As one of its main attractions, Art For All offers its participants a chance to have their portfolios reviewed by industry professionals with years of experience under their belt. It’s a chance like no other to get valuable feedback and tips on how to further develop your skills and enter the creative industry's big leagues in style! And today, we’ll walk you through the details of the review process so you can better prepare yourself, making the process as straightforward and hassle-free for all parties involved as possible, but most importantly — as fruitful as possible for you!
What disciplines will be covered by portfolio reviews?
Art For All portfolio reviews will cover several creative industry disciplines ranging from art to game design. The areas our experts will cover are:
- 2D illustration
- 2D concept art
- hard-surface 3D art
- 3D character art
- 3D environment art
- animation
- sound design
- game design
Who’s going to be reviewing the portfolios?
Veterans in their respective fields from all around the industry, including (but not limited to!) members of CD PROJEKT RED such as Associate Director of the next Cyberpunk game Paweł Sasko, Environment Art Director Kacper Niepokólczycki, Lead Concept Artist Yamandu Orce, Expert Concept Artist Michał Lisowski and Art Director Paweł Mielniczuk.
How do I sign up for a portfolio review?
Simply come to the event on September 7th and head to the reception desk with a valid Art For All ticket (available for purchase HERE). Once you’ve accredited yourself, head to the portfolio review area located behind the reception desk and sign up for a review there — a person from CD PROJEKT RED with a TEAM t-shirt will be taking care of sign ups. They will ask you what area you want your portfolio review to cover and which reviewer you’d like to sign up for.
What time do signups open?
Signups open at 10:45 and the number of spots is limited! In other words — it’s better to get a good night’s rest and start the next day early if you want to snag your preferred slot.
What time do the portfolio reviews start and how long is each session?
We’ll be kicking off portfolio reviews at 11:20. Each session will last a total of 20 minutes — that’s both a lot and never enough time, so don’t be late for your appointment and stay focused throughout!
What does a portfolio review session look like?
At its core, a portfolio review is an informal 1-on-1 chat between you and the expert of your choice, granted they are available and you’ve signed up for a review with them beforehand. There’s nothing to be afraid of or be stressed about; the reviewers are all cool people who want to help you grow, so make sure to listen to what they have to say and don’t take their feedback personally. Even if it might sometimes sound harsh, it’s coming from the best place possible — the heart. So don’t fight it. Instead, embrace it and use it to push your skills to the next level!
How do I behave during a portfolio review?
Be patient, kind, and respect the reviewer’s time, as well as the time of other participants getting a portfolio review. We’ve also recently posted an article on the Promised Land Art Festival (of which Art For All is an accompanying event) about portfolio review etiquette. Most of it also applies to Art For All portfolio reviews, so if you’d like to know more, you can check it out right HERE.
What format should the portfolio be in to be reviewed?
You can bring your physical portfolio with you if you have one. We’ll also have laptops equipped with wi-fi, so we’ll be able to handle digital portfolios, too, both online (available in the cloud or on a website) and offline (eg. on a pen drive or external hard drive). You can also bring your laptop or tablet with the portfolio on it. Each of these works for us!
Is it possible to sign up for more than one portfolio review?
Due to time constraints and a limited number of reviewers, the rule of thumb for portfolio reviews is that one Art For All participant can sign up for one portfolio review only. Meaning choose wisely and opt for the area/reviewer that is of most interest to you. Should a slot open itself up later during the day and you’d still like to get a second portfolio review (or some extra time to talk to the reviewer you’ve talked to previously), you might get your shot, but no promises!
Where do I get an Art For All ticket and how much does it cost?
Art For All tickets are available for purchase online via this dedicated website and are priced at 35 PLN. In addition to the portfolio reviews, the ticket also grants you access to every Art For All attraction taking place throughout September 7th. These include a variety of interesting talks, discussion panels, and demo sessions from industry professionals, as well as presentations by AFA partners and additional attractions offered by the Centre of Comics and Interactive Narratives located in EC1 Łódź. Additional information about all these and more, including the event’s agenda, is available on the Art For All official website.
There you have it — portfolio reviews at Art For All in a nutshell. We hope you’ll find this article useful and that Art For All will be the break you’re looking for to get to where you want and need to be. See you in Łódź on September 7th!
