Master's Degree Aftermath: So what now?

[Neondevil]

I applied to SVA, Pratt, NYU and Parson's for a master's degree in design and in two weeks I'm going to see if I'm accepted or not. The thing is I'm not entirely sure I'm going to get in.


I wanted to know if I had any other options in the NY/NJ area not just for design but for illustration too?


Here is a zip of the portfolio I sent to Parson's: http://neondevil.deviantart.com/art/portfolio-80228467

Just click download on the left side.

Some portfolio critique would be awesome too. I don't get a lot of input on it.

[Storyboard Dave]

One of my first questions to you would be why are you applying for a Masters Degree in design? Is there a long range plan for utilizing this degree? What was the rationale for taking on more schooling?

My gut call after looking at your portfolios (design & illustration) is that you're much stronger in design than you are in illustration. That being said I'm not sure if you were given much direction as to choose a direction for either portfolio. They both seem as though they were all assignments from classes and it really doesn't reflect a conscious effort on your part to choose a specific direction with your work. Upon finishing your BFA from Seton Hall, did you think about who was going to be able to use the skills that you're showing off in your portfolio? Who did you think you were going to get employed by with this selection of work?

A few things that struck me was that your illustration work didn't look as though you knew the human figure that well. The anatomy on many of the figures seemed forced or it lacked dynamic movement of any sort. Your website showed a variety of different applications & techniques you've tried but did you really master any of them?

As far as your design work goes on your website, there's only so much a person is going to want to see Crash Modern stuff. We get the idea that you did some collateral work for them; it's starting to look like more quantity than quality when one sees so many pieces from one project. And your own logo ideations shouldn't have to count as a portfolio piece- it's already assumed that it is on the top of your letterhead, business card, website, etc.

Thoughts on your website- Neon Devil or your actual name? If I were an actual paying client- who do I make the check payable to? What's the scoop as to the multiple personalities here? Again, what's the function of your website here? Who is it geared towards? Is it a gallery page? Is it to garner more work or to tell us more news about you? And is that news relevant to anyone beyond your closest friends & family?

One thing I really want you to think about is the relevancy of your work. Who is going to use the stuff that you're showing? It's not that you don't have some skills but it needs to be packaged in a way that it shows some competent achievement- not just a one hit. Give me a sense that you didn't blindly stumble onto something once. And while this might sound like double talk, we want to see some diversity and variety while maintaining a singular voice.

I hope this helps with nudging your portfolio towards a general direction. Realize the competition out there is solid and if you don't have an A game, you'll get left behind. You need to get it up to snuff and you might even need to raise your skills to get into a grad school as well.

Good luck.

[Terriblis Gesserit]

Hey, I don't know if it's me, but the deviantart link just shows a graphic called 'Portfolio' nothing moves and such. Just lettting you know my end.

I would say for your portfolio in general, I do like your designs. I think they're great. Perhaps more variance on the types of designs you do would be good. Some of them were a little too similar in my opinion, such as the format and such. Perhaps not so many adverts of one band, but a few samples.

Secondly, for your illustration, I think you need to work a bit on anatomy. Even though I think you've got a good flow going and I know you work rather stylized, even then anatomy makes it all 'sit right'. For me there were a few pieces of anatomy that even though I got the gesture down right, the anatomy just was off and it made the picture look a bit strange. When I went to GDC I got my flatbook critiqued. One art director suggested as what Todd McFarland did, was to draw a single body part for a month and a variance. I think also looking at Glenn Vilppu's work, you have to really STUDY the model and not draw it. So, I had to re-learn those techniques myself, and my drawing has gotten a lot better. Of course, I haven't reached all body parts yet! :)

I'm just suggesting you do those. The illustrations had a nice varied amount of material, I just think that the fluidity can be present more. Although my favorite was 'Tulips and Wierdoes'. You've got your architechtural stuff down though.

[Neondevil]

One of my first questions to you would be why are you applying for a Masters Degree in design? Is there a long range plan for utilizing this degree? What was the rationale for taking on more schooling?

Design seems to be the thing for me and an eventual plan to have my own studio. I figured a master's degree would better prepare me and give me better connections.

My gut call after looking at your portfolios (design & illustration) is that you're much stronger in design than you are in illustration. That being said I'm not sure if you were given much direction as to choose a direction for either portfolio. They both seem as though they were all assignments from classes and it really doesn't reflect a conscious effort on your part to choose a specific direction with your work. Upon finishing your BFA from Seton Hall, did you think about who was going to be able to use the skills that you're showing off in your portfolio? Who did you think you were going to get employed by with this selection of work?

The portfolio was pretty much all of my picks and about 1/4th of the illustrations are from class. No idea for both of those. Crafts companies seem to love me so I make a lot of stickers and things but it's not really where I want to be.

A few things that struck me was that your illustration work didn't look as though you knew the human figure that well. The anatomy on many of the figures seemed forced or it lacked dynamic movement of any sort. Your website showed a variety of different applications & techniques you've tried but did you really master any of them?

You got me there.

As far as your design work goes on your website, there's only so much a person is going to want to see Crash Modern stuff. We get the idea that you did some collateral work for them; it's starting to look like more quantity than quality when one sees so many pieces from one project. And your own logo ideations shouldn't have to count as a portfolio piece- it's already assumed that it is on the top of your letterhead, business card, website, etc.

Thoughts on your website- Neon Devil or your actual name? If I were an actual paying client- who do I make the check payable to? What's the scoop as to the multiple personalities here? Again, what's the function of your website here? Who is it geared towards? Is it a gallery page? Is it to garner more work or to tell us more news about you? And is that news relevant to anyone beyond your closest friends & family?

I'm confused by the logo part. Take out the stuff from my portfolio with the logo on it? I tried to set it up like my own little company. I guess that didn't exactly work. The website was to show off my work and get a way for people to contact me for more work. I'm gonna take it the news part needs to disappear?

One thing I really want you to think about is the relevancy of your work. Who is going to use the stuff that you're showing? It's not that you don't have some skills but it needs to be packaged in a way that it shows some competent achievement- not just a one hit. Give me a sense that you didn't blindly stumble onto something once. And while this might sound like double talk, we want to see some diversity and variety while maintaining a singular voice.

I hope this helps with nudging your portfolio towards a general direction. Realize the competition out there is solid and if you don't have an A game, you'll get left behind. You need to get it up to snuff and you might even need to raise your skills to get into a grad school as well.

Good luck.


I take it from this my website needs serious retooling and I need to get rid of a bunch of material and rebuild it about me?


Wow that was rough that'd be the first critique I've ever gotten on this.

[Neondevil]

Hey, I don't know if it's me, but the deviantart link just shows a graphic called 'Portfolio' nothing moves and such. Just lettting you know my end.

I would say for your portfolio in general, I do like your designs. I think they're great. Perhaps more variance on the types of designs you do would be good. Some of them were a little too similar in my opinion, such as the format and such. Perhaps not so many adverts of one band, but a few samples.

Secondly, for your illustration, I think you need to work a bit on anatomy. Even though I think you've got a good flow going and I know you work rather stylized, even then anatomy makes it all 'sit right'. For me there were a few pieces of anatomy that even though I got the gesture down right, the anatomy just was off and it made the picture look a bit strange. When I went to GDC I got my flatbook critiqued. One art director suggested as what Todd McFarland did, was to draw a single body part for a month and a variance. I think also looking at Glenn Vilppu's work, you have to really STUDY the model and not draw it. So, I had to re-learn those techniques myself, and my drawing has gotten a lot better. Of course, I haven't reached all body parts yet! :)

I'm just suggesting you do those. The illustrations had a nice varied amount of material, I just think that the fluidity can be present more. Although my favorite was 'Tulips and Wierdoes'. You've got your architechtural stuff down though.

There's a button over in the left corner that says download that should get you to the zip.

Right the Crash Moderns stuff needs to get merged. I guess since they were the first people to pay me for stuff I got carried away.

[Storyboard Dave]

Design seems to be the thing for me and an eventual plan to have my own studio. I figured a master's degree would better prepare me and give me better connections.

I'm never against having more education but I hope you do know that we're in a skill based profession. Having an extra diploma doesn't mean more income. In all of my years of being self employed, I've never been asked if I have a degree at all. People want to know if you can do the work for them and that's always the bottom line.

The portfolio was pretty much all of my picks and about 1/4th of the illustrations are from class. No idea for both of those. Crafts companies seem to love me so I make a lot of stickers and things but it's not really where I want to be.

If it's not generating the sort of responses you want, it might be time to re-structure it and show off the kind of work you'd want to get. Why offer something you're not necessarily 110% behind?

I'm confused by the logo part. Take out the stuff from my portfolio with the logo on it? I tried to set it up like my own little company. I guess that didn't exactly work. The website was to show off my work and get a way for people to contact me for more work. I'm gonna take it the news part needs to disappear?

Don't use yourself as a client in the gallery section. If you're a competent designer (and you want to give off that image) it's going to be assumed you designed your own logo already so don't repeat it again. I'd much rather see additional logos for other people and other applications.

I don't have a problem with the News section of your website, but does it need to be the first thing I get splashed with?

I take it from this my website needs serious retooling and I need to get rid of a bunch of material and rebuild it about me?

If it's to promote what you want to do, then show off what you want to do. Don't show off strawberry if what you really have is vanilla. It's your website- your portal to the world. Think of it as literally having a storefront of what you want to sell. Only show off your best stuff and what you're willing to make a living at.

Wow that was rough that'd be the first critique I've ever gotten on this.

I don't mean to be harsh about it. I want you to succeed and want your website to be about what it is you want to do. You're stepping into a tough competitive field and you should be prepared and look professional. I appreciate your openess to criticism and I'd ask the same questions of all of my graduating seniors as well.

[Neondevil]

I'm never against having more education but I hope you do know that we're in a skill based profession. Having an extra diploma doesn't mean more income. In all of my years of being self employed, I've never been asked if I have a degree at all. People want to know if you can do the work for them and that's always the bottom line.

My final senior critique can be summed up in one sentence "That's good and it's red, very red." I need that extra training.



If it's not generating the sort of responses you want, it might be time to re-structure it and show off the kind of work you'd want to get. Why offer something you're not necessarily 110% behind?

Don't use yourself as a client in the gallery section. If you're a competent designer (and you want to give off that image) it's going to be assumed you designed your own logo already so don't repeat it again. I'd much rather see additional logos for other people and other applications.

I don't have a problem with the News section of your website, but does it need to be the first thing I get splashed with?

Ok I'll get rid of the repeats and merge the rest. Maybe throw the business card, the dvd and the logo all in one image or get rid of those entirely? I know the logo book has to go too. Optimally how many should I shoot for in the gallery?


If it's to promote what you want to do, then show off what you want to do. Don't show off strawberry if what you really have is vanilla. It's your website- your portal to the world. Think of it as literally having a storefront of what you want to sell. Only show off your best stuff and what you're willing to make a living at.

I don't mean to be harsh about it. I want you to succeed and want your website to be about what it is you want to do. You're stepping into a tough competitive field and you should be prepared and look professional. I appreciate your openess to criticism and I'd ask the same questions of all of my graduating seniors as well.

Well looks like I have a lot of work to do. Now that I thought about it I'm not happy with the site at all. I always pictured something more animated and more cartoon-y because that's the kind of stuff I really like doing.

[Storyboard Dave]

My final senior critique can be summed up in one sentence "That's good and it's red, very red." I need that extra training.

AGH! Some help that was. But the flipside of the coin also puts a bit of the responsibility on your shoulders as well. What did you ask and demand of them? That's in the past though. You moving forward is where we need to focus now; if you think it's in grad school then so be it... but don't just settle for blanket statements like that. Demand more of your education at every level.

Ok I'll get rid of the repeats and merge the rest. Maybe throw the business card, the dvd and the logo all in one image or get rid of those entirely? I know the logo book has to go too. Optimally how many should I shoot for in the gallery?

My personal tact on how many a gallery section should have is no more than 10-15 piece. Again, that's my personal preference and that's based upon the fact that you should be able to tell your story in those many examples. Any more and I'm liable to question whether you're trying to impress me with quantity over quality. Show you top stuff, speak your piece and have some extra stuff for follow-up meetings if need be.

Well looks like I have a lot of work to do. Now that I thought about it I'm not happy with the site at all. I always pictured something more animated and more cartoon-y because that's the kind of stuff I really like doing.

Again, your website should speak about you and where you need it to go. Look at it from a third person's POV and see what kind of image you want to portray. If you want to do more fun stuff, then make it fun. If you want to do more corporate stuff, then do so. It's your storefront.

Hang the construction sign out if you need to as you re-vamp. No need to give it all away just yet. Don't even think about re-opening the "store" until you're ready to show off your new wares just yet. Remember what they say about first impressions! At first I thought your website looked as corporate as a financial institutions. Consider your target audience, gear it towards them with your voice and best of luck to you with it.

[Neondevil]

AGH! Some help that was. But the flipside of the coin also puts a bit of the responsibility on your shoulders as well. What did you ask and demand of them? That's in the past though. You moving forward is where we need to focus now; if you think it's in grad school then so be it... but don't just settle for blanket statements like that. Demand more of your education at every level.


I really didn't know at the time. I figured that was normal.



My last question would be if I were add to my illustration gallery would it be better to focus on just one medium or say do one in digital painting, one oils etc.? I did remember you saying more movement and less stilted so maybe some weird perspectives and some action shots?


Thanks again for all this help.

[Storyboard Dave]

My last question would be if I were add to my illustration gallery would it be better to focus on just one medium or say do one in digital painting, one oils etc.? I did remember you saying more movement and less stilted so maybe some weird perspectives and some action shots?

Thanks again for all this help.

If you want to show more than one medium, that's fine. Obviously it's your website and you really can't target one specific target as easily as you would if you were doing a mailer or sending out specific samples. It should simply put, be able to tell "your story". Give a general sample of what it is you want to do; let it be your best work. At no point should you post stuff up there you're not comfortable of doing because there's going to be some client that's going to want that style and you'll end up regretting it.

Good luck as well!

[Akateros]

My two cents (for what it's worth, I get paid for graphic design and advertising) is that you don't seem to have developed a style yet. I think that's more significant than the medium.

When I get together with my team to choose an artist, we'll pick one not based on the fact that s/he can do one of anything! Rather, we'll say, "oh, it has to be Sue T if possible, her style is perfect for this project." This, obviously, doesn't mean that everything she does looks the same -- but there's some unifying spirit in her work, which I'm not seeing in yours. Some porno cartoons, some pseudo Art Nouveau, some collage -- I don't get a sense of what you truly love, or what you say as an artist, or what your work might say if we were a client of yours.

I'm not saying you shouldn't experiment in styles and media - heck no! But before you start promoting your experiments, take some time to make them yours, and figure out what it is overall that makes your work say "you".

Here's a couple of posts by a blogger which I think say what I'm trying to say somewhat better (and more amusingly)
Maggie on Style Part I (http://greywarenart.blogspot.com/2008/02/maggie-on-style-part-1.html)
Maggie on Style Part II (http://greywarenart.blogspot.com/2008/02/maggie-on-style-part-ii.html)