Do any of you guys create 3D purely as a hobby or do work outside of games?

GeorgeCrudo

I'm always curious about this especially after reading about how unstable jobs can be in the games industry. Do any of you guys have other jobs that you're content with professionally and just develop 3D as a hobby?

Additionally, how many of you guys do 3D work that isn't related to games? I'm curious of the other types of 3D work that is out there. I've been especially fascinated with 3D Printing and some of the freelance artists who do sculpting for collectibles and toys.

Eric Chadwick

In addition to the game dev artwork I do (mostly full-time employed, but also some freelance), I do some VR artwork on the side.

Lately this has been for architects and construction companies, though I've also done VR scenes for an advertising company (to help them figure out signage).

VR is growing, worth a look. I got most of my VR work through going to local Meetups and talking to people.

Edit: but I don't do any 3d stuff as a hobby, really. It's all paid work. Except for R&D to improve my paid work. But when I'm done with 3D I'm looking for other things to do.

aesir

Advertising for about 8 years.  Mostly graphic design, but also a mix of motion graphics, video editing, copywriting, animation, and producing.

I occasionally do 3d for work, but not that often.  As far as I'm concerned they're all related to each other.  Just different tools and and goals.

I haven't looked for a job in game dev since I had just graduated college in 2008.

As a hobby, I animate, 3d model, design, illustrate, and just whatever sounds fun.  Right now I'm working on a 2d animated short film.

Anchang-Style

JUst for fun, currently still student and a career in games, atleast art, seems rather impossible.

Brian "Panda" Choi

I've done 3D work outside of games, but they were not done out of love.

Eric Chadwick

You whore!

slosh

I do lots of personal art outside of work that is purely for fun.  Of course, it is also to strengthen what I do at work by improving my knowledge and skills.

Brian "Panda" Choi

Eric Chadwick said:

You whore!

That's ESCORT to you, Eric.

MrHobo

I do personal work outside of "work" but that normally fills gaps in my knowledge/skill set or plugs holes in my portfolio. So Im not sure if it counts as hobby work.

Francois_K

Brian "Panda" Choi said:

Eric Chadwick said:

You whore!

That's ESCORT to you, Eric.

Escort Game Dev Brian Choi , I think I saw that ad on craiglist... 

PyrZern

The term is Companion, you filthy swines.

Pioldes

I usually stay a bit late at the studio 2-3 times a week to doodle these days. I like changing it up from the regular 3D work I do all day.

Add3r

Worked on instructional 3D previs type stuff, offline rendered motion diagrams for training software (cranes, equipment related to cranes, forklifts, etc).  Was a pretty cool gig for a year or so, did it mainly to try out stuff outside of games on top of personal portfolio work while I was trying to break into the AAA industry.  Honestly, the stuff outside of games pays WAY better starting off than "steady" games work, that being said I was burned out pretty quick by the previs stuff and jumped back into portfolio full time after about a year outside of the industry.  It was really good experience nonetheless while I was building a proper game art portfolio at the time, and paid what bills I had.

Game art is a hobby outside of work, and what I do full time.  I try to mix in a healthy amount of non-work related art to keep my mind fresh, after studio hours, usually changing it up from my tech art & lighting professional work and doing 3D prop and environment modeling.  

jaker3278

I am working full time on my portfolio at the moment so you could say its non professional. I dont have a job at the moment and i am luck enough to be able to do this as i have funds to last me a couple of years.  I have made money from art but not digital 3d stuff. 

Benvox2

My desk job is 3D for film and cinematics. I just finished working on Kingsglaive and Final Fantasy XV.

wakkamis

Currently doing pre-vis for civil engineering projects. Roads, bridges and all that jazz. Would love to get into something more creative! 

cptSwing

Haven't done any game-related stuff in a while, since I quit my game-dev job it's been nearly all VR. Milking the trend while it lasts, I reckon

SnowInChina

i'm working in 3D automotive VR/advertising. Mostly only 3D modelling of things like seats, leatherparts and UVing stuff
rarely doing any textures, since they are provided
good thing is, its a really stable job since there are new cars every year, pay is above average and very little overtime (which gets compensated)
and it keeps you in training
downside is you dont have too much diversity in your tasks and security is really tough

C86G

Well, since I didn´t succeed in getting my first job yet , I guess i am doing 3D entirely as a hobbyist ._.

Kraftwerk

Do it mainly as hobby and personel enjoyment, made stuff for money a few times and will likely do it again, but no intention to make it fully professional.

hexflow

I only do this as a hobby, its expensive but I so enjoy it, 95% is personal projects other 5% is usually for church projects (motion graphic type stuff).  Never sold anything, primary work is in IT (Networking) for over 20 years.

leilei

I've been "hobby"ing it for over 16 years now.

TheMadArtist

My career is providing models for subsea ROV simulations, as well as leading the 3d animation work here for various oil and gas projects, whether it's marketing animations, or technical stuff. The simulation stuff is pretty much the same development cycle as game models, although our engine isn't as robust as anything being used in games, sadly. The marketing animation stuff is what I enjoy the most, as so many oil and gas animations are very sterile, so I get to be creative and 9 times out of 10, they trust my vision to give them something cool. 

The hobby/freetime work I do is more the fun stuff that I'd like to be working on or things that my brother and I come up with that we'd like to develop. I don't do any freelance work really anymore, I work a lot of hours at my day job, basically being an animation department of one, so I just don't have time for it. 

Prime8

Just for fun for some years now, unfortunately not as a job, might change that in the future. I'm happy with my current work, it feeds me, but doesn't leave much free time for 3D and other hobbies, though probably working on games would be much more fun.

Gilgamesh

My main job is that i run a network security company, I do 3d/art for fun and fun projects on the side.  I don't think I could do it as a job a) because im no where good enough and b) I'd end up hating it i think.

littleclaude

Outside of lecturing and brushing up on software I like to work on short term projects here are some examples, (thanks to the guys form Rewind for the UE4 stuff) 

3D Printing (Example 1)
VRX Experiences are good fun -  (Example 2)
360 videos are also cool to work on -   (Example 3) (Example 4).

This year I am trying more of a visualization tool thingy, talk about that towards the end of summer.