Career Progression as a 3D Artist?
polycounter lvl 6
Hey guys, I'm working as a 3D artist for a game company and it's been really awesome experience. I do just about everything from rigging, animating, texturing, modelling, mechanim, timeline and getting the assets looking and working correctly in Unity. I'm getting paid to work on a small team to create a game so that is really exciting and a privilege.
I'm always thinking where I want to be in the future and some day I'd like to either start my own tech consultancy doing things like b2b 3D applications (i.e. arch viz in unreal engine) or be working high up as a director of some sorts. I guess while I'm sitting at work pushing key frames and painting textures I'm thinking how do I get from A to B?
I'm going to focus some of my efforts learning things like UI/UX design and taking close note of management procedures, how they talk to clients and all that good stuff. I'm also spend a lot of time and effort refining internal procedures. I guess my question is what skills should I be looking to gather over the next couple of years to put me in a good position to apply for a creative director, art director, design manager type role?
P.S as you probably noticed that I do everything I'm not an expert at either one of them, just good enough to get the job done, and done fast, which I don't mind because I don't want to be touching key frames in 4-5 years from now.
I'm always thinking where I want to be in the future and some day I'd like to either start my own tech consultancy doing things like b2b 3D applications (i.e. arch viz in unreal engine) or be working high up as a director of some sorts. I guess while I'm sitting at work pushing key frames and painting textures I'm thinking how do I get from A to B?
I'm going to focus some of my efforts learning things like UI/UX design and taking close note of management procedures, how they talk to clients and all that good stuff. I'm also spend a lot of time and effort refining internal procedures. I guess my question is what skills should I be looking to gather over the next couple of years to put me in a good position to apply for a creative director, art director, design manager type role?
P.S as you probably noticed that I do everything I'm not an expert at either one of them, just good enough to get the job done, and done fast, which I don't mind because I don't want to be touching key frames in 4-5 years from now.
Replies
That process can take years though so get started sooner rather than later. Document your journet and goals etc in some way that people can become interested and want to follow along. The bigger your audience, the higher the chance some head of a department at a prestigous studio sees your work and invites you to come speak/consult or offers you a job.
You need to denonstrate leadershjp qualities if you want to move up the ladder and get into director positions, so comminication skills and organization and showing you have self dicipline is key.
Another way would be to make the jump to a larger studio with projects that everyone knows and adores, and then people will be coming to you as well. Basically, become an expert at something and have the documented track record to back it up. Hope this helps!
Dayum, I came to the thread because I was going through a similar experience and this is some really sound advice. Thanks !