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Asset Designer

Everything you need to know about the job of a asset designer including required skills, responsibilities and salary.

Student work by Tom Garden

What does an asset designer do?

An asset designer (or asset artist) is a type of concept artist who creates a vast array of elements that are typically used in video games. This can include objects, props, weapons, vehicles, and natural elements such as trees and rocks.

They design the movable and functional objects that facilitate gameplay. Depending on the role and size of the studio, this area can be both an audio and visual discipline of game development.

An Asset Designer needs to understand the full scope of the game development process from 3D animation to sound design. They bring to life and assist in designing the elements that push the narrative forward through interaction with characters and environments. They maintain libraries of these elements for animators and programmers to use in assembling the game.

Asset designer job description

The role of the asset designer is to create concept art of all the visual assets and rough audio files of sound effects for visual games. They base their artwork on the style and look of the game, working with Environment Designers and Character Designers to create a cohesive aesthetic throughout. 

Asset Designers will be called upon to design any manner of objects, and each project may require hundreds of individual assets that need to be brought together to create the final product. They will deal with detail and volume that must be organized effectively and logically.  

Role and responsibilities of an asset designer in film and games:

  • Liaising with designers and developers on the artistic brief of the project
  • Researching resources and references for the style of the game
  • Designing concept art for all the visual assets
  • Rendering a variety of different designs for review
  • Revising artwork and audio based on feedback and collaboration
  • Creating rough audio files for sound
  • Compositing visuals with their audio effects
  • Creating prototypes for testing
  • Designing with user experience in mind
  • Pitching and developing ideas 
  • Developing gameplay systems that involve story elements
  • Maintaining production documentation
  • Basic sound design duties

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How much does a asset designer make?

Asset designers earn a standard game designer salary which ranges from USD $74,000 to USD $138,000 (Source: Glass Door)

To learn more about this field, visit: What is Digital Illustration? or What is Concept Art?

$55k Jnr. Asset Designer
$138k Snr. Asset Designer

Skills required to become an asset designer for film and games

A good knowledge of the history of objects and excellent drawing abilities are valuable skills for an Asset Designer. They must have a passion for drawing everyday objects in intricate detail and an interest in audio design. Because of the pure volume of work to be done by Asset Designers they must be able to work quickly to accommodate the production pipeline schedule. 

Film and game companies may look for the following skills in an asset designer

  • Strong illustration, digital painting and conceptual skills
  • Training in game art
  • Knowledge of mechanics, historical artefacts, weaponry, botanical elements, furniture, clothing, etc. 
  • Excellent knowledge of video gameplay, game genres and the latest trends
  • Solid understanding of visual language - texture, color, dimension, scale, perspective, shade, composition depth of field, proportion, spatial awareness, etc
  • Ability to execute the vision of the designers and developers 
  • File organization and time management skills
  • Ability to be a team player and work independently
  • Desire to learn new technologies and design techniques
  • Good working knowledge of latest design techniques and technologies
  • High-level communication skills
  • Knowledge of sound design and mixing
  • Basic compositing skills
  • Familiarity with games production pipeline

What software and tools do asset designers use?

Asset Artists will draw inspiration and reference from a plethora of rare, invented and everyday objects.

This means their materials and tools will be either invented or sourced from real-world samples.

All assets must be finished digitally.

Asset artists may need knowledge of a combination of the following software:

maya
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Maya is a comprehensive 3D animation software used for creating detailed models, animations, and visual effects. It's popular in film, TV, and game development for its powerful tools.

3dsmax
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3ds Max is a professional 3D computer graphics program for making 3D animations, models, games and images. It is developed and produced by Autodesk Media and Entertainment.

maxon_zbrush_box
TOUCH

Maxon ZBrush is a digital sculpting tool that combines 3D/2.5D modeling, texturing and painting

photoshop
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Adobe Photoshop is a raster graphics editor developed and published by Adobe for Windows and macOS. It was created in 1987 by Thomas and John Knoll

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TOUCH

Nuke is a node-based digital compositing and visual effects application first developed by Digital Domain and used for television and film post-production

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TOUCH

Audacity is a free and open-source digital audio editor and recording application software, available for Windows, macOS, Linux

How to become an asset designer

Download software 

Download free digital art software like Gimp, Krita, Sketchpad, FireAlpaca, and ArtWeaver to start practicing. 

Practice 

Sharpening your skills helps you grow and become more confident and reliable. 

  • Develop a solid understanding of art fundamentals—line, color, light, values, shape, composition, and perspective.
  • Be observant of real-world references like people, creatures, and places which you can use as inspiration. 

Build skills

Build the skills companies are listing on job sites. For more support, enroll in a reputable course. CG Spectrum’s illustration courses include mentorship from award-winning industry pros, an industry-led curriculum, and career services. 

  • Learn how to interpret a brief and execute feedback
  • Familiarize yourself with the VFX and video game pipelines and how your work will be used
  • Regularly practice art fundamentals and digital painting techniques

Watch trends

Online tutorials, webinars, etc., can keep your skills fresh. 

Attend conventions 

Use conventions to network, meet likeminded people, and be inspired. This is how award-winning Illustrator Eric Wilkerson got his first professional book cover illustration commission after college graduation. 

Network

Networking is vital to getting your name and skills recognized and meeting experts who can offer advice or even jobs. Familiarize yourself with the industry and build your community—publishing houses, authors, and illustrators. 

Share work

Social media is great for showcasing work, building an audience, having your work shared by others, and seen by potential clients and collaborators. 

Presentation

Your portfolio is how you will market your services. Make your work presentable and user-friendly to impress prospective clients. 

Collaborate

Know someone designing a game who needs character art? Collaborating with your peers is not only fun, but it can also help you create more polished work for your portfolio. 

Intern

Internships at VFX, game, or publishing studios can help you break into the industry. It’s one way to gain hands-on experience, network, and experience studio life. 

Join competitions

Practice your skills and create portfolio pieces by participating in contests on platforms like The Rookies and ArtStation.

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Ready to Start Your Film & Games Journey?

Download our course guide to see how we can help you on your pathway to your dream career.

Tips to break into the asset design industry

Your portfolio should show you understand the foundations of art while also establishing your own personal style. According to professional Illustrator Eric Wilkerson, your portfolio needs to demonstrate consistency while ensuring it’s tailored to the right audience.  Other tips include: 

  • Quality over quantity! Revise older work to meet your current standards
  • Only include your best. Work in progress is fine
  • Seek inspiration from professional artists’ portfolios
  • Center on one art genre for cohesion
  • If using a PDF, add chapters for easy viewing
  • Use a platform that allows you to update your work easily (e.g., ArtStation, The Rookies, or Behance)
  • Aim for a clean, intuitive, gallery-style website with enlargeable thumbnails
  • Don’t overcrowd your homepage —5 images max
  • Optimize your images and ensure they load properly
  • Present each piece with a brief explanation (concept, rationale, brief)
  • Show process, sketches, roughs, and reference
  • If necessary, create mockups of how your art would look in various formats
  • Triple-check for errors (layout, framing, spelling, etc.)
  • Get feedback from at least 3 mentors or industry pros before publishing
  • Feature both your commercial and personal art
  • Keep your ‘about’ page concise; it can be less formal
  • Share your finished portfolio on your social channels
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Industry Pathways

Tyler James, Curriculum Manager and Mentor of Concept Art & Illustration at CG Spectrum talks about his 18-year journey in the game industry. Passionate about fantasy from an early age, Tyler tells us about his early roles as a 3D character artist, to concept artist, and art director on projects like Neverwinter Nights 2, Hunted: The Demon's Forge, Rift, and Hex. Tyler also shares invaluable insights about building characters, facing imposter syndrome, and collaborating with world-class teams.