We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Education

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

How do I Break into the Game Art Design Industry?

By Sonal Panse
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 4,024
Share

A game art design career is an excellent choice for creative people looking for challenging and innovative work. Gaming is very popular worldwide and there is a growing market demand for new, more sophisticated games. This has led to thriving business for game companies and opened up a wide range of game art design careers.

Breaking into the game industry, though, can be tough. The numbers of highly talented applicants exceed the available jobs. To make headway amidst all the competition, a person must have excellent art and computer skills, solid educational qualifications, an impressive portfolio, and strong communication and networking skills. It also helps to have a healthy amount of patience, persistence and resilience.

Beginners should take the time to get informed about game art design industries. Learn about different game art careers and different game genres. Research different types of game companies and the kind of work they do. Visit game industry websites and follow blogs by game art design professionals. Keep abreast with industry happenings and attend industry events.

Learn the industry jargon and about the entire game making process. Read up on game design theories, core systems design, technical design and making prototypes. In addition, play plenty of games and study the game art design elements that make a game successful. If something doesn't work too well, think about how it could be redesigned. It is a good idea to volunteer your time for beta testing games.

Different industry disciplines like Animation, Character, Environment, UI Artist, Cinematic, FX or Concept require different skill sets. These can be acquired through various certificate or degree programs in game art design and game development. Some people prefer to take the traditional art college route as this may offer a more thorough grounding in drawing and design skills.

Game design professionals must be knowledgeable about anatomy, perspective, lighting, color theory, design fundamentals, story-telling and character development. They need to be proficient in drawing, sketching and storyboard rendering. A sound grasp of image manipulation, 3D, animation and multimedia tools is also essential. Programming knowledge is a plus for better planning the game art design.

Assemble a well-presented portfolio displaying only the best work. A portfolio can be an actual one with photographs, demo reels, CDs and DVDs, or a virtual one like a website or a blog. In any case, it should be tailored to the industry and discipline of interest. Being versatile is good, but most companies usually hire for a specific game art design position.

Check online job boards and company career web pages for job opportunities. Some companies offer internships, which are a good way of gaining experience and getting a foot in the door. Network with industry professionals; they are likely to know about job openings and they can also offer valuable tips and information about working in the industry.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/how-do-i-break-into-the-game-art-design-industry.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.