Book Description

HOW DO YOU BECOME A SUCCESSFUL GAME ARTIST? The ultimate career guide walks you through the pitfalls and power-ups of building a career in this multi-billion dollar but secretive industry. Brimming with practical advice, for both aspiring artists and the experienced, GAME ARTIST leads you through the tricky process of career building, boosting you to the next level. From experienced Art Director and Artist Paul Jones, GAME ARTIST provides you with the golden key to unlocking your full career potential. All you have to do is step through the door. This is a walkthrough and career guide rolled into one! This book is for you, if: You want to learn the secrets of the games industry You want to get into a video game art department You wonder what makes a successful game artist You feel stuck in your role and want to level up You want to make the leap into team building and management You don't know how to get promoted? That's ok. It's because you don't know the rules of the game. Until now. Having worked for the last 25 years in the games industry, learning from the ground up, Paul has experienced a wide range of high-profile companies, Epic Games (Unreal Tournament 3), Rocksteady (Batman Arkham City), TTFusion (LEGO City Undercover) and the record-smashing Star Citizen with Cloud Imperium Games. Game Artist is split into well-defined sections, making it easy for you to pick and chose. Level One - Job Applicant Covering the basics - including finding your way into the industry, getting a killer portfolio ready, understanding what an Art Director wants to see, and finally, interview and salary negotiation skills explained. Level Two - Junior Artist Your first few months of working in a games company, paperwork and contracts, company benefits, perks and bonuses. Dive into game development pipelines and company hierarchies. What's expected of you as a new recruit and how to succeed and avoid early burn-out, giving you a heads-up on self-care, keeping you productive, having fun and learning to climb the ranks. Level Three - Mid, Senior and Principal Artist Decide where you're heading next while mentoring others and working widely with the development team. Clear career progression outlining which skills you need for the all-important Personal Development Review (PDR). How and where to upgrade yourself - communication and teamwork, creativity, productivity, self-confidence, mentoring. Chose to specialise (or not) and when it's time for a change, how best to make an exit strategy. Level Four - Lead Artist Making the transition to managerial responsibilities. Development of management techniques, understanding both yourself and your team, how to build and drive a successful team, dealing with tricky situations, meetings, presentations, staff reviews and negotiation. Plus, a section dedicated to self-care - how to set time aside for thinking, planning, and artwork. Level Five - Art Director The high-stakes role of Art Director explained. Working with executives and publishers, team deadlines, leading from the front, managing your team and the creative process. Revealing internal and external team pipelines, concept and game team artists, outsource studios and how to get the best from them all. Packed with hard-won information, from studios around the world, in-depth interviews with seasoned industry professionals, and advice on being the ideal professional, GAME ARTIST is the helping hand you always wanted. No more messing, no more guessing - it's time to level up!