Mathis Widrat - Environment Artist

[Fuzyhead]

you should have no trouble finding a job with that folio

Thanks for the kind words, I hoped so as well. I started applying 2 months ago at far more than 20 studios, but unfortunately I only received a hand full of answers and no positive ones by now.

So if anyone finds some kind of "No-Go" on my website, please don't hesitate to tell me.

[Warby]

Everyone favors people with experience ... "shipped game experience" specifically. 

 

I hope that is not the issue because that is not an easily fixable :/

[SuperDuperYeah]

Hey there ! 

 

Super amazing assets there. Impressive modeling skills. I do have a few suggestions for you. When I enter a portfolio page I always look at the person's title and here I'm seeing Environment Art..ist AND Level Design...er which are two different things with two completely different skill sets (though they do sometimes touch some common grounds). Later, in your "About Me" section, you talk about being a "fresh graduate game design student" but you did a Bachelor of Arts? Game Design is yet another thing that requires a particular skill set. In that regard I think your portfolio page could be a little more focused. I would personally think of stripping out level design from your title since the focus of your portfolio isn't on showcasing gameplay moments you've created but rather content like assets and environments. I would also rewrite the about me section by taking out "game design student" and by saying that you have a bachelor in arts so we know that you are the freaking boss at what you're doing haha. Did you ever thought about why you wanted to join the game industry? That would be a cool thing to add in your about me section. I know people take like 5 seconds to look over portfolios, but if someone actually reads your about me section maybe they're going to be like... "hey... the reasons he gave for wanting to work in the game industry is pretty damn cool". A few things about your images. Your contact info on them is tiny. If the image ends somewhere else than your portfolio page you want other people to notice who made that thing. So I would make your contact info a bit bigger. I would also include some wireframes of your stuff, just so we know how tight and optimized your models can be (while still looking gorgeous because they are). It just shows how you think about making your art. Another thing is I think it would be cool if all the stuff you showed was textured. It just looks more finished and polished. As you define yourself as an "environment artist" I'd like to see more than guns and vehicles maybe put your guns and vehicles in a completely finished environment that you modeled as well just so we don't have a feeling that you're a "Prop Artist" rather than an "Environment Artist". Another thing that I find quite cool is when an artist is like... "hey... I liked that environment in that game. I should do some kind of homage to it and remodel the entire thing but... better *challenge accepted vibe*". Just an idea I'm throwing out there. 

 

Geez everytime I give feedback on there I post huge block of texts. Hope I didn't scare you haha. I truly truly hope you find yourself a job . 

[Fuzyhead]

Thanks for the feedback. And yeah . it's indeed a blocktext but it didn't scraed me (that much)

seeing Environment Art..ist AND Level Design...er which are two different things with two completely different skill sets

Yes the header is still from the "older" version of my portfolio when there were more levels presented, I should get rid of it.

 

being a "fresh graduate game design student" but you did a Bachelor of Arts?

That's the dilemma of the degree, it's called "game design" but you can choose from any role in the industry. From coding to concept art. I might simply should delete the "game design" in this particular sentence, shouldn't I ?

 

So I would make your contact info a bit bigger. I would also include some wireframes of your stuff,

Larger contact information always annoyed me on cool pictures, that's why I made them a bit smaller. And yes, I really should add a few more wireframe screenshots...

 

I'd like to see more than guns and vehicles [...] feeling that you're a "Prop Artist" rather than an "Environment Artist"

That's something asking myself as well... I noticed that making single detailed assets was more fun to me, rather then creating numerous smaller assets for an environment.

[Skjalg]

You only have one level up there as far as I can see, and theres nothing in there that really shows how good you are as a level designer. Scene composition, lighting and props might just all look good but that is not what level design is all about. When putting up a level on your portfolio you need to describe the design process and philosophy. With multiplayer levels you have to describe choke points, objectives and your thought process around balancing. For single player you need to show some scripting or atleast how you created the "story" in that level.

 

At least, if I was looking for a level designer, that is what I would look for in a portfolio.

[BJA]

 

So if anyone finds some kind of "No-Go" on my website, please don't hesitate to tell me.

I think the website itself is fine as it is right now. As mentioned you might want to change the header from "level design" to "3d artist", your contact info is also easy to find, so no need to change anything there imo.

You might want to finish the assets from the 2014 section though before applying? the halo door is finished, but there are still a lot of baking/shading errors in the final asset, same goes for the M2 Browning weapon or the Foxhound. High/lowpoly modeling looks good though. Just finish what you started, that's really important.

I really like the Chase environment, but I think you should make it clearer what exactly you did there. "My job was to make a the entire level." sounds a bit vague, especially since this was a team project with 8 other guys. Did you do all the set dressing, lighting, assets, modeling, texturing?

Same goes for the Badland level, it's really hard to tell what you did there. 

[Fuzyhead]

At least, if I was looking for a level designer, that is what I would look for in a portfolio.

Hm indeed, I should change that soon.

 

"My job was to make a the entire level." sounds a bit vague, especially since this was a team project with 8 other guys. [...] Same goes for the Badland level, it's really hard to tell what you did there. 

 

I thought I wrote some more detailed description, thanks for the hint.

Now I got a few things to fix, thanks for all those feedback. I'll try to change the things you mentioned as soon as possible

 

[Sjonsson]

I just want to point out that you label yourself as an Environment Artist yet the first three assets on top of the page is two vehicles and a gun, this gives me a lot more Hard surface 3D artist vibes. I'm not saying you should change order, just that you should be aware and reconsider it. I did notice the date on the assets, but on the second look.

Also, I like the BTR 90! =)

[Fuzyhead]

Edited my portfolio once again: www.MathisWidrat.com

Reworked the header, added new category, switched Foxhound render screens from UDK to CryEngine, changed order on main page and other minor fixes.

Hopefully I fixed most of the problems you guys mentioned. Thanks for the great feedback so far

Edited April 14, 2014 by Fuzyhead

[SuperDuperYeah]

So much better ! Just make sure that Foxhound is textured and you got yourself a pretty good folio. Good job

[irridium77]

nice

[FMPONE]

Great portfolio as has been mentioned, I would crit the decision to indent older work, it just seems a bit odd and I'm not sure I dig it aesthetically. Minor critique obviously. Good job

[Fuzyhead]

Hey, thanks for the comments, I just saw that someone posted in here so I am sorry for the delayed answer

I would crit the decision to indent older work, it just seems a bit odd and I'm not sure I dig it aesthetically.

Yeah Indeed, I think I am going to kick the Foxhound and other unfinished stuff (and probably the Chase section as well) out as soon as I finished creating new content.

Thanks again for the feedback.

[General Vivi]

People get onto me sometimes about wanting to keep old content. To be honest though, I love seeing what people worked on and how far they've come in their careers. It also shows character and experience learned. If anything, please add an "Older works" section where you can post some of your older levels. 

 

Atm, my portfolio is sorta messy with older stuff towards the bottom but I think I'm going to put it all behind a "personal works" button. 

[Fuzyhead]

Yeah I like to see old stuff from artists as well, but since most people tell me to get rid of my old stuff I just do it, even though I would like to keep some.

Anyweay, got some new content on my website (currently looking for a new (freelance) job as well):