Expectations of new artist
I am a little ways away from working at a studio, but my mind keeps wondering what would be the expectations of a new artist.
If I were to get a job, could I tell them what my weaknesses and strengths are? i.e. I am great at doing props with metal, wood, and plastic, but I am not up to par with making plants.
Does anybody have stories to share about when they first worked at a studio? I am especially interested in self taught environment artist. Also, if there are any tips and tricks to what I should focus on before I start a career as an environment artist at a studio?
Thanks
If I were to get a job, could I tell them what my weaknesses and strengths are? i.e. I am great at doing props with metal, wood, and plastic, but I am not up to par with making plants.
Does anybody have stories to share about when they first worked at a studio? I am especially interested in self taught environment artist. Also, if there are any tips and tricks to what I should focus on before I start a career as an environment artist at a studio?
Thanks
Replies
Onto your question. It depends on what type of games the company makes, what their pre-dominant art style is (or if it changes game by game), and what platforms the game will be made on. Typically what is expected of you will be laid out pretty clearly.
However, don't expect a company to teach you things that you do not know. Even if you get a job in the industry and you have to do things you don't know how to do, you will have to learn mostly on your own. That's what I hear anyways from many in the industry.
An advice would never to tell your weakness
If you have a quality work, you'll have work granted. There are too many env artists, but those showing quality in their work are only a few. Work hard all the days, reach the goal, and that's all.
For things I didnt know how to go about making, I just asked other more experienced team members how they would go about doing it. they always were happy to quickly sit down and explain something or do up a quick example, which helped me not only rapidly learn new techniques but get over that "im just a noob" fear and start to gel well with the team. just gotta giv'er man!
No one is going to take on a charity case and hope they improve over time. They need people to hit the ground running, be that guy.
But yeah, this is all step two. The one good advice I can give you is to keep working on your stuff and getting better until a company regards you as good enough to hire, there are no work-arounds. They'll expect you to be that good, you'll have problems if you aren't.
So keep on working and polish your skills.
What to expect as a new artist. You should have the mindset of getting into the development groove as soon as possible. People that blend right away and start working hard and diligently are the ones that make it far in no time. Don't be afraid of asking questions. If you can stay later and learn more of the tools and the way the studio work do it, it pays off. So just dedicate your time and energy into making awesome stuff and leaning how to be a better artist all the time.
This^
Also, don't be that annoying new guy that is always in everyone's business. Shit gets old. Being eager is one thing, but phew!... some people take it to a new level.
AGREED! nothing is more annoying than people that try really hard to stand out by making a comment to anything that is replied or suggested.
On the other hand though, you have small studios that can't afford that salary to begin with. So the people who can do big-studio-level work won't apply for those jobs because they need more money. Those studios will hire anyone in their salary range (usually under $40k).
Those places are good for beginners. But still, the rule holds. You have to be able to make stuff that's at their level or higher. It's just that the level will probably be much lower than a big studio. The whole "you get what you pay for" type of thing.
Another place to look at would be outsourcing studios.
Right now, work on your art. Soon enough, speed is where you'll likely need work. How quickly you can produce work that's game ready is just as important as the quality of the work.
It really doesn't matter how quickly a person can arrive at crappy results if that's all a person can achieve?
Once someone learns how to make quality they can focus on making it faster.
Just adding a little extra on this. The more you practice the faster you will get at making env, props and such. If you focus on doing lots and lots of art, you will get faster, more proficient, and improve your art looks by 10 fold. Practice, practice, practice!
I agree. I had stated that the art itself is where he should focus right now. Without good art, you're not going to get any interviews. The OP asked what the expectations would be upon actually landing a gig.
Once in the doors, good art is a given. At that point, speed/efficiency matter too.
It's been three days since you've updated. This stuff is hard work; you are going to need to do this daily if you want to get a job by next year.
Oh ho ho, the dreaded coffee break whore. Guilty as charged. It's so easy to rationalize.
While I won't bite at the notion of larger studios generally producing higher quality assets, I do think you're being bit narrow minded, and possibly even a bit insulting to those of us working in smaller studios. Anyone can work wherever they please, do not judge ability based on preferred working conditions.
You are correct. I work at Sony as a game tester, while I have a friend who works as a tester at small facebook app/video game company and he makes double what I make.
So for now, I am just going to focus on my art, when the time comes to getting my work out there and finding a job, I will be very open to where I will work.
however, I work at a vfx studio, and they have dedicated teams for say modeling, and texturing that is separate from each other. Out of a dozen modelers, only one of us swaps between modeling and texturing.