1 to 10 I give you a 9! I just think that navigation should be worked out a little more!

Scott

andi*pandi · Oct 28, 2003, 04:35 PM

do note patterson, that of the listed "clientele," most is student work that should be separated out, lest there be confusion of this exact sort.

Look forward to seeing the revamp!

godzookie2k · Oct 30, 2003, 09:45 AM

don't ever close my goddamn browser window.

subwayman · Oct 30, 2003, 04:13 PM

Originally posted by godzookie2k:
don't ever close my goddamn browser window.

I would go out and sell yourself to a company for free and find out what its like to create a site that is ecommerce ready. Graphic design is a huge piece but pragmaticism is the key variable in this market. I design sites and have several I have done. Compare the level of salesmanship between http://www.modernlifestylemeds.com to your portfolio. I focused on user feedback, flow of information and of course nothing happens, no one gets paid unless someone buys something from what you have created. Coolness and artsy ness will only go so far in this industry unless you go into creating logos, etc.

Good luck my friend

godzookie2k · Oct 30, 2003, 06:09 PM

are you talking to me?

subwayman · Oct 31, 2003, 10:24 AM

Originally posted by godzookie2k:
are you talking to me?

Sorry I was referreing to "scadboy" I also hate it when the window closes on me or I cant go back to my earlier screen without closing the open one.

www.modernlifestylemeds.com

scadboy · Nov 12, 2003, 08:36 PM

woooo, bump

My time in atlanta was cut short by a family emergency that forced me to move back to savannah, so I'm working full time again in "non-design" work and doing some freelance again. Also giving me some time to revamp my website and r�sum�.

Anywho, after culling feedback from two other forums, trusted friends, and industry professionals, I am working on the new portfolio website and have a small taste of what's to come up on my .mac server. If anyone cares to take a look and offer more helpful advice, it would be appreciated.

http://homepage.mac.com/scadboy/splat/

By popular demand, there is no longer a splash screen and subsequent pop-up window, and the goal now is to go with a completely one-window interface. I've also got an automated workflow going that will allow me to create the site for a 1024x768 and downsample separate versions of each page for 800x600 displays.

I also hope to design each page such that it will resize gracefully when the user changes the size of the browser window, within reason. the site is designed with the smallest and largest usable window dimensions for each screen resolution in mind.

All that's there right now is the first page and the main index, currently working on the gallery and hope to have something representative up tomorrow.

thanks for all of your past and future input

michael

scadboy · Nov 28, 2003, 09:12 AM

BUMP

I'm back in Savannah again, most likely for good, or at least the foreseeable future. I just finished work on my ALL NEW portfolio website, based on the feedback from my fellow MacNNers.

Please take a look at the new site, and let me know what you think. I've tried to work everything from my previous post in to the new format.

take a look�

http://www.geeraff.com

thanks

michael

Liquidity X · Nov 28, 2003, 10:41 PM

wow another SCADer, how did u like it? I thought as a 3d person it was a TOTAL waste of 150 grand and 4 years of my life.

dialo · Nov 30, 2003, 04:48 PM

you can't have those navigation buttons move around like that. It's really confusing.

scadboy · Nov 30, 2003, 06:41 PM

What exactly are you referring to? I don't know of any navigation buttons that move on the site?

thanks

benign · Dec 1, 2003, 07:17 AM

I thought it was Ok, maybe a small rethink
on the navigation - but what really grabbed
my attention was 'mellow mushroom' ...

Zing!

andi*pandi · Dec 1, 2003, 03:56 PM

ok, I like the revamp. I like how you identified which work was "real" and which work was student projects, and how you organized the categories.

However, some of the navigation seemed to drop off in nested pages (top left categories) and sometimes the thumbnails didn't work as imagined.

Now, your resume... If you are going to be so darned wordy, you'd best make sure your grammar, punctuation, and writing style is worth it. "Having designed" is bad sentence construction. Don't hyphenate things that don't need to be. Don't make big runon sentences to sound impressive, better to be concise.

Also confusing: were you doing freelance work at Mellow mushroom, or marketing manager, or cashier? Don't bill yourself as marketing manager if that's not so, if there's no hiring papers saying that. Just say freelance.

Liquidity X · Dec 1, 2003, 10:49 PM

mellow had good food, but they had that logo like 4 years ago when I went there.

scadboy · Dec 2, 2003, 12:39 AM

Originally posted by Liquidity X:
mellow had good food, but they had that logo like 4 years ago when I went there.

Well guess who was there four years ago doing the marketting, ha! Actually, it was more like three, the mellow opened in january 2000, with the corporate shroom guy, and I put the logo type and shrooms into effect about three months after i came on in June. As I clearly state on the page the graphic is taken from, I did not do the shroom guy logo, provided by the parent company, I did the logo type,and the radiating 'shroom motiff, which was part of most of the promos i did.

I wan marketing manager and assistant general manager, I guess tagging the work freelance does confuses things greatly. I definitely need to go back and totally rewrite the res...

thanks
michael

dialo · Dec 2, 2003, 12:47 AM

Originally posted by scadboy:
What exactly are you referring to? I don't know of any navigation buttons that move on the site?

thanks

the layout, print, packaging, etc in the upper left-hand corner switch positions.

Other suggestions: it's standard to go back home through an image in the upper left corner. Also, since there are multiple levels you should have a sort of crumb trail to go back to other levels and stay oriented. something like:

home-work-media-[project name]

this also belongs somewhere in the upper left.

You don't need the 800x600 in the upper left corner since once someone makes the initial choice it is unlikely they will change. It would probably be better somewhere at the bottom.

scadboy · Dec 2, 2003, 12:56 AM

thanks for elaborating, good suggestions�

gooodnight!

michael

gadster · Dec 4, 2003, 04:59 AM

Not bad, scadboy. You'll do well. How fast are you, but.

Eyenovation · Dec 4, 2003, 08:50 PM

GREAT work. Not sure I am catching the site AFTER your updates or before, but I thought the site was very usable.

Furthermore, I thought the portfolio work was excellent. Great work.

scadboy · Dec 7, 2003, 11:08 AM

Originally posted by gadster:
Not bad, scadboy. You'll do well. How fast are you, but.

Not quite following you on that last part there, care to complete that sentence?

I've got a r�sum� I'm happy with on the site now, I just didn't know to write one of those things, but I got some help from some friends in the biz, and finally have something considerably more coherent up there. Check it out, andipandi, it's new as of yesterday, the 6th, and I'd like to know what you think of it.

I've also tweaked some of the navigation, the icons don't move around so much anymore.

I don't know if I made this clear with the original post, but I'm not quite so interested in critiquing the website, so much as the work presented in the website. specifically, if there are any pieces or types of media that I should ad to the gallery, or pieces that aren't doing me any favors, and should be taken down.

Obviously, I've got more to show than what's on the site, but I consider what is there to be my strongest stuff, but I have several projects, mostly for Mellow, that were produced, but I don't consider that compelling.

I feel like I shouldn't just put up as much professional work as possible, just for the sake of the fact that it is professional, but should rather have a good mix of strong professional and strong academic/conceptual work? Is this a flawed approach?

thanks

michael

Eyenovation · Dec 7, 2003, 11:24 AM

I feel like I shouldn't just put up as much professional work as possible, just for the sake of the fact that it is professional, but should rather have a good mix of strong professional and strong academic/conceptual work? Is this a flawed approach?

NOT at all. In fact that is the way in which most professional design firms go about it. Whether for contractual reasons, or otherwise - sometimes you will have works which you cannot feature in your portfolio. Other times the content will be inappropriate for mainstream audiences, or what have you.

I think your work was very well done and showed diversity amongst your skills. If you have more work that's better representing of your talent, obviously that should go in there, but I imagine you've selected what you think is your best work. Good luck.

scadboy · Dec 11, 2003, 04:15 PM

WOOOO-HOOOOOOO!

Would you believe I finally landed an interview? I got the call today, I get to show my stuff monday morning.

My web server logs tell me they've already looked over my site thoroughly, so I'm not so nervous as if I knew I was going into this cold, but, hey, I'm still nervous!

I just wanted to thank everybody for their input in the long process that has been getting this site and my supporting materials together. Of course, who knows, I don't have this job yet, so I may still need all that help come monday! HEHEhe *nervous laugh*

wish me luck!

michael

Eyenovation · Dec 11, 2003, 06:59 PM

Who you interviewing for?

scadboy · Dec 12, 2003, 12:39 PM

It's with a pretty big local agency, they've done work for a bunch of really big national companies, including some corporate i.d. work that everyone here has probably seen.

I think it's for a junior-graphic designer position, but I'm not totally clear on that.

I was really excited to see that they do lots of package design, which I really haven't seen much of in the area.

I'm freshening up the portfolio and preparing with practice questions and such. Mainly, I've been writing an essay about my influences in design and where I see design going in the next decade. Wanted to organize my thoughts in case they asked me about my influences and such.

anywho... any other suggestions for getting ready?

thanks guys

waxcrash · Dec 19, 2003, 10:02 PM

Where is your photography? It is the most important of a part of a portfolio.

scadboy · Dec 20, 2003, 10:27 AM

um, maybe for a photographer.

wha?

michael

fizzlemynizzle · Jan 5, 2004, 04:19 PM

Originally posted by scadboy:
Anyone care to critique my web portfolio? I've just relocated to the metro atlanta area and am about to start the great job hunt, I'd appreciate it if anyone might offer a fellow mac head / designer some insight and opinions on how I might improve my site, portfolio and resume?

the is located at http://www.geeraff.com

any and all opinions welcome

thanks

michael

Woah, Mellow Mushroom. Do you know the Homestar Runner guys? They did the flash stuff for the shroom's website, didn't they?

scadboy · Jan 5, 2004, 06:49 PM

Um, that I don't know, if they did, that was through corporate, which I was not involved with. But I can certainly see the similarities.

ciao,

michael