5 Tips for the 3d Artist Portfolio
Every artist has a portfolio. How do you put your best foot forward and what is the best way to get attention in the 3d industry? Where do you go to hire artists online? We have a few tips for your 3d artist portfolio.
The 3d industry is competitive. It’s important to keep developing your skills as an artist, but you also need to develop your professional network. Building a strong 3d portfolio takes time. We have seen a lot of portfolios over the years. We are always looking to grow our network of talented 3d freelancers to join the team as needed. Unfortunately, we don’t have time to look through all the submissions we receive. So how do you rise to the top of the pile and get the attention of 3d professionals? We have a few ideas to help you make the best 3d artist portfolio. Here are the top five things you can do to create a 3d portfolio worthy of your life’s work and get hired online.
Top 5 Tips for your 3d Portfolio
- Quality over quantity. It’s not a new concept. When you are young you may think more work looks like more experience. Don’t worry, you are not fooling anyone. Don’t stuff a pdf full of every 3d project you’ve ever worked on. Nobody has time to dig for the hidden gem. Pick 3-5 of your best 3d renderings that are most representative of your 3d skillset. Include a variety of work that demonstrates your technical skills, creativity, and style. If you get our attention, we’ll explore your work further and ask for more. First impressions are everything.
- Show process and concepts. Include wireframes, concept art, sketches, or studies that show you have a deeper understanding of the process and the work that goes into it. If you worked with clients or did collaborative work – say so. This demonstrates your ability to work within a team which is important in a professional studio.
- Don’t spend time on a personal website. You are a 3d artist. You are not in the website development business. Even if you manage to build the most amazing online portfolio it doesn’t guarantee anyone will see it. If a tree falls in the forest… you get the idea. More likely, you’ll spend a lot of time and effort for a half-baked template site on square space or whatever the current free website builder is now. The end result will more likely be underwhelming and might actually turn people off from looking at your 3d portfolio. Instead, go to where the professionals are. Use the tools that are available to build a 3d portfolio that gets seen. Focus on what you do best, not a website.
- So many people want to over-design a resume. Don’t get hung up on a resume. Don’t make it complicated with graphics and colors. In fact, if we get a resume with images it goes straight to the recycle bin. A simple single-page text-only resume is best. Make sure you save it as a PDF, not an editable Word or Google doc. Don’t forget the cover letter. “Dear Sirs, please find my 3d portfolio attached” is not how you get anyone’s attention. You need a proper introduction. Make an effort to tell us a little about yourself. Try to make a unique identifier that conveys some personality in a memorable way. Keep it brief.
- It’s not what you know… If you are looking to join a team communication and work ethic are just as important as 3d skills. You will learn 3d on the job. Your portfolio should demonstrate a solid foundation of basic 3d modeling skills. Show 3d model wireframes, explain the work process, and describe your role in the 3d project.
3d Freelance Artists get Hired Online
So now what? You can spam everyone you know, but a 3d artist portfolio isn’t any good if nobody is seeing it. The best way to get noticed is to get out there and go where the professionals are. Here are a few of the popular 3d artist community websites we frequent.
CGSociety is one of the older online 3d communities for CGI artists. The site started as a forum site called CGTalk. Industry professionals used to get software help and creative ideas here. They later expanded into a portfolio site to showcase the 3d portfolios of the artist members. The forums are still there and still active. Many 3d artists using all kinds of 3d software are there. it’s still a great place to reach industry professionals. Create a profile and build your 3d artist portfolio to share with CGSociety users.
ArtStation is the newer version of CGSociety. Built specifically for game art – it’s now an all-inclusive 3d community. It’s a great place to get your 3d portfolio seen by industry professionals all over the world. There is an education component full of tutorials as well as a job board. They run regular 3d art challenges section where you can compete for prizes and make a name for yourself. There is also a marketplace where you can sell on-demand art prints. A great 3d artist community found here.
Behance is owned by Adobe. A lot of rendering companies and corporate folks found here. You can build a 3d artist portfolio with all genres of art. Organize and share your artwork within the Behance community. Tag your work with relevant tags to maximize views. You will get views by using tags and categories for your portfolio. Many artists, designers, and other creative professionals use it successfully to promote their work and connect with peers and clients. In fact, now they added a freelance function and a wallet – so you can be hired directly on the site.
Dribbble is a creative community for anyone who cares about design. Lots of designers and creatives have portfolio sites here. You can share your work and create an artist portfolio. They also have a job board and a freelance project board. You can find all kinds of creative projects listed here. Note the extra B in Dribbble.
Although not built for the art community, you’ll find a lot of artists post their work on Instagram. You will find a lot of 3d work here. You can grow your outreach and engage fans. You will find both individual and 3d rendering company portfolios here. There are also community accounts that will help share and spread your work. Search by name, hashtag, or location. Make sure you use relevant 3d art hashtags to be found in search.
Post and Share Your 3d Portfolio
When choosing a platform consider your target audience and the type of work you are going after. Support other artists and they will return the favor. Simple likes and positive comments show other artists you appreciate their work. Some may like your work, and others may not. People have different opinions, and that is fine. All criticism can be helpful. Even if you don’t agree – feedback helps us grow as artists. Most importantly, be professional. You never know you might be watching.
Finally, if you need a boost – look up Studio2a. You’ll probably find us under the username Studio2a3d on all the social networks. We’d love to connect and help if we can.
