Texture Artist
Summary
Draw the details that make games and animated movies look more realistic.
What does a Texture Artist do?
A Texture Artist creates the textures found in digital media: When you’re a Texture Artist, you put the wrinkles on an elephant, the scales on a snake, and the dirt and grit on the walls of a military bunker. You usually work in video games, film, or TV shows, and your work as a Texture Artist lends visual authenticity to the pictures you illustrate.
You map textures onto digital objects using a collection of software tools. You might scan textures into the computer then mold them to a form, or paint the textures on screen. Many times you are replicating real textures, but other times you can invent new tactile representations.
Your skills help round out the digital world your users will enter by making it believable and relatable. Its funny how far small details go towards making one feel comfortable and familiar in a setting: You can play a game where you battle aliens, and if their skin moves and oozes in a believable manner you can stay in the moment. However if their skin is just plain green, it just seems (ironically) fake.
As you design your textures you must balance realism with variety. Users will get bored if they see the same scenery repeatedly. So if your project is all and only about inchworms, you must make those inchworms and the leaves they munch both interesting and unique.
