Unit 1 Assignment 1: Game Artist

 Games artist is a very wide category, encompassing several titles. these include:

- Environment artist

- Character modeler

- Concept artist

- Etc.

working/getting employed as a games artist usually requires a diverse portfolio, consisting of more than just your specialty of work. For example, a 3d specialist may want to populate their portfolio with different styles of 3d work, including different styles, such as cartoony or realistic, or may want to add some different kinds of 3d work, such as building modeling, or character modeling. Alternatively, a 2d environment/background artist might want to include some character art, concept art, or some 3d work in their portfolio

This is because it is important to prove that, as an artist, you are willing and capable to work outside your comfort zone, working on different kinds of art than your particular preference, or working in a style you're not used to. This diversity in skills is highly sought-after in the games industry, as it makes a worker more flexible in how they can be used in a project, allowing them to fulfil multiple roles as the need arises.

Video game artist salaries can vary greatly depending on experience and position. typically, a starting salary for an entry-level position is around £30,000 annually, however this can increase to £75,000 annually for higher level positions, or even more for senior or leadership positions. Generally, salaries are based on years of experience, with more years of experience generally correlating with higher pay.

It can also be important to work at a studio that fits your particular art style, as working in an art style that you're uncomfortable with can cause you to limit how much you can be paid, and it may be worth switching to a studio that will better utilize/appreciate your particular skillset.

Some important skills for a game artist to possess include programs such as Adobe photoshop or Autodesk maya, both of which are industry standard programs for games art. This can be a significant hurdle to jump, as Photoshop is among the least intuitive software in the industry, however it has been around for so long that it has become integrated into the profession, and thus learning it is often necessary to land an entry level position as a games artist.

To enter this career, I might need to develop my digital art skills to a significant degree, and may also need to learn to use Adobe Photoshop and Autodesk Maya. I should also do my best to work on my portfolio, as it's current contents is close to nothing, and consists almost entirely of simple, middling-at-best pixel art.