Cix's Graphic Design Portfolio

[CixWicked]

Alright guys, as some of you may know, I'm currently seeking my Degree in Graphic Design Technology.

I've been working on a portfolio for the last couple days, scouring my hard drive to find some of the design work I did. Here's some of my better work. Forgive me, it's not -great- work, but I figure a trial by fire is a good way to hone some of my presentational, and aesthetic skills so here goes. Tell me what you think, and be honest. :D

Would you hire me?

Ride the Lightning... just an idea that came to me... Spider on a web of lightning. I think I need to express the idea a little more clearly.

Song lyrics, and a bad band pic made into something of a poster.

An idea for a company poster (TrybalStorm Productions is a company I want to start once I'm done with school).

[CixWicked]

More Stuff:

Another Poster I worked on. First version of Relapse

Website background image. (http://www.misconceivedmetal.com)

I'm not sure what this is, but I designed it years ago, before the advent of schooling.

[Homicidalheathen]

Yup I'd hire ya......your good.

[CixWicked]

Still More Stuff:

"Cross the void" The Misconceived Album Cover

For a time this was the main Misconceived Emblem design. It's on our t-shirts (Which are available for $15 if you're interested.

An Idea for a Misconceived Desktop Wallpapper

[CixWicked]

Yup I'd hire ya......your good.

Thank you so much, HH. It really means a lot to me. What do you like best?

[CixWicked]

And yet Still More Stuff:

This was an idea for stickers before I knew anything about printing.

Bumper sticker Idea... again, knowledge of printing methods is -tres- important. This is appearently a very expensive print job.

Another Lyrics Spalsh Poster. That's my guitarist by the way. B.D. Snyder in the house!!!

And Chappo is on one of the lyric splash posters too. This is probably my least favoirte of the 4.

[Gauge]

your editing looks a little harsh, so maybe work on that a little, you might wanna soften your layering up a little and watch out how your cutting. what editing program do you use? do you have anything else, cause most employers like to have a lot of variety.

[Homicidalheathen]

spider over planet with lightening. I love lightening and spider is one of my totems.

I however dont like planet earth much.

The band logo......stuff, the one where your learning about printing and the one after for a bumper sticker

[CixWicked]

your editing looks a little harsh, so maybe work on that a little

Cool will do. I'm looking again at some of it, and I so see what you mean.

you might wanna soften your layering up a little and watch out how your cutting.

::Giddily takes notes::

By softening them up, you mean actually softening the rendering, like via filter? You mean make the image a little less crisp? I have noticed the hard edges around some of the images that I use to composit them. Any down and dirty tricks you can give me to cutting?

what editing program do you use?

PhotoshopCS2 It's all I have access to, though I guess I could break out an old copy of paintship pro.

Do you have anything else, cause most employers like to have a lot of variety.

Any suggestions to the types of works I should put into a portfolio?

I'm thinking I should maybe put a couple Photo Restorations in there, some composite work, some advetisment, and flyer work. Some Comps for web pages and web site design, some other layout stuff.

I also use InDesign so perhaps some layouts and things from that.

Thanks for taking the time out to give me some Feedback, Gague. It is -MOST- appreciated...

I look forward to picking your brain more on the subject (If you don't mind).

CixWicked

[Gauge]

By softening them up, you mean actually softening the rendering, like via filter? You mean make the image a little less crisp? I have noticed the hard edges around some of the images that I use to composit them. Any down and dirty tricks you can give me to cutting?

PhotoshopCS2 It's all I have access to, though I guess I could break out an old copy of paintship pro.

Any suggestions to the types of works I should put into a portfolio?

I'm thinking I should maybe put a couple Photo Restorations in there, some composite work, some advetisment, and flyer work. Some Comps for web pages and web site design, some other layout stuff.

Thanks for taking the time out to give me some Feedback, Gague. It is -MOST- appreciated...

I look forward to picking your brain more on the subject (If you don't mind).

CixWicked

there are 3 ways that you could soften the lines of your designs up depending on what look your going for. the first is to use the circular laso tool, you can use that to make your curves perfect and bold. the second, because sometimes the first is difficult and takes a lot of patience, is to use the blur tool. again this will depend on what look your going for, and it might blur the entire image to much. if all else fails you can use your eraser and change the value to a 30-50% and go around the edges of your design. for the cutting it depends on the background your cutting them from. if your taking an image from a relatively plain background and the design doesnt have that color in it predominently just select the background, delete it, and blur a little. if the bg is relatively the same as what your putting it on, you might be able to leave a little of the background and insert it that way.

next, keep photoshop! its the greatest lol

as far as your portfolio, the best thing i can recomend is go to a friend and ask them to create something for you, might be a flyer, a tattoo, some artwork, whatever. they dont have to need anything but they can give you ideas that most people are going to want. for example i had a friend who was into gaming. for his character he wanted me to make him a design based of the clan symbol, change the colors, and add somee stuff to it, he was very specific as to what he wanted and i gave it to him. in high school my GA teacher told us to take one of the months of the year and turn them into a visual presentation, and thats all he gave us, the rest was up to how we wanted to interpret it. stuff like that is going to be very important to be able to give to an employer because 90% of the time your gonna have a suit giving you 2 very basic things about their company and telling you to make it amazing.

photo restorations would not be a bad thing but you will definately need to work on the softening before i would even attempt it. flyers are good, as are web layouts, advertisment is good to. have your friend make up a company and what its about and then design an advertisment for it. umm brosures are awsome for a portfolio, cd case inserts. . .if you can think of it its probably good, if you can have a friend tell you what they might want in it if it was for them, thats better and it will exercise your creativity.

just sit down and fuck with your layers, and the overlays, and wraps, and all that stuff tho, get to know the program and play!

pick my brain anytime, im a fellow ga and want to make it a primary part of my work.

[CixWicked]

Awesome, G. You so rock.

One more question... What is this 'Friend' thing, you speak of?

Thanks for everything. I'm off to improve myself.

This is like a weird reality show. Cix made over by Gague.

CixWicked

[Sybil]

the 3rd post of this thread, 2nd picture is my favorite..

its crisp and simple and in my opinion it looks classy.

Good job.

I would hire you.

)

[Gauge]

Awesome, G. You so rock.

One more question... What is this 'Friend' thing, you speak of?

Thanks for everything. I'm off to improve myself.

This is like a weird reality show. Cix made over by Gague.

CixWicked

just go to your friends and treat them like you would an employer, have them tell you what they want (with as little or as much detail as they want) and then create it for them. thats gonna be the best way to build your portfolio. just as an example

i come to you and tell you i want to open up a new western resteraunt and for this i need flyers for the opening day. it needs to tell all about how im the only one in the area with a mechanical bull and a giant floor for dancing. also mention about my world famous western dish. then you would go and create a flyer for this made up resteraunt!

starting out with fictional things will build your portfolio and having your friends give you ideas will make your work diverse. then when you get a real job you can start putting that stuff in!

[Scales]

Bumper sticker looks .

[CixWicked]

Bumper sticker looks .

Thanks Scales

Cix

[Guest GodfallenPromos]

Hey Cix, I'm gonna take that image for the bumper sticker and toss it to a couple companies I work with, see what kinda price they say, cuz I know when i did quotes for the shirts after what butch told me you guys paid for the metal fest, one of my quotes came up like 300-400 cheaper.

and to be honest, I'm not to thrilled about the Album cover, simply cuz it's a little busy, specially for a first album.

The website background, or even the image for the shirt, minus the web address, will work very well, and it's easy for the back of the human mind, the "primal parts" to memorize.

oh..and I'll have at least one quote by 6 pm tonight...cuz my guys quote fast.