With the artistic liberty that goes hand in hand with a career in gaming, it’s no wonder the industry is so alluring. The demand for game developers has been on a steady rise in the past few years, and these highly coveted spots have no shortage of artists vying for them. So how do you get into gaming art with no experience?

Have a Stellar Portfolio

The first step to securing your first position in the gaming industry is by upping your portfolio game. Here are our top tips for creating a stand-out portfolio:

• You’re only as strong as your weakest link: The art industry is tough, and having four stellar projects and even just one subpar piece can send mixed signals. Opt for consistency over quantity–only highlight your best stuff, even if it's just two pieces. 
• Keep it simple: You don’t have to have your own fancy website to get hired. In fact, making it difficult for recruiters to navigate through your work can actually be a massive turn-off. Stick to the basics and provide one link or document that contains all your artwork within a single click.
• Show your flavor: Don’t be afraid to showcase your personal flair in your portfolio. Showing that you can adapt to the studio’s style but also work as an independent and innovative artist can make you seem like a valuable asset to any recruiter.
• Value feedback: The more exposure your pieces have, the stronger your portfolio has the potential to be. Don’t be afraid to post your work on forums, blogs, and other platforms to hear real artists’ feedback.

Get Involved

To gain the exposure that you need and reach the people that matter, the best way is to put yourself out there through various avenues, such as:

Artist Forums

An artist forum provides a versatile platform where you can learn from others, personalize your brand, build your network, and even make money. 

Whether you’re seeking direction on a project you’re currently working on, or looking to connect with like-minded artists, community forums can provide you with just about anything you’re in need of. Most importantly, the connections you make on these forums can take you further than you might anticipate, some even leading to invaluable industry opportunities.

Competitions

Partcipating in art competitions is a great way to add to your portfolio, experiment with new styles, network, and gain recognition. While there are larger international art competitions you can participate in, platforms like Cubebrush hosts mini-challenges to test certain skills. 

With varying prizes and and a range of genres, from 3D animation to paper and digital drawing, art competitions are an excellent way to uplevel your portfolio and skill set.

Get Your Art Visible

Places like Artstation, Deviant Art, and Cubebrush provide opportunities for up and coming digital artists to open an online store and test their products. By creating a free digital shop, your pieces can be exposed to the gaming market, helping you garner online reviews and gain honest feedback, potentially attract future employers, and build your confidence in establishing a full-time career in the industry.

Leverage Social Media

There’s no denying that using platforms like Instagram to exhibit and market your artwork can lead to a host of benefits as a creative. But what many don’t know is the importance of leveraging social media the right way, and how to go about doing just that:

• Don’t stick to pictures: Use a mixture of media, like reels and videos, in addition to pictures to engage your audience in more than one way, and keep them wanting more.
• Stick to a routine: Posting consistently will help you gain and keep a steady following. Sustaining a loyal audience can help make a career in gaming— if your followers know the right people, you’ll be connected to them in no time.
• Reuse and recycle: Don’t feel the need to pull out new pieces from thin air. Using the same projects multiple times, as long as they’re spread throughout your feed, is perfectly acceptable, and even encouraged, to show different aspects of your process.

Never Stop Learning

There’s always worlds more to learn, even for experienced gaming artists. And for every new world, the internet is heavily equipped with some of the best resources. 

Whether it’s tutorials published by industry vets, art platforms like Cubebrush, or Youtube channels, there are a plethora of great and often low-cost educational tools you can take advantage of to continue learning and improving your skills. 

Here are a few of our top tutorial picks to kick you off:

• The Ultimate Guide: Digital Painting like a Pro II: This Xia Taptara tutorial gives you over 15 hours worth of video tutorials in which you’ll learn how to create environments from various perspectives, organic geometric forms, facial expressions, and hand and fist positions.
• Biped Rigging-Course Assets: Rigging in Maya is a specialized skill that is bound to impress. In this tutorial, you’ll learn the process of ‘rigging’, including joint fundamentals, connections and constraints, Blendshape-based facial rig, global controls, and more.
• ZBrush for Ideation: Another valuable tool in the gaming industry, learn ZBrush from one of the best teachers in the industry, Michael Pavlovich. With over 300+ videos, this series will cover interface and menus, document canvas, brush basics, geometry distribution, and more.

Cubebrush has everything you need to secure a career in the vast and competitive world of gaming. From its very own community forums, and blogs that can get your work showcased, to an endless supply of knowledge through tutorials, Cubebrush is the one-stop platform for aspiring and seasoned gaming developers alike.