INTRODUCTION
Art test are the final big hurdle for artists to get into the games industry they fall in the middle of your interviews, so if you want to freshen up on those before diving into this article properly head on over to Link to interview article and once you have read that article you can always return here. But if you already have, then let's go!
There are also a lot of things that go into how to make the best possible art test, how to get to the core of what they expect of you and nail your art test so you can get that job at the studio that you want so badly!
There are many different aspects and forms of art tests, so make sure you go through them properly and don't skip any of the planning because you are excited.
First let's take it back a step!
OVERVIEW
When a studio offers you an art test, it's a really good sign, it shows you that they really are interested in getting you onto the team as a valuable addition to it. However, before you get to that step they do want to see if you can make it through an arttest.
Most art test are designed test your skillset for things the company is looking for and will often mention that specifically in the test itself. But there are some general things they do test for as well.
- WORKING UNDER PRESSURE
Your ability to deal with pressure and what choices come out of that - YOUR ARTISTIC INSIGHT
How you approach things during the test and how you approach your artistic choices - YOUR PRIORITIES
And also what you focus on during this short amount of time - READING AND EXECUTING A BRIEF
Dealing with briefs like you would in the industry and how well you can execute them - USING A NEW WORKFLOW
Sometimes a test will need to be done in a specific workflow and will test your knowledge on the techniques - HOW QUICK YOU WORK
This is really insightful for working within an industry that’s full of deadlines
WHEN DO YOU RECEIVE ONE?
You're probably feeling really excited about the idea of just reading the brief and starting it, however there might be some additional things that need to be discussed before you can get started.
But before we dive into some of the preparations, make sure that you have everything you need to get started, sometimes it's not really a good time to work on the test for example, in which case you might just want to reschedule the test.
This is not an issue at all, just ask for it!
- During or after the interview
- After an email interview
DIFFERENT TYPES OF ARTTESTS
Since art tests are usually depending on different company workflows and techniques the art tests usually reflect them as well. This means that we get a whole bunch of different options depending on the company and the different projects they might be working on.
However, to generalise let me shine a light on some potential art tests that might be offered.
- LEVEL ART
Focused on set-dressing and storytelling. - GREYBOXING
Building placeholder levels that are focused on composition. - MODULAR ASSET CREATION
Creating assets that can be used together. - PROP ART
Building details models and assets. - DIORAMA CREATION
Creating a small scene that incorporates all the different elements in one. - TEXTURE CREATION
Creating textures, both tileable and unique ones. - Others are definitely possible depending on the company…
ARTTEST TIMEFRAME
This is a contested topic when it comes to art tests, normally for the art tests that I've seen they last for a week maximum and not longer then that. The reason for this is that there have been incidents where people work for 2 - 3 weeks for smaller companies, they deliver the art test and then they just never reply. Basically outsourcing their work for free labour making use of your time. However, I would say that this doesn't happen that much, but it can happen, so keep it in mind.
📍 Short Timeframe: Couple of hours
📍 Medium Timeframe: 1 week average
📍 Long Timeframe: 2-3 weeks
The timeframe also depends on what kind of test it's going to be, so for a full scene creation it might be a week or even longer then that (say roughly 10 days).
However for a prop it might be shorter, like a couple of days up to 5 days. So keep these estimates in mind when you get the brief and you start planning for it, and double check the timeline they have set up for you. Delivering before the deadline is good, after the deadline is always negative (unless some personal issues come in between).
PREPARATION TIPS
- READ AND UNDERSTAND THE BRIEF
Make sure to understand all that the brief is saying, and know the restrictions that you are working with. - FORM A PLAN OF ACTION
Do some planning, break down the concept and prepare for the next step - PRIORITISE AND EXECUTE
Focus on the larger and more impactful things first and work you way down the list. - TAKE REGULAR BREAKS TO REMAIN OBJECTIVE
A test like this forces you to stay working on it for longer periods of time, don’t do this, take breaks and detach. This will help your art.
Understanding the brief
If you got a brief send you it’s time to take your time and read through it properly.
I've seen a lot of people that are so excited to just get started that they forget to read through the brief and miss some crucial information, so read the brief at least three times and make sure to write down the most important information on a post it note and stick it on your screen or something, make sure that you can't miss it.
AFTER READING THE TEST YOU SHOULD KNOW:
- The goal of a brief
- The Deadline
- Workflows you will use
- How to plan the timeline for a test
- What they are looking for the most
Forming a plan of action
Planning the art test a little bit, this means mapping out hardest part of the test and how you are going to tackle them once you get to it, this will help you be more at ease once you get to that section and you at least have a plan for it.
Because once you’ve got a plan for it, you can just focus on executing that plan. Which is way easier.
Priorities and execute
This then leads into this principle, that once you know the hardest thing you need to do it’s better to focus on that the earliest as possible, since this will take you the most time to finish. You can then focus on the less difficult things on the list all the way up to victory. So keep a notepad handy, list your tasks on there and start tackling them one by one and keep up the momentum.
Don't overthink things
These sort of briefs are designed to be more intense on a short timeframe to just test how you deal under pressure and how you prioritise your tasks, so keep that deadline in mind and make sure to keep moving.
Thinking too much about things can lead to analysis paralysis, leading to nothing getting done. So don’t go down a thinking rabbit hole that stops you from getting stuff done, once you get moving your steps will reveal themself.
DURING THE TEST
Now let's get to work (finally!), we're going to be working our way through by going from the big to small and this can be applied to almost all art tests.
When working on tests you want to be working on the biggest items first and also get as much of the pipeline stuff out of the way as soon as possible. For props this means moving to your program you’re going to render in as quick as possible and for environment this means getting everything into the game engine as soon as possible.
What focus on?
Working from big to small, or biggest impact to smaller impact
FOR AN ENVIRONMENT ART TEST
- BLOCKOUT AND PROPORTIONS
- IMPORTANT/HERO ASSETS
(focal point, or building that take up a lot of screen space) - SECONDARY PROPS
(supporting the focal point or medium sized) - POLISH
(finishing the props and textured needed) - LIGHTING AND PRESENTATION
(Working on the final presentation of the scene)
FOR A PROP ART TEST
- BLOCKOUT AND PROPORTIONS
- HIGHPOLY & LOWPOLY
- BAKING AND QUICK TEXTURES
- IMPLEMENTATION INTO RENDER ENGINE
(Your render engine of choice or one that is requested for the test) - POLISH ASSET AND TEXTURES
- LIGHTING AND PRESENTATION
QUICK TIPS DURING THE TEST
- TAKE REGULAR BREAKS
This will help you remain objective - GOT STUCK? SWITCH IT UP
Sometimes if you get stuck, it’s best to move onto the next thing, this allows you to reflect on the other part that had you stuck for a while - DON’T CRUNCH, OR LOSE SLEEP
Sleep is a super power, use it to the max! - TAKE WIP SCREENSHOTS
This is mostly for yourself to keep yourself accountable for your progress, however, this could also be used when you do a breakdown and show the workflow to the studio you are applying for.
Take regular breaks
A longer art test is mostly a test of keeping yourself sane during it, so don’t work too long in a row and give yourself some rest and space to think about things by going outside for a walk, doing your hobbies or working out.
Switching it up to something completely different allows your mind to properly detach from the work and makes you more creative in turn. Keep those batteries recharged, you don’t want to keep running on empty.
Got stuck? Switch it up
If you feel like you’re bashing your head against a wall on a certain topic then it’s good to just switch to something else. For example if your working on the textures of your prop and you can’t get any sold work done?
Just switch to already working on the presentation, keep things exciting! If that doesn’t work it might be to refer back to the previous point.
Don't crunch, Lose sleep
Don't go crunching your time and try to fill ever hour of the day with the art test, go for walks ever couple of hours at least. Sometimes problems solve them self by either sleeping on them or just giving your mind the space to wander. So take time off, go for a walk, take a long shower and play some games to refresh your inspiration and working spirit. Burning yourself out might seem like a good idea in the beginning but it will bite you in the ass pretty quickly once you get to the end of the test.
Take WIP screenshots
One of my favourite things to do for all my projects is taking Work in Progress screenshots, these are especially nice for art test ad you can turn them into a nice little one pager where you can make a visual dairy where you show the studio the steps and though process of your art.
Adding this to your deliverables can be a nice little extra thing for the people looking through the test itself and can better understand your thinking.
FINAL CHECKLIST
When delivering the test, don’t rush the final submission, you got to this point and don’t want to make any mistake here that can potentially make it so you cannot get the job.
So let me share some quick tips
- RESPECT THE DEADLINE
Make sure that you send it in on time as requested and agreed upon. - REREAD THE DELIVERABLES
Read the brief again and make sure tat you fulfil all the deliverables stated on the brief. - TESTING THE ZIP
Test sending the complete folder to yourself or someone else first, you don't want to send a corrupt or worse, empty folder!3 - CREATE A GOOD FOLDER STRUCTURE
A good folder structure can impress and also makes it easier to find all the great stuff you hand in. (Usually this is spelled out in the brief)
EXAMPLE FOLDER STRUCTURE
- "Project" folder that contains the scene or prop itself (in most cases)
- Folder named "Presentation" that contains videos/images you want to show off, starting with your highlight camera angle and ending with another good angle. Keep this folder small, don't bloat it with camera angles that don't add to much. You can also add some wireframes/breakdowns here if you want to add those.
- "ProjectWorkflow.txt" the text file that contains the workflow used to create this scene.
WHAT IF I DIDN’T MAKE IT?
Well, as though as it may seem at this moment, don't take it personally and these "Lessons" (I prefer to call them that instead of failures, because that's what they really are) build character, however, leaving you with that statement alone is not going to solve anything.
Reflection time
So really take a moment to reflect and take a step back to reflect on the work you just delivered and see what you could have improved or done better and take them as lessons for the next art test you take on.
There are again many factors that come into play here, it might not always be up to you or your personal skills, see this as a test for growth and move onto the next one. It might sound harsh but perseverance and being objective about it and learning from it gets you closer to being a winner next time. You will get there!
Asking for feedback
What I've also done before is asking for feedback after a test, this might seem unusual and not all companies do this (again, they are busy building games!) but I've had some success in this before and got some really great feedback by asking for feedback at this stage.
There are some more things that go onto this point but we will discuss them at the end of the article where the impact can be bigger then at this point.
