Can anyone answer some informational questions?

eSwirl

Hi Everyone, my name is Sam, and I'm a college student majoring in Digital Art at Cañada College in Redwood City, CA. Your career path is very inspirational to me: I don’t know very many people in this industry. As an aspiring artist, I’d love to learn more about which skills you’ve used the most and what you’d expect from an entry-level employee in your department. I’m sure you’re busy, so even 20 minutes would be greatly appreciated. Can anyone answer some informational questions? You can just reply on this post.

Here are the questions I want to ask about.

 1. What company are you working right now and can I have your title at that company?
 2. What are the duties performed during a typical day? How much variety is there on a day-to-day basis?
 3. Which skills are most important to acquire?
 4. What are the main, or most important, personal characteristics for success in the field?
 5. What are the demands and frustrations that typically accompany this type of work?
 6. What are the toughest problems and decisions with which you must cope?
 7. How would you describe the atmosphere/culture of the workplace?
 8. What do you see as the potential for growth in this field?
 9. What can I do now to help me find employment in this field?
 10. What do you like about your career and what don't you like about it?

 Thanks so much again for your consideration, and in advance, for any insight and advice you would be willing to share.

Brian "Panda" Choi

1) Character Artist, InXile Entertainment
2) Making character art related assets.  A lot of variety of different tasks given InXIle's scale.  I've done blueprint scripting, mocap performance, rigging and animating, etc.
3) You need to specify the question more.
4) Discipline
5) I wish production leadership was a lot better.  We have good staff, but we' re misused.
6) What to priotize in terms of polish time.
7) Professional, but somewhat familial.
8) Becoming an art director.
9) Make the best game art pieces possible.
10) I don't like how the following is true:  Studios have no loyalty.  Game developers do.

eSwirl

Thank you so much, Brian.

Your insights were truly helpful. On the question no. 3, it is like which skills are most important to have if I want be a Character Artist like you? such as quick drawing skill, having many ideas, or something like having insight of what people will love so that you can create an amazing character.

Thank you again for your assistance.

Brian "Panda" Choi

3)  Figure drawing and anatomy studies.  Foundational fine arts knowledge that, while boring, does wonders for the rest of your life as you create art in a variety od dsciplines and mediums.

Neox

 1. Airborn Studios, Founder and Lead Character Artist
 2. Creation of Characters for games, quality assurance for other artists, writing workflow documentation, planning ressources, juggling stuff
 3. Communication, even more than an actual art skill in many cases. If you can communicate and can pick stuff up you don't have to have the bestest portfolio out there. Also if you have the best thing ever but are horrible to work with, it will be really tough to keep you around. That does not mean, that portfolio doesn't matter. It totally does, but it has to be a good combo. How do you work with feedback, how do you react, can you express what you disagree with.
 4. i second discipline, but would add tidyness and thinking past your actual position. someone will have to work with your stuff...
 5. artists and/or clients not communicating. everything can be solved if adressed early enough. we had issues with that in the past and worked hard on that front. quality is something that is achievable but if communication doesnt work, the quality part also will suffer :X
 6. making sure everyone has enough work
 7. I hope good, but as I made this place you'd have to ask others
 8. professionalizing my own way of thinking more. i used to be a freelancer for many years, not I (among others) have to take care of employees, it's a different game now.
 9. Work hard, stick out, network.
 10. I love that turned my hobby into my job, i hate that my biggest hobby is now lost.

eSwirl

Thank you so much for the help and advice shared to me. Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions and talk about what it’s like in this industry—it seems like an amazing place to work. I especially loved hearing about which skills are most important to acquire.

I look forward to staying in touch as I continue to achieve my degree. I definitely plan on using your advice to working hard, sticking out, and networking. And if your company has any openings down the road, I hope you’ll let me know so I can apply after I graduate.

All the best,

Sam