Game Artist
 

lets see for a while now i kinda wanted to be my own manga artist but my teacher kept telling me that things arent as easy-there are only a handful and other blah blah yadda yadda's
so i decided on a career of being a game artist.
thing is im not to sure on how to get there.
so if anyone has some pointers or advice or anything please feel free to post^^
-btw does anyone know the starting amount of a game artist?
-and how many years do you need in order to be one-currently i have about 12 yrs thinking, but for school maybe about 4-5 yrs so far.

The game world is completely different from the manga world. I am not an expert, so I won't pretend to know, but my guess is you are thinking more about character design than being an actual CG animator.

My suggestion would be DRAW DRAW DRAW! Build up a portfolio and communication skills. Practice listening to people, and try to draw characters you read descriptions about (like from novels). A character designer needs to be able to work with a team, and bring the game designer's vision to life. The nice thing about that field (and maybe what your teacher was trying to say) is that games are made all over the world, not just in Japan, so it's an easier field to break into than manga or anime.

I`m not sure if they`re still doing it, but Konami used to do an exchange program for those interested in the game design field. (Aspects other than programming.)

I took part in it back in 99, and was able to attend their "In Game Item Open Forum" where there were artists and people with ideas but no art skills presenting their ideas for game items.

I will echo MMM and say build a portfolio - not just of art, but of concepts also. (My art isn`t all that great, but my ideas and concepts were enough to get me into the course on a scholarship.)

Good luck!

thank you both of you^^
im actually starting on a folder
trying to collect my best works and put it into
one-im also trying to join as much competitions as possibple(so hard!!!!)
but if i win in more competitions does it mean that i will be able to get a job in the feild easier?

You should take all your work and put it onto a CD. if you go to walmart or something you can scan it so you can have a digital copy of your work and you can send it to people or put it up onto a website. i did that with mine. just in case something happens to the originals.

Everything helps. I think joining competitions is a great idea. Also, you can send pics to Newtype USA and they may publish your art.

ive been thinking about doing that sending things to Newtype
but i-well im not into anime no more i just draw them.
and well buying the magazine and stuff is ya...plus do they give you heads up on if your drawing made it in?

i have my own scanner here^^
i am trying to scan all of them but i want to make new drawings
im trying to put my all into everything as much as possible im hoping that my art will be my ticket for college-or i can just trust my grades as a backup^^

if you can, get your stuff copyrighted before you send it to anyone. some people you send it off to may steal your work. you never know who would do that kind of stuff.

I recommend against the poor-man's copyright - snail mailing the stuff to yourself. it doesn't hold up in court.

good luck! ;)

thank you very much
actually all the work i posted arnt really my best-i save all my good work for my folder
i actually finsihd one of my works
its took a while but atleast i got one down-and alot mor to go^^
-does anyone know how much does a beginner game artist gets payed?

still needing help here so anyone plz got any advice or so info plz feel free to help me out

Six-figure series, take 3 - Jan. 21, 2004

I just googled game artist salary...I don't think that's for character design in particular, but I would think it'd be similar.

surely you could have found that on your own...we're not here to do ALL your homework for you ;)

You won't make it. The game industry mostly won't take girls. Its like 3 out of 30.000 who make it. Trust me, my boyfriend is in the same field, but whit music.

um thanks i guess for the support i guess

MOST artists don't make anything. That's just the lucky bunch that can find work.

uhg thats why im needing lots of support frm pple
being an artist is hard and i knw that
cuz there are alot of pple out there who are and that only a handful of them actually make it big

WOW that sounds like me with singing. my primary support ended up being from total strangers who told me not to give up on my dreams.

I had people that had never heard me sing tell me not to give up on my dreams. for all they knew, I coulda sounded like a cow.
...and then some heard me singing out my car window and claimed I sounded good. I don't know if they actually believed that, or if they were just shocked that I had the balls to sing in public and I didn't sound absolutely terrible.

my point is...we're probably not the support you're looking for. someone you trust is probably best for that, or someone that knows the field.

I'm not going to tell you not to give up on your dreams until I see your work. I'm not going to ask to see your work, because as a general rule I don't do that - it can get stolen so much easier over the net. that, and most people think on more of a "wow, they're so much better than I am, they can do it!" level, versus a "hmmm, an employer is going to be looking for this and this" level. those two levels are worlds apart.

...if you're trying to make it big, I recommend you scale your dream down some, just as a general rule.
example: marketing's a lot easier of a field to get into. you could still use your creativity there.

you're 12 right? unlike some people, i am gonna say don't give up on your dreams, but the dreams about art. you don't have to be so specific in what field of art you wana go to yet. wait a couple years, do some work experience in different areas of the art industry, then when you're older make your choice.

i have 3 artist friends. they all stopped studying art after high school (17 or 18 years old), they couldn't find any work cos basically, companies want more qualifications as no art is "original" anymore. its become like almost any other subject.
Now 2 of them are at uni doing some sort of art and design degree, and the uni sorts them out for work experience in games companies or magazine companies etc. They also both have a job lined up as soon as they finish their degree at the end of this year. One is actually off to Japan, and the other is off to USA.
back to the 3rd friend, this guy, i think he was actually the best out of the 3, but he's doing nothing with his life. he's still drawing, but noone is recognising his work no matter how much he tries to send to companies etc. He currently works in a games shop and has been there for 5 years.

basically, the point is, don't be in a rush. you still got time. making a career out of anything takes a lot of time and preperation... :vsign: good luck

I agree. You are only 12 there is still a lot of time to think about your career path so don't be so single minded. You have to broaden your perspective. If you do not do that you would not be able to accomplish anything. You still have a lot to learn so take it easy for now. There is no hurry.

~laughs~ you DID say nearly the same thing I did at the end. I did say it wierd though...it was 2AM when I wrote that, I wasn't as coherent as I would've liked...I tried to say two different things using the same words.

I just thought about this...aren't the odds with the guys not the same? I don't think there are nearly as many girls who are as interested in the field...so there's probably less applying...and of those, very few make it...but, I would think the ratio would be similar to guys. how many guys make it out of how many that apply?

just curious...I basically think the girls get more attention because there's less of them applying.

to make things clear i dnt know whos age ur talkin bout but im currently 15 okz
ive been gettin college requests since i was in 8th grade
im a national honor student-im just wondering on the game artist issue on how to get there and wat roads to take

Luna 2...I thought you were going to be gone for a while...

sorry, i misunderstood your first post, i thought you were 12. Anyway, even 15 is a little too young to be thinking/worrying about work and career. ofcourse its good to have ideas and thoughts to explore, but don't be too worried. most people don't find what they want to do in their career until their 30's.

No, not true. Mostly the guys make it. Caus the game industry think its to risky to take the girls in. Don't you see, in life the boys have made it, not the girls. Just some very very few. How many girl names do you see on a game credit? nearly no one, about from the voices. So, to be a girl and like thos thing, suck!

OOOOH. Nation honor-student! haha, how lame.

:confused: :confused:

nearly all the guys make it into the game industry? for all the guys that would apply, I *highly* doubt that.

you're right, I don't see many girls names on there. I still have to question how many apply.

in life...girls haven't made it? ha, no. in life (at least in America), career wives are put on a pedestal, and stay-at-home moms are (sadly, IMO) frowned upon. the majority of women are making it in life. maybe not making it big, but I still have to question how many men are making it big too. in general, it's hard to make it big.
heh, I recently got laid off from a third party consumer reporting agency - a company that ran background checks for employment for other companies. the applications I got in where pretty much split, except for the companies that were high-labor...and even those, I was surprised to find a halfway decent amount of women applying for, considering the positions they wanted.

you would be shocked.

maybe in a few years things will change alot you'll see

Haha. I do hope so.

anyone know a good art skool?

Hehe...I've always been a thinker more than an artist ^^. I've always dreamed of working in game design, possibly writing stories for games, not so much the artistic or technological sides. Hey, if we stick to our dreams, maybe we'll work together one day, eh? Wouldn't that be great? :D So, if all goes well for both of us, I'll see you in 20 years or so :vsign:

thanks guys^^
20?!
holly cow!!!!
well im expectin to get my job easily(kinda) since i have alot of experience under my belt
but hey the road to our dreams can be full of unexpected things like waitin for 20 years Oo-lol

Hey, even if those statistics are correct(which I doubt they are) you just might be one of those 3. Just never give up, keep trying:).

Me too! lol (little big world) at the moment I hav a part time job in blizzard (system admin bilingual on WOW) and that really really fun ,Game Industry its like back to High School lol
Anyway don't stop dreaming and make a great portofolio if U draw, any talent U hav exploit it ! lol For me this the first time in my life im happy to wake up in the morning and going to work! keep trying and working !

yes im currently making a portfolio and tryin to get into as much competitions as possibles just so i can get noticed^^
im hoping i'll get to paint a mural at mai skool^^

Aw man, Team 17 are recruiting game artists now. I wish I was 22 and fully qualified -_-=