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Virtual Production Real-time 3D Artist - Games

Everything you need to know about the job of a Real-time 3D Artist for games including required skills, responsibilities and salary.

Student work by Alexios Vasilakis

What does a real-time 3D artist for games do?

A real-time 3D artist in games creates and renders 3D graphics in real-time, using a game engine like Unreal Engine. This may involve modeling, texturing, animation, and lighting for in-game characters and environments. They also often perform tasks assisting with cinematics and various aspects of gameplay, which are executed in a game engine.

Real-time 3D artists are often generalists who collaborate with other game artists, game designers, and programmers to realize a broader vision.

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Screenshot showcasing CGS student Vincent Velarde’s project: built in Unreal Engine 4 and assets from Unreal Engine Marketplace.

Video game real-time artist job description

A real-time 3D artist in games harnesses the skills found in one or more areas of the traditional game development pipeline. They often focus on content or asset creation in a real-time environment. They are also responsible for maintaining both the quality and optimization of visuals  — from entire environments down to small 3D props, known as assets for cinematics and the game itself.

Role & responsibilities of a real-time artist for video games:

  • Mockup concepts and adjust as directed
  • Work with the game designer and real-time team to design interactive experiences using a game engine
  • World building (create and layout assets in a real-time engine)
  • Light scenes for a better cinematic experience
  • Optimize content through profiling and enhancing performance with the help of diagnostic tools 
  • Collaborate with game programmers to develop and test new features, prototype shader code, and provide useful feedback during R&D phases.

Game retrospective for Vincent’s project, Proteus, made in real-time using Unreal Engine. 

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How much does a commercial real-time artist make?

The national average salary of a Real-time 3D Artist is $72,980 annually in the United States. (Source: salary.com)

$59k Jnr. Real-time 3d Artist
$89k Snr. Real-time 3d Artist

Skills required to become a real-time artist for games

When starting in this competitive field, you’ll need to focus on learning technical tools and be proficient in a game engine such as Unreal or Unity, which often also involves some coding.

Video game studios may look for the following skills in a real-time artist for video games:

  • Experience in a real-time engine
  • Real-time ready asset creation (props, characters, etc.)
  • Texture/Shader knowledge 
  • An understanding of animation, animation rigs, and anatomy
  • Scripting languages like MEL, Python, C#, and Javascript are useful
  • A general understanding of cameras and how changing their values will contribute to how you might block, light, and shoot a scene.
  • Basic knowledge of the game development pipeline

What software and tools are used in virtual production?

When starting in this competitive field, you’ll need to focus on learning a real-time game engine, but the importance of art fundamentals cannot be underestimated. However, because real-time artists often take on a more generalist role, plenty of other software is worth learning too.

Real-time 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.

motionbuilder
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MotionBuilder is a 3D character animation software produced by Autodesk. It is used for virtual cinematography, motion capture, and traditional keyframe animation.

unreal
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Unreal Engine is a 3D computer graphics game engine developed by Epic Games, first showcased in the 1998 first-person shooter video game Unreal

substance painter
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Substance Painter: The tools you need to texture your 3D assets, from advanced brushes to Smart Materials.

houdini logo
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Houdini is built from the ground up to be a procedural system that empowers artists to work freely, create multiple iterations and rapidly share workflows with colleagues. 

unity logo
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Unity is a cross-platform game engine developed by Unity Technologies, first announced and released in June 2005 at Apple Worldwide Developers Conference

How to become a real-time 3D artist

“Using Unreal Engine is a perfect way to onboard people into virtual production as the ability to be physically accurate with settings and values is built-in to many parts of the software and allows for a natural transition into the virtual world." -Deepak Chetty, Filmmaker and CG Spectrum Virtual Production mentor


Download a game engine 

Download and familiarize yourself with a free game engine like Unreal Engine. 

Build skills 

Build skills companies are listing on job sites. For additional support, enroll in a reputable course. CG Spectrum’s courses include mentorship from real-time pros and an industry-led curriculum. 

Stay ahead of trends 

Online tutorials, webinars, and publications can help you stay up-to-date on trends and keep your skills fresh. 

Create real-time content 

Creating content in a game engine will teach you relevant tools while building your portfolio. Upload finished work to a visual platform, like ArtStation, to showcase to potential recruiters and to view your progress. 

Sell assets online 

Create and sell assets on Unreal Engine Marketplace, or similar, to gain exposure, get constructive feedback from real-life users, demonstrate skills to potential employers and collaborators, and make money! 

Join competitions and game jams 

Practice your skills and create content for your portfolio by participating in game jams (e.g. Epic MegaJam, itch.io/jams), or starting one with friends. The Rookies also host contests. 

Engage with communities 

Networking is vital. Interact with industry pros who might offer advice, insights, or job opportunities. Join the Epic Developer Community and see our resources section for more. 

Collaborate with peers 

Know an animator who’d love to add their character performance to a 3D environment? Perhaps a friend wants to help you build a virtual world! Collaborating with peers is fun and can produce more polished portfolio pieces. 

Internship 

Internships at studios specializing in real-time, can help you break into the industry. It’s not viable for everyone but can be a way to gain hands-on experience while networking and experiencing studio life.

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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 real-time 3D industry

Here are some additional resources to help you get ahead as a real-time 3D artist working in virtual production.

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Industry Pathways

Troy Dunniway, Game Design Department Head at CG Spectrum, shares why game design is the perfect career for people who are continuously curious and are looking for a way to merge all their interests together, in a balance between the technical and the artistic. Plus, find out what a day in the life of a Level Designer looks like!