Environment artist career and remote work

GameArtifact

Hi there!

I like to create environments, above all I like modular design, last year I published some works on Unity Asset Store and now I would like to work directly for companies and currently I'm searching only remote work, so I posted my availability in a few forums ( polycount :-) , unity and unreal ).

My doubt is: will this role (environment artist) and a remote position be compatible ( i.e. maybe companies want that all their env artist are on site )?

Thanks

heartlessph1l

I have a feeling that only the top artists can pull that off. Maybe smaller sutdios that get jobs from AAA studios would let you work @ home but I guess it's pretty uncommon. I wish the game industry was more freelancer-friendly but I feel it's not compatible with the AAA pipelines. Making games is so complex nowadays.

I recently watched a stream with some of the guys who worked on 3d models for the movie Ghost in the shell. One of them was Vitaly Bulgarov and he explained he was working @ home and sending his work once in a while to the producers. But Vitaly is a top level artist!

GameArtifact

  Certainly a remote artist must have credits for remote working, but this applies to every kind of remote work.

Another common thing around remote work is to clarify precisely which is the result to be achieved, but if the studio can show concept arts and the artist can produce a few example of his work relative to those concepts maybe it can be a good starting point for this.

I believe that it could be a simpler task if  the studio outsources a few subsets of all environment, for example a modular kit for create a corridor or a building or something else.

It would be interesting if someone explain us a few examples of outsource process about environment art. 

Kevin Albers

Modular systems are much less likely to be outsourced than individual props, due to various complexities. Frankly, I think you are better off trying to get an in-house gig doing modular stuff, or focusing more on doing individual assets for remote work.

The closer the work is to engine code, level layout, and game design, the more of a pain it is to outsource it. Modular systems, level layout/terrain etc is most likely to stay in-house. It's sooo much easier to just outsource individual models, and stuff like cinematics, music etc, that don't really have much to do with proprietary stuff for the project.

Being able to make modular systems is a nice niche skill, however. If you are interested in normal salaried work, it's not a bad thing to get really good at.  Or maybe you could get temporary in-house contract work e.g. come make a modular dungeon system over a period of a couple of months, working on site, with the studio renting you a place to stay near the studio.

GameArtifact

 Thanks for your advice Kevin!

Meanwhile I'll continue to improve myself in modular stuff and environment art, I believe that it's important follow own passion for the best result