How do you know ; when you're good in 3D?

Thessera · Apr 2016

I'm "kinda new" to 3D and i wonder:

When do i know i am good in 3D?

- When do my workes reach a "professional level"?

( worthy to sell, get a job)

- How do i know?

I know that we never stop improving,

but there is a poit where your stuff reach a decent quaility..

I have been studying 3D for 2 years,

and now i am on my own, my skill isn't good enough to get a job yet.. obv..

so how many years does it take?

passerby · Apr 2016

years mean nothing, your work is good enough when you get job with it. Also be sure to post in the "what are you working on" thread and get as much feedback on your work as possible

Shyralon · May 2016

I was told a while ago to do the following to check:
Create a folder full of work done by the company you want to work for. Then put your own work in. If your work stands out as lower quality, you are not good enough. If it does not stand out you are on the right track and if it stands out because it's way better you are good enough for the job.
Also, don't focus on years, it's about the hours you put in. In general the people who are really good are that good because they have been basically doing nothing else for a few years before that in order to become that good.

MM · May 2016

when you get good $$$ for it again and again.
time is irrelevant because it depends on individual neuroplasticity on how fast one can improve.

Popol · May 2016

That's very easy to know.

Look at portfolios of people who already have a job in the industry. Is your stuff as good their stuff? If yes, you're good enough to get a job. If not, keep working your ass off.

Jaston3D · May 2016

You can't put it as a "how many years" type of question. It's really more of how much you gain from the time you spend. Put the hours in and really reflect if they were worth it.

Thessera · May 2016

Shyralon said:

I was told a while ago to do the following to check:
Create a folder full of work done by the company you want to work for. Then put your own work in. If your work stands out as lower quality, you are not good enough. If it does not stand out you are on the right track and if it stands out because it's way better you are good enough for the job.
Also, don't focus on years, it's about the hours you put in. In general the people who are really good are that good because they have been basically doing nothing else for a few years before that in order to become that good.

Oh That's a nice idea/method, thanks

Ged · May 2016

it doesnt necessarily take years but it might, just compare your work to a company you want to work at. If you cant achieve that right now then just keep going until you can. It all depends on the kind of work you want to do as well, for example maybe you have great painting and drawing skills and want to work on hand painted stuff for mobile games and have some ideas where you could get a job doing that.? If you focus on that and play to your strengths then you may get to your desired level of quality much quicker. Some companies need people who can perform a lot of different roles, modelling, texturing, rigging, animating, marketing and design, ui etc, especially small studios. So there is some merit in having general skills too, its up to you if you want to specialise now or be more of a general artist but I think trying to be a master of all things game art related is a very long road.

slipsius · May 2016

You`re a professional when you get paid to do it. But being a professional doesn't always mean you`re good.

C86G · May 2016

Shyralon said:

Create a folder full of work done by the company you want to work for. Then put your own work in. If your work stands out as lower quality, you are not good enough.

What if you want to get an entry level job (/internship)? Do you still have to be as good as the artists working at the company for years?

mystichobo · May 2016

C86G said:

Shyralon said:

Create a folder full of work done by the company you want to work for. Then put your own work in. If your work stands out as lower quality, you are not good enough.

What if you want to get an entry level job (/internship)? Do you still have to be as good as the artists working at the company for years?

Yep, I'd say it's probably a good place to start at least.

pior · May 2016

"What if you want to get an entry level job (/internship)? Do you still have to be as good as the artists working at the company for years?"

Yes, because someone else applying for that position *will* be just as good, and that's the person you are competing with.

In other words : there is never any good reason to lower the bar. It sure is tough but that's how it works ...

C86G · May 2016

Sounds plausible. Damnit : D

Thessera · May 2016

I want to make 3d models for games and such , but i don't think i will get a job
( where i live) game studios are non exisitng..
and there are a lot competition outside .. so 3d modeling
will more likely be something i do in my free time.

i have notice character modeling is extremely common in 3D and ..

it's quite many of those..

so i might have better chance if i model stuff people don't usually bother modeling..

For now i'm focusing on traing my 3d skill and learning game design ,
i also draw, lately i have been drawing maps and architecture
( i took 4 yrs art aducation before i started to study 3d)

In the future, makeing games will ( obvs) be more easier and maybe then i can create my own game XD
for now i will be play around makeing * worlds/scenes in unreal engine4..xD

Kwramm · May 2016

pior said:

"What if you want to get an entry level job (/internship)? Do you still have to be as good as the artists working at the company for years?"

Yes, because someone else applying for that position *will* be just as good, and that's the person you are competing with.

In other words : there is never any good reason to lower the bar. It sure is tough but that's how it works ...

True words. However, also better apply sooner than later. Some artists just take a long time to realize that their work has already been good enough to get a job. Also, there's no shame in re-applying later, if you don't get the job. The only job you'll never get is the one you don't apply for. However, don't waste the studio's time - get some feedback on Polycount to judge if your work stands up to professional work.

Also, you face less competition in exotic location where studios may have problems attracting talent. Not every studio is in Monreal or London. Not every studios can afford to wait for their "Mr Perfect" 3D artists. While everyone wants to start off at a big name, smaller studios often offer an easier way to get your foot into the industry's door, even when your artistic skill is not yet at its peak.

robioto · May 2016

I have a friend who now works at Bungie. He worked at some smaller game studios and kept applying. His work continued to get better and eventually he got a job there. That process took some time. About 7-8 years total. The length of time it takes is more a personal thing. What is your life like? Do you have kids or any other relationships that require you to invest time that takes away from improving your skills? My friend was telling me that there are tons of talented people at Bungie and lots of the younger people go home and do 3d stuff after work so they are always working on learning. That also makes getting those jobs very competitive as others have mentioned.

I think it's also important to practice your eye, go to museums, look at industrial design, graphic design, sculptures, paintings, and nature, then study and analyze it. All of that experience will keep you inspired and inform your design sense.

Another thing you can do is work on mini projects. Take Pior's personal work for example. He's got lots of examples of mini projects he's done on his website. Those are great because you can iterate quickly and build a body of work. Then you can do a post mortem when you are done.

All of the advice mentioned by others is good too. In the end it's really up to you. Like anything else in life the more dedicated you are the faster it will happen

Valandar · May 2016

How do you KNOW when you're good? YOU never do. Other people will know it, though.

Amsterdam Hilton Hotel · May 2016

You know you're good at 3d when you're no longer wondering how to make anything, just whether or not there might be faster ways.

ambelamba · May 2016

In my case I am not even sure what studio I want to work for. My goal is to use 3D as a tool for concept design, but that's still too vague to seek for a specific job. I wonder if I should just go as a freelancer IF my skills reach employable level. But I don't wanna get ripped off so I wonder if there's artist's rep for concept artists that will accept 3D artist in their roster.

Ruz · May 2016

i will let you know when I become good

How do you know ; when you're good in 3D?

Replies