How To Become a Visual Development Artist: Step-by-Step Guide
Learn about the steps important to pursuing a career as a visual development artist, including education, skills, salary and more.
Visual development artists are responsible for creating the overall look and feel of an animated film or video game. They conceptualize and design the characters, environments and other visual elements that will be used in the production. If you’re interested in a career in animation or video game development, becoming a visual development artist is a great option. In this article, we’ll discuss what visual development artists do, the skills they need and how to become one.
What Does a Visual Development Artist Do?
A visual development artist is responsible for creating the overall look and feel of an animated film or video game. They work with the art director to come up with concept designs, color schemes, and other visual elements that will be used in the production.
Some of their duties include:
- Creating concept art and illustrations
- Designing characters, backgrounds and other visual elements
- Developing color schemes and palettes
- Generating ideas for new visuals and ways to improve existing ones
- Collaborating with other artists and designers
- Presenting concepts to the art director and other members of the production team
- Making revisions based on feedback
- Overseeing the work of junior artists
Visual Development Artist Salary and Job Outlook
The average salary for a visual development artist is $64,375. This figure can vary based on the level of experience, education, industry and geographical location of the artist.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects job prospects for visual development artists to increase at a faster than average rate over the next decade. This is due to many factors such as the growing popularity of animated films and video games. Companies often need the expertise of a visual development artist to create the initial designs for these projects.
How to Become a Visual Development Artist
Here are several steps you should take to become a visual development artist.
1. Earn a bachelor’s degree in fine arts, computer graphics, or a related field
A bachelor’s degree is the minimum education requirement for most visual development artist jobs. Many schools offer degrees in computer graphics, animation or fine arts that can help you develop your skills and portfolio while learning about new technology.
If your school doesn’t have a program in this field, consider taking classes in digital art, illustration, graphic design or other related subjects to learn the basics of visual development.
2. Develop a strong portfolio of your work
A strong portfolio is essential for visual development artists. It should include examples of your work that demonstrate your skill, knowledge and experience with computer graphics software and tools.
You can start building a portfolio in college by taking classes or working on projects to develop your skills. You can also create personal projects outside of school to add to your portfolio.
3. Gain experience with industry-standard software programs
Gaining experience with industry-standard software programs is essential for visual development artists. Many entry-level visual development artist jobs require candidates to have specific software skills, so it’s important to start building your portfolio and resume early by using these programs.
The most common software used in the film and video game industries are Autodesk Maya, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, ZBrush, 3D Studio Max, Quixel Suite, Substance Designer and Unreal Engine. You can find entry-level positions at studios or companies that use these tools.
4. Consider certification programs to learn specific software
Certification programs can help you learn industry-standard software and gain experience using it. Many visual development artists use Autodesk Maya, a 3D animation program used in film, video games and virtual reality projects. Autodesk offers certification programs for this software that teach you the basics of modeling, texturing, lighting and rendering.
You can also earn certifications from The Foundry, which develops digital audio, video and graphics software. You can get certified in three levels of its Nuke Studio software to learn compositing techniques.
5. Get entry-level jobs in the film or video game industry to gain connections
Entry-level jobs in the film and video game industries can help you build connections with professionals who work in visual development. These connections can help you find a job as a visual development artist after gaining experience in entry-level roles.
Networking is an important part of your career as a visual development artist, so joining professional organizations like the Visual Effects Society (VES) or the Game Developers Conference (GDC) can also help you meet industry contacts.
6. Stay up to date on new technology and trends in the industry
Technology is always changing, and the visual development industry moves quickly. New software programs are developed, graphics-rendering capabilities improve and new trends in entertainment content emerge frequently.
It’s important to stay up to date on these changes so you can continue to develop your skills as a visual development artist. You can do this by reading industry publications or following industry leaders on social media.
7. Join professional organizations like the Visual Effects Society (VES)
The Visual Effects Society (VES) is an organization that brings together visual effects artists, computer graphics professionals and animation professionals from all industries. The VES provides opportunities for members to network with each other and learn new skills through workshops and conferences. Membership in the VES can help you find jobs and stay up to date on industry trends.
The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) is another professional organization that focuses on video games. AIAS offers networking opportunities, career development resources and more to its members.
