Advice regarding relevant educational background for 3d environment artists?
Hi all,
I'm a new member here to polycount. I am interested in becoming a 3d environment artist for the game industry, and I just wanted to ask what would be relevant educational backgrounds outside of an actual 3d course. I am just curious to see where environment artists usually come from, and/or what they wish they've done before becoming an environment artist!
A little about myself, I'm unfortunately as wet behind the ears as newbies come. I currently don't have any formal art training, and I've only picked up traditional drawing for the past couple of months as I've realized that I needed a big career change after a good year of work experience. I'm still young (just in my last year of my non-art related BA) and I've zoned in on two local schools which have good 3d programs. The question is, what formal education should I do before getting into a 3d program since right now I have no formal art training?
My first idea was to get into a 2d traditional animation program offered by one of the schools I am looking at, but I have doubts about that route because I might feel like it would be mostly filler for me since I'm set on doing modelling environments. Perhaps I should look into more traditional art disciplines like painting--so I can actually have environments as my subject and perhaps help with textures?
Your thoughts and comments are appreciated
I'm a new member here to polycount. I am interested in becoming a 3d environment artist for the game industry, and I just wanted to ask what would be relevant educational backgrounds outside of an actual 3d course. I am just curious to see where environment artists usually come from, and/or what they wish they've done before becoming an environment artist!
A little about myself, I'm unfortunately as wet behind the ears as newbies come. I currently don't have any formal art training, and I've only picked up traditional drawing for the past couple of months as I've realized that I needed a big career change after a good year of work experience. I'm still young (just in my last year of my non-art related BA) and I've zoned in on two local schools which have good 3d programs. The question is, what formal education should I do before getting into a 3d program since right now I have no formal art training?
My first idea was to get into a 2d traditional animation program offered by one of the schools I am looking at, but I have doubts about that route because I might feel like it would be mostly filler for me since I'm set on doing modelling environments. Perhaps I should look into more traditional art disciplines like painting--so I can actually have environments as my subject and perhaps help with textures?
Your thoughts and comments are appreciated
Replies
1; a traditional art background teaches a lot.
2; the right education teaches you many game engines. Guildhall, for example, those students come out of there with various engine experience.
That leads to a subjective response of which of those is better. That said, coming from me, the more REAL GAME ART you have in a portfolio is more valuable to myself,
but at the end of the day, awesome art will be hire before anything else. Or maybe not, what a pain in the ass this industry is. Can't somebody tell me honestly what works and what doesn't?
OK, will do. It's WHO you know.
Haha, well I'm not surprised there! Thanks for your response
If you don't want to self-train (there are a lot of resources on the web, and here) then get into a traditional art course, and work hard.
@ ZacD: I'm based in Vancouver, Canada (yes I've seen some fellow Vancouverite newbies on these boards). I'm looking at Capilano College's 3d program, and BCIT's.
Capilano Digital Animation: http://www.gradshow.com/animation-programs/digital-animation/about-digital-animation
BCIT Digital Animation: http://www.bcit.ca/study/programs/6435cert#details
I've heard great things about Capilano and know people who are in it/graduated, saw the grad work, etc. I'm definitely aiming for Capilano over BCIT. BCIT is more of a technical trade school in BC, it doesn't have the marketing budget of VFS but hey--school is just a tool.
I'm not looking into a game-specific school. I'm looking at either:
(a) 2d animation certificate + digital animation certificate
-3 years total
-pros: understanding basics of animation, 2d animation can stand on its own (although it is an even more difficult job market). 2d internship opportunities.
-cons: not so much time doing colour/textures, big focus on animation may not be too relevant. Intense time learning 2d animation may leave less time for learning 3d on my own.
(b) fine art certificate at local community college + digital animation certificate
-3 years total
-pros: traditional art background, art history, the usual things that people say what is good about a general fine arts education. I might even be able to skip out on some filler credits because I already will be done my non-art degree at the biggest university in the province (at least I won't have VISA problems...). Less intense than the 2d animation certificate, which would allow me a lot more time on 3d on my own.
-cons: fine art certificate not great on its own... but I already have my non-art BA to back me up a generic white collar job and if god is merciful, civil service. Networking opportunities not as great because people pursuing fine art certificate at this college are honestly likely more likely slackers fresh out of high school. No internship opportunities.
Also, a final consideration... cost: the same give or take 200 dollars... which is negligible over 3 years.
Now that I'm done trying to justify why I think my situation is unique (I do know how to search the forums
This is a very good choice if you have EXTREME determination and willpower. I've been working on my own for the past few months and I have been learning things but not nearly close to the rate I'd like to due to being distracted by games, the internet and other things. You have to be able to set deadlines for yourself and follow them which is very tough to do when you know there will be no immediate consequences for not meeting them. If you don't think you'll be able to do this, you should definitely consider going to school, even if it won't completely help you with environment art, just for the deadlines and being able to meet people.
Combine that with not having real consequences to not making your own deadlines, and you need a monster work ethic to make that work.
I think, seeing as you'll already have a degree, the degree and qualifications aren't as important anymore (and it's all about the skills and portfolio anyway), so you could focus more on learning exactly what you want to learn. Take a bunch of short courses to fill the gaps. Certainly some 3D and traditional painting courses would be pro. And you could always mess around with getting your environments into demo or free versions of game engines too, once you've made something cool.
I don't feel that either of those courses you've listed are appropriate. (Although if you HAD to choose one of those, I'd recommend the fine arts one, if only for painting and maybe sculpting experience, as there are a tonne of skills you learn there that carry across to digital 3D work.)
Of course, I say this as a lurking noob, so take it with a bucket of salt. And those VFS showreels make me sad.