Becoming a game artist is not an easy task. Whether you are self-taught or you have just graduated from a proper game design and development program; making your space in this industry takes a lot of time and effort. The progress is steady and it won’t happen overnight. Every artist dreams of stepping into a game art studio so that they can put their skills to use, enhance them and earn a good salary too.
And the frustration along this journey is justified too. As an artist, you have a lot of hope along with a handful of fear and a bunch of nervousness as well. The rejection is nothing but depressive. But if you look deeper, you might come to realize that you are lacking something. If you are being rejected by gaming studios too often, then there is certainly a mistake somewhere. Thus, here is some expert advice for artists who want to become a part of a game art studio.
Your Portfolio:
To begin with, your portfolio is what matters the most and not your degree. The portfolio must have game art in it. This might sound obvious here but more than 50% of the people who apply, act otherwise. Once you open the portfolio, the problem is obvious. Individuals have incomplete character busts and too many weapons piled up in their galleries. The issue remains; not one real-time art exists. This shows a lack of understanding of the workflow in a gaming studio. Thus, your portfolio needs to speak for itself. Invest time and effort into building it, before applying.
Stay Contextual:
Your portfolio must have relevant content to the position you are applying for. For instance, if the art studio is looking for an environment artist position, but your portfolio is all about a set of props; why would they hire you? Thus, context is very important and this is what a lot of individuals do not understand and they lose great opportunities. This however does not happen each time. Sometimes, quality is much more of a concern for the studio and they might hire you. But for the majority of the people, they want to see whether you can create what they need or not. And they need it upright. They don’t want to train anyone and thus, context helps people win a great position, most of the time. This is why diversity in portfolios is considered important.
Cut-throat Competition:
The biggest issue remains; the competition is getting fierce day by day and as artists, your work needs to be evolving all the time. The biggest issue for newcomers is not their fellows; they are the people who are already working in the industry. Everyone demands experience and you need to work hard for it. You can enhance your work by grabbing freelance opportunities or you must be willing to work on internships. Until and unless you have AAA quality work, it is very hard for you to get a job as a game artist.
CONCLUSION
Everyone is struggling and the rising competition is the reason behind it. Great art is able to magnetize people easily and will get you the job you deserve. However, it is a gradual process and requires a lot of persistence and hard work. Build your portfolio and boost your work’s quality impeccably to gain the perfection that is required in the market these days. Reaching the quality standard bar is crucial and you must take all the stepping stones to do so.
