CG artist is an extremely influential figure in any serious project.. Oddly enough, this kind of work is often taken for granted and rather unexplored at the same time. You, as a potential employer, have to know how to find the right person for a job, who can create high quality imagery in the shortest amount of time possible. This puts a burden of responsibility on you as well – the other side of the deal has to see that you understand what you want and what problems they may encounter during working on your project. Lack of mutual understanding will lead to a scenario in which you are a proverbial fantasy lord going to 3D rendering company guild to hire a CGI magician, with no guarantee that each side gets what they want.
A good CG artist can build upon an idea, potentially making it even better, while a bad one will just annoy you with constant corrections, making you pay for garbage. How can you find a right specialist? What should you pay attention to? What qualities CGI artists must have to create masterpieces for you? We answer all these questions today!
10 Things To Look For When Choosing a CG Artist
#1. Portfolio Shows What 3D Artists Do Best.
Portfolio of a CG artist is commonly regarded as a mirror of quality of work they are capable of. That much is true, but it provides more information than just that. Pay attention to not only how images look, but also what is shown. Some specialists create gorgeous cloth furniture, some are masters of elegant decor, and some can bathe scenes in stunning photorealistic lighting. Choose the right people to bring your ideas to life.
#2. Check Their Artistic Taste And Style.
Another thing you should pay attention to when browsing portfolios is aesthetics. While perusing, ask yourself the following questions. Is the color scheme natural? Is the composition harmonic? Does the CG artist have a stylistic consistency or are they still developing their style? And any other questions that are particularly concerning to you.
#3. Creative Freedom Can Benefit Both You And 3D Artists.
By limiting CG artist’s creativity, you risk receiving products of lower quality than you’ve expected. Listen to their suggestions regarding your projects – they can enhance good ideas. After all, 3D specialists know how all too well that little details matter.
#4. 3D Visualization Requires References.
To do their work, a CG artist needs good references – you can’t simply tell what you want to get as an end result. Provide some visual representation of your designs like concept artworks or choose something from your catalogs or artist’s portfolio and ask to create a similar object or room. This serves to give the idea of your vision of the project’s result. Remember, the references should demonstrate lighting, POV, style and overall mood of the future render. This is the only way to ensure that both you and the specialist have the same picture in mind and the product will meet your expectations entirely.
#5. Don’t Press 3D Artists For Time.
Just as Rome wasn’t built in a day, a CG artist can’t create a photorealistic visualization with a few mouse clicks. The whole 3D visualization creation process can take a day or two, up to a whole week, depending on the quantity and quality of renders as well as how many artists can work on the project simultaneously. And if you want high quality CGI animation – well, creating even a couple of minutes of it can take up to several months. Don’t believe it? See how much time huge studios like Pixar or Disney spend on creating their 3D cartoons!
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#6. See What Tools They Use.
All right, you have decided who you want to work with, but what tools do they use? There are lots of 3D render engines and modeling programs with different capabilities. Make sure that the CG Artist or 3D visualization studio you chose uses the best software available and updates it constantly. After all, you don’t want to fall behind in technological competition!
#7. Is Tolerance For Mistakes Viable?
We don’t encourage you to tolerate errors – that’s one really bad advice. Look for people who create flawless renders, since there is just a handful of rules that a CG artist must follow to produce high quality 3D visualizations. But leave some breathing room, since there is a difference between a deliberate stylistic choice and an accidental lapse.
#8. Does Fame Or Talent Matter?
Can a professional CG artist lack fame or talent? Absolutely! Should you look for famous experts? If your wallet allows hiring them, yes – but in that case you pay to have that person’s name on a render rather than for quality. And talent – well, one does not need to be talented to produce CGI. Heck, some top-tier 3D artists admit that they had issues learning to draw!
#9. The Art Education Dilemma.
There is a controversy among CGI creators’ employers on whether potential job candidates need to have an art college diploma or not. To be honest, if a CG artist produces gorgeous photorealistic renders, does it really matter if he or she drew artistic nudes, shapes and pottery for X years and have a document confirming that? Nowadays there are countless opportunities for self-education without burdening oneself with student loans. Thus it’s better to use services of a person whose creations look great rather than assume that someone can potentially produce good art from a piece of paper.
#10. Go For Freelancers Or Companies?
It’s actually not hard to decide on whether to choose a freelance CG artist or contact a 3D visualization studio. Employing freelancers is one hell of a gamble – even if their portfolios look good and they have positive reputation online, it is just one person. A person that can suddenly fall ill, whose computer can die, who has nobody to double-check the results with critical eye. CGI companies, on the other hand, get rid of one-person-error almost entirely. They always have a handful of failsafe solutions in case things go south and set flat costs and deadlines.
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We hope that now when employing a CG artist you won’t regard them as some sort of otherworldly entity conjuring 3D images for gold. See, they are people with their own needs and limitations! But setting that aside, you have also learned what to look for to visualize your designs. If you value your time, however, there is a solution. Get photorealistic CGI for all your needs today with our professional 3D rendering services!
Chris Kostanets
Senior Project Manager, Mentor
Chris manages the work of 2 CGI teams and teaches Middle PMs. She loves Scottish landscapes, Ancient Greek culture, and Plein-air painting. At home, Chris is a caring parent for 3 cute chickens and a magnificent rooster.