Making Money as a 3D Artist, my Secret revealed by MHTUTORIALS

[@daniiltabacari]

as a 3D artist for 8+ years. i totally support what he talking about.

[@MHTutorials3D]

Thank you Daniil

[@rajanrai4688]

Hello sir I am 3d freelancer. If you have my kind of work then i will done less price you want. Thanks Rajan

[@brunswick1ful]

Thanks for sharing.

[@3Daver]

I really like this angle of focusing on business and other niche areas, but as an 11 year VFX professional, please do not do free work. EVER. It cheapens you as an artist and NEVER do something "for your portfolio" OR "for the exposure". If you are a professional, professionals get PAID. Your Dentist, Doctor or Lawyers do not spend their time doing "free stuff" to get your business and neither should you. Your portfolio should speak for itself. Definitely research the companies you are focusing on so you can speak intelligently about their potential business needs, but do not spend your time building something for free as part of your pitch. That time spent modeling/designing something for free is time away from you selling yourself to other businesses. And what happens if you spend a day putting something together for a cold call pitch and they don't bite? Your time is wasted. So again - some interesting advice here that opens up more possibilities, but DO NOT DO FREE WORK. Cheers!

[@royreuben4315]

3DaveP Thanks, very informative

[@rdoetjes]

Thanks Dave! I truly agree, I tried to get my car for free saying: “it’s good exposure” ;) but the dealer wouldn’t have that either. I recently worked on an Indie movie in the US which is actually doing pretty well, just won best actress of the ‘Cannes’ for Horror movies. But even for that micro budget movie I insisted to getting paid. It was an enormous pay cut and I think I just about covered cost. But the fact that I was paid as the only one (the others trade time and resources; which is also fine) I was considered a pro. So my concerns to the director were immediately taken serious. And now that his first feature is doing well and he’s doing a second one; with a far greater budget - it helps when your film has earned prices. I am onboard and consulted even before the shooting.

[@MHTutorials3D]

Very late response ( sorry ) but let me explain. I mean create a free sample that you bring to the sales pitch so the customer has a feel of what it could look like..... NOT creating free work for the customer. I totally agree, never work for free

[@ThePoisonedArtist]

How do you deal with requests from friends? I work in graphic design and I find it hard to say no or to charge a friend when they need my help for flyers, logo etc.

[@niallcochrane3331]

100% agree

[@avtpro]

This is one of the most important parts of being a 3D artist that nobody likes to talk about or ever quote a number. Thanks.

[@MHTutorials3D]

I will:-)

[@Blendersky2]

Number 3 on this video (Create a strong and relevant portfolio) TRULY rings out to me. I'm going to Academy of Art University and the instructors often pound into our heads that Art Station is a good place to look for what people are creating nowadays. I myself couldn't help but recognize that everybody on there is creating characters. It's all about character creation. I was always feeling bad because I always felt I would rather be an environment artist, but now watching this video it has clicked in my head that that's not true at all. This is a window of opportunity for me to go into an area not as many people are in!

[@clarissahanekom2478]

Branching into 3D from motion graphics and animation, and finding your tutorials extremely helpful

[@akiltejaa7062]

Wait .. BAngalore ? ! yay i live in Bangalore and a biggest fan of your works :) ! Thanks for the secret reveal :) !

[@MattyewMashew]

The only jobs I've ever had were from people who never knew they wanted it. The second I introduced the idea of having a render instead of practical and how cheap and fast it was, their eyes lit up

[@MHTutorials3D]

Exactly !

[@Hedriks]

And that's what you call selling

[@DamianMathew]

Yeah for sure! I always sell photos, not renders. I think a lot of clients still think I’m using a camera and somehow photoshopping the different angles haha

[@khurshidbektursunov8560]

seriously. i have been searching an answer for this question for ages. i am a modelling student and did not see as much avaliable jobs as other professions. now i know. thank you! ;)

[@MHTutorials3D]

Glad I could help

[@user-yn9mp4bt3q]

Jewellery rendering and rapid prototyping / 3d printing is in high demand and profitable.

[@obscure741]

dude you are a beacon of hope for all starting artists

[@MHTutorials3D]

Try to be :-)

[@Wodpuncher001]

Mike Hermes you really are!

[@vienenporescas9752]

Blender is a powerful software, but I think it is not mature enough, especially if you are looking to work in a company as a modeler, I doubt they use blender there, at least not yet

[@unyxium]

@Vienen porescas How about now with Blender 2.8+ ? It has really changed since and starting to beat the paid for software in terms of features and usability in many areas.

[@MHTutorials3D]

In this video we will go beyond the always present topics of game and or animated movie discussion....

[@SilverHinata]

Thank you for making this video. I graduate in a year for a BFA in Animation, so understanding how to explore my options like this is very comforting.

[@MHTutorials3D]

Glad I could help Kyndall

[@virtual_intel]

You can also take some courses on becoming a VR developer. Them jobs are now in high demand, as VR is a thriving wide open field currently. That's what I'm training myself for in 3D to target the VR industry for a future of unlimited potential. Hopefully my buisness can fully merge into VR and become a true asset and goto location for future generations to come. A goal to shoot for any student like myself.

[@Suge212]

The 3d art world is HIGHLY competitive. With the free education available these days and the advanced software, everyone wants to be 3d artist. Not to mention trying to compete with people from 3rd world countries who undercut people from western countries. Programming on the other hand is in high demand and pays much much better. Not many people want to do that nightmare of a job though. It takes many years to learn before you can even be remotely useful and most people simply don't have an interest in it. With 3d modeling on the other hand, you could start producing decent assets within a month or 2. I have about 50 models online right now and I make 1500 dollars a year passively. Not bad but not great. I'd need 600-1200 models online to earn a middle class income, roughly $40-50k per year. It can take 3-5 days to make a high quality asset. Longer for larger projects. So realistically it will take you about 5-10 years of full time 3d asset creation to begin to earn a living in this industry. Certain types of assets also have a shelf life, so you must always keep up with production and always know what is in demand to stay ahead of the game.

[@MHTutorials3D]

Very true, but is is always recommended to have multiple income stream that together make your income. Selling models online is just one of them

[@Helios.vfx.]

Suge212 where can I sell models and how's this process done ? And is okay to just model something I can see online and then sell it ?

[@maciek1831]

Jhono Gudiel CG Trader is the best site to sell cg, in my opinion.

[@ArcangelZero7]

Plenty of people want to be writers too, and they teach it in school. There is still a very healthy market for writers. Operating under this "scarcity mindset" will cripple you. 3d software is a tool just as much as a pencil, and the product or service you can offer with it are near limitless. Your job is to find where you can fit in, instead of jumping into the shark tank with everyone else. Selling models online will rarely get you a comfy living, but it's great on the side while you say, freelance, maybe make videos, or courses, or sell your artwork as a fine artist, as opposed to being a "business artist." Limitless potential here. Don't be discouraged. :) ...of course I don't make a living as a blender artist yet so i might know absolutely nothing, but hey. ;) Lol

[@olesyanovik7877]

You are right. I am crying about 3-5 days for model...I've spend 6 month for creating realistic horse in Blender. It was my first model, so with her I've learned modelling, sculpting, texturing, rigging, hair, cloth and smoke simulation, animation. Finally I made 10 seconds video...Anyway for some animated models you can spend a lot of time, much more than 3-5 days. Turbosquid wrote, that when you put your price, you should count, that usually you can sale 1 model 3-4 times per year. Owner of another famous site said that if you have 150-200 models, you can earn $100 - $200 per month. Sad statistic.

[@rosieking383]

Wow. Thanks for the knowledge shared. I'm from Uganda, just started, a few months now, creating 3d architectural models. I love it!

[@MHTutorials3D]

You are very welcome Rosie

[@nithyashreeraja5241]

THIS VIDEO IS GOLD!😱❤ it's my habit to think bout what i wanna become before bed( to embed it into the subconcious mind).....now saw this vdo, it is giving me vibes of peace and clarity. Thank youuu soo sooo muchhh...good night

[@MHTutorials3D]

Thank you soooo much

[@Kosinoyoh]

Thank you, you pull me down back to reality.

[@MHTutorials3D]

Never give up your dreams ( but make sure you earn some money in the meantime )

[@schilll]

Very motivating, its hard to find any information like this. Thanks!

[@MHTutorials3D]

Glad to be of help

[@darkamethystos]

Thank you so much for all the advices, i have already had a couple 3D model freelance jobs in architecture, i will deffinetly follow your advice

[@MHTutorials3D]

Thank you !

[@kendumnodi833]

Never thought about this angle of making money as a 3D artist. Thanks Mike. BTW, the autofocus issue was of no consequence. Totally loved all the advice you gave.

[@MHTutorials3D]

You are very welcome

[@austinlabarbera265]

Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video. Really helps me out, and confirms what I should be doing now that I am done with school. Also, would you recommended a Master's degree in 3D Modeling, or would I be in the same boat but with debt if I do that? Thanks Mike. Great videos!

[@MHTutorials3D]

I can't say whether you should or not but I personally would wait with my masters until I am sure I need it

[@austinlabarbera265]

That's exactly what I think. Thanks again Mike!

[@MHTutorials3D]

It is easy to pile debt onto debt but it is very hard to pay it

[@robbiepemberton]

Customers want results. Not pieces of paper that say you have the knowledge to produce results. Just the finished job, on time and to specification.

[@andrewbrandon6442]

I am currently in college and I can tell you one thing, college is good for networking. I would save your money and go with sites such as pluralsight.com or Lynda.com I went in with no knowledge of anything 3d and I have learned more from those sites then I have in class. I would recommend finding a community college program and get involved in whatever community you are aiming for, but, all the work I have gotten is from showing them what I have done and not where I went to school.

[@arescet]

you just earned a subscriber my good sir. this is some quality content, thanks so much!

[@MHTutorials3D]

Thank you so much !

[@SheaDesign]

As a 3D Artist for 28 years I still struggle with self promotion. Thanks for your thoughts on the subject. -S

[@ANMOL355]

So far the best video on the topic!!!! Hats off sir

[@AndreWahl7]

This is an excellent video. Thank you for putting this together.

[@MHTutorials3D]

You are very welcome

[@mirusasaki]

This is great as I'm about to graduate on a few months. Something to start off with. Thank you!

[@MHTutorials3D]

Cool

[@SoulGuitarMetal]

Artists should be generalists. I'm not talking about style or type of model but the media itself. You can sell 3D models, prints of illustrations, customized books, document processes in youtube with ads, stock image, and video, etc. There is so much you can do with your work besides the 3D asset. People profit low because they approach it like an individual instead of a business. If you look at the most profitable media franchises, you see things like Pokemon selling billions on the games but 3 times more in licensed merchandise plus other products. The games are supposed to be the main product but in reality, its main function is to spawn a long string of products that multiples profit.

[@technoraven8537]

An excellent report. Many thanks to Mike Hermes ) Good luck :)

[@MHTutorials3D]

Thank you so much !

[@GardyGerard]

This is my second semesters in the Games Development field. THANK YOU FOR THAT VIDEO

[@MHTutorials3D]

You are very welcome

[@dudjcjtue9w91]

how are you doing now??

[@dalyzee]

Very informative video. Great stuff. Thank you very much for posting this haha. I wish I could just listen to this video every morning on my way to school.

[@MHTutorials3D]

Well, go ahead :-) Make it you mantra LOL

[@sanjeez103]

Thanks for sharing Mike... you are the best !!! Happy modeling...

[@MHTutorials3D]

Thank you Sangeet

[@KadeMarkoux]

Thanks Mike, this is very helpful. I am currently in this same boat trying to figure it all out.

[@MHTutorials3D]

:-)

[@Kita54474]

Very interesting I was thinking about this earlier on. Thank you for answering questions.

[@MHTutorials3D]

You are very welcome Nikita !

[@royreuben4315]

Hey Mike, i say you are a life savior, man. I have had this idea but couldn't put it to practical as i didn't know the steps to take first, now i know and i have already listed couple of local businesses to start with...thanks so much man. IMPORTANTLY: Never do it for free, Cheers!!!

[@MHTutorials3D]

Best of luck Roy, let me know if it works for you, ok ?

[@royreuben4315]

Thanks Mike, i will do so.

[@JoHnWxNoW98]

Hi Mike, I gained a professional license for Maya some months ago because I want to work in game industry and I'm doing what you said, I'm not looking for a big game house but I'm starting as free lancer for little game house to making experience. Nice video to let people understand that this is possible following some right tips.

[@M4rt1nX]

Thanks Mike!!! This came when I needed it the most.

[@MHTutorials3D]

Good, happy to help :-)

[@astasna]

Thank you for putting together such a thoughtful video

[@MHTutorials3D]

Merci

[@brentpotts616]

Great advice! Thumbtack.com is pretty decent. Got a couple gigs from it so far. There's a lot of "stuff" you have to sort through, and choose wisely. But that just goes with anything freelance game.

[@nerdatheart2699]

Mike...you are the man. Thumbs up for this sage advice and insight. Well done. Thank you ...Thank you...Thank you

[@MHTutorials3D]

You are very, very, very welcome

[@jancabal84]

Thanx mate, you have implanted some good ideas into my head how to cover all those CGMA master classes haha

[@MHTutorials3D]

Good luck

[@whitewalkersbasshouse8222]

Thanks man for showing a path.

[@3dcartoonist977]

Hi the auto focus actually looked like an effect to make the text more visible this it s cool

[@Mkshoffmeister]

Great video Mike. Most valuable information. Thanks for posting.

[@MHTutorials3D]

Thank you

[@SuperHanme]

That's great that you said: building your reputation. Great!

[@MHTutorials3D]

Very important

[@rakshitnaidu]

Thanks man, that was some really helpful tips

[@morcosnabil1403]

I appreciate the efforts you have put in that video. Thank you :)

[@MHTutorials3D]

You are very welcome

[@thdcinema]

Great message here and very informative, thanks for sharing. BTW, is it possible to do a video on working with cluster deformers, if you haven't already? I still don't understand the concept behind them, thanks.

[@mikiad.3d-visualsanimation100]

Super helpful, thank you Mike!

[@MHTutorials3D]

Very welcome

[@cameron9225]

thank you so much bro helped alot first video i sat and took notes down on

[@MHTutorials3D]

Very welcome

[@tweak3d876]

Thank you Mike.... Such great advice!!!!! This is just what I needed!

[@MHTutorials3D]

You are very welcome

[@crashedluvs]

Thank you for the video, I found it very informative.

[@MHTutorials3D]

Thanks Andre

[@crashedluvs]

Would my current skill level be enough for freelance work? as3d.ca

[@MHTutorials3D]

Yes it would

[@crashedluvs]

Thank you

[@tweak3d876]

Hello Andre, I liked your demo reel. Very nice.

[@tragicbeatzs8183]

When I went to college for broadcasting my voice instructor told me to do this exact sae thing for companies as far as commercials go. Create them a commercial or two or 3 for free and then charge for your services later on if they're happy with the work.

[@MHTutorials3D]

I agree ( except for the working for free part )

[@devjitpaul1191]

i am currently in my final sem of my college, i am **SCARED** of 9 to 5 job, i don't wanna sit there all day long and live a dull life, i love my college life, i love working from home, taking bunks from college, that's why i'm here, i don't know what to do,

[@MHTutorials3D]

Keep your eye on the prize, work hard, get skilled and make your dreams come true

[@anastasiashopine7808]

thank you so much for this!

[@vivianbutler5851]

Great video...thanks a heap, I think the real estate industry would be perfect for rendering exterior and interior visualizations. Do you have any ideas of the best ways on how and who to approach in this market By the way (Love the Harlley Tee.........SAMCRO all the way:))

[@MHTutorials3D]

SAMCRO, LOL, Love it ! Well the approach is as easy as it is simple. Do your homework on what businesses are around, who runs them, what do they make and do you see an opportunity. Then reach out to them and tell them

[@sean8306]

Thank you ! As a student, that's really helpful :-)

[@ollicron7397]

Interesting, a lot of this sounds like hard ops modeling and sculpting

[@catarayen9407]

This is awesome! thank you!

[@flowerslovepower8614]

Thank you so much, this is truly so helpful.

[@MHTutorials3D]

Thank you so much

[@noriwagd]

Great and helpful tips, thank you so much.

[@ringoze]

Brilliant video, thank you. (Just use manual focus next time if possible).

[@MHTutorials3D]

Thanks ( and sorry )

[@ricisbutauskas6301]

Thank you Mike, very good video!

[@MHTutorials3D]

Thanks

[@joshcastle2619]

hey I remember you from Maya tutorials. thanks for your insights!

[@Onigatana]

This seems like a good side job to have as a game developer.

[@seanhomar5945]

great video, very informative and exactly the kind of pep talk i needed, was starting to loose faith in the dream.

[@MHTutorials3D]

Good ! Keep on going Sean

[@jazzmanny02]

Mike, thanks for this video it was very helpful emailing companies in my local area right now

[@Shinypally]

Thank you very much. This video helped me a lot!

[@MHTutorials3D]

You are very welcome

[@BenLe42]

Thank you very much for this and all your other videos. This is all gold advice|!

[@MHTutorials3D]

Thank you so much !

[@philipfong8079]

Does not work in society that does not appreciate quality, cold method or email won't get any response because they prefer to prolong their comfort zone.

[@robertmarquez6084]

strong words of wisdom thanks for sharing that valuable info i really need that

[@MHTutorials3D]

Very welcome !

[@TheIcemanModdeler]

Very informative stuff, thanks for sharing.

[@MHTutorials3D]

Thanks

[@markushilbert3382]

good video i found many ways to make money as 3d artist bud this local think i never thought about it thx man

[@MHTutorials3D]

You are very welcome

[@arifnbd]

Thank you for discussing few insight about the business.

[@MHTutorials3D]

You are very welcome

[@SsunSsetSsurfer]

You the man appreciate all the videos

[@MHTutorials3D]

Thanks Jesse

[@sameer21rockstar]

Thanks sharing ideas with new artists .its really amazing

[@MHTutorials3D]

Thank you

[@sharmarahul829]

Wow he just spoken our indian city banglore like it knows well🤔🧐

[@moatazeno1768]

cheap artist affects all of us :\

[@MHTutorials3D]

Yep

[@SirPrizeWildRift]

true.. sometimes they buy it and sell it bigger.

[@houmanhr8641]

This, I call a useful content!!👌👌

[@xdeathknight72x]

awesome advice! I never thought to go to local businesses.

[@MHTutorials3D]

:-)

[@putudewi6393]

love the advices. So inspiring... thank you so much

[@MHTutorials3D]

You are very welcome !

[@mx472000]

Gonna show this video to my students.

[@MHTutorials3D]

Thank you !

[@omidasady8395]

Thank you for the video so much informative and functional.

[@MHTutorials3D]

Thanks

[@sidxyz0924]

Thanx for sharing this.I was very much worried about my future steps,i am a bit relieved now.Also i have a request if u can do a video on it.I modelled a car and set the tire rotation using expressions,its workin fine after i attached it to a motion path but theres one thing which i would like my tires to do,i.e. auto rotate when the car changes direction like the real cars do.I tried searching for a tutorial on it but couldnt find any. Anyways,ty very much for sharing such valuable stuffs :)

[@MHTutorials3D]

You are very welcome. Check my jeep modeling and rigging series, I do all that stuff

[@sidxyz0924]

i checked it,thanx for sharing it,very helpful :)

[@bnhassni4548]

this was helpful topic. thanks Mike

[@MHTutorials3D]

Thank you !

[@ayushbaral8269]

My advice to creative and business minded artists would be to gain some experience first and team up with like minded people and open up a studio. Y'all can do it, I firmly believe. Now stop reading this and go find the right one for you.

[@PascalChanel]

Great vid thanks for it !

[@MHTutorials3D]

No problem 👍

[@ryanamacdonald]

great advice Mike! Who would you say should be contacted at a local business? Or rather, what's your approach on getting your foot in the door?

[@MHTutorials3D]

Email them first ( with a personal note explaining my intentions ) and then call them for a meeting

[@vienenporescas9752]

very good useful information, and what about selling models on sites like 3dexport, you usually do? What kind of people buy models there?

[@MHTutorials3D]

I typically don't have time to sell models :-) Too busy with KZbin

[@arifenshikder8258]

Can you make a video for 3D Modeling Price Idea. In 3D Modeling, There have more things like: Weapon, Gun, Car, Furniture, Interior, Character etc. I do self study, As a beginner, it will take too much time to make better portfolio for a specific job. I have some idea to make some 3D products, I want to work in Online Marketplace but I do not have any idea of how can I give a price to my client by my specific work. How can I set my price for different 3D items.

[@MondalNiranjan]

Thank you,I been working on fiverr But I think I should start working on big decent portfolio and bump up my gigs pricing I doono when I will get hired by a decent company.

[@VijayKumar-bk8jz]

Learning through u and you are a kind of teacher of mine and thanks a lot sir u help me a lot

[@MHTutorials3D]

Very welcome

[@muzicgr8]

Great, thanks for the Awesome tips.

[@HelionDark]

Good video, especially about prices part.

[@MHTutorials3D]

Thanks

[@Rexywilly]

this video is very nice. now all i need to do is stop getting nervous when I talk to people..

[@MHTutorials3D]

If you find a company new to the 3D approach you will be the expert. That helps

[@mukondeleliratshilavhi5634]

thank you for keeping it simple

[@MHTutorials3D]

Very welcome

[@adamfilip]

lol. the irony is the entire Ikea Catalog is 3D rendered

[@AkanBrownStudios]

Thanks a lot, this is really helpful

[@MHTutorials3D]

You are very welcome

[@apeal6025]

Thanks a lot Mike! just the motivation I needed to hear

[@MHTutorials3D]

You are very welcome Steve !

[@sw9260]

VR AND AI WILL BECOME THE NEXT BIG THING! SO 3D ARTIST SHOULD HAVE ABUNDANCE OF POSSIBILITIES TO WORK.

[@loveluach]

so much informative and functional.

[@MHTutorials3D]

Thanks

[@ThePlatinumMatt]

Beginner question: what: if the product isn't made or isn't ready - what do you use for references?

[@MHTutorials3D]

Concept art, sketches, a verbal description, a mood board, a story board, a similar product......

[@ThePlatinumMatt]

Okay, thanks for replying!