LogInWe talked to a few artists from our RFP artist community about their desired jobs, how they work on their skills, and what are the three favorite software they choose to work in.
What is Your Dream Job?
My dream is to be an Environment Artist. I would like to create assets and textures for environments to tell their stories. My love for Substance Designer grew over time, so specializing in procedural texture creation at some point is another option I am thinking of. Hopefully, I will take part in a team that creates phenomenal environments soon.
Ways to Improve Your Skills
Currently, I am taking classes in the program called '3D Modeling, Art and Animation' in Vancouver, Canada. Since all the classes are online due to pandemic, that made me save even more time for personal projects. I constantly watch tutorials and practice my skills alongside classes. Seeing environments from both video games and films as well as the work of professionals inspires me to spend more time practicing both my hard and soft skills. They are also constant reminders that I still have a long way to go on this journey. I really think observing and analyzing Environments with their key elements and details is a very productive way of practicing.
Top 3 Favorite Software
For 3D modeling, I started by using Maya and I am still using it, that is what they teach us in school. Since I think I am efficient with the tool I haven't really tried other 3D modeling packages. For high poly, I use ZBrush. It is a great tool to add both macro and micro details for later to bake down on low poly mesh. For textures, I use Substance Painter. Taking advantage of generators really helps with adding depth to the storytelling.
Gilles De Regge
What is Your Dream Job?
Working on fun projects with a passionate team. For me, the team and the communication that comes along with it is very important. Why I also like working in a team, is because you can learn loads of new stuff from each other.
Now more specifically, my dream is to work in a feature animation studio because since I was a child, I was amazed by the people who brought us magic on our TV screens. From that moment on, I decided, that one day, I wanted to be part of this magic.
I love working on environments that tell a story(using lighting, composition, etc..). Shortly I will learn Houdini, I am very interested in making effects and procedural environments/assets.
Ways to Improve Your Skills
Before I start with a project, I first think of which programs and which skills I will need to use to accomplish the result that I have in mind. If I am not working on projects I do some random stuff to have fun or to test something never used before. I don't take extra online courses to improve my skills. When I get stuck, I first try my best to resolve the problem myself, if I can't fix or can't find a way around, I start looking for info online. (mostly blogs, videos)
Top 3 Favorite Software
Quixel Mixer, Unreal Engine, and After Effects (of course, there are a lot more programs I love to work in)
- Quixel Mixer: It is really to quickly create a realistic texture with assets, materials, textures, etc. they provide. (When you have an Unreal account you have access to more than 11.000 assets, which is really cool)
- Unreal Engine: It is really fast and very fun to work with. Everything in UE is very clear and artist-friendly. UE also has multiple plug-ins which make importing of your assets into the software a lot faster. In my opinion, UE is the future for games and films, because of the latest technologies they invented for lighting and to import high poly objects in your scene without the fps dropping.
- After Effects: I like this program for making and editing videos/images. I like to work with it to make my final touches on my renders.
Carlos Lopez
What is Your Dream Job?
My dream job has been the same in mind since I was a kid. Certain games have inspired me to be doing what I am doing today. I would say that the work I put in for every project, makes me believe I am on the right path. Always going forward. I envision myself as the lead artist role for a game one day.
Ways to Improve Your Skills
The number one thing is to practice. The second thing is to learn from your mistakes. Because if you are not learning from your mistakes, then what are you really improving on? That being said, I have always kept myself busy with one new project after the other. I am always trying to tackle something new or something I know I am not strong suited for, just yet. Any kind of technical problem I encounter with each project increases my skill levels to go higher.
Top 3 Favorite Software
Well, it is good to know more than just three, but if I had to pick the ones I enjoyed the most during production, I would say: Maya, ZBrush, and Substance Painter. These three programs to me are some of the pillars of creating anything. Understanding the core fundamentals of this three software, alone, can get you far in the development of any project. Despite my repetitive usage of this software, I feel like there is always something new to learn. And that is what keeps it exciting when working on different projects every time. The satisfaction that comes from seeing your process of blocking out an idea, creating a beautiful high poly sculpt from it (and of course optimizing it), just to bring it in through the texturing phase to see it come to life right in front of you is truly mesmerizing.
Buğra Erke
What is Your Dream Job?
My dream job is character art, and I do this job. But it's not just a job, it's a passion. Because every character has a story, and every character carries this story on them in some way.
Some are in the wrinkles on their foreheads, some in the dirt between their nails, some in the depression on their shoulders. It is a completely different pleasure to try to produce your work by thinking about such details.
Unfortunately, the industry of my work in my country is very limited. So when I look at my career in general, I need more variety of work. I shouldn't just fill this up by producing personal works in my spare time.
Ways to Improve Your Skills
All of them actually. I don't think that it's possible to be better with one method. If you do some stuff in your free time, you need to know what you're doing and to know what you are doing, you need to learn some stuff.
This means taking some courses or educating yourself in some way. There are great artists on YouTube, for example. But when working on their own, people do not set any technical limits.
However, this job should be done within a defined set of technical limitations. It is the meeting of art and technique. This is something that requires experience. We can achieve it by taking part in some projects.
Top 3 Favorite Software
ZBrush, Maya, and Substance Painter. Because my job is based on these three. They are essential to my workflow. Are similar works not produced with other programs? Of course yes.
But sometimes you need specific modifications. At these points, you need programs that focus not on being able to do everything, but on being able to do one thing. I think these are programs that way.