Learn What Recruiters Want from Artists in ArtStation's Report
The State of the Art Report shows that 3D modeling dominated ArtStation in 2025.
ArtStation is a platform for all kinds of visual media, but the State of the Art Report 2026 shows that 3D modeling has left every other skill behind in terms of popularity.
The platform surveyed over 2,000 ArtStation users and found that 3D modeling is the top proclaimed skill in artists' portfolios in 2025, followed by concept art and illustration. According to the graph, 3D animation grew by 14.4%, and 2D animation – by 12.8%.
The most popular software is, unsurprisingly, Photoshop, with Blender and Substance 3D Painter, Maya, and ZBrush behind it. ArtStation says that the most common software pairings are Maya+Substance 3D Painter, Substance 3D Painter+ZBrush, and Blender+Photoshop.
Half of the respondents say that they switch the software they use because of its price changes, while 24% say they find better alternatives, 22% state licensing changes, and 17% are worried about ethical and business matters.
When asked about challenges, 57% of the users complained about inconsistent income, 51% struggle with promotion, and 46% face geographic limitations.
ArtStation also surveyed studios and recruiters and learned that 3D and concept art are needed the most right now. But if you want to get a job, be sure you don't have the issues they listed as most popular among candidates:
- Missing technical skills or workflows
- Lack of professional polish
- Weak fundamentals
- Unrealistic scope or portfolio focus
- Poor presentation or navigation
- Unclear role in team projects
When it comes to the areas that hire the most, games are the way to go, with Animation, Film and TV, Asset Creation, Advertising, and AR/VR fields also showing consistent demand. The most required software in job listings is Photoshop, Unreal Engine, Blender, Maya, and Unity.
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