How to become a VFX artist

LeeMeredith

Hi, I hope this is the right thread for this question.

I want to learn vfx for games and would like a few suggestions for what I should be learning it in, I've done some research and decided to take this route -

"Basics of modeling/texturing
Shaders
then VFX in game (using the textures, shaders and modeling)
then sims... (simulations, editing, to loop back into an in game FX) "

(from a user on tech-artists.org)

I've got a good understand of basic modeling and texturing, can anyone suggest where I begin with learning shaders? I've looked on polycounts wiki but it's quite low on information.

I'm also wondering what the job of a VFX entails (other than creating the effects ofc), atm I want to learn animation, rigging and VFX, so that I can work for smaller studios (and passion for all 3) but if I decided I wanted to specalise what would be my roles as a VFX artist? Would I have to do maxscript/tech artist duties?


Thanks for any replies.

Visceral

Welcome
check out the fourms for some awesome help.
http://www.imbuefx.com

tharle

i'd suggest focusing more on creating particle effects first than shaders if i were you - you do have to do a lot of different stuff as an fx artist (ive done cloth simulation, cutscene animations, lighting, etc.) but the one thing that's always consistent is particle effects. shader work is really nice but it really depends on what engine the studio is using - some places will be writing their own hlsl for effect shaders, others using materials editors in things like unreal or unity.

if you already know the basics of modelling and texturing then i'd suggest trying to create some basic realistic effects for things like fire, explosions, smoke, water, etc. they aren't easy but they're going to be useful for pretty much every game ever and will naturally lead you into things like simulating fire or processing video footage into flipbooks etc.