2/16/23, 9:23 AM 3D Character Artist Job Description, Salary, Skills & Software

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3D Character Artist
The role, salary, software, and skills of a 3D character
artist in film and games

CAREER PATHWAYS / 3D MODELING / GAME DEV CAREERS / 3D CHARACTER ARTIST

What does a 3D character artist do?

3D character artists create digital 3D models of characters for films and video games.
Models are often based on illustrations drawn by a concept artist.

 In film, character artists create 3D characters that are integrated into live-action. Their work
primarily takes place during the post-production process, but sketches and concept art will be
developed from pre-production stages as part of the film or series’ production design.

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2/16/23, 9:23 AM 3D Character Artist Job Description, Salary, Skills & Software

In animated features, series, or shorts character artists develop and create the character art
that is used throughout the production. They work closely with directors, writers,
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departments to bring the characters to life. Sophisticated character development and artistry
are required to elicit emotion from drawn images.

In games, character artists work closely with creative and technical teams to drive the visual
quality of the game and maintain a consistent character style. In the competitive gaming
market players now expect high-standard graphics, it is up to the character artist to deliver on
the overall artistic quality of the game.  The processes are the same as in gaming, however as
film has a linear structure, they will not incorporate interactive elements or behaviors. 

3D character artist job description

Character artists transform 2D illustrations and concept art, or scans of live-action actors, into
3D models with a framework that can be rigged, anatomical limbs, and finished textures. This
work is vital to the believability of the production as these elements need to fit seamlessly into
the footage for the final product to be believable.

Role & responsibilities of a character artist in the film and games industry:

Producing high-quality, anatomically feasible, photo-real or stylized CG character models in

line with brief and/or reference material 
Interpret abstract ideas or concept art into the creation of compelling photo-real or stylized
character
Presenting work in a turntable style environment with acceptable lighting for progress
reviews and approval (including scale reference)
Ensuring consistency of UV mapping and polygonal subdivisions 
Facilitate the creation of high-quality photo-real texture maps
Researching reference materials for aesthetics and genre of game, film or animation

Skills required to become a 3D character artist

A 3D character artist role is not generally an entry-level position. While some junior positions
are available in the industry, most character artists have years of character creation, sculpture,
and design experience. A good way to break into this field is to learn 3D modeling and build up
a portfolio of original 3D character work. 

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2/16/23, 9:23 AM 3D Character Artist Job Description, Salary, Skills & Software

Film and game studios may look for the following skills in a 3D character artist:
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Experience in digital sculpting, modeling, UV mapping, texturing
Excellent understanding of shading, lighting, structure, texturing, and silhouette
Understanding of mesh topology and edge loops 
Knowledge of anatomy - proportions, muscle, and skeletal structures
Ability to work from reference materials such as photography or concept art

What software and tools do 3D character artists

use?
Character artists work in the virtual space using computer software but some artists many may
have more hands-on, practical experience, which is always useful.

Character artists may need knowledge of a combination of the following software:

Maya
ZBrush
Blender
Mari
Substance Painter
Unreal Engine (and other real-time engines)
Houdini

How much does a 3D character artist make? 

The average salary of a 3D character artist is between USD $32,000 and USD $98,000. (Source:
Payscale)

To learn more about this field, visit: What is 3D Modeling?

3D MODELING CAREER INDUSTRY GUIDE

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3D modeling courses taught by industry experts

INTRODUCTION TO 3D MODELING

3 MONTHS - 20HRS WEEKLY

3D modeling for beginners starts with the essentials: navigating Maya, setting up workflows and
building 3D assets from scratch. See the differences between film and game models and find out how to
work with your models in Unreal Engine and texture in Substance Painter.

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FOUNDATIONS OF 3D MODELING COURSE

9 MONTHS - 20HRS WEEKLY

Learn 3D character modeling and create a game ready character complete with hair, clothing and
accessories. Then build a 3D environment which you'll texture, light, import into Unreal Engine. Note:
Term 1 of this course is the same as the Introduction course. So if you've already completed it, you’ll skip
to term 2.

ADVANCED 3D MODELING COURSE

9 MONTHS - 20HRS WEEKLY

Speed up your workflow and further your environment and character design skills by creating more
detailed fully rendered models, including a creature with skin, scales and fur. This course focuses on
portfolio prep and career development so you graduate studio-ready.

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