Is age important, if you want to work as a 3D Artist oder Concept Artist?

Farina

Hello,

i want to know, if the age is totally important, when you want to work as a 3d artist or concept artist? It is better to be younger or older than 30??? I am 28 years old and i learn now 3d for an half year. 

How important is age? Am i to old for that? Did a game company prefer a younger artist first?

pior

No.

AtticusMars

Can always freelance from home, on the internet no one knows you're in a retirement home.

Meloncov

As long as you're willing to accept the same wages as a 22 year old fresh out of school, you should be ok. 

Eric Chadwick

Not true. I've been an artist in games for over 20 years, and I currently make a decent living doing it. 

It took me a few years to accumulate a decent wage, granted. But it's definitely achievable if you work hard.

And I absolutely love what I do for a living. How many people get to say that? 

Bletzkarn

It's not important at all (unless you're maybe 70!) many people decide they get to the age of 30, or even 40, and decide they hate their career and completely switch to Concept Art or 3D.

I know a few people who are 1st year concept artists but they are 30, 32, 38 etc.

Because the industry is always changing even experienced artists still need to keep up and learn the things you are learning now.

Farina

Well, im only thinking about that fact, because i have started new in 3d and when i see, there are 20 years old people, who are so good, because they started earlier then me, why a company should take me with 28 ?

And every company here wants you, to have 3 years of experience in the games industry.. so how can i get work experience in a game company, when they wanted me, to have some? Thats not logical.

Friends told me, that i the company wrote that on their job pages, ONLY to get the best people in the industry, and do sort out the bad.

Because, if i see on a job pages, that they want to have 3 years of experience, i think, that i don't have one, so i don't apply.

But at this point, many people try to apply, whether they have 3 years experience or not. 



I don't know, if that is true, to sort out the bad and the people who are not confident.

im at the moment at study and now for 7 years, because i had to stopped my study because of cancer of mother and father. I had to take care of them.

This is maybe too bad in my portfolio if a game company read that or ?

So after study , i don't know where to work in 3d ;-( I don't have work experience, but i try to have the workflow here at home, and i want to have that situation in real, that i prepared for that.

Thanks for all your answers, and my not good english 

pior

Don't worry about all these things - the only thing that matters is the quality of your work, and nothing else. Even the seemingly required "years of experience" can be bypassed by a proactive individual willing to learn good workflows. It does take time though, there's no shortcut.

Your English is okay, just a bit rough around the edges Take the habit to double check it if you are not too sure about a sentence, and don't be afraid to ask people for corrections if needed.

Good luck !

MiAlx

Farina said:

Well, im only thinking about that fact, because i have started new in 3d and when i see, there are 20 years old people, who are so good, because they started earlier then me, why a company should take me with 28 ?

Don't worry about that man, nobody cares about how old you are, when they think about hiring you. They only care if and how well you can do the job. We have lots and lots of people over 28 at CDPR. A programmer who just started here a couple of weeks ago is close to 40, in not older and nobody gave a second thought about his age. He is really good at what he does, he is a friendly person. Done deal. 

Stinger88

I started as a junior generalist artist in the games industry at 32. I'm now 39 and I just switched jobs (from UI) to be a concept artist. It's never too late...

"chase the dream!"

xvampire

^ oh wow inspiring 

defragger

most companies I know prefer mid-age (30 - 40).
But it makes almost no difference.

Younger people usually accept lower wages but "older" (+ 30) are assumed to have more experience. So pretty much evens out ...

Meloncov

Eric Chadwick said:

Not true. I've been an artist in games for over 20 years, and I currently make a decent living doing it.

I meant if you're entering the industry at a later age with work experience in other fields (which is what I'm assuming the OP is asking about) you're probably going to be making the same wages as someone fresh out of college, not that you don't make more money with experience in the industry. Should have been more clear.

Eric Chadwick

Oops yeah I think you're right. Though it also depends a lot on how good your portfolio is, which company you're talking to, and the quality of your negotiation skills. But without those, yeah, you're probably looking at entry level wages.

Klaudio2U

Syd Mead has 80+ years and in 2013 worked as concept artist on Elysium and Tomorrowland. 
What can you do in next 50(!!) years? 
You already started which is great, so in a year you can easily already become very employable for smaller projects, indie stuff, mobile games..etc..
Nothing to worry about, just keep doing it!  

MagicSugar

Klaudio2U said:

Syd Mead has 80+ years and in 2013 worked as concept artist on Elysium and Tomorrowland. 
What can you do in next 50(!!) years? 
You already started which is great, so in a year you can easily already become very employable for smaller projects, indie stuff, mobile games..etc..
Nothing to worry about, just keep doing it!  

Actually....he was hired for Elysium, etc. because he's already a legend.  He did concepts for Blade Runner....back in the 70's.  He wasn't hired because he started studying concept art  and became kick ass in his old age.  He went to Art Center and graduated way back when, like the 1950s when he was a kid.

He has a long career but he's not what you may call a "late bloomer".  Syd Mead is THE ORIGINAL.

Cloudydays

I recently listened to the "How to Break into the Industry" livestream by Gnomon where someone on their panel was posed exactly this question. The person asking the question was also somewhere in his mid to late 30s and was wondering if it would matter to join the industry as an older person and the response that someone on the panel gave him was basically that it didn't matter what age you were. Granted, there are some things, as others have mentioned above, that you'll have to overcome such as having to start on the same wages as younger folks and having to pull long hours and crunches (which may be harder for older folks to do over time). But other than practical reasons like that, there's nothing stopping anyone from joining this industry.

Overall, this industry seems to be very accepting. You can be whatever age, race, or gender and be welcomed with open arms so long as you show your passion.

Add3r

Cloudydays said:

-snip-
Overall, this industry seems to be very accepting. You can be whatever age, race, or gender and be welcomed with open arms so long as you show your passion.

Yup.  Don't be an asshole, and you are golden.  No barriers, only passion, portfolio, and personality holding anyone back.   

Farina

Really thank you so much, for your experience. When i read all the comments, and i see, which different jobs you guys have, i think, you all speak, because you  have experience about my question. So i feel now better than before ;-)!!!

Thanks!


Farina

Farina

mh.. after a long time, i want to ask you guys the following again, but now another thing.


Ive stopped my university  because of the dead of my father and mother (cancer). I have take care of them both soo much and i grew up as a person. I stopped everything now for 6 years (im at home). I mean, is a company really looking only for your work?

For me it is really really embarrassing to apply to a game company because of that, because i have NO work experience. Later they think, i only was at home because i want to chill, but thats not true ;-(

What if they see, that i have stopped everything because of psychological things, because of the dead of mother and father?

Which game company want a person, who stopped everything, to take care of family.

That is totally Sh"""" in a curicullum or not? 


BUT my work is really good (for example).(Portfolio)

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

benmarxx

I am a student at Gnomon, and I'm 39.  I have a couple of friends at school who are 40 and 43.  

I never worry that I'm too old.  I just work my butt off, with the goal of learning everything I'm being taught, and creating the best work I can.  My demo reel will get me a job, and nobody is going to care how old I am.  

Age discrimination is illegal.  

I will add that your personality matters.  If you're an ass, even the best artist will have a hard time getting/keeping a job.

Finally, I have the advantage of not owning a home, and not having kids.  I'm as free as most 25-year old students.  I can move to wherever the job is, and can work as many hours as required.  

Make great art, and be easy to get along with, and it doesn't matter if you're 23, 31, or 48. 

sacboi

Farina said:

i want to know, if the age is totally important, when you want to work as a 3d artist or concept artist? It is better to be younger or older than 30??? I am 28 years old and i learn now 3d for an half year. 

How important is age? Am i to old for that? Did a game company prefer a younger artist first?

Don't forget, you'll also bring life experience to the table whereas someone fresh out of art college, having transitioned too higher education straight out of high school generally will not. So apart from the strength of your portfolio, at interview the recruiting panel are also looking for interpersonal skills as well, which in my honest opinion often times tends to be overshadowed by getting up to speed skillset wise via those seeking entry.  

EDIT:

...ah! didn't notice this thread's incept date. Still I reckon a positive necro if the info here happens too help out others in similar circumstances. 

fearian

age means fuck all.

ambelamba

The only problem with age is that your learning ability might get slow down if you are older than 40. (like...me.)

BrianShray

Farina said:

mh.. after a long time, i want to ask you guys the following again, but now another thing.


Ive stopped my university  because of the dead of my father and mother (cancer). I have take care of them both soo much and i grew up as a person. I stopped everything now for 6 years (im at home). I mean, is a company really looking only for your work?

For me it is really really embarrassing to apply to a game company because of that, because i have NO work experience. Later they think, i only was at home because i want to chill, but thats not true ;-(

What if they see, that i have stopped everything because of psychological things, because of the dead of mother and father?

Which game company want a person, who stopped everything, to take care of family.

That is totally Sh"""" in a curicullum or not? 


BUT my work is really good (for example).(Portfolio)

I'm very sorry for your loss. 

From what i gather, I think your main worry here is having a large gap of unemployment period in your resume.
In all honesty. No game company is going to discriminate you because you have had to take afew years off to look after your ailing parents.
And if they do, they are scum and not worth working for anyway..

If you are serious about art and working in the industry, all that matters is the quality of your work, your portfolio.
Rarely do clients look into your personal life history so dont over complicate things for yourself in your head.

Bottom line. Maintain a good portfolio and you will always be hired.

sziada

I started working in the industry when I was 18, there artists who are already working remotely freelance younger than that. so age is but a number when it comes to this. If you're good, you're good,