Art Test Questions!

CandyStripes05

First off I have never done an art test so I'm not 100% if this is the norm but I actually feel uncomfortable with their requirements.

Edited to avoid any possible lash back or bad vibes:

Got my first art test (unpaid) told to keep it confidential and can't use the final model on my portfolio. Also asked to submit high rez, low rez, and all textures including .psd's

The studio contacted me as I did not apply, my first impressions were this is a scam but looking further into it, it looks like it all checks out.

**not a fan of the situation but glad I'm learning more about these things from everyone here!

beefaroni

I've had to submit all of my working files on art tests for big name studios. I don't think I've ever seen my tests used in the game though. 

That's kind of lame that you're not allowed to use the art test in your portfolio afterwards though. I think 2/4 art tests I've been able to show afterwards. 

oglu

thats the way how it is...

EarthQuake

An NDA (non-disclosure agreement) is 100% normal and standard. Usually, content for art tests is based off of in-production games, many times games that have not been announced yet, so the studio does not want you posting content related to said game.

Delivering the full content set is also perfectly normal for an art test as well. Yes, an art test is unpaid work with the potential of getting real, paid work. That's exactly what it is and what you should treat it as. Paid art tests are not entirely uncommon, so if this bothers you, ask the employer to pay you for the work. If it's a big studio and they have many applicants, they may simple pass. However, if they are serious about you, they may pay you for your time.

CandyStripes05

Thanks for the input guys, the submitting the .obj's and .psd's is what threw me off, I had no idea that was common. Thought you just submitted final renders and other .jpeg's. The project does not have a public title yet so that clears a lot of the NDA stuff up. I have asked if the work can be shown in my portfolio once the game does get released though. 

xvampire

yes it  happen in some legit studio,
but if you feel uncomfortable to do it, don't do it, and just give some voice like what you did here,
 so it will help to change how this thing done. 

Swizzle

Sounds like almost every art test I've done.

In most cases, especially talking about larger studios with pipelines already set up, the work you produce for an art test is completely unusable and the assets would just sit in a recruiting folder deep in the recesses of  local network setups that no one will ever look at again.

Unless you're doing work that has strict guidelines regarding UV layout, texture mask setup, and very deliberately laid out topology and vertex counts, and it's for a small company with no reputation, you most likely have absolutely nothing to worry about.

That's a bunch of ifs.

CandyStripes05

Yea the only thing I'm not too impressed with is that the work can never be shown, not even after the project the concept is linked to goes public or gets released. 

Super

Lol Art tests.. laughable.

lotet

CandyStripes05 said:

Yea the only thing I'm not too impressed with is that the work can never be shown, not even after the project the concept is linked to goes public or gets released. 

look at it this way, If you get the job, you wont NEED to put it in your portfolio, because youl have a job, or if its freelance, when the job is done you probably have a lot cooler stuff to show in the portfolio anyway.

HausFly

CandyStripes05 said:
this studio contacted me as I did not apply for this work.

"Hello, your portfolio contains exactly the skillset we were looking for in a candidate...now go ahead and take this art test to show your skillset."

CandyStripes05

lotet said:

CandyStripes05 said:

Yea the only thing I'm not too impressed with is that the work can never be shown, not even after the project the concept is linked to goes public or gets released. 

look at it this way, If you get the job, you wont NEED to put it in your portfolio, because youl have a job, or if its freelance, when the job is done you probably have a lot cooler stuff to show in the portfolio anyway.

that just seems like a crappy excuse to keep these kind of tests the norm

sidenote: for others who have done these art tests, do you usually talk more in depth about the job? like having an idea of wage or other important details that could potentially make the job more OR less appealing and thus not worth the time doing the test? Or is that too much to discuss on a one on one bases with a vast amount of candidates? 

EarthQuake

It really depends on which point in the process you're asked to do a test. If you're one of many candidates doing a test for a shot at an interview and a possible position, then no, you wouldn't typically have talked about wages or other details.

If you're well into the interview process and you're a likely candidate, chances are higher that you would have discussed wages or other details, but they may want you to do an art test, especially if you're an artist with little or no professional experience, and/or if your portfolio does not show a wide range of work.

The former is more common than the latter. 

All of this really comes down to your circumstances as well. For instance, if I was happily employed, and a company contacted me about employment and wanted me to do a free art test for them, I would only consider doing it if said company was a place I really wanted to work at. If it wasn't a big step up, or if I had more freelance work than I could handle, I would ask for a paid art test and not do the test if they declined. If it wasn't a step up at all from what I was doing, I would politely decline no matter what. Finally, if I had no job and no better prospects, I would take the art test and pour all my effort into it, paid or not, at worst it would give me a real-world industry standard asset to practice with and get my skills closer to where I would need them to be to be an attractive hire, even if I couldn't show the asset, the motivation alone would be enough.

lotet

CandyStripes05 said:

lotet said:

CandyStripes05 said:

Yea the only thing I'm not too impressed with is that the work can never be shown, not even after the project the concept is linked to goes public or gets released. 

look at it this way, If you get the job, you wont NEED to put it in your portfolio, because youl have a job, or if its freelance, when the job is done you probably have a lot cooler stuff to show in the portfolio anyway.

that just seems like a crappy excuse to keep these kind of tests the norm

well yeah, It was trying to make you see it in a more positive light. but it seems you already have your mind set that art test are shit. Im not saying you should accept anything and just bend over, but sometimes you have to accept the reality of a situation and do what you can with it. either you do the art test or not.

  its not the company's responsibility to give you a "fair" deal, its yours.

Catzcratch

HausFly said:

CandyStripes05 said:
this studio contacted me as I did not apply for this work.

"Hello, your portfolio contains exactly the skillset we were looking for in a candidate...now go ahead and take this art test to show your skillset."

while this is partially true . i feel like the art test has other reasons . how well you communicate , respond to critique and change requests and what not . things that you wont know as an employer just by browsing his portfolio

slosh

Art tests suck...plain and simple.  No one likes to do em but unfortunately, its ingrained in the application process for almost any game art position.  Unless we somehow get a certified union or something, that's never gonna change.  You say this is your first art test and if you have a job that you are happy with, don't do the test.  If you really are interested in the company, do the art test.  From here on out, unless you are the best of the best out there, you will have to do many more art tests...most for free.  That's just how the cookie crumbles.

CandyStripes05

EarthQuake said:

It really depends on which point in the process you're asked to do a test. If you're one of many candidates doing a test for a shot at an interview and a possible position, then no, you wouldn't typically have talked about wages or other details.

If you're well into the interview process and you're a likely candidate, chances are higher that you would have discussed wages or other details, but they may want you to do an art test, especially if you're an artist with little or no professional experience, and/or if your portfolio does not show a wide range of work.

The former is more common than the latter. 

All of this really comes down to your circumstances as well. For instance, if I was happily employed, and a company contacted me about employment and wanted me to do a free art test for them, I would only consider doing it if said company was a place I really wanted to work at. If it wasn't a big step up, or if I had more freelance work than I could handle, I would ask for a paid art test and not do the test if they declined. If it wasn't a step up at all from what I was doing, I would politely decline no matter what. Finally, if I had no job and no better prospects, I would take the art test and pour all my effort into it, paid or not, at worst it would give me a real-world industry standard asset to practice with and get my skills closer to where I would need them to be to be an attractive hire, even if I couldn't show the asset, the motivation alone would be enough.

+

lotet said:

well yeah, It was trying to make you see it in a more positive light. but it seems you already have your mind set that art test are shit. Im not saying you should accept anything and just bend over, but sometimes you have to accept the reality of a situation and do what you can with it. either you do the art test or not.

its not the company's responsibility to give you a "fair" deal, its yours.

 really sound advice guys, thank you

slosh said:

Art tests suck...plain and simple.  No one likes to do em but unfortunately, its ingrained in the application process for almost any game art position.  Unless we somehow get a certified union or something, that's never gonna change.  You say this is your first art test and if you have a job that you are happy with, don't do the test.  If you really are interested in the company, do the art test.  From here on out, unless you are the best of the best out there, you will have to do many more art tests...most for free.  That's just how the cookie crumbles.

I am happy with my current gig, although I think I would be even happier in a game studio or at least a studio larger then the one I am currently in. Love the people, fantastic place to work but I can't help but feel that I'm missing an opportunity to grow and learn more from others in a larger work environment. Also my contract is ending in March/April and it is still unknown if the studio I'm at will be able to keep on all the recent hires (everyone is considered freelance there) but it has been expressed they would love to.

Catzcratch said:

while this is partially true . i feel like the art test has other reasons . how well you communicate , respond to critique and change requests and what not . things that you wont know as an employer just by browsing his portfolio 

I agree it serves it's purpose, maybe they like someone's stuff but it's not exactly in the same genre, or specs (tri limitations) or mobile vs console type deal. So in that regard I understand, not sure about it showing them how well you respond to critique / change requests. Never heard of them giving that kind of feedback or asking for changes, most stories I hear people actually have to bug them for feedback. But overall I get your point and I agree

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Like I said this is my first art test, I'm not butt hurt like I feel you guys are getting the impression I am lol just a curious guy asking a few questions about a situation like most which has it's ups and downs. I've decided to do it, but there was a second part to it that I'm waiting more details on. A mention of a freelance gig and they said it was along the lines of being a paid art test but they weren't clear if it would also lead to a full time position or if that were to just lead to more freelance work. Just that it would be a different concept/project then what they sent me for the art test. Bad time to send this info out in my opinion (on the 21st) no one is around to answer any follow up questions now because of the holidays. 

Anyways, long story short - greatly appreciate every ones insight! opened my eyes to this new experience : )

LRoy

I've freelanced for a number of years and have never been asked to do an art test for it. 99% of the time they go off your portfolio. Sometimes it's a one off thing, so doing an asset just so you can do another asset in the same style is silly. I would say it's not really the norm as far as indie freelance goes at all. The fact that they contacted you and asked you to do a test makes it seem pretty weird.