The 3D Handbook
Part 10 — Production
Chapter

Careers and portfolios

Read these pages in order, or jump to the one you need.

  1. PortfoliosTopicWhat a games-industry 3D or environment art portfolio is for, what art leads and recruiters look for, where to host it, and how junior and senior portfolios differ.
  2. Planning a portfolio pieceGuideHow to choose, scope, build and present a single portfolio piece so it proves the role you want, with production-like constraints and a feedback loop.
  3. Making (and reading) an art breakdownGuideWhat to put in an art breakdown (beauty shots, wireframes, kit and trim sheets, material steps, budgets and notes), and how AAA artists such as Jared Sobotta and Paweł Kostecki structure theirs.
  4. Portfolio advice from industry professionalsReferenceA curated, annotated collection of portfolio advice from named artists, art directors, recruiters and studios, with links, roles as stated by each source, and whether each resource is free.
  5. Art testsGuideWhat studio art tests are, what briefs and time limits artists report, how to approach one, the Dekogon and Dylan Abernethy Environment Art Test series, and the debate about unpaid tests.
  6. Demo reels and flythroughsGuideWhen a 3D or environment artist needs a reel, how long it should be, how to structure and shoot a flythrough, and how to capture it with Unreal Engine's Sequencer and Movie Render Queue.
  7. Capturing a showreel in the engineGuideHow to get clean, smooth footage of your work out of Unreal Engine, Unity and Blender: render settings, anti-aliasing, frame rate, resolution and formats, with the official documentation for each.
  8. CVs and applicationsGuideHow 3D and environment artists apply to studios, from CV and cover letter to ArtStation and LinkedIn profiles and the application itself, based on advice from games recruiters and studio hiring guides.
  9. Interviews and portfolio walk-throughsGuideWhat happens after a studio likes your portfolio: the stages of an interview, how to walk through your own work, the questions recruiters and artists say to expect, and the questions to ask back.