GETTING INTO CHARACTER CONCEPT WORK

For many artists working in the games industry, character concept is a coveted role. Very few people find their way into that job, though, particularly those first entering the games business. Most artists who are doing concept work have been in the industry for years, working in other positions and learning the industry inside and out, before they get to create brand new characters.

Many people just entering the industry tend to do so in animation—inbetweens (part of the process in keyframe animation) for characters, secondary animations like background nonplayer characters (NPCs), or effects animations for button pushes. Intro jobs may also include development of assets (creating art for interfaces or cleaning up art that is already in the pipeline). There are also entry-level positions for audio, level design, world building, game writing, coders, and content design. Most of these areas require some concept work; however, the majority of entry-level jobs have the person matching to existing styles. In other words, most people begin by working with existing styles and working as part of the team while they learn the ropes.