Achieving Professional Quality Work

The major underlying object of specialist study as I see it is to complete all the other learning objects to a professional standard. These modules are after all designed to make sure we are ready to enter our chosen industry at the end of the year. The first and possibly hardest obstacle in achieving professional quality work when you are outside of the industry is knowing the workflows and practises that the incredibly talented artists working on AAA games use. Once you know you using the right methods you still have the task of building your skills until you are on par with these artists, but constant practising is easier than trying to work out how to be as good as an artist such as Kevin Lanning, from Epic Games, when you don't know what tools he uses as his medium.


I have approached gaining the knowledge necessary for professional quality work in three main ways. Firstly I have bought books such as D'Artiste Character Modelling, which showcases the very best character modellers in the games industry and includes interviews and discussions talking about their processes and workflows. I have also bough DVDs from established industry artists which have the advantage of being able to show you them actually working on projects (admittedly sped up). This lets you gain really valuable into their working methods. I've looked at DVDs of comic and concept artists such as David Finch and Peter Han to gain insight in how they approach drawing the human figure particularly the head, as this is directly relates to my current learning objectives. From Peter Han's DVD I came to understand the benefits of using models and professional photoshoots to gather really high quality reference, which I don't have the funds to do myself but I have signed up to use 3d.sk which provides thousands of reference shots from these exact situations.


The next way I have gained professional experience is by getting work experience working as a character artist at Undrawn Reality a games company making AAA quality games, through working there I have learnt about the pipeline for the creation of next gen game characters, became familiar with it and applied it to me own work. This has proven invaluable as working in a professional environment. on real projects, and working to deadlines is the best way to push the quality of your work and achieve really professional quality.

The final way in which I have gained a greater understanding of how to achieve professional quality in my work is through networking. I've been networking for the last two years as a way of gain industry contacts and finding about how to best get a job in the games industry. Every time I meet 3D artists or artists in general working in the games industry I always ask and take an interest in they way they approach the work as a way of researching and improving my own.


Just some of the reference images from one 3d.sk photoshoot.