Concept Artist
Use your artistic skills to spark life into creative projects like films, adverts and video games.
Also known as: 2D artist, entertainment artist
About the job
What it's like
As a concept artist, you'll visualise early ideas for films, video games, animations and adverts. This work will be crucial in achieving consistency across the early stages of a creative project. Your concepts will guide the outputs of other creatives – from 3D modellers and VFX teams to animators and set designers.
Your concept art needs to capture the atmosphere, mood and fine detail that'll be vital when the project moves into production. This means that, first and foremost, you should be a great artist who's able to take other people's ideas and visualise them quickly. Concept artists could be asked to draw characters, props, vehicles, buildings or creatures – sometimes all five!
Concept artists often combine digital and traditional approaches. So, a knowledge of digital painting software like Photoshop, Corel Painter and Maya is important. You'll also need to be able to listen well, understand complex briefs and take feedback on your work.
Your tasks might include:
taking a brief to understand the creative team’s vision for the project
creating and presenting sketches of your initial ideas – on paper or in digital drawing software
considering how your designs will be created by the production team and what techniques they’ll need to use
refining your sketches – often using digital tools like Photoshop – based on the team’s feedback to establish the final style
compiling a comprehensive digital database of visuals – showcasing different angles, perspectives, actions and environments
designing realistic visuals at speed – your work can’t hold up production
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
Concept Art Association – explore this global community for concept artists. It hosts awards and events as well as showcasing artists' work
BBC Bitesize – check out Thomas' journey to becoming a concept artist
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Related industries
Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- time management
- attention to detail
- researching
- problem solving
- designing
- creative
- verbal communication
- adaptability
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
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Art and Design
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Computing Science
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Graphic Communication
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Skills for Work: Creative Digital Media
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Foundation Apprenticeship: Creative and Digital Media
You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.
Discover what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
There are no set entry routes to become a concept artist. Although, many people have qualifications that demonstrate their artistic skills.
Let's explore all the ways into this career.
University
A degree may be helpful for getting into this job. You could study subjects such as:
Games Art or Concept Art
Animation or Digital Animation
Illustration
Graphic Design
Fine Art
Production or Set Design
3D Art or Game Design
Use the My World of Work course search to explore degrees.
College
Getting qualifications at college, such as an HNC or HND, could help you find a job or progress to more advanced study. Useful subjects include:
Games Art or Computer Arts
Illustration
Animation
Graphic Design
Art and Design
Apprenticeships
Modern Apprenticeships (MAs) mean you learn on the job. You get paid and work towards a qualification at the same time. You might want to consider an MA in Creative Media.
Graduate Apprenticeships (GAs) are designed for industry. You'll spend most of your time learning on the job but you'll also go to university. You'll have a job, get paid and work towards a degree qualification at the same time. You might want to consider a GA in IT: Software Development.
Work
Some concept artists teach themselves the relevant skills for this area of work. To become a self-taught concept artist, you'll need to learn the fundamentals first. These include anatomy, perspective and lighting – check if any relevant short courses are available on the My World of Work course search.
You should then study industry workflows, such as 3D blockouts. Employers will also expect to see a portfolio of projects you've completed.
Do you already work as an illustrator, 3D artist or user interface (UI) artist? Spending time in these roles puts you in a strong position to move into a career as a concept artist.
Getting work experience in a relevant role can help you build the skills and experience you’ll need to become a concept artist. Work experience is also a fantastic opportunity to build your portfolio and network with others in the industry. Search for voluntary opportunities on Volunteer Scotland or learn more about work experience on My World of Work.
After gaining experience, some concept artists become freelancers. Most freelancers have established a strong network to help them connect with jobs and projects.
Most employers will ask you to provide a digital portfolio. This portfolio should showcase your skills, experience and examples of your best work. It's a chance to display your skills and creativity.
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