Getting into the Video Game Industry as an Artist

Article answering some questions on entering into the videogame industry. Original article at www.animationarena.com/getting-into-video-game-industry.html by 'Arenamaster'.

Many artists are interested in getting into the video game industry. However, many of them are unsure as to how they get into this industry.

A mistake some make is trying to start their own business from scratch. That really isn’t a viable option anymore as video games have become a major business. Quality is important, and if you don’t have the skills, experience, or resources, a fledgling company will just drown in debt. Joining a mod team is a good way to get your feet wet as far as building games go, and they are always looking for new talent. However, modding is more for hobbyists and people interested in the coding aspect of games.

To get in with an existing developer you should have a good knowledge of traditional and digital art. ‘Game Artist’ is a general term for a wide range of jobs. These include texture artists, character modelers, and concept artists to name a few. What you choose to specialize in should determine what tools you should focus on honing your skills with.

For being a traditional artist, anatomy is probably the most important thing you can study. This will help you greatly when drawing not only people, but creatures real and fictitious, and even objects. Daily practice is important too. If you want your 2D work to be digital, Photoshop is the standard and is used just about everywhere. On the side, many up-and-coming artists have adopted an anime-based style in their artwork. Unless you have a unique, bold style, avoid this as it won’t help you stand out from the saturation of rivals when it come to showing off your portfolio.

With 3D, it’s not important to know the ins and outs of the various programs out there, but to understand how they are similar. Most 3D programs work in the same way. 3D Studio Max was the traditional choice for learning game modeling, but the company has recently shifted their attention to film. Alias however, has gone the other way; moving from film into video games. Nonetheless, choose whatever you feel like.

For animators, while it’s true a lot more movement is handled with motion capture or physics engines, there are still many things that simply can’t be generated by a machine. A good grounding in animation is still required to make a dragon fly or a robot transform.

Finally, there are many schools now that offer courses in the field of video games. Talent and hard work will get you a degree, but with art, what you can do is just as important, if not more so, as your diploma. Make sure your demo reel that goes with your application shows only the best of what you can do because that is what the businesses are looking for. Most places want at least a couple of years of experience out of their applicants, but if you can show you have the skill, your inexperience can be overlooked, you’ll get the job, and inexperience won’t be an issue in the future.