In my case becoming a generalist was the right move, for one because im giving my shot at indie game dev first. But also important: By generalizing i broad my skillset and also get to touch different disciplines within 3D space so i can know much better where i actually want to specialize down the road.
Yeah you're right, generalist of artist also work well for me because I'm a free mindset kinda guy who love doing 2d illustration ( let alone 3d modeling exclusively about anime game characters )about manga anime girl with an appearance of weapon, firearms, Mechanically functional of obiect surrounding and militaristic aesthetic that suit me to have my knowledge of science and it's application on real life scenario or maybe my family or even slice of life, because my purposes is to gain recognition to not only in the art industry but with my dedication to the technology as well as a matter of fact, I'm not seek for audience in order to gain the best of me on competing other artist not on a scale of professional but just for the recognition of my work of art to other people around in the entire people with passion and the loving of repeating good habit of drawing just as mine , I wish you will have a good road of enjoying your life and keeping on track of your decision to be a generalist artist, cheer 😊
Both imo, an artists needs to be flexible especially in a production environment. However if there is a certain area that the artist is skilled in, it doesn't hurt to become an expert.
In the studios I'm in, the concept artists are tasked to design many things from characters to environments and even UI. So I think it's important to be decent in everything to stand out from your competitors. Once I had the oppurtunity to sit in with my Principal Artist and he was looking out for generalist portfolios too.
Are they still looking for artists? Do you think I would get a chance as an entry-level? I am building my portfolio personal website, and I think I am quite good at different roles, which is why I am making a page for each category portfolio.
Get good fundamentals so you can do anything. Then specialize in some areas and branch off as you get more skilled in your core areas. With AI, being a specialist will make you way more vulnerable.
I actually think specializing can make you more equipped against AI. AI can already do everything, it’s just that the output is mediocre and soulless. If you’re highly skilled in one particular area you can not only see through that, you also know how you would fix it or go above it entirely at a conceptual level. I can see both approaches working
Most important takeaway for me was focus in on what you love, but learn your tools... your environmental work is amazing, it's obvious the work you do can't be replicated easily. because I can see the love you put into your work and the vision you fill my soul with... It's important for the artist to pursue their hearts desire, so while everyone should generalize for the Job, I can't imagine their being an Artists that doesn't focus in on what they love and just makes whatever they are told... Kinda feel like the only people who do that are programmers who are forced to become artists as part of game design, and even they would probably specialize after awhile.
As a generalist, what’s the line between a portfolio showcasing skill in many things and a portfolio that looks unfocused? Curious about the best way to organize a generalist portfolio that has multiple styles and subjects
I work as a carpenter by day, artist in my (limited) spare time. In the trades, specializing helps you do the same thing every day, and you become very valuable to a general contractor (art director?) If you are generalized, you can cover more diverse opportunities but that means learning more and quality of work can potentially suffer if you dont fully understand the job. Both get work, but specialization helps you really dial in. We are a general contractor, so we hire subtrades that are specialists for the tasks we don't necessarily have the manpower / skills for. So really, i think it depends on if you want varied work, or the same work. Thanks for this video Tyler, you have a great perspective and knowledge base that i appreciate 🙏
I seriously appreciate the advice you gave in this video. I have been struggling with whether or not to be a generalist or character artist at this point in my development and this really helped me make a decision. It was exactly the kind of advice I have been needing at this moment.
oh this was super helpful! For me I just love every facet of art and i literally cannot decide where my true identity lies. That being said, in this industry climate which im hearing has all but crashed into the mud, If we do tend to start out as generalists, i feel like trying to immediately pigeon hole yourself based on what your dream studio job would want is perhaps a luxury that cannot be afforded, and i find myself trying to seek out whatever is currently the most in demand of artists (within my general spectrum of expertise/enjoyment) and trying to cater my work towards that. From this video, i gather that environment stuff is in greater demand over characters and so this is where im currently trying to lean more towards as i feel its like this is the case too.
In my experience most companies won't take an expert in one field unless he fits in a very specific niche they need. They prefer people that know several things to move around, because work is pretty dynamic. If you want to stay long term that is, some people prefer to get hired per project.
Generalist, become an expert in one thing, ideally the thing you really love. But also show you can be adaptable and are able to contribute in other areas too!
Awesome, just the video i need at my stage, right now i am stuck on whether to do environment or character, been drawing characters for 7 years, and i think im fairly good at it now, but i fell in love with environment after seeing many works, especially scifi and aw inspiring works, the colors, the mood! But having done character for that long i know that it will require a long long time to master it or at least get decent at it and i dont wanna half ass it. So i was sticking with character, but now i think i will try out environment again.
Great video ! i think generalist is good for start - maybe you dont have to make characters and enviros but for example make environments and props and weapons or hardsurface - if you like it and the same opposite, also i agree fundamental skills is a must and in my opinion 3d is must have skill now - you dont have to be 3d artist but it is great to speed up and you can than overpaint it or not , but its great to know how to kitbash , basic rendering and make your assets ! 🤟😃
Both! generalist. Love to draw characters! But was great at doing concept art for landscape and cities. I remember being forced to change team, cause i was the second only talented person to draw cities, with precision, without using any ruler! Went from a team of cray animators with loads of fun. To an office of two, with lot of work hahaha
From this knowledge you’ve provided, I’m gonna if I’m really interested in character art but need to broaden my horizons, then I should continue learning about line quality and forms, and put characters into scenarios with small props or small environments to cross some boundaries. I have history in 3D from college and am currnently almost done with a Graphic Design Degree so I have a lot of cross over currently. So hopefully on a good trajectory. Question tho, what are callouts?
@@TylerEdlin84 It was an expansion for the original game I played in 2005. It's easily the most influential thing for getting me into the fantasy genre and thus concept art.
I'm kind of shocked by the amount of young artists in the comments who tend to go for generalism (mostly due to the pressure of a single one skill not being attractive), I've been working in this industry for a while now and I can say a few things: 1. It's true that being multi-skilled makes you attractive and often valuable to a team, as it's a volatile work environment and it can be expensive or even impractical to hire a specialist for each role. Notice that I sayied multi-"SKILLED". 2. Because another fact is that knowing a lot of things doesn't necessarily make you a problem solver and in some cases it can even make you a one, as it will be a pain to get a very specific result out of you especially when you're trying to make your product stand out, as most won't be able to offer more than the basics and in some cases, not even that. In conclusion, it's okay to include multiple competencies in your skill set - it can be very positive, but make sure that you are really able to excel at very least in one thing and that all other skills are aligned with your main one and up to date and honestly this is not easy at all, so if it's not possible, prefer to focus on just one! Overall, awesome video, thanks!
thank you for the great video❤ and for your question, I think what i really need to know rn is what path should i take so i can make money sooner. i know i shouldn't be worrying about it rn but unfortunately life doesn't work that way. i started my 3d path recently and am dedicating mostly all my time to it because i think it would lead me to a more stable future, sooner
This is a very helpful video! I have wondered this question many times for myself and pretty recently decided to become a generalist. My main issue is that I truly believe I'm good at every aspect of drawing, painting and design sense (although, of course, you can always be better) but I'm lacking SO MUCH in 3D! I really really don't understand it :( I was wondering if you had any tips on how to learn 3D! (Specifically self taught but it could also be online learning)
In my case becoming a generalist was the right move, for one because im giving my shot at indie game dev first. But also important: By generalizing i broad my skillset and also get to touch different disciplines within 3D space so i can know much better where i actually want to specialize down the road.
Yeah you're right, generalist of artist also work well for me because I'm a free mindset kinda guy who love doing 2d illustration ( let alone 3d modeling exclusively about anime game characters )about manga anime girl with an appearance of weapon, firearms, Mechanically functional of obiect surrounding and militaristic aesthetic that suit me to have my knowledge of science and it's application on real life scenario or maybe my family or even slice of life, because my purposes is to gain recognition to not only in the art industry but with my dedication to the technology as well as a matter of fact, I'm not seek for audience in order to gain the best of me on competing other artist not on a scale of professional but just for the recognition of my work of art to other people around in the entire people with passion and the loving of repeating good habit of drawing just as mine , I wish you will have a good road of enjoying your life and keeping on track of your decision to be a generalist artist, cheer 😊
Both imo, an artists needs to be flexible especially in a production environment. However if there is a certain area that the artist is skilled in, it doesn't hurt to become an expert.
In the studios I'm in, the concept artists are tasked to design many things from characters to environments and even UI. So I think it's important to be decent in everything to stand out from your competitors. Once I had the oppurtunity to sit in with my Principal Artist and he was looking out for generalist portfolios too.
Are they still looking for artists? Do you think I would get a chance as an entry-level? I am building my portfolio personal website, and I think I am quite good at different roles, which is why I am making a page for each category portfolio.
Get good fundamentals so you can do anything. Then specialize in some areas and branch off as you get more skilled in your core areas. With AI, being a specialist will make you way more vulnerable.
You may be right
I actually think specializing can make you more equipped against AI. AI can already do everything, it’s just that the output is mediocre and soulless. If you’re highly skilled in one particular area you can not only see through that, you also know how you would fix it or go above it entirely at a conceptual level. I can see both approaches working
Most important takeaway for me was focus in on what you love, but learn your tools... your environmental work is amazing, it's obvious the work you do can't be replicated easily. because I can see the love you put into your work and the vision you fill my soul with... It's important for the artist to pursue their hearts desire, so while everyone should generalize for the Job, I can't imagine their being an Artists that doesn't focus in on what they love and just makes whatever they are told... Kinda feel like the only people who do that are programmers who are forced to become artists as part of game design, and even they would probably specialize after awhile.
As a generalist, what’s the line between a portfolio showcasing skill in many things and a portfolio that looks unfocused? Curious about the best way to organize a generalist portfolio that has multiple styles and subjects
I work as a carpenter by day, artist in my (limited) spare time.
In the trades, specializing helps you do the same thing every day, and you become very valuable to a general contractor (art director?)
If you are generalized, you can cover more diverse opportunities but that means learning more and quality of work can potentially suffer if you dont fully understand the job.
Both get work, but specialization helps you really dial in. We are a general contractor, so we hire subtrades that are specialists for the tasks we don't necessarily have the manpower / skills for.
So really, i think it depends on if you want varied work, or the same work.
Thanks for this video Tyler, you have a great perspective and knowledge base that i appreciate 🙏
I seriously appreciate the advice you gave in this video. I have been struggling with whether or not to be a generalist or character artist at this point in my development and this really helped me make a decision. It was exactly the kind of advice I have been needing at this moment.
oh this was super helpful! For me I just love every facet of art and i literally cannot decide where my true identity lies. That being said, in this industry climate which im hearing has all but crashed into the mud, If we do tend to start out as generalists, i feel like trying to immediately pigeon hole yourself based on what your dream studio job would want is perhaps a luxury that cannot be afforded, and i find myself trying to seek out whatever is currently the most in demand of artists (within my general spectrum of expertise/enjoyment) and trying to cater my work towards that. From this video, i gather that environment stuff is in greater demand over characters and so this is where im currently trying to lean more towards as i feel its like this is the case too.
In my experience most companies won't take an expert in one field unless he fits in a very specific niche they need. They prefer people that know several things to move around, because work is pretty dynamic. If you want to stay long term that is, some people prefer to get hired per project.
Thank you a lot man. Your talks are very inspiring. 💙
Generalist, become an expert in one thing, ideally the thing you really love. But also show you can be adaptable and are able to contribute in other areas too!
Awesome, just the video i need at my stage, right now i am stuck on whether to do environment or character, been drawing characters for 7 years, and i think im fairly good at it now, but i fell in love with environment after seeing many works, especially scifi and aw inspiring works, the colors, the mood! But having done character for that long i know that it will require a long long time to master it or at least get decent at it and i dont wanna half ass it. So i was sticking with character, but now i think i will try out environment again.
Great video ! i think generalist is good for start - maybe you dont have to make characters and enviros but for example make environments and props and weapons or hardsurface - if you like it and the same opposite, also i agree fundamental skills is a must and in my opinion 3d is must have skill now - you dont have to be 3d artist but it is great to speed up and you can than overpaint it or not , but its great to know how to kitbash , basic rendering and make your assets ! 🤟😃
Both! generalist. Love to draw characters! But was great at doing concept art for landscape and cities. I remember being forced to change team, cause i was the second only talented person to draw cities, with precision, without using any ruler! Went from a team of cray animators with loads of fun. To an office of two, with lot of work hahaha
Now that's a very fascinating topic! Since I 100% am a total generalist. Amazing content!
the background music... i am ascending
This was so a great video, I'm taking away more than you think from this! Thank you!!
i´ve recently start following your channel and i love it.
@@pablomonzon87 happy to hear it !
this was rlly helpful thanks so much tyler
From this knowledge you’ve provided, I’m gonna if I’m really interested in character art but need to broaden my horizons, then I should continue learning about line quality and forms, and put characters into scenarios with small props or small environments to cross some boundaries.
I have history in 3D from college and am currnently almost done with a Graphic Design Degree so I have a lot of cross over currently. So hopefully on a good trajectory.
Question tho, what are callouts?
@@hollowedboi5937 where you break down an idea through a drawing or a few that really goes into detail about how something looks or works
Great video. Would you make a video about the current market, please. How to overcome with hard times, etc.
Start with this one th-cam.com/video/nBhD-9W9YW4/w-d-xo.htmlsi=EcSOXzLldkkxYNoF
I was just playing this game from my childhood and saw you in the credits. Fate: The Cursed King.
@@kevin_horticulture wow I totally forgot what that even is was, I just had to look it up. Took me right back.
@@TylerEdlin84 It was an expansion for the original game I played in 2005. It's easily the most influential thing for getting me into the fantasy genre and thus concept art.
I'm kind of shocked by the amount of young artists in the comments who tend to go for generalism (mostly due to the pressure of a single one skill not being attractive), I've been working in this industry for a while now and I can say a few things:
1. It's true that being multi-skilled makes you attractive and often valuable to a team, as it's a volatile work environment and it can be expensive or even impractical to hire a specialist for each role. Notice that I sayied multi-"SKILLED".
2. Because another fact is that knowing a lot of things doesn't necessarily make you a problem solver and in some cases it can even make you a one, as it will be a pain to get a very specific result out of you especially when you're trying to make your product stand out, as most won't be able to offer more than the basics and in some cases, not even that.
In conclusion, it's okay to include multiple competencies in your skill set - it can be very positive, but make sure that you are really able to excel at very least in one thing and that all other skills are aligned with your main one and up to date and honestly this is not easy at all, so if it's not possible, prefer to focus on just one!
Overall, awesome video, thanks!
thank you for the great video❤ and for your question, I think what i really need to know rn is what path should i take so i can make money sooner. i know i shouldn't be worrying about it rn but unfortunately life doesn't work that way. i started my 3d path recently and am dedicating mostly all my time to it because i think it would lead me to a more stable future, sooner
Great video! Would you be interested in sharing your experience of working on board games? There is really not many videos on yt about this topic :{
thank for sharing
This is a very helpful video! I have wondered this question many times for myself and pretty recently decided to become a generalist. My main issue is that I truly believe I'm good at every aspect of drawing, painting and design sense (although, of course, you can always be better) but I'm lacking SO MUCH in 3D! I really really don't understand it :( I was wondering if you had any tips on how to learn 3D! (Specifically self taught but it could also be online learning)