Thanks for the positive feedback so far everyone! This went down ALOT better than the last time I posted work here.
I’ll try to address everyones points/comments/feedback below:
Thanks! This was a project I was a little unsure about when it got handed to me but turned out to be a lot of fun once I got my teeth stuck in to it. I did really want to push a kid friendly aspect and tried to achieve this with the overall form language. However, as the inventor imagined this for BBQs/picnics I had to try and incorporate a more adult element in. This ended up being a project where I had to reduce the overall components, whilst creating a family of products all tying in together.
I’m actually, going forward, very conscience of this when currently thinking of different projects I could be working on. I did try, even though subtly, to achieve this in my current portfolio although know there are certain skill areas that do need to be showcased more. I’m just curious though, wouldn’t focussing on a particular skill in one project and another skill in a different one be showing you are a jack of all trades than it would to have a consistent master skill throughout? None the less I get your point though and will be focussing on achieving this going forward!
Thanks Bengt! I’m very aware that at the moment my portfolio is very Quirky-centric, the catch 22 though is that those projects showcase some of my best work to date. The learning experience I had there helped me grow exponentially but unfortunately that means everything before it is just so sub-par in comparison and not something I want a potential employer to see. I’m working on new things but I’d rather start to put feelers out than sat at my desk doing “just one more project”.
This one was tricky and to be honest I’m not sure how to present it in the best light. As the project process was more CAD based, this is where most of the development happened with figuring our scale, form, mechanisms etc. A senior designer suggested displaying them as actual models but maybe I took it too literally? I’m 100% open to suggestions on how better to showcase this part of the project if anyone has any ideas?
So unfortunately today I found out that I am out of the running for what is my dream job currently. The company is fantastic and the facilities incredible (I realised I thrive somewhere with a workshop), unfortunately I don’t have some of the skills they were looking for.
I had a great rapport with my interviewer, the design lead - he loved my projects, thought process, the way I presented myself and was interested in me. He did say that my sketching was a bit of cause for concern, although admitted it was him just being hyper-critical.
This sketching black cloud is something that keeps following me and although I try and improve, it will just never be my ‘selling point’. I believe I have plenty of other skills under my belt that make me a good designer and at the end of the day sketching is just a tool for communicating an idea. I just wanted to put it to those of us that aren’t in the ‘elite’ sketching crowd, how do you get around this?