CLINTON Crumpler - 8 Questions environment artists ask
We all ask other artists for advice, especially those we look up to. Clinton gets hundreds of emails every day, often containing commonly asked questions that always pop in conversation. In this Q&A, Clinton answers the 8 common questions that environment artists ask.
Introduction
My name is Clinton Crumpler. I am the head and owner of Dekogon Studios, an Art Outsource company as well as a Principal Environment Artist at Midwinter Entertainment. I also teach a class on Unreal development and modularity with Computer Graphic Master Academy online.
1 - How do I get my foot in the door with my first job in the industry? How do I get a job if I don’t live in a country with game studios? How can I get my work seen by potential employers?
This is by far the most common question I am asked everyday and one of the most challenging as there is no perfect answer or solution. I always tell my students and fellow artists looking to get work to be real with yourself and observant of the situation. It's important to know that getting into games is very challenging and there are hundreds if not thousands of artists looking for the same job you are at this very minute. Keeping this in mind, it's important to remember, if you want that job you have to show your work, be presentable, and be accessible to potential employers.
These simple three things will generally knock off about half of the competition right away, so it's good to be aware of these potential pitfalls:
It's all too common for an artist to submit an email to an employer with their name but forget the link to their Artstation or website, or an Artstation profile will have no form of contact or info on the artist. It's not the employer's job to go looking for you, your contact information, or your work and presented with missing information, often the employers will just simply ignore the request or message.
Presenting a link to a portfolio that is poorly organised and hard to access. This I have seen happen often. You want to make sure whatever link to your work you send to an employer is easy to access, simple and has a clear layout and control UI, and does not confuse them as to what you were responsible for doing. Most folks use Artstation nowadays which has a simple layout and is easy to navigate. If you are going the custom portfolio route make sure to see how people use the Artstation UI to make sure yours is easy to follow as well. If you worked on some projects or games already and have some work in your portfolio from it make sure it's not just ambiguous screenshots from the game. Focus on showing what your contributions were and make sure you let the viewer know what you contributed to the screen shots.
Lastly and this is very important, professionalism and showmanship. While presenting your work, talking with employers, or writing an email to an HR representative you always want to maintain a level of professionalism and attention to detail. An artist’s whole career is based on the idea that they are masters of visuals and storytelling, so you want to make sure that believable within the way you present yourself to others. Double check for spelling errors in your emails and Artstation descriptions, make your descriptions of your work concise and to the point and avoid rambling or seeming indifferent to the work you have made.
All of these can quickly eliminate you from the candidate pool as employers just don’t have the time to track down your information or figure out your missing details when there is more than one portfolio to look at. While this doesn't give you an exact in, it can be a helpful stepping stool to get you in the right direction.
2 - I’m worried I might not know what I'm doing in my first Environment Artist position. What are your duties and responsibilities as an environment artist? How do you figure out where you best fit into a team as an Environment Artist?
As an Environment Artist your responsibilities can be different based on what kind of studio or project you are working on. It's always good to be skilled or at least efficient and able in multiple facets of environment art and software used in environment art construction. Overall as long as you know the general basics of environment art production, high to low-poly baking, normal maps, PBR texturing, model construction and optimization, and simple engine implementation you are more than fine for an entry level position in the field.
Many of my former students have expressed concern when landing their first job that they might not be ready or able to fulfil all the responsibilities of their job and that they might get fired right away! Honestly this is a logical way to feel and don't worry! Myself and everyone included feels this way when starting something and somewhere new. Even years into my career starting somewhere new can make you feel a bit uneasy and a bit cautious if there is a new process or program to learn. Learning is part of our jobs and career field as it is an ever changing and evolving industry, so embrace the new learning experiences!
Through my own experiences, every studio knows that you are starting out and there will be an amount of time and learning curve set for you to ramp up to understand the needs of the project as well as the pipeline the studio uses. The best advice to prepare yourself is to find out what software the studio or job uses and get to know the interface and processes involved with using that.
One big thing to note and think about is what kind of studio you are working at:
While working at bigger studios usually your tasks are more niche or specific to your talents or the project’s needs as there will be more artists available to work on individual features of the game or project. Often Environment Artists will show a strong ability in something like making rocks, or tileable textures and that's where the studio will utilise their strengths on these larger scale studio projects. This is also many times how artists get jobs at bigger studios as the project might have a need for a particular set of skills that you possess and would benefit the production. Some folks really enjoy this as they get to learn and work with what part of environment art production they like and excel at, but if you are quick to become bored doing a similar task over and over this might not be the best fit for you.
While at a smaller studio your role tends to be a bit more general and broad to cover more of the needs of the studio and project. As an Environment Artist in a smaller studio or on a team with less people you may be working on landscapes, materials and shaders, lighting, scene setup, props, tileable textures, collision, light maps, or various other responsibilities needed in the game development pipeline. This is generally because there are less people to fill more roles and so you will need to be flexible with your skill set to make sure you can fill the multiple needs of the project and production schedule. Generally small studio roles can be more flexible with where you get to learn and grow art wise but can also be more demanding for skills or abilities you are not as good at or feel comfortable with.
It's always best to research what type of studio you want to work for and what kind of roles they have available to see if its a good fit for not only the studio but the way you enjoy creating art as well. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses are helpful in knowing what responsibilities will be more challenging and what ones are easily completed.
3 - How do your responsibilities interact with those of your team members? What kind of people will I be working with?
Similar to before, it all depends on the studio and size of the team. A smaller team usually means more collaboration and cross pollination of ideas and processes to get something to work and in the game. Larger teams usually involve less collaboration with external departments or groups and more of a focus on collaboration among the artists working on the project. It also depends on what type of person you are and how you like to work. No artist is ever a lone wolf while working at a studio but generally roles at larger studios are a bit more cut and dry as to what your tasks are and who you are working with in an entry level to mid-level artist role, while at a smaller studio it's almost a guarantee you’ll be working with people across all disciplines that might not know or have ever worked with art before.
If your strengths are collaboration, communication, and a heavier teamwork focus - than a small team might be a better fit for you. While if you prefer coming into work and knowing your tasks for the day and working more closely with other artists and a team lead then a larger studio might be the better fit. Again it's always best to do a bit of research into the studio culture and team structure as it will give you a good idea on how your day to day workplace habits and interactions will be.
4 - You talked a bit about skills most environment artists should know. What skills, tools, and software do you primarily use in your position? What qualifications must an Environment Artist possess?
For tools there is the general software tool set that most 3D game artists have, Maya, 3ds Max, Modo, Blender (or other modelling software) and Photoshop are the most basic level. ZBrush, Substance, Quixel, Marmoset, and Knald are additional tools that Environment Artists use for asset creation. Then of course game engines for implementation such as Unreal, Unity, CryEngine, and others. Knowing additional software can be useful but not required for most jobs.
Also many artists ask me about sculpting skills in ZBrush or knowing how to texture in Substance as a have to have, honestly it's not something you MUST know to get into the industry but always keep in mind, there are hundreds, if not thousands of other people in the world training and learning to get into the same position and job as you so anything you possess or know that can give you a leg up can always be an additive to your resume and skills that you present to employers. Anytime you can look at a task or problem and identify multiple ways you as an artist can complete or engage the task can make you that much more valuable to an employer or project.
When it comes to individual personal skills or traits good artists possess to be successful, there are multiple skill sets an Environment Artist personally will use throughout their career as well. Here are a few that I think are the most vital to prove to be a successful Environment Artist:
Collaborative Spirit and Listen and Learn
Many times artists get really into their craft and work and can become a bit closed minded or begin to work in a vacuum. While it's good to keep your head down sometimes and put your nose to the grindstone, it is still vital to maintain an open and good communication with your team and co-workers. Through open communication you will learn many new skills and different ways of handling or working through particular problems throughout development. Collaborating can also help when sharing resources, knowledge or content between artists. Using this to your advantage can often save you time, energy, and overall make for a better end product.
Eye for Details
Many traits and skills can be learned as an Environment Artist throughout your career, but one of the few that requires the artist to develop and attain is an eye for detail. Examining the world around, noticing the subtle changes or unique aspects about each part. Seeing the visual interest in a brick wall or a cracked tile, or an old plaster wall makes you more attuned to represent or recreate those subtitles and interesting details in your own work. Take time to stop and examine the world around and understand what makes things visually pleasing to you and your potential viewers.
Willingness to Adapt
Adapting to an ever changing profession is important. Nothing when I first started in games is the same as it is now, as it is with any tech industry profession. Adapting to not only the professional side of game development but also the iterative process that is involved with games is key as well. Often times throughout your creation process you start making something and various influences, whether it be your own opinions, opinions from a lead or supervisor, or changes from another external force will push you to change something about your process or creation. This is normal and to be expected! Learning to understand and work with these influences smoothly makes for a more well rounded artist. Taking constructive feedback and working through it can also provide some of the biggest learning opportunities in your career!
Seeing the Bigger Picture
Oftentimes one of the main differences between a Junior or Mid-level Environment Artist compared to a Senior or Principal is their ability to see and understand the big picture. This is something every artist struggles with including myself at times, and a lot more when I was first starting in the industry.
Knowing what part you play in the creation of the bigger picture or scene is vital. For instance, I’m sure when most people start working on environments they pick a prop to start to make to learn the process. This is exactly what you should do, but as you grow and become a full Environment Artist it is your job to understand that prop or asset and what part it plays in the gameplay experience and overall scene. Knowing how a chair prop is being used, what colour it is, what kind of style or period it’s from, how it interacts with other assets or art styles in the scene are all vital to creating a beautiful and engaging player experience. Also understanding diminishing returns and when and where to invest your time.
Often an artist can get too wrapped up in the little rock being placed in the corner of the map and lose track of time and ignore the bigger wins for the environment as a whole. Spend your time where it means the most and makes the most impact visually.
5 - As an Environment Artist, what stage of the process of making a game is your work implemented? Do you have to work with designers or other departments at the same time?
Typically anytime after production starts your work will be placed and used right in the game engine and gameplay testing. Construction of scenes and art is an iterative and multi-tiered process. Most projects move multiple aspects of development and process up simultaneously little by little. So if you are working on a level you might start with some block meshes and simple tiling textures, then work towards larger assets and structure pieces and then fill out the scene and continue into the smaller details and more refined aspects.
The work you do to construct assets or artworks for the game is also something you as the artist will be testing in the engine a various times during creation to make sure it fulfils the needs of the assignment and goals of the process. This is something that is important to keep in mind while developing your content at the same time other departments are working through production, try and keep your files clean and as clear as possible. When you submit content make sure your work has everything it needs to function properly. For an Environment Artist this is usually things like collisions, lightmaps, or other design related features.
Generally while you are working together on the game, only sometimes do your general day to day tasks cross each others path beyond ensuring the game or product remains stable while constructing it.
6 - What do you think about art school? What are some things you learned that wasn’t taught in art school? What do you wish you could go back and tell yourself?
School was great for learning about the pipeline and working with other students. I really enjoyed my time through school as I started in graphic design and really wasn't sure about the learning path needed to get into games as there wasn't a lot of schools that taught that type of program back when I was in college.
After graphic design I got into animation and its there where I learned 3D, texturing and general processes that are used throughout all 3D based careers. School is really what you make it and what type of learner you are. If you are super self motivated and are quick to pick up on something without much guidance than maybe a short training course or specialised learning program, such as CGMA, the school I teach with, is a better resource for you instead of a traditional 3 or 4 year school plan.
If you prefer to learn in person or prefer a bit more of a track based curriculum that teaches multiple facets of 3D, art, and other genres of education then a more traditional school may be for you. There is no right or wrong answer as this has been in big debate for multiple years as to what the best method is. It all depends on you, how you go about learning, and how bad you want it.
One big thing I noticed while going through a traditional school is many artists thought, if I put my four years in and do this school I am guaranteed a job and work. This is absolutely not the case and you are never entitled to anything no matter how many years of college you have had, how much you paid for the education, or how many hours you put into the projects you worked on! Always remember at the end of the day the only thing that matters is the quality of your work and portfolio and how you present yourself to potential employers. Time equals nothing if there are no new skills or abilities learned! I would strongly suggest anyone considering any program or school to understand what they are hoping to get out of it.
There are of course some things that school doesn't teach you that you learn on your own.
7 - What are some things you feel you learned through experience that are hard to learn through a traditional school or program?
I love these kinds of questions as they are different to every artist and their experiences. I feel like everyone has a few things that they pick up in their careers that they always refer back to that you have to experience first hand to understand best. Here are a few of my own:
Some things just don't look good in 3D - This is weird I know but follow me on this one. This was something one of my first Art Directors told me and I have remembered ever since. Have you ever looked at a weird wall, or building, or prop in the real world and thought that is super strange, almost so much it's not believable. When you try to recreate something of that nature, making it in 3D with the limitations of game development such as polycounts or textures, those strange vibes are magnified in the 3D world making it even less believable and making it less relatable to the player. Sometimes it's important to maintain a more widespread known visual style or direction over a more obscure one to connect with more players and viewers of your work. That's not to say I don't enjoy some weird art or games, just know your audience and your goal of the project and use this knowledge to make good artistic decisions while planning!
Think about how the thing you are making is being used in the final product - This one is super easy to overlook and most people do when starting work. Generally when making something as an artist entering a production environment they just want to make the artwork look good. This is a good focus but sometimes not the best one to think of first while in a company producing a product. It's good to sometimes remove yourself from your own work and desire to simply make good art and think about what you are making and what the intended usage is. If you are making something as a background asset in a third person game, that means it will never be seen up super close and should read better at a mid to far distance to produce the best results. If you get so laser focused on what the small details are you may forget this and miss the point of creating the asset entirely.
Connections you make will take you further, later in your career - Something I have come to realise more and more after opening my own studio is the connections you make are insanely vital to your career and success long term as an artist. While many times it will be your art that gets you in the door, it will later be your connections with the people you have worked with and collaborated with that will help you get that second, third, and continuing role later in life.
People remember when you were easy to work with, helpful, informative, or a good artist overall and this will carry with your name throughout your career. I have seen many times in an interview the candidate interviews well and then someone says oh I think “blank” worked with them before, lets ask to see what their opinion on them was. Then come to find out there was a sour opinion given on the candidate by that informant. This would then most likely lead to the company passing on the candidate more on the dis-recommendation rather than the actual interview. These are the kinds of scenarios where your experiences and interactions with those around you can carry a heavier weight on your career success than your actual work, so make sure and always put your best foot forward when working with other people and remember first impressions mean a ton!
Always overestimate before you underestimate - Artists always want to make a good impression by seeming quick and efficient as well as being skilled at their craft. Sometimes when given a task we fail to realise all the details and parts that will be needed to complete the task and we give estimates for less time than is actually required. This is a mistake you have to go through a few times to learn to avoid. Always give yourself more time to complete tasks than you think you might need. Most times you'll go right up until the deadline or over before you know it. People will always remember if you were late but think well of you if you delivered on time or even earlier than expected.
Know your worth - Always charge or ask for what you are worth. It's very uncommon for someone to turn your pay proposal down without a counter offer to balance the scales. They will also most likely let you know if your estimate is way out of their range. Learn to work with budgets and understand what your hours of work equals to your appropriate wages. Also never ever work for free, or for the proposal of money in the distant future. From experience, 99% of these propositions never come to fruition and you are left with nothing to show for your time on an unpaid project.
8 - What strategies did you use to be successful and content with your work within the field?
Another good question. Here are my suggestions for success:
Work on what makes you happy - When deciding on projects to get involved with or researching what studio you want to work for, make sure to keep in mind what you like playing and what kind of art you like to make. This will make a huge difference in your day to day. If you are not into sports or race cars and then you go make a game on those topics, you'll find that most of the work you will be doing will quickly become a drag and really have a negative effect on you and your work ethic for that project. Think about what type of content you are excited to make and aim for studios that produce similar content regularly!
Work with people you like working with - At the end of the day regardless of the studio, or project it really all boils down to the people you work with. You will spend more time with many of these co-workers than you will your partner or family on a typical work week so it's important to get to know those around you and connect to better understand each other. Having a good working relationship with your colleagues will make for a much more enjoyable experience overall.
Market yourself and keep up with your portfolio - Never stop working on your portfolio. This is such an easy trap to fall in and I have seen so many co-workers make this mistake. Always continue to update your work, keep your resume up to date, and update your social profiles to be ready for your next job. As most people in the tech industry know, your studio can be at the top of its game with money in the bank one day and the next completely broke and you’re on the street with no job. It's a sad reality but you can be ready for these situations and be ready to quickly find your new position if you keep up to date with your portfolio and presentation!
Keep engaged with your craft and find what inspires you - It is common to find after a few years or even months of working on a particular task or job that some day to day operations can get very repetitive or boring. This is because you have done them enough that you are no longer challenged. Find ways to engage yourself and get energised about your work. I find that taking a break and looking on Artstation, Pinterest, or Polycount really helps get me motivated for the days tasks of making art. Also sharing ideas and talking with fellow co-workers about what their tasks are for the day will allow you and them some time to bounce ideas off each other or take a moment to vent about some difficulties you might be having with the process. Also working on passion projects at home can help to keep your focus and energy high while working through more remedial tasks at work. Finding outlets to get out of your day to day mindset can get your brain a moment to relax and recoup so you are able to get back to work more aware and ready than before.
Know when you take a break for yourself - Everyone needs to step away from work and their passion from time to time to get a breather. Sometimes taking just a moment during the day with a short walk, yoga, or calling up a friend for a quick conversation can be enough to recharge your batteries and get your mind back on track for the next task at hand.
Thanks for taking a bit of time chatting with us today - any parting words? Any announcements from you or Dekogon?
Yes! For artists, keep striving and working your hardest to reach your goals. It's a tough field out there and you can become easily discouraged from rejection of finding a job right away. Just remember that awesome Artstation portfolio you are currently looking at, that artist went through a transformation of skill and ability just like you are to reach that point in their skill, so you just need to keep practising and improving your craft!
As for Dekogon, we are happy to share with the EXP community a discount code for the month of June for 30% our entire catalogue on Cubebrush - Use code “EXPPOINTS” on our store.