The Ultimate Guide to Game Art Portfolios
To land a job in game art, you'll need a strong and compelling art portfolio.
If you’re applying for jobs as a game artist, there’s nothing more important than building a strong game art portfolio to showcase your talent and creativity. When you apply for jobs, your portfolio is your calling card — it’s your first and best chance to make a great first impression.
But building a strong game art portfolio isn’t easy. It can be a daunting task, especially if you’re just starting out. That’s why we’ve assembled the best advice from professional artists and art directors in the game industry. Their advice will help you navigate the process, and create a portfolio that sets you apart from your competition.
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“I used to worry about making my portfolio perfect. As I’ve discovered, there’s no such thing.” That’s Nathaniel Hubbell, a professional visual effects (VFX) artist. And when it comes to career advice, it’s just the tip of the iceberg. Hubbell has been sailing the seas of professional art for over a decade, and readily shares his tips to help you navigate your own career successfully. 
If you’re like most artists, your online portfolio has one or two pieces you aren’t totally proud of. And if you’ve been asked about them in a job interview, you may have fallen into the trap of explaining, apologizing, or making excuses.
“Wow, how did you do that?!” According to professional concept artist Eliott Lilly, that’s the reaction your portfolio should evoke from the art directors standing between you and your next job.
“As I review animators’ portfolios, I often look for animators that can wear multiple hats.” Indeed, if Mathias Takacs is as whimsical as the characters in his 3D animation portfolio, he may be wearing actual hats himself — witch hats, pirate hats, or tall furry gorlatnayas.
Skill level, originality, and the x-factor. When you apply for a job, those are the three key aspects that art directors look for — and if your portfolio doesn’t have all three (including the “x-factor,” whatever that is!), you won’t get hired.
“Draw every day.” Those three words of advice appear simple on the surface, but they’re the foundation of a long and successful art career for video game concept artist Caleb Parrish.