I have a few potential career choices, but I am not sure which one I would like to work in. Here are the positions and their purpose:
Lead/Senior Character Artist
Character Artist is one of my career choices, but just as a 3D Character Artist, because I want to specialize in Zbrush however, that doesn't rule out any 2D Character art either. Character Artists creates based on the clients' requirements and briefs, the artist's goal is to give the client a visual representation of what they want, altering and changing things as they move on. I like this job because I would be using ZBrush and have the opportunity to work with big studios for TV or Games and making cool characters. I don't want to stick to Characters, I want to be able to sculpt a wide range of things i.e creatures, props, accessories, hard surface etc.
Here is a list of things a generic character artist would do:
discussing the brief with a games designer and lead artist
creating concept sketches and storyboards in 2D or 3D
specialising in one area of a game, such as human figures or weapons
working with other artists on a film production, each specialising in a particular area
working as a 3D modeller, building up the characters or scenery, taking account of technical capabilities and game platform
adding texture to the drawings to suit the brief, and to bring the game or film to life
using specialist software such as Maya, ZBrush, Mudbox and Photoshop to create your drawings
involved with all aspects of character modelling including anatomical, cloth and hand-surface modelling
creating and taking responsibility for art assets according to the game specification.
(Planit : Job Profiles : Character Artist Fine Art or Graphic Design, 2020)
What does it take to become a Character Artist?
To join a studio as a Character Artist, you must have excellent communication skills, observational skills for attention to detail, imagination and creativity, excellent IT skills, and knowledge of anatomy and form. My goal is to have excellent knowledge of anatomy and I want to prove my knowledge through anatomy studies, sculpts and posed characters, showing my understanding of form and how the body looks when in a pose. I want to understand different body types too and understand where skin and fat goes on different body types, showing individual variation.
Art Director
Being an Art director would be one of my top career choices because I can lead a team well, I can listen to others and communicate to get my point across while taking heed on what others have to say. My standards are high and consistency is very important to me, so I believe that I could become an Art Director in the industry. Becoming an Art Director is quite difficult, because you need to have a few years of experience, and to be able to make hard decisions and to be able to control a team of Artists. I wouldn't look to become an Art Director straight away, I would like to work my way up to that position, beginning as a character Artist.