Tips on Landing a Job as a 3D Character Artist

Introduction

Hey everyone, my name is Sander Flisijn, I’m from the Netherlands and I'm currently working as a Lead Character Artist at Bloober Team. I have previously worked at Hangar 13, where I contributed to various titles such as Mafia 3, Borderlands GOTY, Mafia Definitive Edition, and more.

In this interview, I’ll outline the path I took to get where I am today, and share with you some tips that helped me along the way, as well as my insights to help aspiring artists get into the industry.

The Artistic Path

From a young age, I’ve always had a tendency to be creative. Being fascinated by haunted houses and dark-ride attractions in theme parks (and I still am to this day), I always wanted to create a similar experience of my own. Whenever we had family over, I would spend hours decorating the upper floor of our house with horror decorations, for only having them walk through my ‘haunted houses’ within a minute. I would cover up the windows with bin bags to dim the rooms, attach strings to the ceiling to create fake spiderwebs, and have a glow-in-the-dark skeleton sit in a chair. Basically, anything to replicate the experience of the attractions I enjoyed so much.

A few years later, I was introduced to the world of digital entertainment. With games being interactive experiences, they felt a lot like the dark-ride attractions that captivated me. This didn’t only apply to video games, but also to certain DVDs that featured interactive menus. I especially remember the Lion King DVD that had an interactive dark-ride ‘game’ in their menu called Virtual Safari. Using the TV remote, you would navigate through the world of Lion King while seated in a cart, deciding whether to go left or right for a different experience. I can’t express how nostalgic it feels talking about it, as it would probably have been around 19 years ago since I watched it last.

I enjoyed playing various single player games (my favorite being Beyond Good & Evil on my purple GameCube) but, once I discovered online multiplayer, I couldn’t get away from it. One of these games was ActiveWorlds Europe – a virtual reality platform that allowed players to both explore and create 3D worlds. It also lets you interact with other players and engage in various online activities such as Easter egg hunts or even Bingo. It didn’t take long before I tried building my own 3D worlds with the assets provided. I spent countless hours designing worlds on which I received positive feedback from the community, which only encouraged me to experiment and build more.

One of my favorite things to build – as you can probably guess – was haunted houses. With a combination of scary images and sounds, I frightened anyone that dared to step inside my creations. Some of the haunted houses I created were designed to be traversed by foot, while in others, I replicated the experience of the cart ride attractions commonly found at theme parks, similar to the way the Virtual Safari from the Lion King DVD was done.

However, I felt somewhat limited with the assets provided until a friend from the community introduced me to a world of 3D modeling with a software known as TrueSpace. It taught me the fundamentals that allowed me to create simplistic 3D models. Although they were primarily just primitives put together, it allowed me to build more unique designs. 

Several months later, when I was at the age of 16, a new secondary vocational education (or MBO how it’s called in Dutch) – that was purely focused on games – was established in my hometown. During that time, I was actively exploring various study directions since 3D, at that point, was merely a hobby for me, and I never thought of it becoming a possible career path. Discovering an educational program that allowed me to be creative and the opportunity to work on video games felt like an ideal fit for me, and I didn’t have to think twice before I enrolled that very year.

In the first year of the program at Friesland College we learned bits of everything: from game design principles all the way to scripting using ActionScript 3.0 in Adobe Flash. As we entered the second year, the curriculum diverged into two specialized programs: Programming and Game Art. Although I enjoyed the scripting assignments that were given, I felt art would be a better fit for me, considering my background as well. We learned how to model with 3ds Max while still learning game design principles on the side. Together with the students that chose programming, we created small games using the Unreal Development Kit (Unreal Engine 3). These games were based on our own game design documents, from which – out of the numerous game design documents submitted – only a select few were chosen by the lecturers for actual implementation. I was fortunate enough to have my game design document chosen to be developed into a game with fellow students.

Our game was titled David’s Nightmare, which tells the story of a young boy who, one night, has his teddy bear stolen through a mysterious portal. You, as the player, leap into the portal, travelling to a fantasy land to retrieve your stolen teddy bear. I was responsible for overseeing the project, as well as modelling most of the 3D models.

During that time, advanced texturing tools like Substance 3D Painter were not available to us, so we relied solely on Adobe Flash to create custom textures since we hadn't yet gained experience with Photoshop. Looking back at those days, it's quite amusing to recall that we created textures that often consisted of a single color, but were exported at an unnecessarily high resolution. It may have been overkill, but we didn’t know otherwise back then. 

During my final year of the four-year program, back in 2011, I went for an internship to a game studio called Vertigo Games. The studio was visiting our college regularly to give talks and provide feedback on our work, so when I applied for an internship, they already knew who I was, which helped a lot.

I relocated to Rotterdam, where the studio was located. During my time there, I had the opportunity to work on a variety of projects, including both entertainment and serious games such as medical and architectural visualisation. This is where I learned how to model and animate using Maya, as well as having my first experience with motion capture in general. I cleaned up the motion capture data of characters, and modelled and animated environment assets for a third-person adventure/puzzle game called Adam’s Venture 3. It was a great feeling to have worked on a game that eventually got published, as well as to see my name appear in the credits of a game for the first time.

After I graduated from Friesland College, I relocated to Breda where I continued my studies at NHTV (now known as Breda University) where I studied for a Bachelor’s degree in International Game Architecture and Design (also known as IGAD back then) for another 4 years. The program was ranked as one of the highest in Europe and only a limited number of applicants were selected to enroll after successfully passing the application test for their programme of choice. There were 4 programmes to choose from, whereas I once again picked the programme primarily focused on digital art. Having had experience with 3D and having worked on a published game before helped a lot to pass their art test and get enrolled as a student.

Students were not only taught how to work with Maya (modeling, rigging, animation and scripting), but also had a wide range of art-related subjects. This included art theory, world building, procedural modeling with Houdini, and participation in game jams, among other subjects.

One of my favorite subjects was anatomy, where you had to model all the human muscles using the NURBS modelling workflow in Maya on a provided skeletal model. You were also tested on your ability to memorize the Latin names of all the muscles and bones. Additionally, during that same semester, I had another subject fully dedicated to character art, where you had to create a complete character from start to finish. These were the two subjects that made me develop an interest in anatomy and character art in general.

Besides subjects related to digital art, we were also given both life and technical drawing classes. Personally, I didn’t enjoy drawing as much, but I did, however, end up spending many hours after classes in the life drawing classroom. My lecturer at the time allowed me to use some of the free space at the back of the room to work on anything art related. This was a great opportunity for myself to try out traditional clay sculpting – something I was eager to explore at the time.

I can highly recommend giving traditional sculpting a try if you are passionate about digital sculpting. It’s a great way to step away from the computer and get your hands dirty while still honoring your digital sculpting skills, especially if you aren’t into drawing like myself. Not being able to use symmetry, undo or save your progress makes it challenging, but worthwhile for your personal growth.

Besides spending hours on modeling with clay after class and working on my homework assignments at home, I tried to expand my knowledge by following character-related tutorials and working on personal projects. I knew I had to invest time to improve myself as a Character Artist, especially knowing that our portfolio had to be ready in order to apply for an internship the following year. In addition to the homework assignments that were worth showcasing, as well as some of my traditional clay sculptures, I managed to include two complete characters in my portfolio.

The first character was a man in an organic sci-fi suit, while the other was a Pharaoh that was built from the body of my first character to save some time. They weren’t the best looking characters, but at least I had two characters done in order to start applying for an internship as a Character Artist.

Looking for an internship was a competitive process, especially since the character art positions were very limited. My aim was to land an internship in an AAA game studio as a Character Artist, either within the Netherlands or abroad. I did, however, limit myself to European game studios, as going further seemed daunting and complicated at the time.

I made myself a list of game studios I found worth applying to, which I created by simply searching for game studios in specific cities/countries using Google. I did end up contacting nearly all game studios I could find, including the ones that didn’t attract me. That way, I could at least try to secure an internship on time. I even applied for an internship at a local hospital to work on medical visualizations due to my interest in anatomy. They offered me the position without having had an interview first but, eventually, I decided I would be better off having an internship at a game studio instead. If I were to work on medical visualizations for the hospital, I would have worked solely on my own without the guidance of someone knowledgeable in 3D, and I felt that wouldn’t support my growth as a 3D Character Artist.

Many of the studios I applied to didn’t respond to my applications. While only a handful of studios replied, most of them informed me that they didn't offer internships or had the position already filled. Some studios were willing to provide feedback, something I can only encourage anyone that is looking for an internship (or job) to ask for. I believe that finding an internship (or job) is not only determined by having a strong portfolio, but also by the right timing and luck. There are only a limited number of open positions available in the industry at given times, so especially when you are looking for an internship as a student, it might be wise to start applying and networking several months or even a year in advance before your internship semester is to start.

After many applications, I finally managed to have 3 online interviews scheduled for a potential internship position. I practiced having interviews (both in-person and online) with my English teacher beforehand, which was helpful and boosted my confidence.

The first interview was uncomfortable. The studio seemed to have their entire team on camera, with around 20 people staring back at me. Throughout the entire interview, they were only shooting direct questions without smiling even once. Shortly after the interview, I was offered the internship at their studio, but I felt this wasn’t the best fit for me. Thankfully, I had two more interviews lined up that I hoped would be a better match.

The second interview went great. We talked for almost an hour, and not only about the position or my portfolio, but also common interests. Unfortunately, another applicant had a stronger portfolio than mine and was offered the position instead.

The last interview went great as well, and it was this interview that eventually landed me an internship as a Character Artist at 2K Czech – the developers of the Mafia franchise – and nowadays known as Hangar 13. The opportunity to work in a AAA game studio allowed me to work alongside experienced artists, learn from their expertise, and contribute to the famous franchise known as Mafia. As the studio was located in the Czech Republic, it was also my first time moving abroad, which was exciting.

Within my first week at Hangar 13, I created an asset that already looked better than anything else I had previously done. Being able to learn from experienced artists allowed me to expand my knowledge and refine my skills at a rapid tempo. Their guidance became a crucial part of my growth as an artist, inspiring me to constantly strive for excellence in my work.

Once I completed my one-year internship, I received an offer to join the team as a full-time Character Artist. Over the course of the following two years, I was promoted to Senior Character Artist. As a senior, I extensively collaborated with both in-house and outsourcing teams, assisting them in familiarizing themselves with our pipeline and providing both feedback and guidance on their work. This eventually has led me to becoming a Lead Character Artist.

During my five and a half years at Hangar 13, I contributed to various titles such as Mafia 3, Borderlands GOTY, Mafia Definitive Edition, and more. It was a privilege to have been a part of the Mafia family and to have worked on several great games, but I felt it was time to explore new waters to continue my growth.

I began searching for remote positions, as I wasn’t able to relocate from the Czech Republic at the time. Coincidentally, during a conversation with a friend (who was also a former colleague of mine from the time I was an intern at Hangar 13), mentioned that the studio he is currently working for was looking for a Lead Character Artist and they offered the possibility of remote work as well. This seemed like a great opportunity and it was only shortly after our conversation I had an interview with the team and got offered the position. From that day forward, I have been a Lead Character Artist at Bloober Team for more than over a year now where I work with an amazing team on a great project.

Bloober Team is an independent game studio known for their portfolio of horror games, including titles such as The Medium, Blair Witch, Observer, Layers of Fears, and the most recently announced Silent Hill 2 Remake. It’s fulfilling to be working for a studio that specializes in horror games, especially considering my lifelong fascination with haunted houses ever since childhood.

Secrets of Success

We all know that having a strong portfolio is important. That’s why I will focus primarily on highlighting some of the soft skills that I consider are a must for succeeding as an artist.

I believe that having a strong drive to improve is essential for success as an artist. With the rapid development of technology, you need self discipline to stay up to date on industry trends. Try to explore new techniques and workflows when working on personal projects, and continuously challenge yourself to evolve as an artist. It’s a path of lifelong learning that you must enjoy, and is therefore not for everyone.

In addition to being self disciplined, being open to criticism is crucial too; whether it be feedback on your work or you as a person, especially while in a work environment. It’s important to understand that when someone offers critique, it is solely intended to help you improve. By having a strong drive to improve, you would naturally be eager to receive feedback in order to grow as an artist.

It's important to be effective in communication as well. Even with a strong portfolio, the lack of clear communication can work against both you and your peers, and with that also comes likeability. When, for example, two candidates during a recruitment process are considered for the same position, the candidate that can communicate clearly and is more likeable (even if their portfolio is weaker) would always be my preferred choice. Having a team that can communicate and can go well together is important for everyone.

And besides the above, once you are employed, it’s important to not get too attached to your work, as anything you produce within a work environment is eventually not your property. It might happen that the model you spend countless hours on gets modified by your peers or removed from the game entirely. By maintaining a mindset of understanding and being open to critique, you can deal with such circumstances (if they were to happen) with greater ease.

Staying Up to Date

There are many sources nowadays to stay up to date with the latest trends and developments. Social media, in particular, is one of my personal favorites. By following influential industry professionals, game studios, and software companies, I can quickly access trending topics on my feed, even on the go. 
In addition to social media, I like to dedicate time to learning from a wide range of resources, such as tutorials, courses, podcasts, and books. Platforms like 80 Level are also invaluable for staying up to date on industry trends and developments.

As a Character Artist, I believe in the importance of exploring diverse content beyond topics related to character art. By expanding my sources, I can broaden my creativity and skill set and bring fresh ideas and approaches to my projects. For example, watching tutorials related to environment art provides valuable insights into workflows and techniques that can enhance my own work.

Besides digital art, I also find joy in traditional clay sculpting and exploring subjects like medical anatomy and fashion. Studying medical anatomy deepens my understanding of the human form, while fashion - with its wide range of garments, textures, patterns and color combinations – often inspires me. While these subjects may not directly relate to digital art, they often improve my digital work.

Engaging in challenges is another great way to improve as an artist. Personally, I have participated in two challenges that were hosted on ArtStation. These challenges motivated me to work consistently, even on days when I lacked motivation. For instance, in the King Arthur themed character creation challenge, I chose the beautiful Lady of the Lake concept by Marco Dotti. Although I wasn't satisfied with my end result (which is also the reason why I’ve spent another month after the challenge to make it portfolio worthy), the pressure of the challenge pushed me to complete a fully realized character within a limited timeframe.

For anyone interested, you can find a small breakdown of the Lady of the Lake character on my ArtStation.

In the other challenge, participants were tasked to create a tutorial based on a unique subject. I always had a desire to create a tutorial, so by participating in the challenge I was able to pressure myself to work on my first tutorial. For the challenge, I recorded a tutorial in which I created a game asset (a shoe) from start to finish while explaining my complete workflow. Although my tutorial’s subject lacked originality and didn’t win the challenge, its release on the market has been nothing but positive and gave me a sense of accomplishment, making all of the effort and dedication I put into it worthwhile. Below you’ll find a demo chapter from the tutorial to give you an example of its content

Another valuable way to stay updated is by attending industry conferences. These events offer opportunities to learn from and network with industry professionals. If attending in person is not feasible, online talks and seminars are good available alternatives.

Lastly, interacting with peers and sharing experiences is essential. Through this exchange, you can learn about their workflows and techniques, gaining valuable insights and building a supportive network.

Creating an Effective Portfolio

Your portfolio is a reflection of your abilities and potential. And, as you’ve probably heard many times before, it’s preferable to have a few standout works that highlight your skills versus numerous weaker pieces that could potentially question your skills. Personally, when I come across a weaker piece in someone’s portfolio, I tend to take note of the date it was published. If it was recently published, it may raise concerns, especially if you have stronger works that were published earlier. While this isn’t necessarily a deal breaker, it's something to keep in mind when presenting your portfolio.

As an aspiring artist, it’s also important to demonstrate your technical skills by including images of your wireframes and texture maps to demonstrate a clear understanding of efficient topology and UV layouts. Relying, for example, solely on ZBrush renders in your portfolio as a Character Artist may not do as well compared to someone demonstrating their capability of going through the whole pipeline. This becomes less significant if you have worked in the industry as an artist before, as you would have likely gained an understanding through experience by now.

Also, make sure your portfolio represents the type of work that resonates with the game studios you are applying to. If a studio primarily focuses on realistic games, having a portfolio consisting of stylized work may not do as well, and vice versa. While it’s acceptable to have a variety of styles present in your portfolio, it’s best to include at least one or two strong artworks reflecting the studio’s preferred style.

Lastly, compare your portfolio with that of the artists working at the game studios you are applying to. It’s a great way to narrow down the requirements the studio is looking for. By doing so, you can ensure that your portfolio meets their standards.

Using Social Media

Whenever I have a new addition to my portfolio, I tend to share it across all of my social media platforms: Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Discord, and ArtStation.

Although I’m not actively posting on Twitter myself, I believe it’s a great platform to share your work and connect with others. Occasionally, you’ll find artists and other creative professionals take the opportunity to share their portfolios to gain exposure using the #PortfolioDay hashtag. It’s a great opportunity for artists to connect with fellow artists, as well as for recruiters to headhunt for new talents.

LinkedIn is a valuable platform for establishing professional connections with recruiters and other industry professionals. Recruiters often reach out to industry professionals through LinkedIn (as well as through email) with relevant opportunities.

I rarely use Instagram, but I know a lot of people that occasionally do. Instagram, in my case, is merely an addition to broaden my reach.

Both Facebook and Discord have numerous groups and communities dedicated to game art. Sharing your work in these groups can significantly boost the visibility of your work. These are also great platforms for receiving valuable feedback and support from artists that share a common interest.

ArtStation is widely recognized as a leading portfolio platform for artists and is used by both artists and recruiters alike. I use ArtStation as my portfolio platform for showcasing my work. It also provides a community of artists, opportunities to network and exposure to potential employers and/or clients. Additionally, ArtStation allows me to explore and discover artworks from talented artists with ease.

As for anyone starting out building their online presence, it’s important to engage with like-minded people, whether they are students or industry professionals. By following other artists and by engaging with their posts (comment, like, share) you will eventually build an online presence. Take advantage of various platforms so you can increase your visibility. However, be mindful in the way you communicate with others. The games industry is a close-knit community, so your opinion on others, if not well-placed, can potentially have consequences. Just be yourself and remember that building an online presence takes time and consistency.

Job Search Websites

Game studios, as well as their employees (since most studios have a referral bonus system), often share job openings on their Twitter, LinkedIn and/or other social media platforms. By following and connecting with studios and industry professionals on social media you stay updated on the latest opportunities.

I find that the best way to learn about job openings is through networking. The industry is small, and sometimes open positions are filled through networking before they are even considered to be posted online. Recruiters often reach out to potential candidates beforehand, through either their own network of industry professionals or through a recommendation (referral) from a peer.

As for specific websites, I know that 80 Level, as well as ArtStation, have a dedicated job board where job openings are posted. I haven’t made use of these boards myself, as I’ve always contacted studios and recruiters directly through either a job listing on their website, email, or LinkedIn. I do, however, believe that these boards can be of great help for anyone that is looking for a job.

Advice for Beginners

Everyone’s journey is unique, and there are various paths to becoming a game artist. Building a strong portfolio, being self disciplined, and continuously honing your skills are key elements in pursuing a successful career as a game artist.

As for your search for employment, many job offers in the industry often specify a required number of years of experience, but my advice is to apply anyway. The initial focus is on your portfolio, and if it stands out, it can often lead to an interview, regardless of your years of experience.

And lastly, appreciate your spare time and avoid overworking yourself. It’s important to maintain a healthy work-life balance to prevent burnout and avoid injuries. I once developed a tennis elbow from pushing myself too hard when finishing up a personal project. This ongoing injury is a constant reminder to prioritise my well-being and ensure that I take regular breaks. Stepping away from your work from time to time also has the benefit of freshening your artistic perspective. Remember that rest is essential for long-term productivity as well as your well-being.

Conclusion

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about me, and I hope that some of the tips and insights I shared are helpful to you.

If you happen to be interested in my previously mentioned tutorial, make sure to use 80LEVEL2023 during checkout on ArtStation to receive a 40% discount (valid until August 31, 2023) as a token of appreciation for staying with me till the end. 

Additionally, I’ve been working on a new tutorial that goes in-depth on real-time hair creation, which I hope to release in the coming weeks.

If you’d like to stay informed about the release of my upcoming tutorial, have any questions about this interview, or simply want to stay connected, feel free to connect with me on social media. I'll be sharing updates and announcements there, and I'm always open to connecting and engaging with fellow artists and enthusiasts.

Have a good one, and remember, that we all started somewhere.

Sander Flisijn, Lead Character Artist

Interview conducted by Ana Kessler