Breaking Into the Visual Development Industry With an Arts Degree
Whether you want to be a graphic designer or a teacher, a bachelor’s degree in the arts will prepare you. Those with master’s degrees can also pursue college professor positions.
Decide what area of visual development you want to specialize in, and seek internship opportunities at animation studios or independent production companies to build a portfolio.
1. Creativity
A degree in art equips you with the creative abilities required for the industry. This field allows you to express yourself and your ideas through visual media like animation, painting, graphic design, and illustration.
The skills you learn at school, like the Academy of Art University, will help you develop a portfolio and build your professional profile. This is important for breaking into the visual development industry, as it will give employers a sense of your skill level and potential for success.
It’s an excellent resource for understanding how professionals work in the real world and how they handle large-scale creative projects.
This is an excellent school for anyone interested in learning more about visual development and how to design characters. It’s one part inspiration, one part how-to guide, and has a lot of tips from pro artists. It also dives deep into sci-fi visual development, which you’ll need to create for the industry to succeed.
2. Communication
Visual development artists work closely with other production team members, including film and TV directors, set designers, and costume designers. They create storyboards and concept art to communicate their ideas for the look and feel of a movie or show, helping everyone on the team stay on the same page throughout the process.
They also design characters, settings, and other elements that help bring the world of a movie or video game to life. For example, when a character feels sad in a film, a visual development artist will likely design a moody landscape or nature to match that emotion. They may also create a color key, a board of shots in different colors that reflect the overall tone of a movie.
This is one of the reasons why visual development artists need to have strong communication skills. They must explain their ideas clearly and concisely, which requires excellent written and verbal communication. They must also be able to listen and respond to feedback from other production team members.
3. Problem-Solving
Problem-solving is a skill that can be applied to various situations, from breaking into the visual development industry to repairing a broken printer. Problem-solving skills involve identifying the issue, developing an action plan to fix it, and implementing the plan. These processes are studied in psychology, cognitive science, and other disciplines.
A typical heuristic for solving problems is to break down the enormous task into smaller goals or tasks. For example, students often use this method to complete a research project or extended essay for school by researching the topic, organizing their information into an outline, writing the rough draft, revising and editing it, creating a bibliography, and proofreading before submitting the assignment.
Another critical aspect of problem-solving is being proactive and seeking opportunities to put yourself in challenging situations. This could be done by volunteering for new projects or finding opportunities to take on freelance assignments outside your comfort zone. Putting yourself in these situations will help you develop problem-solving abilities and learn how to adapt to new conditions quickly.
4. Analytical Skills
Analytical skills are essential for success, whether in school or on the job. Often honed through personal projects or internships, this is a critical skill that aspiring visual development artists should develop to build their career portfolios.
The sketchbook-toting cliché of the ART student is more than just a fad: It serves as a way to capture an outpouring of ideas and creative thinking that may or not fit into a project at the moment. This thoughtful, reflective analysis is critical to creating digital art and other forms of visual design.
Analytical thinking is identifying patterns and trends in a body of information. You can determine the best solutions to solve an issue using data analysis. This process involves weighing the pros and cons of different choices, understanding how each decision will impact the outcome, and setting a timeline for your decision. This helps avoid getting stuck in analysis paralysis and ensures you take action. Ultimately, you’ll be more successful when you can confidently communicate your findings to others and understand the ultimate impact of your decisions.
5. Organization
Visual development artists use various skills, including concept art, illustration, animation, and video game design. This versatility gives them professional creative control that can’t be found in other industries.
Visual Development Artists are also responsible for bringing characters and the environment to life. This can include everything from a character’s costume to the backdrop of a scene.
This requires attention to detail, which is why organizational skills are essential for breaking into the visual development industry. In addition, a visual development artist must be familiar with various software programs.
Conclusion
The visual development industry is a highly competitive field. Those who want to make it in this industry must be well-organized and willing to learn new skills as the field evolves. This is why taking time to study and practice your craft is essential. It will also help to have a portfolio of past work to show employers your capabilities.