So I’m wondering how exactly to get into this field, or where to focus my skills. Currently I’m a “jack-of-all-trades” 3D artist, with a programming background. As I am partway between the artistic and programming sides of CG, and my main strength (apart from versatility) is scripting which I love to use to problem solve, I feel like becoming a Technical Artist could be a great career choice. I have weak rigging skills which is probably an essential? How do I market myself portfolio-wise?
Im sure there’s no easy answer to these questions, apart from “focus on everything” or “get a job as a technical artist” but I’d appreciate any advice (or links to this kinda topic) about technical artist development.
I was meeting teams from the Dare to be Digital competition a few days ago and I was asked the exact same thing. Portfolios for 2d/3d artists are much more straightforward, but a few people wanted to know about technical artists.
I’m also an artist with a slight programming background, and I think this certainly helps. At this point in our project rigging and skinning is my main focus, and most TAs that I know are heavily involved with rigging/skinning.
If I was making a portfolio at this point in time I’d probably end up with a showreel instead of images showing lots of my tools in action: My rig creation script building a skeleton from scratch and layering up secondary animation systems. I’d show my rig controllers that set up sliders to control bones and allow bones to control sliders. I’ve probably got tools for a huge chunk of the character pipeline, and I’d end up rigging and skinning my own model to show that I can still do that.
Tech artists have the most vague job descriptions. Our job titles are basically “problem solvers.” Depending on where you apply to there might be different roles. I’m sure working in a place that does fighting games is a little different at a place where you make first person shooters. Tech Artist roles vary, but the simple fact remains: “You fix stuff.”
I’m a strong rigging/skinning char setup guy, and I’m fairly weak at scripting. Spreading your knowledge around the more technical aspects like rigging, skinning, mocap, shader writing, and scripting, will only make you more valuable.
TAs have single job description, “Bridge the gap between Art and Engg.”
How?
That depends on the studio and role of TA in the team. In small studios there is usually one TA, who pretty much takes care of everything(rigging, exporting characters, writing pipelines, setting up conventions and structures for artists).
But in Big studios there is Shaders TA, Rigging TA, VFX TA, Pipeline TA, who has less but more focused areas.
How to become a TA?
I got this question asked from a lecturer in local university. I said, “there is no TA course, you just pick it up along the way”
TAs are either “programmers with Art knowledge” or “artists who happens to know and/or like programming”.
The best way is to start with scripting in any 3D package (MEL, maxscript) and eventually move to Python/Perl or even C++. And at the same time to streamline the Art processes.
Sounds like your already a tech artist, now you just need a studio to call ya one. I agree with everyone so far a tech artist is someone that “Fix Stuff”. So what do you want to fix? I started as a rigging TA, but I’ve moved on to tools and pipeline stuff. If you want to be a jack of all trades learn it all rigging to shader writing, and all that is in between.
I agree with Vishang after my time as a Tools and Pipeline TD at Disney. I knew being a TA is the track I wanted to go, which is why I’m studying Software Engineering and Digital Arts at my university. But there really is no course that’ll throw you the problems that a pipeline would.
depending on experience, internal promotion is one of the most effective ways to become a TA, as it is somewhat “risky” to hire a TA that had no previous TA experience.
Alternatively, you can simply show a portfolio of problem solving. Scripts, shaders (HLSL), performance analysis/report, pipeline development, etc. The point is, you need to make it clear what types of problems you solve, and how you go about doing it.
In my studio, I don’t do any rigging, skinning or MaxScript tools, but i squarely fall into the Technical Art field. If I had a TA portfolio, i would not try to show skinning or rigging, as these are not my interests anyways, so I would not want to be hired to do them.
The questions being asked to a Technical Artist in interviews are mostly,
“Give examples of some pipelines/tools or character rigs or shaders, you have created”
for rigging/shading/fx TA a demo reel is expected but for Pipeline TA there is generally Tech interview with programming/API/scripting/algorithms related questions.
“Any problem you have fixed in tight deadline or any solution that you are most proud of?”
Good to have multiple examples from multiple/single employments
After all,
On the spot Problem solving with dirty techniques is the situation when Technical Artist is being called regardless of the domain.
[QUOTE=vishangshah;4316]
After all,
On the spot Problem solving with dirty techniques is the situation when Technical Artist is being called regardless of the domain.
Tony Apodaca - Senior TD - Pixar (SIGGRAPH 2002)
" Okay, let’s be honest. Being a superstar TD requires a lot more than extensive training, straight A’s in all your math and programming courses, and memorization of all of Frank Oz’s lines in Episode 5. In fact, being a superstar TD doesn’t require any of those things. No, it requires being steeped in the secret knowledge, the Lore of the TDs. There is much that the mere 3D Modeling Artist does not know. There is much that the mere Production Supervisor cannot grasp. Only you, who are willing to devote your life to the mysterious ways of the TD can hope to one day reach the nirvana, the pinnacle of knowledge, the celebrated gurudom. "
I do generally agree with everyone’s opinion here about being a TA.
I have also did not “set out” to be TA from the beginning but it just came along the way.
I think you slowly become TA when you face everyday challange / problems and instead of clicking your mouse faster and faster to get the job done, you start thinking how you can improve this and that. And when you have guts to face the issue and courage to learn to solve the problem , I think you are well on the way.
It’s kinda addictive thing really, I found that more TA ish job I do I want to do more, purly because it is joy for me to be able to take that short cut and seeing everyone else benefiting from it. Amount of time saved = the joy you get out of being TA.
I would like to add one more comment that is :
I think being “jack of all trade” is good thing, but nowdays, it is good to be specialized in at least one field of TA job. It can be rigging ,HLSL shader , work pipe line tool or anything else that requires dedicated focus. If you have that one big gun in your hand , it will be much easier to convince someone in your next job interview when you can point that gun at him.
When I was at gdc europe, I had a conversation with someone from crytek. It looks like there is someone who has the function of TA and he is really doing everything. Riggin, apps, modelling, … NOw I was really suprised when I heared that. ANd I totally loved the idea of someone helping everybody out and still being able to do arts and programming. From now on, that is my goal
