Who is a 3D Game Artist: Main Responsibilities and Career Prospects

In order for us to see the game in its full glory, it is necessary that someone draws everything that we need to see. This is exactly what game artists do. Depending on the type of game, 2D or 3D, these are respectively 2D or 3D artists. Today our subject of conversation is just specialists who are engaged in 3D art for games.

The visual representation of the game and its correspondence to the idea depends on the game artists. They think through all the details, make sketches and concepts, form them into final designs and gradually shape the visual of the game world. Good specialists can be found at a good 3D artist agency offering game art services. Read more about the work of these specialists below.

What Does a 3D Artist Do?

It is obvious from the title of the position that such experts are engaged in the creation of 3D art or, in other words, models. These can be models of anything: characters, objects, vehicles, weapons, props, clothes, environments, and more. Three-dimensional play involves the ability to consider any object from all sides. Therefore, each of them needs a separate model. You can imagine the amount of work required to create a 3D open-world game.

Now, 3D artists work in special software such as 3ds Max and ZBrush. Their rich toolbox allows you to create models, renderings and animations ready for use in the game.

Necessary Education

A game artist is a relatively new profession. It develops dynamically along with the gaming environment and cannot be based on static educational programs. Therefore, formal education does not matter here. Fundamental artistic skills, knowledge of anatomy, perspective, lighting laws, and more are much more important.

Now there are many different courses offering complete preparation for work in the gaming field. Typically, at the end of such courses, students must complete coursework that can later come in handy as part of a portfolio. A 3D game artist for hire who is just starting his or her creative career can find a job in a 3D art outsourcing game agency as an assistant artist. This is a good start and will help you dive into the gaming realm and gain more experience to move into a full-time artist position.

Segregation of Duties

It is not at all necessary that every 3D artist should be able to draw characters, assets, and environments. The art studio practices division of duties. This means that separate teams of specialists are formed that are responsible for creating one type of graphics. There are individual artists who only deal with characters. Others paint the environment. Still, others are props oriented. Separation helps to avoid confusion and build more focused expertise to achieve the best possible result.

The lead artist oversees all departments and ensures that all visual elements of the game are displayed harmoniously. It is also important to keep in mind the technical limitations and peculiarities of the engine on which the game is developed. Almost all the elements created by the artists will subsequently be animated, therefore, for example, a rig, or skeleton, is planned when creating a character. With its help, animators implement the movement of the character.

Career Prospects

By honing professional skills, artists become more skillful and valuable employees for any company. They can develop horizontally, covering different artistic directions and trying their hand at creating characters, environments, and more. There is also an option for vertical promotion – this sounds like leading a working group and becoming a team lead.

It is important to understand that not everyone who is used to working as an artist will like the work of a team lead. Leads themselves do not draw so often, they are mainly engaged in coordination and consulting work. Therefore, if a person loves to draw more and does not want to take responsibility for the result of the whole team, it makes sense to remain a senior 3D artist.

Final Words

Despite the fact that the gaming industry is constantly thirsting for more and more new artists, and there are more and more courses, it is not so easy to find good specialists. The best way is to contact an experienced agency that has a good portfolio and a wealth of experience in game development. A great job is to hire a 3D game artist at Kevuru Games. This company has long established itself as an active and successful player in the market and has an excellent reputation among customers.