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10 essential skills for budding game artists. Eve Penford-Dennis Senior Teacher AIE Melbourne. Neil Boyd Senior Teacher AIE Canberra. Don’t be a tool. You are an artist, not a “software technician” Don’t decide that you prefer only one type of software
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10 essential skills for budding game artists Eve Penford-Dennis Senior Teacher AIE Melbourne Neil Boyd Senior Teacher AIE Canberra
Don’t be a tool • You are an artist, not a “software technician” • Don’t decide that you prefer only one type of software • Should be aware of the basics in at least one other package (ideally 3dsmax, Maya or XSI)
Network • Mailing lists (dlf, etc) • Forums (sumea, polycount, etc) • Most programmers are human • Keep IT people on your good side • Keep in touch with classmates and teachers • Games industry is very close knit and you never know when you might need a foot in the door • 50% of jobs never advertised
Communicate Effectively • Find out exactly what you have to do and by when (clarification) • Save yourself time and effort • Good communicators get the good jobs faster • Communicate well visually- doing the best concept art means everyone builds your stuff- not vice versa • Be concise and specific
I can do it! • Be versatile • You’re being paid to do what someone else wants, not what YOU want • Murphy’s law says you will be working on the game you didn’t find interesting • Challenge yourself to design / model / animate texture things that are not your particular style or out of your comfort zone
Ideas • Be original • Keep up the traditional art skills • Concept art is important • So many studios have seen lots and lots of clichéd artwork- IT’S BEEN DONE!
Keep your reel current • Keep updating your reel • Get copies of your work • Render off work- don’t rely on having all the files later • You could find out about a great job elsewhere • Company could go bust
Texturing is tops • If you can’t find a texture that suits a model-make it from scratch! • Texture budgets- they are called budgets for a reason • Get a digital camera and take it with you everywhere • Uniquereference and textures • walls, grass, roads , concrete, rust, signs, faces, skies, graffiti, vehicles
Save W.I.P. • Show the process you went through to create that fantastic model. • Understand the process you went through to create the model • Prove that the work is yours • Find the arm before you made it an amputee
Make It Better • Make it better if not as good than other games • Ask others advice, take criticism, practice and improve. • Keep up to date with new developments • keep honing the skills on stuff you already know
Play games • What is the “fun stuff” in every genre? • Why do some games work better than others • Play the best games of all time • What game has the best: • Characters design • Character animation • Level design
Other Tips • Don’t use tutorials in your reels • No excuse for poor file management (telling people you’ve lost work) • Once you’ve got the job – keep impressing people – that’s when you’ve really got to prove yourself • Nothing offensive in your reel
Questions • What was that young grasshopper?