Game Art Careers

For this blog post I'm going to be looking at current job openings in companies I'd like to work for and seeing what they want in an employee. From where I'm standing now I'd really like to work in 3D software rather than being a concept artist, at the start of the course I was very worried that I might not like the 3D side of the course and just want to draw and paint, but now after using 3D software since October I'm really enjoying using it and would love a job doing it.

As for where to work, ideally I'd like to stay in the UK so that I can keep in touch with family and friends, but if there's an excellent job offer in another country that I really want, then I wouldn't mind moving abroad.

So for jobs in the UK I've looked at two companies I am very fond of and they are Rockstar North Rocksteady. Both of these places are for and environment artist. Looking at what Rocksteady wants, the stakes are pretty high using "Expert use" and "Expert level". As far as programs go they want you to be able to use the Unreal Engine 3 or equivalent, 3DS Max, Photoshop and Z-Brush. They want you to have an understanding in the 3rd person action adventure genre as well as strong communication skills. As for Rockstar the stakes appear to be just as high, "Superior 3D art skills" the only programs they actually specify are 3DS Max and Photoshop but they do mention that you need to be able to use game engines. They want at least 2 years of post secondary school experience in 2D and 3D art production as well as over 3 years experience as a 3D artist in industry. Both these jobs demand a very high skill level with plenty of experience, they also mention that you need to have good communication and organisation skills as they ask you to be able to work closely with other artists and employees on the team.

An example of a company that I wouldn't mind leaving the UK for would be CD Projekt Red, a polish based company who makes the Witcher games. This job I'm looking at is to be a character artist, and from what I've read and heard from others is that character art is a very hard area to get into and only the best get jobs. So this is a bit of a day dream but I still want to aim for it, and even if I don't make it as a character artist I'd still be more than happy doing any other 3D work weather it be creating assets or environments. So in terms of programs they want 3DS Max, Maya, ZBrush and Mudbox. They want someone experienced in the industry as they want over 3 years of professional experience in game development and to have shipped at least one AAA title as a Character Artist. As for skills they want an excellent understanding and sculpting of the human form and excellent communication skills. As for a "Nice to Have" section they want an understanding of shaders, lighting and rendering abilities, animation and rigging and an avid gamer experience and knowledge of the industry.

So from looking at these I've learned first and foremost that to get into big companies like these you need to have worked in the industry for a while already. Ask for skills they're asking us to use programs that we're learning to use on this course, so it's nice to see that we're using the right software. What surprised me was that they didn't just want you to be very skilled in art and working, but also they need you to be a member of a team, to communicate and to work with others well. Hopefully with the upcoming group projects I will be able to improve my team working skills.

http://rocksteadyltd.com/#jobs

http://www.rockstargames.com/jobs/position/22dc86db/rockstar-north

http://cdpred.com/character-artist-3/