I just wanted to ask how familiar should a 3D character artist be with shading and/or texturing?

[sweetbytez]

I’ll post this question here since it seems fitting now that the course has ended.

I’m an aspiring 3D character artist. I took the 3D  modeling workflow to focus on 3d modeling skills because that’s what I enjoy the most, so I was surprised when shading and texturing was introduced in the workflow.

My question is how familiar should an aspiring 3D character artist be with manipulating materials, shading, textures, compositing  etc?  How do I filter out what to learn so that my modeling skills stay above everything else?

I’m asking this question because I heard that in order to get into the arts industry, you should focus on improving one skillset and leave everything else to other experts of different expertise.

Thank you.

[Kent Trammell]

I’m asking this question because I heard that in order to get into the arts industry, you should focus on improving one skillset and leave everything else to other experts of different expertise.

You’re right @sweetbytez that “3D generalist” isn’t a common job position anymore due to the growing number of 3D artists over the past 15 years. In that way you should be best at something – in your case modeling. The core issue is how do you stand out among modelers? Standing out is what will land you jobs and develop your reputation in the community. So when a company is hiring a modeler and they’re deciding between you and 3 other people, all of which are the same caliber of modeling skills, what distinguishes you from them?

This is where extra skills (like shading and texturing) can set you apart. I recommend approaching other skills with the question “How can this emphasize my modeling?”

Most of the time plain grey models are boring. The ability to present your models in the best light is crucial for showcasing your work, both in your personal gallery and professional portfolio. In order to do this effectively you need to be aware of shading and lighting especially: The essential material properties and how they work together with appealing light setups. Take a look through my collection of lighting reference / inspiration. Most of them focus on a grey or single-color model but the lighting does amazing things to emphasize the model in notable ways.

[Author]

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