Hey man, you'll definitely get some reads. In fact, I can guarantee I would read any blog a true insider of the industry posted. Y'know? Nudge, nudge... Wink, wink... Shove.
EDIT: the fact that your post illustrates you as a human being of reasonable intelligence and temperament helps.
I posted a few sketches in a gallery, I haven't used the image thing yet so you'll have to let me know if you can see it. I can't post any of my professional work because the game I am working on is not yet announced so instead you'll have to settle for some weird sketches, a few photoshop brush tests, and a strange chrome insect I painted in order to practice abbreviated reflection rendering :)
As far as my job goes, if I pin down my company I will probably have to start being really super careful what I talk about so for now we'll just keep it general.
Also just as a little more background, i have been working in the industry for about 3 years, but I have only been a concept artist for about one year. I got hired as a part time intern and was only supposed to be contracted for 3 months originally. I could probably make it a separate post sometime if you guys are interested, but I basically did everything I could to become invaluable and after a lot of hard work(and some extreme sleep deprivation) I managed to get promoted to concept artist. Technically though I'm still an associate which is another way of saying junior. I still have a long way to go and a lot to learn but I'm having a great time and working on a project I believe in.
Sounds awesome. Too bad you ant identify what you are working on at the moment, that would have been my first question as obvious as that is. Look forward to seeing some of your stuff though.
Welcome aboard...now tell me all your secrets. Tell me, tell meeee.
I guess my question is how does the relationship between concept artist and 3D designer work? I assume they receive your pages then have to figure out how to use the tools to transform the 2D images into a 3D space. Do you have any input during the process or is your work more for the game directors to get a sense of what they want the teams beneath them to accomplish?
How old are you, and how tough was it to get into the industry?
What he said^
Also, I'm surprised at how easily people believed the OP. I'm not saying that I don't, it's just that on other gaming websites everyone would automatically say stuff like "Lies" or "Pics or it didn't happen"
@PenguinDust: Basically if we are working with in-house 3d artists.The process starts with concept being requested by the various in-house teams. The producers prioritize the requests. Then we sit down with the teams and art director and hash out the idea that we are about to design. Throughout the design process you constantly have your work scrutinized by the art director and the team(so you better not have trouble with criticism :). After our concept is signed off we provide them with anything from a rough sketch, to a finished painting, sometimes even a detailed turnaround with reference sheets. After that, they are very talented and can take the design the next step. The art director makes sure that the 3d stays true to the concept. We eventually see it in-game but sometimes if the 3d artists think something is particularly cool they will have you come over to the desks to take a look :) With outsourced 3d, if you want good results you always have to provide very detailed concept with incredibly detailed reference sheets and direction(word doc). This is because you can't sit face to face and sketch with them, not to mention language/cultural differences that can affect the way they interpret your designs.
@Fallen189: & natetodamax: I am 27( though i could swear just yesterday I was 24 :) as for breaking into the industry, I got lucky with an internship during my senior year at art school. Unfortunately it was a 3d internship, not a 2d internship so I had to work very hard to get hired into the department I wanted to be in(concept). In general it's not that hard to get into the industry if you are already at a proffesional level of talent. Companies are always looking for good talent, the problem is that it isn't that easy to get upto a proffessional level without learning on the job, and getting someone to hire based on future potential is much more difficult. I will freely admit that I wasn't quite ready when I got hired as an intern. I had potential, but it took me 2 years of after-hours practice (and many many hours of lost sleep) to finally get promoted to associate concept artist.
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