What type of environment modeling project should I do?
TL;DR: I want to model a quality environment for my portfolio. There is a specific job I have a sort of a goal (I know it's unlikely I ever will get it's something to aim at). Should I recreate an environment from their game? take high-quality concept art for an unfinished environment for that game and make a finished model? or find a smaller concept unrelated (but visually similar) to that game and create that environment?
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Hello, so long story short I want to work on an environment modeling project that will help my portfolio become more applicable for 3D artist and/or environment artist jobs for games with a AAA quality, realistic visual style. I've picked a specific job, at a specific company, working on a specific project as sort of a goal. I know it's unlikely I'd ever get that specific job but I thought aiming for it would help me create something of quality and possibly help me get a job somewhere working on a project of a similar visual style. With this in mind, which project would likely do the most for my portfolio?
- Model a 1:1 recreation of an environment from their game using the actual game as a reference. Pros: I wouldn't have to worry about designing any details and could focus entirely on recreating it using the same pipeline and proving that I can do it. Cons: Perhaps it would be perceived as too easy to recreate something from their game and might not look as good on a portfolio. Perhaps it's too similar to fan art. Questions: Should I also use the same software they use? Should I model something large with lots of details, or something small but more focused? , Will modeling an environment based on a specific game hurt me when applying for jobs at other studios?
- Model a 1:1 recreation of an environment from a visually similar game/film as if it were for their game. Pros: same as above, Cons: perhaps I'm not hitting the nail on the head as much as I could be by just recreating something from their game.
- Complete one of their environments that only exists as concept art (including lots of concept art from multiple angles and even an unfinished data-mined concept model) and take it through their pipeline to completion. Pros: This would have me doing exactly what I would be doing in the actual job. Cons: I would still have to work out some of the details which might make or break it. Questions: Would other studios perceive it too easy that I worked off of a concept model?
- Model an environment from a concept unrelated (but visually similar) to their game from fewer concept images (just one isometric drawing for example). Pros: It would be more challenging to create something from less concept art, perhaps making it look more impressive on a portfolio. Cons: I would have to work out a lot of the details which really might make or break it. I worry that creating something that isn't directly tied to their game really isn't hitting the nail on the head and helping me as much as it could be.
- Design my own environment from complete scratch. Pros: Proves that I can do it. Cons: Not very reminiscent of the way I would be working in the actual job (modeling environments from concept art), and if my design sucks, the environment will suck as well.
My gut feeling is to go for #1 but tell me what you think of the ideas I listed.
Sorry, this is kind of a bloated question. Sometimes I worry that I might pick a project that will end up looking poor on my portfolio (thus being a waste of time) so I wanted to seek an opinion beyond just my own. Any answers and advice to anything I've said above or related are very much appreciated! Thank you for reading! 🙂
Replies
pick something that actually exists that you can visit and if necessary bend it to the art style of your target audience
so, 5 i guess, except actually go out and find a place
why?
anything you see in a game is diluted and compromised. no artist or art director gets what they envisioned into the final product
concept art is only half the equation
good environment art tells a story, good environment artists look at real things, understand the story behind them and apply those stories to the things they make.
People hiring good environment artists look past the subject matter and pay attention to the storytelling.
Don't do option one. It doesn't show problem solving or creative thinking, and any inconsistencies will stick out like a sore thumb.
Options two through four are all perfectly good. I'd only consider option five if you're really, really excited about the prospect of building something from scratch: just from the perspective of getting a job as fast as possible you don't get brownie points for not using a concept, and your final piece will look probably look better if you're drawing from some good concept art.