DOZENS of "secret" art jobs REVEALED! - How to HUNT FOR A ART JOB

[@lunarfifthstudios]

Today, after months of struggling, I just got the news that I am cancer free, and I told my wife that this is the year I make a serious portfolio and become useful for game studios - your online drawing courses and these amazing tutorials have helped me in so many incredible ways, thank you so much for doing this!

[@TrentKaniuga]

Yes! Congrats! Go for it!

[@caelinart]

i'm glad u won the fight, you got this! Keep going.

[@varflock9777]

It's nice to hear that. Good luck, man.

[@kureiton8115]

You've certainly already fought, and won, a much more difficult fight than entering the gaming industry man... You definitely will get it!

[@JohnofFinland291]

I'm glad you won the battle. Good luck and success in life. 🙏🏻

[@MichaelShinde]

I can’t stress how important it is to reach out to artists at studios. But give them a reason to be interested in you. I got my job at Riot because I reached out to the lead asking for critique on a project that was in riots art style. I was offered an interview for a job that wasn’t even posted yet because I took the initiative.

[@j.2512]

nepotism really

[@MichaelShinde]

@@j.2512 oh sweet child who hurt you.

[@TrentKaniuga]

That’s resourceful. Congrats! Riots a great studio to work for!

[@radudancoroian5169]

Hey man, heard Riot just slashed a ton of senior jobs. DId you survive?

[@MichaelShinde]

@@radudancoroian5169 yes.

[@cde3003]

Lotta channels out there that teach you how to make art, but few that'll teach you how to get paid for it. Glad your videos covers that topic.

[@MI-ll3xy]

I started watching your videos about 1.5 years ago as an art student, and I got a 2d job in a company in Japan starting next year. It's not a famous big company but got my foot in the door in the game industry. THANKS A LOT!!!

[@TrentKaniuga]

That is awesome!

[@TheGreatestSandwich]

I don't normally leave comments, but I wanted to say that this process is how I got my current job as a 3d artist for a KZbin studio. It's a dream come true and I love my job. To anyone looking for an artist job this way; it does work, but it takes time. Be patient and keep going. Nice video Trent!

[@sotepniques]

do you have a way i can contact you? would love some advice

[@dinod3ad]

I’m considering taking the path of pursuing a career in art so hopefully I can find a job that’s best for me

[@TamilVolk]

I found a girl who got into Blizzard concept art character internship through her artstation post. Messaged and she offered to even use discord to have a call. Shared interview questions and how everything was going. What she had in the portfolio that year etc. So one way to see what is required is to look at junior artists who just got into the industry and check out their portfolio. See what they have. Ask them questions. A lot of them do not have big following yet, so they read every message. A lot of them are current students and happy to share knowledge in my experience. Especially UI artists.

[@Murimz]

ive been trying to do this but for me its been impossible trying to find even ONE junior artist or intern on artstation for the role i want to work in. not only that but the few things i have found have been 8 year old posts from ppl who were once juniors

[@gyratedpastry]

@@Murimz im tryna look for a job but i suck at art im trying to improve it as best as i can and most jobs i see want u to have a highschool degree which i dont

[@PinkSmiiley]

@TrentKaniuga Can we get a video that actually shows examples of artist in the levels of Junior, Mid and Senior? Like, what makes an artist good enough to be a junior or a mid? in therms of 2D skill but also in therms of the skill of how well/fast someone can reach the right design. I feel like there is definitely a skill difference between someone that will take longer to understand what the art director wants vs someone that understands what they need to deliver.

[@TrentKaniuga]

Depends on the studio. A junior at Blizz could be an art director at an indie studio.

[@lr6187]

One of the hardest things, in my opinion, is landing focused positions. I've worn so many hats in so many different companies that you become labeled as a generalist and your portfolio tends to end up all over the place and you take up jobs that are less than ideal for pay that's less than ideal. Most of the jobs I find off Indeed are glorified copy/pasters, while it's easy, it really kills your motivation and drive for anything art related. The answer is of course hunkering down and developing a portfolio that will land a more focused role, but man after some days, the last thing I want to look at is my PC. The struggle is real.

[@PinkSmiiley]

totally get it. I think (if possible) its good to take a certain amount of time off of work and take that time to work on the portfolio. But of course thats harder for some people than others

[@scriptyshake]

I'm in Game Dev school and one of our projects was spending a week looking at job listings and finding our 'dream job'. After that we made a self-study plan based on the job requirements of the job we chose and treated our project as a portfolio piece. It was eye opening for me honestly, and it sucks not more schools do this.

[@TrentKaniuga]

Great teacher! Bravo!

[@scriptyshake]

@@TrentKaniuga Indeed! I discovered so many jobs that I didn't even know existed in game dev!

[@jluiscc25]

a year back i entered kojima productions to search for some of their merch, and saw the "work with us" section, im justt starting to learn to draw and want to be a concept artists (at 35yo), but that showed me that the recomendation of another artist was not wrong but was not the best, the advice was "work on your arstation, your IG, etc, they will contact you" but instead the way was the same as with IT, you need to look for them, tell them that you are there and want to work for them, because if not, is like waiting to be rescue, in the middle of he see, at night, and with no flares or any way of making you notice.

[@ErnieZ3D]

I agree with the sentiment, but I also think every situation is different. For example, there are rarely Jr 3D Character artist positions at AAA companies OR smaller companies. AAA wants the best of the best, a mid is the closest thing to a Jr position, and smaller companies are hiring seniors to help develop pipelines and be good enough to help the company thrive and compete in such a competitive market. I am not really one to complain publicly about this, I know my skills just need to be better and I need to put myself out there more too, but some areas in our industry are tougher than others, especially right now. There are jobs in the industry that I could switch to and learn within the year and be hired by 2025, but those aren't the jobs I want and they will only subtract from my goals, so the marathon continues 🤘

[@evanandersen3587]

Woah! This is one of the most eye opening videos I've seen as an art student! I had no idea how to go about finding jobs so I'm so thankful that you made this video! I think it will really help me as an artist going into the job world! Thanks so much!

[@Paladin_Maar]

I was having a similar issue for a few years. Beginning of 2023 I turned my frustration into motivation. I ended up tabling my first con and met another artist who really liked my work (I'm a creature artist). He ended up hiring me and now I'm working my first pro gig. Before that convention I was terrified of tabling a con, now I love it. Plus, I've gotten to meet so many other artists, it's been extremely motivating and helped my growth. I'm an introvert-- I know it's scary but you have to knock down some doors and let people know that you're serious about it. Waiting around for it won't help you. 2023 was a good year for me because I reached out and got involved in communities, went to local game dev meet ups and met people. You have to put yourself out there and you'll be rewarded for it.

[@M0nchis]

I honestly dont want to be in a big studio i just want an art job thats gonna give me experience at something.

[@JohnofFinland291]

Everyone has their own dream and place in the world of work. There are different career paths and may even end at the same point.

[@gachabloxgirl3958]

Being in a big studio can be stressful hearing about layoffs all the time. I've heard many people recommend working at indie studios just because they have a tighter knit community and the work environment is just nicer

[@tripplejaz]

I think the reality is, the bar is high for entry level jobs. If you have the chops, you'll find work and work will find you. When I didn't hear back from studios about my applications, I took that as a sign I was not up to the task and went back to work on my portfolio/skillset.

[@themetabaron8722]

Thank you, trying to get out of a dead end series of jobs and finally start doing something I'm good at and enjoy doing.

[@rockon8174]

Go be a Plumber.

[@BerixMaster2010]

Thank you very much for helping people struggling to find a job in this industry, Trent! Job searches in general are hard, and it can be especially discouraging when its a skill you've trained so long to become highly skilled at like art, but tips like this will help a lot of people who need that extra motivation to keep persevering onward.

[@jeanmarc4956]

omg i love watching trent.... i been watching trent for so long now and everytime trent gives amazing advices.

[@BTT16]

It's really good that you are making videos about these sites, but one major thing I've learned is that most companies put up job postings on these sites to make themselves look good, but they never actually check any time someone applies directly to their website. Companies will usually hire from within, or hire people they already know personally. I have a few friends that have resorted to tracking down AD's and emailing them their portfolio links and sample directly too. Usually that's a huge "NO NO" but you do what you gotta do to get noticed fast.

[@itsmayadias]

OMG this video was sooo helpful to me! And It's funny cause' most of the advice were kinda obvious, but at the same time that's about the real possibilities that's we don't get to really think about - Just like you said "there's always going to be some rock you didn't look under before". Thank you so much!

[@Astryca]

I made my own job. I work with a software developer and a game developer. However since im the only artist, i got promoted to art director and lead artist by default lmao

[@jeffreyhuntart]

This was very super insightful. My goal is to make an art career a second career after I retire from the military. I've been working through the workshops you provide and have about three years before I see myself actually applying anywhere which is plenty of time to experiment with workflows, develop some speed through iteration, and get that portfolio to a level worth having conversations with employers.

[@ilsh9929]

This video most artist actually need tahnks trent!

[@bayoubomber7]

Thanks for the fantastic video. I was told I needed to find a few studios to develop an art style around but was stumped on how to find them. Thanks to your tips, I now have an idea of where to look.

[@astrea555]

Been an artist for 5 years, I started for 0 and did great progress, but I simply can't take it anymore, the whole ai stuff makes me feel like it's over and I wasted my time on doing something worthless. I think I'm really to give up ;_;

[@canadianbird1185]

I feel like these days it's not about being a talented artist yet rather more about where we position ourselves out there. There's many of us who do illustration with passion despite the fact that passion does not equal to "Market success". I find that our solution should be modeled after how the food industry finds success in. Famous chefs, they don't just make delicious food. They make food based on analysis. What kind of food are effective in their locals? How should they order the tastes to make it less overbearing for the customers as they eat overtime? It's definitely more of project-management, communication, effective sales. Rather than being skilled drawer. Drawing skills can be improved yet that don't improve the marketing know-how.

[@derekmoore1387]

Thank you for the encouragement. I've been working on my portfolio a lot this year (with your help) and am geeling ready to apply.

[@darylbiegtrucke4456]

That's actually pretty cool that a Riot Intern makes 38 an hour, that's more than I can get as a journeyman electrician. Makes you wonder what the actual splash artist gets paid. From what I've seen people usually seem to get their first jobs from outsourcing studios who work for some of these big companies as well.

[@seangardner1186]

This came up as recommended. I’m a tattoo artist, and have been giving thoughts to this, so this is super inspiring and comforting on attempting to tackle the industry. Thanks for putting this out there.

[@hellsguardillidan]

" I don't follow sports, they're stupid" most relatable thing haha. Also sidenote, I am a fashion designer ( well student in my 3rd year) I have been following you for years as almost all your videos relate in a way. This video does a lot. Though I am still in school, I am older and realize I will need a job fast. I tell people to google jobs for the industry and there are always people hiring, probably not your dream job, and maybe not location, but there are positions ( I do realize location is a major part) I live in Italy currently and hopefully can get a working visa when I graduate. But im 10min in, what about people getting jobs by knowing the connections, is that more so in your industry or less? It appears the fashion industry is more of knowing and making connections. ( ahh 11min in you mention it relates to other fields)

[@TrentKaniuga]

I didnt really get any connections until AFTER I started working in games. My first game jobs came from applying online, and going to game dev events like GDC.

[@maxcalderon9171]

Didn't even consider the kickstarter stuff till today, kinda mindblown, thanks!

[@summerredd3055]

Thank you! I just asked in a different video where to start in my education and this really helped!

[@myslemel]

This has helped me so much rn, I have had such a hard time that I ended up giving up trying to look for a studio.

[@DADADADA586]

Thank you for looking out for us :)

[@TheMrBadPanda]

I actually see so many art jobs but that makes it harder for me to figure out what I should focus on or learn. Do I keep working on characters? do more environments? or lean into vfx, or UI? Or maybe I should learn 3d modeling as I mainly do 2d

[@PinkSmiiley]

at the end of the day you still have to somewhat like what you do. I guess if youre starting out in indie studios its better to have good skills in a lot of 2D stuff (characters, props, maybe also enviroment and also rendering/advertisement art). And yeah its always good to learn 3D as well, though I really dont know, I could imagine doing sculpting but full in 3D.. honestly if I dont enjoy that whats the sense of doing that, then I‘d rather skill myself more in 2D and level up. But everyone is different and some people like a lot of different things, but I‘d honestly rather do like a sort of media design marketing kinda job than a skill thats way more complicated to learn and not enjoyable to me 🙈

[@noiJadisCailleach]

Legit, Currently doing this while doing an art test. There's always some art job out there, bros and pals.

[@Lynz1210]

Most I’ve seen want you to have experience and that’s where I feel stuck. But you make a great point, I never thought about looking for those kickstarters 😊

[@carlosemiralonso7997]

Underrated video, Trent always deliver. I would love to have a job at 50k a year, many people are too ambitious at saying I only gonna work when the 100k year guy comes to my door. Have a great day!

[@Art_Inexperiente]

THANK YOU so much!!! normally people don't teach that (art school or not) and is so frustrating. THANKS

[@Toboe0818]

@Trent Kaniuga This was a fantastic video! Would you be able to make a follow up video showing us more on how to find the start up dev studio projects looking for junior concept artist positions / internships? My issue is, I know where to look for game concept artist jobs like you showed in this video already. However, most of them require an unreasonable amount of previous work experience in the field despite being a "junior" position. I am about to finish my masters degree in game character concept art and I need to find positions that are willing to hire me for my skills where they are currently and not bar me from them because I lack years within the industry.

[@TrentKaniuga]

That’s why I showed you how to look for smaller studios and research them.

[@Toboe0818]

@@TrentKaniuga Right, I'm asking if you could show more examples on how to find those kind of positions. I feel like while I get the general idea of how to look for them, maybe there are more ways of finding those kind of gigs since they aren't on a major dev studio's site or on places like linked in always.

[@PinkSmiiley]

@@Toboe0818small indie game events can be a great way to get into touch with studios! I know atleast here in germany there are quite a lot. Also over people you know form universities, workshops etc

[@PinkSmiiley]

@@Toboe0818and like he said you can always hit them up and ask even if they arent specifially hiring. Also doing internships should help a lot as a junior!

[@maxsteelflex]

Never thought about checking kickstarter, thanks for the tip Trent : )

[@TheVeyZ]

Thank you for this video. The company I worked for let us all go last month and didn't. I didn't really know how to get my foot in the door to other companies, considering my previous employer found me.

[@roseboba]

Oh man thanks so much! Very interesting info, and thanks for the honesty 👍 Going to take these tips, keep improving my portfolio and look for jobs this way to get my foot in the door, thank you!

[@homemgalinhagalinha8078]

Been doing this for quite a while. What I got is that I have to upgrade my skills, so now I'm grinding hard 😊

[@adamb7968]

"I don't follow sports - they're stupid." That was great.😅

[@gumhoy5054]

Hello! I appreciate you! I just wanted to let you know that there is a typo in the video title, since, "ART" starts with the sound of a vowel, it should be AN instead of A, like so: How to HUNT FOR AN ART JOB #artjob Thanks for the video. Have a great day!

[@KBx53]

Was just going to comment this, thank you

[@Blink_Sushi4332]

Trent my guy thanx for showing us where to look cus its kind of hard to search at first

[@marieazrak1951]

I was 18 and going through young adult pilot program community college, working and doing lots of programs when I was introduced to the world of Warcraft vacuum was so much fun. It was such a good stress reliever for me but it was also exhausting and scary. I don’t know what to do as far as the quest. I didn’t know where I was going. It was hard.

[@CyberValeth]

I'm just after being a caretaker for practically 6 years, both grandparents gone am starting my art journey seriously. I'm basically starting almost all but from ground zero. I have no idea how long I'm going to have to work to get even an entry level job in this. But I do have a degree in game dev, so I have that for me. But I just hadn't been able to work on art because my time and energy was dedicated to being a caretaker. So I got my work cut out for me

[@ilsh0064]

Happy new year, cant wait trent 2024 career roadmap:D

[@Onlyfamoli]

I've been looking for a job on all these sites since before I even started 3D modeling school just to keep up with all of them, get an idea of the market (kinda like when buying a car) so once I'm done school I already have a good idea of what companies are often hiring.

[@screwdriver1337]

Another advice is to check work of artists on artstation when they publish art blasts of games. They share breakdowns and detailed progress on the development sometimes and it helps to learn how things are done in the actual production. Not every piece of art on artstation can be used in gamedev so artblasts help a lot!

[@sopa_sapo]

Thank you so much for this video, i really needed that reality check lol

[@YukyDoodle]

Trying the Kickstart and Steam search trick! Thank you!

[@Cacalotlraven]

Watching this in a bit…can’t wait!!!!

[@soheilzakeri6275]

Thank you Trent❤

[@UKERU00]

This video made me feel sad about how I really dont care about these big company properties, I guess to me its either go indie or get my japanese to business level but I doubt they would go for junior artists, only indie feels like a possible path and even then its very unlikely given the team sizes they have to get a concept art position, maybe getting good at other things like UI/3D to at least get in...

[@Heisenburg17]

The hard part is to be great at drawing and concepting daily 😅😅

[@ryanmartin4815]

If I am looking for concept art or illustration jobs do you think it would be necessary to get familiar with actual game development when approaching smaller companies or is is possible to only advertise art skills.

[@TrentKaniuga]

If you want to work in games, it will be important to understand how they are made. Yes.

[@PinkSmiiley]

@@TrentKaniugaHow do you define that? To what degree does an Concept artist has to understand game development (apart from designing things that have to work in 3D and work in the style) ??

[@ROAM-3R]

Hey Trent, I've received mixed messages about where is best to apply as an artist early in their career. Some pro's I've talked to argue that it's better to aim for triple AAA (Blizzard, Riot etc.), because AAA means they have the capacity to hire juniors & interns, whereas smaller studios & indies don't have the resources to afford so many, and so shoot for experienced high quality artists in fewer numbers. What are your thoughts on this?

[@namedrop721]

Depends on how good you are and how hard you’re willing to work to find those connections This is speaking for another field but one which has a similar structure and populations

[@j.2512]

you work at AAA in a boom and bust cycle, when they inevitably lay you off you have a few years of nothing but uninsteresting photobash work you can't even show because its all under NDA. You are stuck in the cycle hoping between project to project . Artist move up when they gain more agency as authors, so better be a creator of a humble IP than payeet number 99999 who spent 3 years editing AI generated chairs for a AAA open world game

[@PinkSmiiley]

I would just try it on the indies. Honestly you could also do an internship and hope that they might eventually hire you or actually. When you do a variety of internships you can also level up from junior to mid artist and I guess you could write that into your portfolio!

[@PinkSmiiley]

unless your skill is already super good, then sure try the big studios :)

[@gavintappenden6568]

Thanks for the awesome video Trent. I'm looking for work and building my portfolio. I appreciate this content and your insight.

[@sarapregel5981]

So basically this can be same process for book illustrations,right? Few months ago some random indie publisher found me and ask to work on projects in my style,i can pick themes and payment is only when it sells (which aint much but i got a published, fun project, owner even offers writing recommendation letter etc). Since game industry is tight and requires skills i dont quite have on that lvl, i was thinking about those indie publishers. There are few sites that have platform for them to sell a books (its mostly dnd handbooks). I assume i can make a list which my style can suit,send them mail and hopefully get work on project? Or is there specific way to find jobs like this that can boost my portfolio and skill?

[@eddyalvaross2195]

If you're not in the United States, they will require you to film yourself and provide evidence that you make your art at the advertized skill level in your portfolio.

[@metternich05]

Most studio roles require you to have several years of industry experience, usually on AAA games or movies. Not just senior roles. I'm still not sure how you land your first job, maybe at small indie studios. One thing is sure though: without a solid portfolio you are dead in the water. Competition is pretty tight these days, plus the massive layoffs across the industry. I think if your Artstation material is convincing, plus you do some basic branding and marketing, work just finds you organically.

[@j.2512]

artstation is flooded to the brim with payeets using AI and companies are actually hiring them for less than real artists, Art jobs are becoming more and more minimum wage production lines were the jobs are the top are reserved for friends of art directors

[@rockon8174]

Or you can do your own thing. 😐

[@TrentKaniuga]

Go work at smaller studios and startups. Less competition.

[@screwdriver1337]

I can't reccomend an interview with Sarah Spiers on CG spectrum enough. She shares a lot of useful info that hopefully will alleviate your fears and you'll land a job in a gaming industry:)

[@PinkSmiiley]

I think internships are also a good way. And small studios since they are a closer community, people do mouth to mouth propaganda and if you been working on a project with a company/people, they are probably more likely to hire you. But might be harder for bigger studios, not not my personal goal to be fair

[@yosoyeljairo]

I have tried several resources like these for over a year and still haven't had luck. I have found a wall in being based in Latin America, where the industry barely exists. Though there are many remote job listings, most require at least two years of experience in the videogame industry. Besides looking for Kickstarter campaigns currently looking for staff, does anyone have any other advice for junior artists based outside countries like the US or Canada?

[@TrentKaniuga]

Yes. Work on your portfolio. Location doesn’t matter if your skills are pro. Likely your work doesn’t match the art style, or your portfolio doesn’t show production concept art which is different from what you see on artstation or instagram. Check out my portfolio workshop or character and environment workshops at www.gumroad.com/trentk

[@koiturnbull5700]

Thanks a lot for the video!!! This REALLY helps!

[@freezingcicada6852]

I've done similar stuff before can got to do art tests. It really is a nice confidence boost even if I didnt land the job. Though I never thought about Steam, what I did was looking at mobile games and then apply on their site.

[@devilichus]

Thanks to experienced pro artists like you and the others on KZbin I got an interview opportunity at last. Can you give me some insights about what are the key points for a successful art position interview? I have searched but couldn't find if you had a video you have already covered the topic.

[@TrentKaniuga]

Don't be boastful, or cocky. But also don't act like you are scared to step up and prove yourself. The attitude that you want to have is:"I will work very hard to prove myself to you, and be a contributing collaborator. I will be a sponge that absorbs your knowledge and wisdom, while helping take things off of my leads plate, and serve the team, and the players of our game. I am eager to learn, and grateful for the opportunity to prove myself."

[@TrentKaniuga]

Also... CONGRATS on the interview! Let me know if you get the gig!

[@devilichus]

@@TrentKaniuga Turns out it is a volunteer project when researched the developers but there was no such indicator in the details rather a separate page revealed this when I wanted to discover more about them. But I will still wait for the interview day. Maybe we can work things out. I would like to listen to them and learn the goals further. But somehow I always get to encounter non-paid projects, unfortunately (even from LinkedIn this time) I am like a magnet for these types of volunteer projects. It is good for the experience and I did some back in the day. But after a certain threshold, It begins to devour my energy when there is no money or motivation. I am 25, grinding my time and skills for 5+ years pursuing a concept art career, actively applying, trying to present my portfolio with different strategies, and returning to fundamentals, utilizing 2D, 3D every trick in the book I can imagine I try, yet still unemployed. At least I have found a 3D artist friend from your discord server we are exploring our IP for now, in regards to making some portfolio pieces together to present an "art blast" type of content when all the concepts are done. That project gives me hope and heals me a bit. What do you think about the unpaid projects? Also my current portfolio: devilichusarts.artstation.com

[@devilichus]

@@TrentKaniuga Thank you the interview is tomorrow. It might turn out to be a volunteer project when I read the details. I will give the project a shot. If it doesn't exhaust me. What should I do? I have been in non-paid projects before for experience but I am a bit confused.

[@devilichus]

@@TrentKaniuga I got the gig. They were friendly and nice. Also the job is volunteer but it matches with my vision and it is supported by the Irish government as they say. 100+ people are working on the project based on deadlines remotely. I saw some future in that regard. A project called Soul Atlas and the products so far looks nice.

[@BlackTiger001]

Trent you're bloody brilliant

[@fatemehsharifi643]

I've already watched a few videos from this channel which was really helpful, but now I hit the subscribe button the moment I saw the FF14 poster on his wall?? Well, hello there~

[@JerryDunhamJr]

Okay, I’m taking notes but what exactly is game ui design look like? And do you have a course on it?

[@TrentKaniuga]

Well, I have a course on icons. Yes. Www.gumroad.com/trentk

[@ghost4439]

Hey trent, Ive been scrolling through artstation and ive noticed that concept art portfolios (at least the ones that are in the big league) are like 90 percent 3d and the last 10 percent 2d. Ive seen artist on artstation who call themselves 3d concept artists. This is relatively new to me, becuase ive mainly seen concept art work that is mainly 2d but if there was 3d it would be a block out with sinple easy textures. I mean theres soneone called ZooWe (artstation)and his portfolio is mainly blender environment work. If it wasnt labeled concept art id think he was just a 3d modeling artist. Is it possible to be a concept artist with little drawing ability but really amazing 3d skills? Im asking becuse im good with blender but my 2d drawing im still developing.

[@TrentKaniuga]

You would increase your chances of getting hired by a substantial degree if you have 3D in your portfolio.

[@karidyas00]

Definitely possible. There's learnsquared interviews with Ellie Cooper where she goes over how her team use Unreal Engine 5 for environment concepts. It gives them an advantage as the comp can be used as a base to build a game level, or pulled direct for a movie. Jama Jurabaev also uses Blender for concept art. For concept the tools don't matter, only the result. Don't let your insecurities hold you back, use what you got to make great work :)

[@oscarchavezart]

Check out Hardy Fowler on youtube, his specialty is 2D concept art. He uses photoshop, the industry standard, and just alone from his youtube videos you learn so much. I recommend slowing down the video and having it on HD, that way you can see where exactly he clicks. And if you want to take it further, he offers online teaching, there is a price for his class, but you pay for him to dedicate his guidance for your art and skills to grow and get better. Also check out the book, The skillful huntsman. It's from 2005, but the designs and way to go about making 2D concept art is still in use today. It may say visual development, but trust me, what they published in that book, is the same process as coming up with a character design and calling it concept art.

[@ghost4439]

@TrentKaniuga ok, I was just wondering what the bar was. Since I was told the 2d was more important and 3d is just a back up.

[@williammclean6594]

u pretty much have to learn 3d if want to get a job@@oscarchavezart

[@BC-sh7en]

the steam idea is very good.

[@carlosquall15]

There's really a lot of position listing for Game dev, we all just need to develop the right skillset.

[@hawktondog]

I was a naysayers the prior video. There are many jobs, just need the EXP and skill the jobs ask for which is the hard part. No big name prior EXP is gonna hurt. Still a very quality video.

[@nedzex493]

Unfortunately, it is not as easy as you showed it here. Most of those jobs are not remote. And that is a big problem, especially for juniors.

[@Hewfurd]

Why do so many jobs listed as "2d CONCEPT artist" require 3d skills? is this a real issue or are most job listings just boilerplate copy pasted so they list the same requirements? if its real i dont understand how entry level artists are expected to know not only how to design and illustrate but also expected to know 3d and animation. Im not sure how i balance, building my current portfolio of 2d art, working a dayjob (because bills ew) and learning 2 new vastly complicated skills and programs from the ground up with 0 guidance or coaching. I already dont sleep lol. I learn best from on the job experience.

[@edwardbarons522]

3D skills are useful to help your workflow as a concept artist. Even though your output is 2D, you might start an environment with a 3D blockout for example, or maybe you are designing a prop, you start in 2d with some sketches, build a block out in 3d to make it easy to produce multiple views of it and finish it back in 2d, other times we'll get a 3d base from 3d artists to work with. So when they say 3d they rarely mean game ready modelling! (although that could be super useful if you can do that and are at a small studio) it's more a basic knowledge of a bit of poly modelling and how to navigate 3d packages. Hope that helps!!

[@Hewfurd]

@@edwardbarons522 thanks for the insight this was actually very helpful and reassuring. its overwhelming being an artist but i wouldnt have it any other way!

[@wandersail696]

Hey, love your videos, I wanted to join your discord but the current link in the description expired. Is there a new one? Thanks.

[@musemintsvloghaulreactions1460]

I'll try EA and see if I hit something. I have had such a hard time in my area for years to find jobs like these, which I had to settle for restaurant and retail work, and I don't want to move and leave my family. If it doesn't work out, I tried. I was thinking about going back to school to study dental assistant stuff.

[@TheMistaWaters]

I always got the impression that smaller studios would be less likely to train a complete newbie and assumed big AAA studios have more resources and infrastructure (I don't have evidence that was just my theory). Do you find that's not the case? I'm actually pursuing a role as a technical artist coming from film but would be keen to hear your thoughts! Thanks for the vid regardless, found it helpful!

[@anetakopczynska862]

I think no one want's to invest in juniors sadly, so you need to develop your skills on your own in most cases

[@PinkSmiiley]

you could do several internships to level up!

[@benaubone]

Great Video!

[@Cearts]

Thank you so much for sharing this info 😎🔥. Just a little shift in thinking helps with what and how to study 📚 🫡

[@killerwill]

good video thanks

[@zeroi777]

Do you think there are jobs that are generic enough that any artist can apply for? For example I like working on comics as an art but would my skills be good for a job with a game company.

[@TrentKaniuga]

No. Your portfolio should reflect that you understand the job you are applying for. Your portfolio should represent that. Sending a comic book portfolio to a video game studio will not likely help you get hired. These are VERY different jobs.

[@zeroi777]

@@TrentKaniuga Cool thank you

[@TJ-fv9vs]

Thanks so much for your advice, I always enjoy your videos! Btw, what is the origin or franchise of the framed concept art pieces in the background? Both of them seem from the same artist? I would say it's from Metal Gear Solid, but I'm not sure. Anyone knows? :-)

[@TrentKaniuga]

You have a good eye! Different artists. Metal gear solid by Yoji Shinkawa, and final fantasy by Akihito Yoshida

[@MarushiaDark316]

That's cool that you used to work for Riot. Did you cross paths with Kienan Lafferty ay any point? I know he also worked for them doing concept art.

[@dw309]

lol. Finding a job on a website is not groundbreaking. The only aspect that will land a job is a referral these days.

[@TrentKaniuga]

You’d be amazed how many comments I get from folks that don’t know about job listings. They’re still waiting to be discovered.

[@yourgoodfriend276]

A lot of those are hiring for AI editing these days. Hasbro is the most blatant.

[@RandomGuy-ey2mp]

I've been curious to know, I recently wrapped a mentorship with a Senior Zbrush Modeler and It was for Concept Art. So I'm curious will companies still hire you if you have 3D models in a Concept Art Portfolio?

[@TrentKaniuga]

It’s a huge plus!

[@RandomGuy-ey2mp]

@@TrentKaniuga Cool! Thanks!

[@Ivandadajet]

I thought there was a coupon or discount going on for your gumroad tutorials but I am probably confused.

[@TrentKaniuga]

I think the end of year code might still work. Check my community posts.

[@zaxvolten]

hello, I have a question, Since my English is not good, Is it important to get good at speaking and writing English? To get hired in a big studio? Or a studio that pays well? This case concerns me a lot (used Grammarly to write)

[@user-10021]

Since most games jobs are in USA I would say it’s important. In Germany the games branche is extremely small for example. Typically at least B2 certificate is needed

[@TrentKaniuga]

I’ve seen artists that barely speak English get hired at big studios. But it’s rare. You have to be very skilled.

[@blakemarsee4801]

There aren't any jobs in the animation industry jobs. I'm glad the video game industry is booming.

[@TrentKaniuga]

Games need animators too.

[@blakemarsee4801]

@TrentKaniuga How about 2d background artist?

[@Lync1111]

Hello Trent. I have a question. Should artists be concerned about AI right now and are companies now starting to use this resource within over hiring artist? In the community out here its a growing concern so i thought to ask this question. Thank You for being there.

[@mitskifan9000]

He made a video about thos topic 5 months ago, i recommend you watch "THERE ARE NO MORE ART JOBS? JUST GIVE UP?!!"

[@UlfricStromcloak]

Trent, This is a question coming from a 3D artist's point of view. I want to make a brand by selling 3D assetpacks based on different genre, topics etc. I would do the concept by myself which would be going to my portfolio. now regarding the 3D assets aspect, I want to ask you as a concept artist who have been freelancing + gets a lot of outsourced work, what types of 3D game assets sells most? Lowpoly, Stylized-Handpainted or Hyperrealistic? Is there any demand for hero assets or only generic assets? Even though my assets will be project wide (from character, Environments, props, Vehicles, sets, weapons ,armors etc.)

[@TrentKaniuga]

It’s a good question. But I haven’t researched that enough to know. I imagine either low poly sets with various complete theme packs would sell well to indie devs, but also photorealistic assets for FPS shooters would sell well also. I think the key thing would be to sell bundles (like “military base”, or “city streets with buildings”, or “fantasy game npc set”.)

[@Deaf.Creative.Artist]

I have noticed myself most jobs are to work with materials... but where are jobs for artists who want to work in arts?

[@Apedesigns]

I’m a jr artist and my Portfolio is trash how do I get a job 😢help me dad

[@TrentKaniuga]

I got ya covered! Www.gumroad.com/trentk

[@BenaiahArt]

Do you think it’s worth applying if it asks for some years of experience but you have none? Cause even in the video like 90% of the jobs require 3 plus years

[@TrentKaniuga]

Consider applying at a less competitive studio.

[@BenaiahArt]

@@TrentKaniuga thank you! Will do

[@aurelienayuso8671]

there is tons of job I just get refused evry single time 👌( what I do is too unique I guess :/ ) I still apply hwo knows

[@sants182]

Remote international jobs man, that's the goal

[@PinkSmiiley]

at best also work only 20-30 hours a week in another country that has lower bills to pay, at an indie or medium big company, what a dream that would be x)

[@PinkSmiiley]

digital nomad but as a concept artist

[@sants182]

@@PinkSmiiley exactly

[@PabloAnsoleaga]

Trent I miss the old intro music :(

[@Patxi__]

Hello Trent, why you are not working more as concept artist for wow or blizzard?

[@TrentKaniuga]

Because I started a game studio and we are making Twilight Monk. I worked for Blizzard and Riot for 16+ years. At some point I wanted to make my own games.