Some good info

So I got to hang out with some awesome people the other day, including Robert Brackenridge, a liaison for Unity. I asked them about what I needed in my portfolio if I wanted to be a concept artist, and this is what they told me.

First off, becoming a concept artist straight out of school is next to impossible, unless you're just REALLY good at what you do. Instead, start with something like textures or 3D models, and put them up on a resource site where others can download them. You can even charge for them and make some money on the side. Robert told me that what he does is go to these sites and find a resource that he likes. But instead of downloading that resource, he contacts the artist and offers them a job. So you either make a few bucks by selling your artwork, or you get a job. Win-win, in my opinion.

Secondly, I was told that it's good to have a variety of artwork in your portfolio. Not just being able to draw characters AND environments, for example, but being able to draw characters and environments in different artistic styles. If you have thirty different styles of chairs (steampunk, fantasy, sci-fi, and cartoon, just to name a few) in your portfolio, and that's all you have, they'll still look at it and say, "Wow, this person has talent." Sure, you might not get a job over how good your chairs are, but it's a start.

The reason for this second piece of advice is because studios don't always make the same type of game every time. One game may be more fantasy styled, while the next will be sci-fi. If you can't do both, then they just wasted time hiring and training you for just one game, and now they have to fire you, find someone else, and train them to do your job. It's bad for both parties all around, and it won't look good in your resume.

So basically, draw something every day. Draw different things every day. I know that most artists learn to specialize in one thing; I'm the same way. But even if you're not perfect at drawing something, it's good to at least have a basic knowledge so that you don't get kicked to the curb the next time someone needs something. Now, if you're like me, you're the type of person who says, "But I can't think of something to draw EVERY day! I need some kind of idea from somewhere." Well worry not! I've done some research, and I've found some resources that I'd like to share.

The Daily Drawing Drill - This website not only gives you a subject, but also gives you an art style, where to get references from, and what ambiance, tools, and technique to use.

Seventh Sanctum - A large list of all kinds of different generators. You can use it not only to generate names for various characters, creatures, and places, but also to get descriptions for people and places. Use this with the Daily Drawing Drill, and you've got your idea right there.

Drawing Basics and Video Game Art - This is a book that I found just the other day at Barnes and Noble. It goes over EVERYTHING, like perspective, light, color theory, character creation, environments, ect. It compares the work of old masters to today's video games, and shows how all of the techniques that have been used for centuries still apply today. It also has a digital version that you can download, if you prefer that way.

As always, come check out my DeviantArt. You can also now view my portfolio, which will be updated occasionally over the summer.