How to become A Digital Artist

• 2D Artist
• 3D Artist
• Digital Designer 
• Game Artist 
• Game Designer
• Game Technical Artist 
• Technical Artist
• Video Games Artist
• Video Game Technical Artist

What do Digital Artists do?

A Digital Artist would typically need to:

• Contribute artistic skills, such as drawing, sculpting & designing, and technical skills, such as rigging & programming, to diverse projects, including web or game design, multimedia, advertising, illustration, and animation
• Meet with clients to discuss and understand project requirements and objectives
• Prepare project briefs and present design ideas to stakeholders
• Create designs and graphics using computers, other electronic devices, software programs and applications or generate hand-made sketches and scan them to edit or develop further
• Transform wireframes (web page layouts, a part of the interaction design process showing planned interface elements on key pages) into intuitive user interfaces
• Keep designs and content consistent across all platforms used by the client 
• Work with the team to abide by project deadlines and meet client needs
• Monitor progress and accuracy to ensure compliance with quality standards and styles agreed upon; report project progress to the manager or lead artist
• Design, produce and handle interactive web content, such as email templates and  educational ebooks
• Design social media graphics, illustrations for manuals, and 2D images for fashion design
• Team up with game developers, coders, quality assurance testers and other game artists
• Develop the look and feel of video games by creating high-quality 2D and 3D art assets, including textures, character sprites, icons, textures, game maps, costumes, colours, vehicles, props, and environments
• Work with editors to produce visual effects for movies and television
• Contribute to designing and producing multimedia campaigns; manage budgets and schedules
• Develop online banner ads; create diverse digital assets, such as storyboards, and animations
• Collaborate with project stakeholders, including management and the e-commerce & marketing teams to ensure that designs are eye-catching and match the brand image, company aesthetic and website standards
• Review and revamp product positioning and online marketing content as required
• Liaise with IT experts to implement new content and coordinate production
• Guide clients on the aesthetic aspects of projects and promotional campaigns
• Implement constructive feedback from the art lead and clients to enhance work and skills
• Build and maintain a network of Digital Artists and take their inputs on the artwork produced as well as the industry, job openings and potential projects
• Stay current with the latest technology and periodically update skills

Digital Artists spend considerable time at their desks in their office, studio, workshop, or home, working on their computers for extended periods. Their work focuses on developing interfaces for projects, drawing and assembling pictures, and setting buttons that users can click.

They may need to shift between locations depending on the current project and travel to attend conferences or networking events.

Digital Artists typically work full time, keeping regular business hours from 9 am to 5 pm, although flexible working is possible. During busy periods, the workday may extend to 12 hours to meet the urgent needs of clients. Deadlines may require you to extend your working hours to early mornings, late evenings, nights and weekends.

Roles may be on fixed-term or contractual terms. With adequate experience and a solid network of contacts, you may opt for freelance work with greater flexibility to schedule your working hours. Part-time jobs are not the norm.

Finding a new job might seem challenging. Digital Artists can boost their job search by asking their network for referrals, contacting companies directly, using job search platforms, going to job fairs, leveraging social media, and inquiring at staffing agencies. 

Small, medium and large enterprises across diverse industries employ Digital Artists to create their brand identity with the help of promotional and advertising material generated in-house. Private clients may hire freelancers for small projects.

Digital Artists are generally employed by: 

• Film & Television Production Companies
• Video Game Developers
• Cartography Companies
• The Corporate Sector
• Nonprofit & Not-for-Profit Organisations 
• Publishers
• Indie Studios

Professional associations and organisations, such as the International Digital Media and Arts Organization(iDMAa), are crucial for Digital Artists  interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation. Membership in one or more adds value to your resume while bolstering your credentials and qualifications.

• The complexities of photography for visual branding given the pandemic-related restrictions worldwide
• Unclear communication due to working remotely
• Rapid and continuous adaptation to changes in technology and staying receptive to innovation
• Sourcing clients who value the investment in good design
• Working within the timeline of fast turnarounds; dealing with the pressure of meeting project deadlines 
• Working on computers for extended periods

Any academic program that a potential Digital Artist takes up typically requires a period of supervised experience, such as an internship. Internships and industry experience help to build skills and a network of contacts. Find opportunities at university to volunteer for contributing your digital art skills to college magazines, newspapers or other publications.

You will gain optimal benefit from your tasks outside of the classroom when they line up perfectly with your lessons inside it. You may get to hear countless stories from more experienced professionals and obtain valuable hands-on experience when they manage to turn seemingly routine incidents into unique learning moments.

Practising your skills will help you pinpoint your strengths and help you develop niche expertise. Collaborate with coders and developers in game jams or in your own free time to create games. Make sure to collect and record evidence of your voluntary and paid projects in a portfolio to demonstrate your experience and capabilities to prospective employers. You may also maintain an online portfolio.

Read about the profession and interview or job shadow experts working in digital art to prove your commitment to course providers and prospective employers.

While not mandatory, a bachelor’s degree and formal training, typically acquired from an art school, strengthens your resume and portfolio and give you an edge in the competitive job market in the computer animation, film, gaming, and graphic design industries. You can learn the latest artistic and animation tools and techniques from qualified teachers and make connections in the industry. 

You may major in visual or commercial art, graphic design, digital communications, web design, interactive design, computer animation, or a related field. Such programs typically integrate technical aspects, such as programming fundamentals and software applications, into the course. They may also give theoretical instruction in graphics and animation methods. 

While experience and a portfolio are essential requirements for those who wish to specialise in digital art for games, employers also value a bachelor’s degree in games design and computer games modelling. Confirm if employers in your location seek candidates with qualifications from accredited programs.

Take high school courses in visual art, graphics design, mathematics and computer science.

Certification is not mandatory for Digital Artists. However, voluntarily acquiring 

certification, such as Certified Advertising Specialist (CAS) offered by PPAI (Promotional Products Association International) or Adobe Certified Associate, demonstrates a Digital Artist’s competence in a skill set, typically through work experience, training, and passing an examination. 

When acquired from an objective and reputed organisation, such as the PPAI (Promotional Products Association International), certification can also help you stand out in a competitive job market, carry a significant salary premium of up to 18 per cent, increase your chances of advancement, and allow you to become an independent consultant. Successful certification programs protect public welfare by incorporating a Code of Ethics.

Licensing is typically not a necessity for Digital Artists to work in industry. However, if you wish to sell your artwork in a personal capacity, confirm the licensing requirements in your location. Depending on your target market and how you plan to sell, you would need to acquire at least a business license. If you plan to set up a physical store, you may need additional licenses as well.

Individual government entities conduct the licensing process. It typically requires the passage of an examination in addition to the fulfilment of eligibility requirements, such as a minimum level of education, work experience, training, or the completion of an internship, residency, or apprenticeship.

Performance, experience, and the acquisition of professional qualifications drive career progression. Employees with consistently high performance levels may be eligible for promotion every two to three years. 

Design Artists may enter industry through quality assurance work, progressing to mid-level roles before taking on senior art positions. Bachelor’s degree holders may aim to become Project Managers eventually. You may be typically required to gather about five years of experience in the industry to qualify for the role of Lead Artist with managerial duties. From here, you could head to become Art Director.

Other career progression avenues include specialising in virtual reality (VR) or mobile games. You could also expand your skills to include 2D or 3D art for different sectors or functions, including media, interactive entertainment, education or marketing. Another option would be to diversify into game design.

Building adequate experience with an extended network of contacts will help you freelance or launch your own digital art or game development studio.

Candidates with the necessary skills, experience, and education, supported by a diverse and strong portfolio have the best job prospects.

Continuing professional development (CPD) will help an active Digital Artist build personal skills and proficiency through work-based learning, a professional activity, 

formal education, or self-directed learning. It allows you to upskill continually, regardless of your age, job, or level of knowledge.

Digital Artists typically receive on-the-job training working under or shadowing senior and experienced professionals in the company. In-house training may also be available in software packages that assist digital art.

You may choose to pursue higher studies and enhance your skills by doing a master’s degree program in 3D games art, computer animation or virtual reality game design & development.

Some Forms of Digital Art

Digital art is an umbrella term for a wide genre of tools and techniques used to create and distribute artistic content for diverse purposes. While the overarching objective is still to convey an emotion or a vision and message, the means and channels employed are different from traditional art.

Digital photography involves capturing optimal shots - better than traditional cameras - and then digitising them and using special effects and image editing software to polish them up.

Integrated digital art affords greater freedom of creativity through its multimedia or interdisciplinary approach, such as by mixing photographs and digital graphics.

Digital painting, a popular form of digital art, uses innovative tools, such as layers, and is less messy and quicker than traditional art, without the use of paints. It also requires much less space. You can use your 2D creations as a base to build 3D models, using appropriate software that allows you to sculpt in virtual space.

Photo painting begins with digital photography and goes on to an artist painting over a digital picture with editing software tools. 

Computer graphics manipulate and represent 2D texts and digital images graphically for diverse uses, including engineering, architecture, education & training, entertainment, and the summarising of statistical data. 2D graphics include typography, cartography, scientific illustration and ads. 3D graphics create video game characters and animations in movies.

Vector drawing fills colours and patterns into an artwork, using shapes and straight lines that can be represented in geometrical formulas.

Fractal art is generated using algorithms and mathematical calculations and displayed through a computer’s hardware capabilities.

Projection mapping has varied applications and uses multiple projectors to display 2D images on flat surfaces such as walls for floors, turning them into screens. 3D projection mapping turns any surface into a screen, even those with irregular shapes, such as buildings and bridges. On a large scale, projection mapping may be used on monuments and, on a smaller scale, in fashion shows and pop-up or permanent exhibitions.

Careers for Digital Artists

From 3D animator or modeller to a book cover artist or illustrator, Digital Artists play diverse roles across various industries. You could choose to be an artist for comic books, cartoons and storyboards or a computer animator. Whether a video game or game level, graphic, logo, multimedia or UI/UX designer, you will combine your creative and technical skills to fulfil project requirements. Other options for you are to become a medical illustrator, a layout artist, a motion graphics artist, or visual effects artist. You could also specialise in web design or development.

Tools of the Trade

Some of the software that Digital Artists use includes Adobe Creative Cloud, Harmony and Autodesk Maya, Clip Studio Paint, Procreate, and Astropad Studio. The tools that a Digital Artist needs are a drawing tablet, colour-accurate monitors, and calibration device, among others.

Potential Pros & Cons of Freelancing vs Full-Time Employment

Freelancing Digital Artists have more flexible work schedules and locations. They have full ownership of the business and can select their projects and clients. However, they experience inconsistent work and cash flow, which means more responsibility, effort and risk.

On the other hand, a full-time Digital Artist has company-sponsored health benefits, insurance, and retirement plans. They have job security with a fixed, reliable source of income and guidance from their bosses. Yet, they may experience boredom due to a lack of flexibility, ownership, and variety.

When deciding between freelancing or being a full-time employee, consider the pros and cons to see what works best for you.

The Golden Ratio, often seen in nature and approximating 1:1.61, is helpful in art, architecture, digital art, graphic design and illustrations to compose visually pleasing work.

As a Digital Artist, you can opt for one or more from a wide array of specialisations available to you. However, creativity and technology will form the core of any niche you choose. If you ever step back to compare what you do with traditional art, you may be pleasantly surprised by the convenience digital art offers in terms of portability, ease of publishing, printing and sharing, and, above all, how it simplifies corrections and modifications.

Keep sketching, whether with pencil and paper or a stylus and tablet, to maintain or strengthen your skills and generate ideas. Focus on figure drawing, portraiture, animal art and composition.