Two of the most important basic skills, Alzmann says, are perspective and directional lighting (see our guide to how to draw perspective). 

You should study frames from your favourite films to see how these things are used to tell the story. Master those and you can move on to the exciting bit: finding your own style.

To do this, Mauro suggests you study widely – automotive design, architecture, fashion, film history, art history, biology… In short: don’t make “derivative works of other people’s interpretations of these things; it’s better to go to the source material and interpret it for yourself.” That being said, derivative isn’t all bad. You need to be comfortable working in the latest design trends. It’s a balancing act. 

send your online portfolio (ArtStation is good, Squarespace if you want something more personalised) to the company or franchise you want to work for. It’s good to have direct contact, but that might take a bit of detective work. 

Conventions are good places to meet people – nothing wrong with asking to email them your portfolio. Otherwise, search Facebook, LinkedIn, ArtStation. If you can’t find a contact, try and piece it together by figuring out how that company formats its email addresses (Is it first name or last name first?). Send friendly, professional emails and then one or two polite follow-up messages.

Your portfolio should prove you’re ready to start immediately; that you understand the company’s style. Alternatively, you could build a portfolio that demonstrates your own, unique style. This is a bit riskier, but your style or speciality might offer the thing that company is currently missing. Mauro’s portfolio is a mix.

Zhu says there are three main positions for concept artists. Seniors create “world-building images such as lead characters and environment establishing shots” and “are rarely involved in labour intensive work.” Mid-levels also design characters and environments, but they’re still required to roll up their sleeves and do some labour-intensive stuff. Juniors do all of the hard work: designing variations, doing orthographics, cleaning up line drawings, and extracting line details from digital paintings that have been created by seniors or freelancers.

Mauro believes that being good at art is only half the job. You need to be a great communicator. If you’re an off-site freelancer then this skill is especially important because it’s unlikely you’ll be able to speak to people face to face. You need to know to give the client what they want. You sometimes need to help the client work out what they want, too. 

Deadlines are usually tight. Typically, you receive a brief on Monday, finish it Thursday, then meet or speak with the client on Friday. Your concept designs must not only solve but also preempt problems for every person on the production line. For example, can the actor interact with it? Can the cinematographer achieve cool shots with it? Can the director create better, more compelling moments in the story with it?

As a concept artist, you’re always an apprentice in a job where nobody ever really becomes a master. Tools, trends and workflows change quickly and often, so you have to keep studying. Mauro has over a decade’s experience in the industry, but he still watches tutorials every single week. The thing that all top concept artists have in common is “being highly adaptable and having the curiosity and enthusiasm to never stop learning.”

Evans, Gary, and Donglu Yu08 April 2020. “How to Become a Concept Artist (and What to Do Once You’ve Made It).” Creative Bloq, Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA, 8 May 2020, www.creativebloq.com/digital-art/how-become-better-concept-artist-71621082. Accessed 25 May 2020.

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