What's it like to be a Video Game Artist?

May 2, 2023

PEEK INTO THE EXCITING WORLD OF A GAME STUDIO!

Are you an aspiring  video game artist? Are you curious about what the daily life of a video game artist looks like? Well, look no further! We’re here to give you a peek into the exciting world of video game development studios.

COMMUNICATION

No matter where you work, the most important thing in the daily life of a video game artist is communication. You need to stay in touch with producers, peers, leads, and art directors to make sure everyone is on the same page. That means meetings with your team or using cool communication platforms like Teams or Slack to keep everyone informed.

Don’t hesitate to ask questions! Things change all the time in the game development world, and it’s hard to keep up. Be proactive and seek out what you need to know. It’s better to ask and be in the know than to assume and miss out on vital information.

TASK AND TIME MANAGEMENT

Task management is another crucial aspect of a video game artist’s daily life. You have to use super-cool project management software like Jira to keep track of your tasks. You need to update the statuses of your tasks, ensuring that the game development process is a coordinated effort. You’ll also need to know how long it takes you to create your assets and stick to your estimations! Accountability is super important.

ASSET CREATION

Now for the fun part: creating cool stuff! But you need to create art on time and meet your deadlines! You have to make art that follows the concept art and the style of the game. Then, you’ll present your art in an art review and take notes and feedback. You’ll need to apply this feedback to the next revision of the task. Rinse and repeat.

ART MANAGEMENT

Managing the throughput of your art is also important in the daily life of a video game artist. You need to complete your art, polish it, and get it into the game engine. Then, you’ll need to check it into PerForce and communicate that it’s done. Your work and all the assets in the game are tracked, so it’s important for producers to have awareness of the progress of all the teams toward milestone goals.

…AND FUN!

At game studios, a healthy work-life balance is essential for employees’ well-being and productivity. That’s why studios foster a “play” culture, where team members take breaks, socialize, and have fun together.

Game studios have a ton of fun activities throughout the year, including Game Jams, bake-offs, group drawing sessions, lunch and learn sessions, sporting teams, and more! These activities give the team an opportunity to bond with each other, learn new skills, and recharge their batteries. You have heard the cliché, work hard and play hard.

THE BOTTOM LINE

So yeah, the life of a video game artist is exciting, challenging, and rewarding. Communication, task management, and art management are essential aspects of the job. As an aspiring or professional video game artist, understand these aspects of the job and stay informed, communicate well, and manage your tasks and art efficiently. This will ensure a prosperous future! Good luck on your journey!

BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL NOW!
Button Text