Please, have a look-see

[blackmarker]

First post, I'm new to the forum. I've worked in web administration for a few years now and just finished my degree. I've started putting together my portfolio because it's time for me to find a "real' job...I've grown tired of coding and found my heart lies on the world of Print. Here are a few pieces I was thinking of including in my portfolio. I'd appreciate the critique a trained eye can bring. Be as blunt as you like, I'm pretty sure I can take it!

I'm too cheap to get Web space, you can find decent quality pieces
HERE (http://s243.photobucket.com/albums/ff133/sunset_gun)

lesser quality, more compressed pieces on the site I use for my freelance work (http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewPicture&friendID=87575942&albumId=0).

Thanks for any input.

[GraphixNPrint]

I'm too cheap to get Web space, you can find decent quality pieces HERE (http://s243.photobucket.com/albums/ff133/sunset_gun)

hmmm... an empty album??

[vtwin_gary]

that all i found as well.

[blackmarker]

There are three sub albums.

[GraphixNPrint]

There are three sub albums.

Thank you I did not see those

[GraphixNPrint]

Overall, I like the designs.

The inserts section, IMO, sauces1 & 2 seem to have very busy backgrounds.

Other than that, nice work!

[blackmarker]

Overall, I like the designs.

The inserts section, IMO, sauces1 & 2 seem to have very busy backgrounds.

Other than that, nice work!
All of the "inserts" I have shown are meant to be printed using inkjet. These are for my employer, just cheap little inserts to go in with the products we sell retail. The backgrounds do not stand out nearly as much as they do when viewed on the screen. I should probably lower the transparency levels on the backgrounds since this will be a digital portfolio.

[carolyn]

On the tomatoes can in the Product Photo section, your white text seems to overlap the white shine on the tomato. Decrease the lead between the two lines, so the text is far enough away from those white shines that it stands out more. You might need to make either the text or the shine smaller.

[blackmarker]

On the tomatoes can in the Product Photo section, your white text seems to overlap the white shine on the tomato. Decrease the lead between the two lines, so the text is far enough away from those white shines that it stands out more. You might need to make either the text or the shine smaller.

That is the actual product label, I didn't create it. Those are just a few of the site pictures I have taken, clipped and optimized.

[carolyn]

uh.. i don't think you should put someone else's design anywhere near your portfolio. if you want to include pictures, design something, apply it to a product then take a picture of it.

[blackmarker]

uh.. i don't think you should put someone else's design anywhere near your portfolio. if you want to include pictures, design something, apply it to a product then take a picture of it.

The ability to process images and optimize them for the Web in an important skill for a GA who works in both Print and Web. Being an Administrator right now, that's half of my job. I have a few images in my portfolio, but they are clearly listed as product photo images. I'm primarily interested in working in production right now. I'm not really looking for a design job, I do that as freelance.

[Typically]

soooooo you take pictures of stuff just to show u can optimize them for the web? you might be misleading people with that. like carolyn said keep other peoples stuff far far away from your portfolio. because when i looked at those i though you did the label for the can, same with the bamboo bored. if you want to show your optimizing skills take a photo of a tomato and use that.

[blackmarker]

when i looked at those i though you did the label for the can, same with the bamboo bored.

Oh.

[blackmarker]

soooooo you take pictures of stuff just to show u can optimize them for the web?

No, these are pictures from the website I maintain.

[frankster]

Also, if the photos are to show photographing/optimising skills for web catalogues and the like then you need to pay closer attension to your colours. With the two photos of the bamboo boards, the label (company branding) colour differs from photo to photo.

[Typically]

No, these are pictures from the website I maintain.

did you take the pictures?

[blackmarker]

did you take the pictures?

Yes, of course. I always take my own pictures of products for this job. Whether it is webpages or print material I am designing, I do everything.

[blackmarker]

Also, if the photos are to show photographing/optimising skills for web catalogues and the like then you need to pay closer attension to your colours. With the two photos of the bamboo boards, the label (company branding) colour differs from photo to photo.

Thanks, I didn't catch that. It looks like I lightened one more than the other one. It's not an issue with the website, but it does look less and professional when shown side by side. I've got a million product images, maybe I should just use items from different manufacturers. LOL

[Typically]

just makin sure... you'd be surprised at what people do =]

i would just be careful with those images because of what i said before about thinking u designed them. i guess they would be good in your portfolio as product shots but i would make sure people know that u just took the photo.

[blackmarker]

just makin sure... you'd be surprised at what people do =]

i would just be careful with those images because of what i said before about thinking u designed them. i guess they would be good in your portfolio as product shots but i would make sure people know that u just took the photo.

Cool, thanks for the perspective.

[teniworks]

I was looking at your mod-podge and the text does not seem to be wrapping around the container very well. You can wrap the text and still maintain legibility. If you want to put product photos in your portfolio, then make a very clear section titled "photography" or whatever. Just remember, when you go out on your job search, projects shown in your portfolio are representative of what you can do.

[blackmarker]

I was looking at your mod-podge and the text does not seem to be wrapping around the container very well. You can wrap the text and still maintain legibility.
Yeah, the Infidel text was looking a little funky. Does this look better to you?

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff133/sunset_gun/misc/mod-podge-1.jpg

[blackmarker]

I'm posting the direct link because the board compresses the image too much and makes the text look a bit off.
http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff133/sunset_gun/misc/mod-podge-1.jpg

[Red Kittie Kat]

Black .. I feel compelled to say this ...

Just be careful on your copyright usage. If you are using these for anything commercial you could find yourself in some hot water.

[blackmarker]

Black .. I feel compelled to say this ...

Just be careful on your copyright usage. If you are using these for anything commercial you could find yourself in some hot water.
Yeah, yeah...I know. This piece was used for a very small art show, distributed to a small crowd of independent artists. I see a lot of stuff like this around done by other people, and choosing to work with more DIY/Punk-influenced artists and musicians things like this come up from time to time.

Are you saying this might reflect poorly on me to a potential employer if I put this piece, or others like it in my portfolio? I totally have a respect for intellectual property rights and all, but sometimes that violation is part of what the piece is about.

[blackmarker]

I have two pieces I am thinking of including. Mod Podge and this one:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v708/hambucker/my%20work/capital-camel.jpg

[GraphixNPrint]

just one comment... I love the "NEVER WORK A DAY AGAIN" part ... where do I sign up (as long as its not a morticians office). :)

[blackmarker]

just one comment... I love the "NEVER WORK A DAY AGAIN" part ... where do I sign up (as long as its not a morticians office). :)

Yeah, right?

The piece was designed as a comment of sorts on the often times soul-less and superficial capitalist and consumer-driven society here in the U.S.

[Typically]

I have two pieces I am thinking of including. Mod Podge and this one:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v708/hambucker/my%20work/capital-camel.jpg

i wouldn't' put that in your portfolio. did you draw the camel, and background? that's just scanning a cig pack and changing the text

[Logo-Mechanix]

That, and if you get caught you might be in hot water. Large coporations and their legal departments tend to frown on this sort of thing and will not hesitate to send you a nice long letter explaining the ramifications.

[blackmarker]

i wouldn't' put that in your portfolio. did you draw the camel, and background? that's just scanning a cig pack and changing the text
My view on Design is a bit different from yours. The most complex method does not always yield the best result...and end result is ultimately all that matters. For me it's about serving the piece, and more importantly, the client....and I have never had a client who cared one way or another how I got the job done, only that is was done well. There are very few people who would be able to capture the nuance and detail of the cigarette pack. The point was realism, not to stroke my ego and flex my Illustrator skillz. The scan worked well for us in this case because it almost looks like a digitally rendered image. It's not too "real" and not too fake looking. If the piece was drawn I fear it would lose something. I think the scan works well with the digitally rendered text as well, they don't look hugely different from one another. Some people might call that cheating, I call it using the right tool for the job. Why try and be Eddie Van Halen, when ultimately all you need for a good song that people will pay you for is "three chords and the truth". Sometimes less is more.

Like Green Day or whatever pop musician you want to reference, we are not artists here, we are craftsmen who do this for money.

The way I see it (please, more experienced posters correct me if I am wrong), not every piece in a designer's portfolio needs to show ultimate skill and mastery of software. Ideas and foresight are important as well...more so IMO.

[blackmarker]

That, and if you get caught you might be in hot water. Large coporations and their legal departments tend to frown on this sort of thing and will not hesitate to send you a nice long letter explaining the ramifications.

Cease and Desist letter at best...blah, blah, blah. I don't think the piece is being used anymore anyway.

[balou]

Cease and Desist letter at best...blah, blah, blah. I don't think the piece is being used anymore anyway.

If you're lucky they'll send you a cease and desist. If it's blatent, as this is, they may just skip that step. Can you afford several thousand dollars in copyright fines? Not worth the risk in my book.

[blackmarker]

If you're lucky they'll send you a cease and desist. If it's blatent, as this is, they may just skip that step. Can you afford several thousand dollars in copyright fines? Not worth the risk in my book.
The reality of trademark violation is that no corporation sues without issuing a Cease and Desist order first. It is not worth their time to file suit and a letter is generally all that is needed to scare people off....particularly when it is some band that no one listens to anyway. The piece is not being used anymore anyway, so I'm not worried.

[Red Kittie Kat]

Black we are trying to advise you of something very important and you seem to be missing the point.

Regardless of if you can get away with it .. its never a wise choice to infringe on someone else's copyright. Not only because is it illegal, but it also takes away from the quality and creativity of your work. Also, when potential clients recognize those copyright infringements in your portfolio they may tend to shy away from you for fear of something you produce being a cause of legal issues for them in the future.

[PrintDriver]

You could always cry "Parody!" and see what happens.
;)
I see a lot of stuff like this around done by other people...
And if the 'other people' all jumped off a bridge...?
Just because more than 50% of students with a college art education have been told and believe that if you 'change 3 things it's yours', doesn't make it true. :D

[Drazan]

Actually a person known to pull stuff from copyrigted and well known corporations have a tendancy to limit their opportunities in this career market.

Not many will take on the liabilities when messing with a corporate giant's stuff. It will only take one black mark against you.

Most employers are looking at fresh ideas, clean artwork, and innovation in their portfolio. (Freelance or otherwise)

You may believe that you'll only get a cease and desist letter, but when you end up being slapped with a littigation suite, or even just the redesign/reprint of perhaps several thousand flyers, it'll hurt more than a paper cut opening up that letter.


Think about it.

Jade

[Typically]

My view on Design is a bit different from yours.

yea you steal your stuff

[blackmarker]

Black we are trying to advise you of something very important and you seem to be missing the point.

That was not lost on me. I know what I am doing and the risks involved.


Also, when potential clients recognize those copyright infringements in your portfolio they may tend to shy away from you for fear of something you produce being a cause of legal issues for them in the future.
Which was my question.

People seem to have missed what I said as well - the piece is not being used anymore.