Concept Artist

What do they do? A concept artist is an individual who generates a visual design for an item, character, or area that does not yet exist. This includes, but is not limited to, film, animation, and more recently video game production. A concept artist may be required for nothing more than preliminary artwork, or may be part of a creative team until a project reaches fruition. Interpretation of ideas and how they are realized is where the concept artist's individual creativity is most evident, as subject matter is often beyond their control.

Skills: While it is necessary to have the skills of a fine artist, a concept artist must also be able to work to strict deadlines in the capacity of a graphic designer. Some concept artists may start as fine artists, industrial designers, animators, or even special effects artists.

What to learn: Concept art has embraced the use of digital technology. Raster graphics editors for digital painting have become more easily available, as well as hardware such as graphics tablets, enabling more efficient working methods. Prior to this (and still to this day) any number of traditional mediums such as oil paints, acrylic paints, markers and pencils were used. Owing to this, many modern paint packages are programmed to simulate the blending of color in the same way paint would blend on a canvas; proficiency with traditional media is often paramount to a concept artist's ability to use painting software. Popular programs for concept artists include PhotoShop and Corel Painter.

What to learn (continue):There are many concept art generalists, but there are also many specialized concept artists. The various specializations are: Character Design, Creature Design, Environment Design, and Industrial Design. Many concept artists have more than one specialization or are specialized in one thing and know the basics of the others. Specialization is regarded as better for freelancers than concept artists who want to work In-House since they are usually required to know how to do everything. For freelance concept artists specialization can lead you to being hired based on your specialization. Knowing the foundations of art such as anatomy, perspective, color theory, design, and lighting should never be disregarded since they are the bread and butter of a concept artist.

What's the best route in?
There is no typical career route to becoming a Concept Artist. You could start off as a Graphic Artist, Illustrator or Graphic Novelist. Otherwise, you can work in special or visual effects or animation and make the transition to Concept Artist via storyboarding.

Dave Melvin

Dave Melvin is a concept artist and instructor at the Academy of Art University, and he has some particularly striking creature designs. Although some of his creatures feel purely fantastical, others seem pulled from a future where biological technology has advanced to create new organic beings.

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Where to work
Industries:
Film | VFX
Many concept artists work in a studio or from home via freelance. A lot more concept artists are switching to freelance because of the job security of having multiple clients. Their role is highly specialised and there is a limited demand for this work. Concept Artists work on big budget sci-fi, fantasy or historical films where visual and special effects create design spectacles, fantastical creatures or other invented elements. Concept Artists work in the art department studio alongside Draughtsmen and Specialist Researchers.

SALARY
There is an established salary to working for a large studio but it depends on the artists preference. The average salary for a concept artist is 60-70,000$ a year, although many make much less or more than that.

SALARY

GROUPS

• British Film Designers Guild
• The CG society http://www.cgsociety.org
• Concept Art.org http://www.conceptart.org/forums/group.php

MORE INFO
The American Cinematographer Manual has regular features on film design and digital production techniques.
http://www.theasc.com/site/