I get emails from 3D modelers, animators and other artists now and then. Based on my very scientific research (that would be bunch of emails) I could estimate that 50% of the emails I get have no sample links. Some send me extremely long emails explaining their history since they were born. Some send me spam-like messages that are generated to some list (from where I’ve never signed, and cannot unsubscribe).

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One of the biggest checks in reality I had did not come to me in college, it did not come to me when I had to start creating wonderful artwork with strict deadlines and it did not come to me when I had my first few interviews, no, it came to me when I did my first art test. In this Art Tests in Depth series on Notes on Game Dev, I’ll start with an introduction to the basics and then get more in depth with my test experiences.

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Today at the Masters of Digital Media program at Great Northern Way Campus, Will Wright (does he even need an introduction? okay, the guy behind SimCity, The Sims, and Spore) visited the students for lunch and a preliminary discussion before his evening talk as part of the Krazy! Exhibition through the Vancouver Art Gallery. In his ever-friendly manner, he invited the group to ask questions from the get go, and had helpful advice and insights for people interested in game design.

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Before I entered the career field of texture artist, I went and did 3 years on a BA course in ‘computer game art’. Ultimately it isn’t essential in getting a job as a texture artist but it can be a good motivation to learn the basics of 3D applications and how to approach your work. The biggest problem is that the teachings can be based on methods and technology that is a few years behind, while I can only say that about the course I attended, I do still often hear that many other similar courses still share that very same problem today.
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If you’re looking at what kind of classes to take, basic drawing and design courses are critical. Drawdrawdraw. Take figure drawing, because that will likely be the best visual training you’ll ever get. If you draw the human body wrong, it’s very obvious, so it forces you to do two key things well: observe what is really in front of you (rather than your mental concept of what should be there), and make visual choices well for putting down the details of a drawing.
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Know Your Tools

After you’ve decided your primary art career focus (see Career Paths from last week)—or at least your initial focus—it’s time to start learning the software. 3-D and 2-D art packages have zilch to do with normal office software like word processors or spreadsheets programs. Although learning on the job is a possibility for some aspiring artists, it may not be a practical training solution for many. And you can’t fake your way through this stuff. As a staff artist candidate, you must know the tools of the trade to be successful.

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In any other industry, it may be enough to say that you want to be an artist. But, in the games industry, that’s not quite enough; you’ll need to be lots more specific. In the games industry, there are artists, yes, but there are also modelers, texture artists, character animators, skins artists, 2-D artists, 3-D artists — and oh so many more.

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