Portfolio Critique

G.A

Member
Hello everyone, I am an emerging graphic designer who deals mainly with logo design and brand identity!
I am here as I am structuring my portfolio, and I would like to receive, if possible, feedback on my work.
My main goal is to create added value in what I do, through strategy and my way of interpreting a graphic problem.

This is my Behance:

Thank you in advance!
 
Hi Gabriele,

Why Behance? People looking for your services will use a variety of methods and will expect to land on a website that has all the necessary content (case studies, trustmarks, calls to action etc).

Your work looks good but it's unlikely to be seen by your target client.
 
Behance is massive. I won't pretend to understand it, like YouTube "stars" or Twitch, I don't get it, much like Tik Tok and Snapchat... I am so far removed from those worlds.

I clicked on Adobe tutorial written by two people.and one was linked to this kids Instagram page. I don't get it.

But seems to work in this age.
 
Hi Gabriele,

Why Behance? People looking for your services will use a variety of methods and will expect to land on a website that has all the necessary content (case studies, trustmarks, calls to action etc).

Your work looks good but it's unlikely to be seen by your target client.
Just because it is very recurring as a site, especially for the exposure of projects, and considering the complexity of my works, I found that under this point of view went to play the function of representation.
If I were to develop a website, what would you recommend?
Would the current projects I have been enough to represent case studies and give a reliable sense of quality?

Basically, the problem I have now is just this: calling into action.
 
Indeed. People using behance are designers and artists not potential clients. I doubt they even know it exists (I didn’t until I joined this forum).

With some low cost hosting you can get Wordpress for free and install one of many portfolio themes. You can then tell the story of each project using words and pictures. This is important as Google can’t read images. You need to write the words to support and describe the images.

Adding your contact details to each page will give you the call to action.
 
ACBC looks confusing - it looks like NC3C.

Some of the mockups are awful - don't look real at all.
Hyphenations in the text look terrible - didn't read it all but caught my eye.

Roma - again hyphenations in text look awful
Why did you do a bad copy of a famous statute?

Adds doubt to your credibility.

Do you think people are going to seriously read your indications?

Do you know that Roma FC has the same image of the wolf?

Your whole recreation of La Giovane Roma completely ignores everything of the history.
How is the letter 'O' a reference to Romulus and Ramos????

You identified issues with scalability but did nothing to fix this issue.
It's a bit like people trying to find a solution to a new egg carton.
Why?
Egg cartons work fine, trying to find a solution to a problem that doesn't exist.

The whole Roma thing is nonsense - why hex colours? Where's the pantone references for print? Especially large format - where it will likely be ProPhoto RGB and not limited sRGB colours.

I can't wrap my head around what this is
1614505315453.png

Awful kerning
1614505339804.png



The O over the O means nothing -without your vague reasoning in the hand drawn sketch I wouldn't know why these are focal points.
No sense to this.


What's in the letter 'o' here - that was never used before. Confusing - why did you do that?
1614505446800.png



Talotta

About it???? Why those words?

Hyphens in the text - not needed.
Bold wording is not visual enough.

Logo grid - an afterthought to the design.
Nonsense.

A rose for a hairstylist? Why?
Florist makes sense.

Words in a circle - hard to read.
Scaled inconsisently.

That font is going to cause you major headaches in production at small sizes. I mean like business cards - badges etc.
The font won't work.


Parsons
Logo is good.
Text is awful.

Your English is terrible. Consider a copywriter.

Another logo grid - an afterthought again.
Drop it.

Times - really???
Colours - again - no Pantone references - all sRGB and not workable.
Your black is 4 colour - no printer wants to deal with that.

That font has issues in reverse at small sizes. Reconsider.

Too many mockups and some look terrible.
The 3D sign on the glass looks awful.
The logo is too large on the t-shirt.





On first glance the work looks good.
But I barely scratched the surface and only glanced over.

Truly - if this came to me I'd have dismissed it rather quickly into a 'maybe' pile.

Usually - I get hundreds of applicants.
90% are not considered.
9% are put into a maybe pile.
1% are first callers.

You need to work your way into the 1%.


Is it good work - yes in parts. But I am finding imperfections that are easy fixes.

That Roma thing - it's not good. It borders on good and nonsense.
It needs to be beefed out a lot more.

The reasoning for the 'o' is catastrophic. That alone might make me put you in the 90% and not the 9%.

It needs work to get to that 1%.

And that 1% puts you in a call list of about 10 people.

You then need to be the 1 from that group.
 
Hank. Thank you. I was going to get into this, but as I have to get some work done today, I didn’t have the time, or wherewithal. I was deliberating about doing so later, once I have finished, but you have pretty much everything I’d have said. Now I only have to consider whether I get straight into work, or take the dog for a walk first, as the weather is absolutely stunning today.
 
Hank. Thank you. I was going to get into this, but as I have to get some work done today, I didn’t have the time, or wherewithal. I was deliberating about doing so later, once I have finished, but you have pretty much everything I’d have said. Now I only have to consider whether I get straight into work, or take the dog for a walk first, as the weather is absolutely stunning today.

And I'm being over-critical - looking at it as if it came across my email and considering people.
I have to be over-critical - that's the way it works.

In no way is any of the criticism about any of the work designed to be hurtful. But it's real critique.

Years ago - I got a wonderful portfolio - it was gorgeous.
I loved it. I hired them. Without hesitation.
I fired them within an hour.
 
Over-critical is not a bad thing, to my mind. What good does feint praise do? It might not be the easiest thing to stomach for the recipient, but it’ll do them far more good, than, ‘That’s cool’. A fluffed-up ego won’t get you a job.

I’m intrigued; why were they sacked within the hour?

[A walk won out. Too nice not to. Back in a bit…]
 
I am intrigued as to why you consider the four examples you have shown are so complex? Or, is that due to the vagaries of google translate?
Complexity in the sense that I always try to make a more dynamic presentation, in which I don't just show the logo, but I try to integrate a greater composition of elements and make the project more "usable".
Whether this is effective or not is another matter, otherwise, I wouldn't even be here if there wasn't a doubt in my mind.
 
They couldn't use the software they said they could use. Basics. I was asked 'how do I add text in Indesign?"
 
Complexity in the sense that I always try to make a more dynamic presentation, in which I don't just show the logo, but I try to integrate a greater composition of elements and make the project more "usable".
Whether this is effective or not is another matter, otherwise, I wouldn't even be here if there wasn't a doubt in my mind.
You know what I look for on a portfolio of a logo adapted to different substrates.
If they made any changes to the logo - adjusted a stroke - or thickened a font, or did anything.
Slapping the logo on different substrates, anyone can do that.

I have to be saying 'WOW' not 'WHY?"

You have made bold decisions - but lacks depth and rationale.
And there are some glaring misconceptions that stick out a mile.


I see these things every day - that's why it's easy for me to point out between 1 and 10 or 100 problems.
But this is similar in so many ways.

I don't know why I am taking this much time - maybe because I really like it but I am frustrated by how lax it is and how great it can be.

You have potential - that inspires me to say these things.

25 years in this business and I see people come and go. I see wasted talent go unpolished all the time.

I hope you take the time to reach your potential.

You can do it.
 
Now I am annoyed.

I've overlayed your Parsons logo on a stock image I found - it's extremely similar.

This alone would make me not hire you.

1614511036446.png
 
ACBC looks confusing - it looks like NC3C.

Some of the mockups are awful - don't look real at all.
Hyphenations in the text look terrible - didn't read it all but caught my eye.

Roma - again hyphenations in text look awful
Why did you do a bad copy of a famous statute?

Adds doubt to your credibility.

Do you think people are going to seriously read your indications?

Do you know that Roma FC has the same image of the wolf?

Your whole recreation of La Giovane Roma completely ignores everything of the history.
How is the letter 'O' a reference to Romulus and Ramos????

You identified issues with scalability but did nothing to fix this issue.
It's a bit like people trying to find a solution to a new egg carton.
Why?
Egg cartons work fine, trying to find a solution to a problem that doesn't exist.

The whole Roma thing is nonsense - why hex colours? Where's the pantone references for print? Especially large format - where it will likely be ProPhoto RGB and not limited sRGB colours.

I can't wrap my head around what this is
View attachment 7899

Awful kerning
View attachment 7900



The O over the O means nothing -without your vague reasoning in the hand drawn sketch I wouldn't know why these are focal points.
No sense to this.


What's in the letter 'o' here - that was never used before. Confusing - why did you do that?
View attachment 7901



Talotta

About it???? Why those words?

Hyphens in the text - not needed.
Bold wording is not visual enough.

Logo grid - an afterthought to the design.
Nonsense.

A rose for a hairstylist? Why?
Florist makes sense.

Words in a circle - hard to read.
Scaled inconsisently.

That font is going to cause you major headaches in production at small sizes. I mean like business cards - badges etc.
The font won't work.


Parsons
Logo is good.
Text is awful.

Your English is terrible. Consider a copywriter.

Another logo grid - an afterthought again.
Drop it.

Times - really???
Colours - again - no Pantone references - all sRGB and not workable.
Your black is 4 colour - no printer wants to deal with that.

That font has issues in reverse at small sizes. Reconsider.

Too many mockups and some look terrible.
The 3D sign on the glass looks awful.
The logo is too large on the t-shirt.





On first glance the work looks good.
But I barely scratched the surface and only glanced over.

Truly - if this came to me I'd have dismissed it rather quickly into a 'maybe' pile.

Usually - I get hundreds of applicants.
90% are not considered.
9% are put into a maybe pile.
1% are first callers.

You need to work your way into the 1%.


Is it good work - yes in parts. But I am finding imperfections that are easy fixes.

That Roma thing - it's not good. It borders on good and nonsense.
It needs to be beefed out a lot more.

The reasoning for the 'o' is catastrophic. That alone might make me put you in the 90% and not the 9%.

It needs work to get to that 1%.

And that 1% puts you in a call list of about 10 people.

You then need to be the 1 from that group.
Hank, first of all, thank you for taking the time to give this harsh but constructive critique.
I've been studying graphic design as a self-taught designer for two years now, and I realize that I could have integrated much more into these projects, especially in terms of technical quality.
But indeed I still have much to improve.
As for the written part, I try to create a logical thread that can lead to the understanding of the result. Obviously, I have failed in this as well.

La Giovane Roma
The project of Giovane Roma sticks to a political party that represents, as shown in the project, the Capitoline Wolf. I have spoken directly with them.

Although as you say Roma FC has the same representation, those of Young Rome said that they always wanted to keep this figure because, in the polity, no one had ever used it before.

So initially I tried to stick to that, but seeing and considering that there was this association, I wanted to experiment with others. In this, I took "an opportunity" in this wordmark, wherewith the intersection of these "O" was going to represent an abstract child.

Talotta
This was a project developed for my hairdresser, where his logo was already characterized by the rose.

Talking to him about this, he told me to keep it, as it represented him.


For the rest, I can only agree with the rest of what you have said.

What would you advise me to improve this, especially for the technical part?
How can I test the efficiency of a brand, always on a technical level?
Do you think I have the potential to move forward?
 
I'd say you have some talent.
Don't copy or use stock photos though - I'm 99% sure you have - as per my post above.
 
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Complexity in the sense that I always try to make a more dynamic presentation, in which I don't just show the logo, but I try to integrate a greater composition of elements and make the project more "usable".
Whether this is effective or not is another matter, otherwise, I wouldn't even be here if there wasn't a doubt in my mind.
Nobody cares. A potential client will scan the logos and decide from there if it’s worth picking up the phone. A few might look at the case study but they will want to scan the page not try a digest a bunch of images with different layouts and styles.

Keep it simple:

Description > image > more words > images > call to action > related projects.
 
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