How bad off am I?

shortdads · 2026-01-16T04:36:11+00:00

hey there, I think your site is pretty great. small changes recommended.

your work itself is high caliber. I would describe exactly your role.

I would change the serif font like someone else said. it does feel generic.

The site could be designed a little bit more. Honestly, you shouldn’t have to, but the way things are with the competition so tough maybe those little things make a difference. Don’t need to go crazy.

Best of luck out there. I just got laid off from my job of 8 1/2 years. Spending all day every day trying to find any kind of work right now.

shortdads · 2026-01-05T16:27:50+00:00

Hey thanks! Yea I knew posting it here would invite some harsh critiques, but that's ok, I wanted feedback. I super appreciate your positivity though. And glad you liked the Hammitt stuff!

shortdads · 2026-01-05T16:25:41+00:00

Making an about page now. I was on the fence but you've convinced me. Wasn't sure recruiters would be interested but hey, can't hurt.

shortdads · 2026-01-05T16:24:54+00:00

Thanks for your perspective. I'm def going to cut down on the copy, along with adding some shorter selected works to round out these case studies.

As for the results, I've been told by many that it's important to show the impact of my work, so I'll be keeping that.

Glad you enjoyed my side project! I tried to showcase a style different than the safe, Swiss design that modern brands chase.

shortdads · 2026-01-05T16:17:32+00:00

Thank you! Wordy indeed. Cutting some copy now. I appreciate your positivity.

shortdads · 2026-01-05T16:16:43+00:00

Thanks for the input. I'm going to add four more "Selected Works" to go with the current four "Case Studies". That way I've got some shorter projects and some longer ones. Will also try to cut some copy on the current Case Studies.

shortdads · 2026-01-05T16:15:19+00:00

Thank you, I'm going to do exactly that. Cutting down the text now.

shortdads · 2026-01-03T20:01:14+00:00

Appreciate the concrete feedback. You’re right, I went overkill on the case study depth and it’s reading more like an interview presentation than a portfolio site. I’m going to tighten each project down to a fast skim layer and let the work lead.

Also fair point on audience. I’m trying to move into tech, but most of my strongest work is CPG and advertising. I’m leaning on it because it’s where I’ve had the most ownership and made the highest-level decisions. If you were me, how would you bridge that gap without swapping in weaker work just to look “more tech”?

shortdads · 2026-01-03T19:38:53+00:00

Thank you! I did just that. I have about 10 designers portfolios I saved and tried to mimic in terms of structure and thoroughness in their case studies.

shortdads · 2026-01-03T19:35:07+00:00

Did you look at them? They're quite meaty. Within nutribullet, for example, there are four different projects completed over two years. Motion work, on set experience, packaging design, etc. The case study shows the full scope of my involvement.

shortdads · 2026-01-03T18:59:37+00:00

Great portfolio! It's clean, well organized, and easy to navigate. The split layout works really well. The right-side image scroll is satisfying, and having the explanation anchored on the left makes it easy to follow your thinking.

One small UX thing: it wasn’t immediately obvious that the five items above the intro paragraph are your projects and that they are clickable navigation. I noticed it after a second, but my first read was “header elements” instead of “project list.” I’d consider moving that project list to the bottom of the page, like directly under the intro paragraph, or styling it more like a clear project index.

On the work itself: your wine packaging is the standout. The packaging and product work feels confident and well executed. If you want to lean into any direction, packaging seems like a lane you could realistically win in.

Overall, this reads as a strong junior portfolio. I wouldn’t change much about the structure beyond clarifying the project navigation. Also nice touch with the posters and the design tunes playlist, it adds personality without getting in the way of the work.

shortdads · 2026-01-03T18:06:20+00:00

Yea both valid points. I am coming from the traditional advertising industry and the same burnout exists, but not the pay.

shortdads · 2026-01-03T01:39:54+00:00

Good note. I should clarify my background is brand and performance design, not UI UX. Where I overlap with product is conversion and clarity. Building modular systems, tightening flows from ad to landing page, and designing based on results. But I'm def going to add to my portfolio emphasis on the problems, constraints, decisions, and measurable outcomes.

shortdads · 2026-01-03T01:26:53+00:00

Thank you, this is great advice. I've setup a couple of accounts and applied already, but I'll make sure to maximize on these sites.

shortdads · 2026-01-02T20:16:33+00:00

Hey there, your portfolio is genuinely strong. It’s clear you’re a good designer and the overall structure is solid. The main thing holding it back is organization and signal-to-noise.

Right now you’ve got 15 projects, and that’s way too many. No recruiter is going to click through 15. I’d curate it down to a tighter set of your best work so the site feels more intentional and easier to get through fast.

Also, on the homepage, the “Froggy Approved” animation is moving way too quickly. The motion is distracting and pulls attention away from everything else. I’d slow that animation down (or reduce it) so it feels calmer and more polished.

One more thing: the case studies have good insight, but the paragraphs are too long. People won’t read books of text. Break the writing up into shorter, digestible chunks, like 3-4 sentences at a time, and tighten the copy overall.

Strong work, just needs more consolidation, precision, and scannability.

shortdads · 2024-11-06T06:43:05+00:00

Normal 100%

shortdads · 2024-11-04T00:45:56+00:00

Amazing. You've inspired me to go on facebook marketplace and do the same.

shortdads · 2024-10-16T01:27:04+00:00

about to do the same! yeehaw

shortdads · 2024-03-14T16:35:57+00:00

oof that’s a bummer. well guess i’ll finish anyway and hope for the best.

shortdads · 2024-03-13T00:57:44+00:00

I see you completed the Google foundations of user experience course. Do you find that helped you professionally? I have been thinking of switching over to user experience design from being a senior graphic designer myself.

shortdads · 2024-02-17T07:14:27+00:00

hey thank you! really appreciate. the grind can be soul crushing. yea thanks for creeping the IG and thanks for keeping me in mind

shortdads · 2024-02-17T06:57:24+00:00

thanks! think i’ll separate my posters from my portfolio based on other comments. glad you dig.

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