How do you break into game art with no formal education?

Without having an actual experience in the industry you can still build up your portfolio by creating 'fan art' for the projects you love. You want to work on Project X? Make a 'love letter' to the team by depicting your vision of what it could look like - be it a character, environment, vehicle/-s or battle scene. Show off your skills but use them to showcase how you can contribute to that particular project you love.

Portfolio is key and I have a ton of thoughts there I’ll post separately! But before that… Know yourself! Some people need the structure and community that comes with formal education. Others don’t need that and can find many resources and communities online these days. Try to think about how and when you have thrived in the past. Try to create that environment again. Give yourself the highest chance for success you can.

Embarking on creating your first portfolio but feeling unsure of your current skill level? Don't hesitate—start the journey, and you'll learn tons of new things with each new piece. Let developing your portfolio be about learning and experimenting with what you enjoy as an artist, rather than aiming for perfectionism or getting everything 100% right If you're not sure where to start and what to show take your favourite game, movie, series and make fan art or scenes/characters/props. Working with direct references will make it 100% easier for you, and you'll have fun making something you love. The less pressure = easier!

Ter um portfólio consistente com a vaga que você deseja é primordial, esteja preparado, opte por ter cursos específicos pra essa área e tenha network, converse com outros artistas nas redes sociais.

Starting a career in art in the game industry does not require a formal education. You can learn all the skills for building your portfolio through tons of free resources on Youtube or Artstation Learning. If you prefer structured classes, you can take workshops or online classes at places such as The Workshop Academy or CGMA or watch tutorials from current industry professionals in your field. With how many resources are out there, you can absorb and build knowledge exactly how you like to learn. Then, it comes down to your portfolio. After you have practiced your workflow and tools in smaller exercises, start creating artwork that meets the standard bar of the studios and positions you're interested in.

After you've experimented with and exposed yourself to all the different niches in Game Art (Materials, Prop Artist, Character Artist, Rigging, Level Art, etc), start to think about and evaluate each of them. What workflow or pipeline did you enjoy the most? What work do you find most fulfilling or exciting? Maybe there's some niches that you found you didn't like as much and that's great! It helps narrow down what you are good at and could feel really fulfilled in.

Don't force yourself to be Jack of all Trades. Sure you can be one but if you are not focus on your strengths instead. If you're proficient in 3D don't try to come up with concept art unless this is all you want. Identify your strengths and stick with it, the time to change the path will come later, once you feel more comfortable.

Pick a style and technique you like! If you have different skillsets, even better but don't make it your sole mission. Specializing in a style or technique is great, because you will get to master it and also, enjoy what you're doing while simultaneously creating your own brand among followers and recruiters.

I can only speak from personal experience on this. I would say be specific with what you want to create. Early in my career I tried to create art in many styles so I might be more employable. That lead to not enough specialization to be proficient in one area early on, and finally later unfulfilled because I was not creating stylized art that I loved. Either way I would suggest trying to create art in many styles so you know what you like and don’t like to create.

I can only speak from personal experience on this. I would say be specific with what you want to create. Early in my career I tried to create art in many styles so I might be more employable. That lead to not enough specialization to be proficient in one area early on, and finally later unfulfilled because I was not creating stylized art that I loved. Either way I would suggest trying to create art in many styles so you know what you like and don’t like to create.

There are tons of Game Jams you can get involved in. Not only will you learn skills and have a final product at the end for your portfolio, but the people you work with will be contacts for life in some cases. Utilize sites like LinkedIn to connect professionally and show the industry what you've been working on! Everything you create and each contact you make is another step toward your ultimate goal.

It's said, it's who ya know, that's crazy true in the games industry. Let folks know what you're up to and what you're making. Interact with the folks who are sharing their work. Ask for feedback, give compliments. Show you're passionate and passionate people will find you. Don't let that keep you from also going out and finding those passionate folks.

"Fake it, 'till you make it!" Hear me out. If you're making game art, no matter the quality, you'll eventually get good. If you're talking to people about the art you've made, you'll meet people that will take an interest which leads to opportunities. With just these two points, you've networked and built a collection of examples (aka a portfolio). You may feel like an imposter, but you've gained the knowledge, skills, contacts and examples to move forward. Experience is the key.

Networking can be daunting at first, and just like everything new, you may feel weird doing it, or you may feel out of place. Good news!- It feels more natural to do with time. For Extroverts-Smaller game dev meetups and Conventions are awesome to get to know the casual side of what could be your future team colleagues, since everyone is out to explore, connect and have a good time. For Introverts-Online Conventions/Discord/LinkedIn are very handy since you don't have to visit sensory overstimulating places, and you'll have more energy to spend on connecting with people online. And always remember: -Ask questions! -Be curious!

When applying for jobs, you will need to tailor your resumé depending on the role description and the studio. Some studios use ATS in order to filter resumes in their applications before passing it forward to actual recruiters. Even if studios don't use ATS, they would most likely use specific keywords to filter through the saved resumes of the applicants. Sites such as Jobscan can help a lot to prepare your resume with the correct keywords and formatting to make it go through ATS. Also, try reaching out to recruiters on LinkedIn, let them know you'll be applying to a role there and a little summary of your skillset and your portfolio, that way they'll keep an eye out for your application. Also, cover letters actually matter!

As I stated on step 1, the best way to gain experience as a junior if there are no internships available or you haven't qualified for one, would be: 1. Game Jams: You prove you have experience working with a team and in production-ready assets under a tight deadline. 2. Freelancing/Contractor: There are many local or indie teams looking to start their studios or games and are looking to hire artists for small gigs. Take those gigs and make a name for yourself! Plus, who knows? Maybe one of those clients might end up recommending you to another employer! 3. Personal projects: This shows self-discipline and willingness to keep learning and polishing your craft even when you're not monetizing from it.

Learning is a process that never ends. Keep on working on anatomy, technical proficiency, working your way around the limitations and optimizing your process. It's not a race, it's a never ending process so accept this fact - all of us can always learn more and get better.

There's a common misconception that you need an education to be good at your job. So many great artists didn't have a formal education in art. What matters the most is the tools and the experience with the type of work. Best way to learn is to keep practicing the styles that you're used to and study the ones you don't know so you can be ready for the job you want.

Being part of a Game Dev/Art community is key! There are plenty of platforms to join one. Growing together will make your journey smoother, especially if you are on a self-taught journey. Why? You can receive feedback, which is key to growing your artistic skill. And learn how to give feedback-equally as important. You can find many cool resources in communities-sharing is caring! Networking! Having art buddies will make this super competitive industry less intimidating!

Breaking into game art without formal education and, more importantly, without at least a year of commercial experience is nearly impossible in today's gamedev. Here's why: High standards: companies prefer candidates with formal education as it's seen as proof of skills and knowledge. Special skills needed: without formal education, it seems hard to learn the necessary software and techniques. Networking challenges: you miss out on chances to connect with industry professionals. Limited industry exposure: education gives students hands-on experience with real projects. Experience: companies want to hire people with at least a year of commercial experience. High expectations: without formal education, employers expect even more from you.

There are more resources now than before, and even with education, you need to continue learning as the industry keeps changing and developing further. So, self-improvement is key no matter the education level. It's possible to be on par with educated artists, so education alone is not a definite path toward entering the industry. Learn new tools, develop your workflow, try to optimize/ find new ways to make the process easier for yourself. Ask people to critique and give feedback. Often I see artists discouraged by feedback but don't realize that it's a part of the workflow in teams. Listening and adapting can help speed up that growth.