Making the Most out of Your Character Portfolio

Baj Singh published a post about the do’s and “don’ts of putting work into a specialized character art portfolio.

Baj Singh published a post about the do’s and don’ts of putting work into a specialized character art portfolio. The artist is a hiring manager for my department, so this article is full of tips and tricks on attracting potential employers. 

Originality: Same old….same old.

If you’re going to do Batman, put a twist on it.

If you’re going to do Generic Soldier #102, think about how you can take that soldier and make it different.

If you’re going to make Angkor Wat, how would something like that exist in a future where tech has helped rebuild it into a thriving metropolis? 

Just because you want to get a job at “Netherrealm” or “Infinity Ward” doesn’t mean you have to emulate what they do to a tee. At that point, you run the risk of getting lost in a crowd of clone art. Yes, the quality of work will vary greatly but there will always be someone who does something equally as good or even better (assume you are not the best artist in the world!). However, by introducing an interesting variable into the mix you will stand out a hell of a lot more against the crowd and even if its not technically the best piece it will certainly get my attention.

Focusing on one style: Diversity = Flexibility.

Some other hiring managers might disagree with this one but this is my view on it anyway. I don’t want to see people who just make World War 2 soldiers, or just make fancy Spartans. Diversity means flexibility.

Just because you want to work for “Blizzard” and can hand paint the best “World of Warcraft” art doesn’t mean you could still work for that company when WoW (god forbid) ever goes away and you have to make art for their up and coming realistic, gritty shooter (Though I doubt Overwatch 2 will take a drastic turn in that direction :)).

A bit of fantasy, a bit of sci-fi, a bit of realism, characters from both sexes, possibly some creature work and you have a folio that shows that you are adaptable to any situation. You can handle both hand painted art and current gen work with physically based texturing techniques. You can create super low poly art, as well as art that wouldn’t look out of place in “Horizon: Zero Dawn”. And again, this just makes for an interesting portfolio.

Baj Singh 

Make sure to read the full post here

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