Staying abreast of the latest software updates and industry trends is a significant CV challenge for 3D artists. Our guide offers practical advice and strategies to continually update your skills and refine your portfolio, ensuring you stand out in a competitive job market.
- Applying best practices from real-world examples to ensure your profile always meets recruiters' expectations;
- What to include in your work experience section, apart from your past roles and responsibilities?
- Why are both hard and soft skills important for your application?
- How do you need to format your CV to pass the Applicant Tracker Software (ATS) assessment?
If you're writing your CV for a niche 3d artist role, make sure to get some inspiration from professionals:
Structuring your 3d artist CV layout: four factors to keep in mind
There are plenty of best practices out there for your CV layout and design. At the end of the day, a clear format and concise CV message should be your top priority. Use your CV design to enhance separate sections, bringing them to the forefront of recruiters' attention. At the same time, you can write content that:- Follows the reverse chronological order in the experience section by first listing your most recent jobs;
- Incorporates your contact information in the header, but do skip out on the CV photo for roles in the UK;
- Is spotlighted in the most important sections of your CV, e.g. the summary or objective, experience, education, etc. to show just how you meet the job requirements;
- Is no longer than two-pages. Often, the one-page format can be optimal for your 3d artist CV.
Before submitting your CV, you may wonder whether to export it in Doc or PDF. With the PDF format, your information and layout stay intact. This is quite useful when your CV is assessed by the Applicant Tracker System (or the ATS) . The ATS is a software that scans your profile for all relevant information and can easily understand latest study on the ATS , which looks at your CV columns, design, and so much more.
PRO TIP
Incorporate a touch of colour in headers or section breaks, but keep it professional and ensure it doesn’t detract from readability, especially in more conservative industries.
The top sections on a 3d artist CV
- Personal Statement highlights your passion and goals, providing a personal touch.
- Professional Experience shows your relevant work history and expertise in 3D design.
- Technical Skills section lists your proficiency in 3D software and tools.
- Education & Courses outline your formal training and specialised knowledge in the field.
- Portfolio Link is crucial for showcasing your previous work visually.
What recruiters value on your CV:
- Include a link to your online portfolio showcasing your best 3D models, animations, and any relevant multimedia content, as employers will want to assess your practical skills immediately.
- Highlight your proficiency in industry-standard software such as Autodesk Maya, 3ds Max, Blender, or ZBrush, specifying any certifications or courses you've completed.
- Detail specific projects you've worked on, including the scope, your specific contributions, tools used, and the end-use of the 3D models or animations, to give employers a sense of your experience and capability.
- Emphasise your understanding of the entire 3D production pipeline, including modelling, texturing, rigging, rendering, and post-production, to demonstrate that you can integrate seamlessly into a team's workflow.
- Showcase your ability to work with artistic direction by describing collaborative projects and how you've adapted your style or technique to meet varying creative visions or project requirements.
Recommended reads:
Tips and tricks on writing a job-winning 3d artist CV header
The CV header is the space which most recruiters would be referring most often to, in the beginning and end of your application. That is as the CV header includes your contact details, but also a headline and a professional photo. When writing your CV header:
- Double-check your contact details for spelling errors or if you've missed any digits. Also, ensure you've provided your personal details, and not your current work email or telephone number;
- Include your location in the form of the city and country you live in. If you want to be more detailed, you can list your full address to show proximity to your potential work place;
- Don't include your CV photo, if you're applying for roles in the UK or US, as this may bias initial recruiters' assessments;
- Write a professional headline that either integrates the job title, some relevant industry keywords, or your most noteworthy achievement.
In the next part of our guide, we'll provide you with professional CVs that showcase some of the best practices when it comes to writing your headline.
Examples of good CV headlines for 3d artist:
- Lead Character Modeller | Expert in ZBrush & Maya | BA Hons Game Art | 8+ Yrs Experience
- Senior 3D Animator | Character Rigging Specialist | MA 3D Animation | Autodesk Certified | 10 Yrs
- Junior 3D Environment Artist | Photorealistic Texturing | Unity & Unreal Engine | BSc Multimedia Arts | 2 Yrs
- Mid-Level 3D Generalist | VFX & Compositing | Adobe Suite Proficient | 4 Years Industry Practice
- Senior Technical Artist | Shader Development | Scripting in Python | MSc Computer Graphics | 9+ Yrs
- 3D Visualization Expert | Architectural & Product Rendering | VR Integration | BA Visual Arts | 6 Yrs Experience
Catching recruiters' attention with your 3d artist CV summary or objective
Located closer to the top of your CV, both the summary and objective are no more than five sentences long and serve as an introduction to your experience. What is more, you could use either to entice recruiters to read on. Select the:
- Summary, if you happen to have plenty of relevant experience. Feature your most impressive accomplishments and up to three skills that are relevant to the job you're applying for;
- Objective, if you're just starting your career off. Provide your career goals and answer how you see the role you are applying for will match your professional growth.
Judging which one you need to add to your 3d artist CV may at times seem difficult. That’s why you need to check out how professionals, with similar to your experience, have written their summary or objective, in the examples below:
CV summaries for a 3d artist job:
- With over 5 years of dedicated experience as a 3D Artist in high-end game development, proficient in Maya, ZBrush, and Substance Painter, I have successfully delivered detailed character models for acclaimed video games, notably achieving 'Best Character Design' at the Global Game Awards.
- As a seasoned architect turned 3D Artist, I bring 8 years of expertise in spatial design to the table, skilled in AutoCAD and Blender, with a portfolio that includes the creation of immersive virtual reality experiences for real estate showcasing that led to a 30% increase in client engagement.
- An experienced graphic designer with 4 years in the advertising industry looking to transition into 3D artistry, adept in Photoshop and Illustrator, seeking to leverage my understanding of aesthetics and brand storytelling into creating striking 3D visuals and compelling animations.
- Exceptional creative talent with a keen interest in 3D modeling and animation, eager to apply my bachelor's degree in Fine Arts and proficiency in SketchUp and Unity to transition into a fulfilling career as a 3D Artist, bringing fresh perspectives to character and environment creation.
- Passionate about embarking on a career as a 3D Artist, my objective is to harness my innate artistic abilities and recent training in 3DS Max and Cinema 4D, to produce innovative 3D designs and contribute to projects that challenge my creativity and advance my skills in a dynamic studio setting.
- Determined to excel in the field of 3D artistry, with no professional experience but armed with a solid foundation in design principles from my degree in Multimedia Arts, I aim to bring my fresh vision, unfettered creativity, and proficiency in Maya and Unreal Engine to create captivating 3D visuals.
Best practices for writing your 3d artist CV experience section
If your profile matches the job requirements, the CV experience is the section which recruiters will spend the most time studying. Within your experience bullets, include not merely your career history, but, rather, your skills and outcomes from each individual role. Your best experience section should promote your profile by:
- including specific details and hard numbers as proof of your past success;
- listing your experience in the functional-based or hybrid format (by focusing on the skills), if you happen to have less professional, relevant expertise;
- showcasing your growth by organising your roles, starting with the latest and (hopefully) most senior one;
- staring off each experience bullet with a verb, following up with skills that match the job description, and the outcomes of your responsibility.
Add keywords from the job advert in your experience section, like the professional CV examples:
Best practices for your CV's work experience section
- Expertly crafted detailed 3D models for a variety of projects using Maya and ZBrush, ensuring high levels of realism and optimisation for both real-time and pre-rendered environments.
- Collaborated with team members in a fast-paced studio environment to meet tight deadlines, delivering assets that consistently met or exceeded project requirements.
- Implemented advanced texturing techniques using Substance Painter and Photoshop to create lifelike surfaces, contributing to the immersive quality of virtual worlds.
- Utilised cutting-edge technology in 3D printing, converting digital assets into physical models, which were showcased at industry events and client meetings.
- Devised and maintained efficient asset pipelines that streamlined the production process, reducing render times by 15% without compromising on detail or quality.
- Engaged in the creative process from concept to completion, regularly contributing original ideas to character and environment designs that resonated with audiences.
- Actively incorporated feedback from directors and clients, demonstrating adaptability and a commitment to achieving a shared artistic vision.
- Led a small team of artists in the development of an award-winning indie game, managing workflows and mentoring junior staff to build a cohesive and skilled unit.
- Stayed abreast of the latest industry trends and software updates, investing personal time to develop skills in virtual reality content creation, which led to spearheading a successful VR project.
- Collaborated with a team of designers to create assets for immersive VR experiences, increasing user engagement by 150%.
- Streamlined 3D modeling workflows using Maya and ZBrush, reducing project turnover time by 30%.
- Pioneered the use of photogrammetry techniques in game asset creation, enhancing visual realism in our flagship title.
- Led a creative team in designing 3D models and textures for an award-winning open-world game, directly contributing to a 25% increase in game revenue.
- Developed an innovative motion capture cleanup pipeline that improved character animation quality and saved over 200 man-hours annually.
- Supervised and mentored junior artists, improving the overall quality of the art department's output and reducing rework by 20%.
- Crafted high-polygon 3D models for AAA game titles, receiving the ‘Best Art’ award in a company-wide showcase.
- Implemented efficient texturing techniques using Substance Painter, which became a standard practice for future projects.
- Contributed to developing a proprietary 3D asset library, reducing dependency on external sources by 40%.
- Designed detailed 3D models for architectural visualizations that resulted in winning a bid for a $100 million real-estate project.
- Automated repetitive tasks in the 3D modeling process through custom scripting, boosting the team's productivity by 25%.
- Enhanced realism in 3D renders by utilizing advanced lighting techniques and shaders, impressing clients and securing repeat business.
- Created dynamic 3D models for interactive medical animations used in patient education, leading to a 30% increase in patient comprehension.
- Optimized rendering workflows for medical illustrations, cutting down render times by 35% without compromising detail.
- Worked closely with medical professionals to ensure anatomical accuracy in 3D representations, thereby improving educational value.
- Developed 3D models and animations for a series of successful mobile games, enhancing player retention rates by 20%.
- Proactively researched and integrated emerging 3D technologies, keeping the studio ahead of industry trends.
- Orchestrated the transition to a new game engine, enabling the use of advanced graphics features and improving overall game performance.
What to add in your 3d artist CV experience section with no professional experience
If you don't have the standard nine-to-five professional experience, yet are still keen on applying for the job, here's what you can do:
- List any internships, part-time roles, volunteer experience, or basically any work you've done that meets the job requirements and is in the same industry;
- Showcase any project you've done in your free time (even if you completed them with family and friends) that will hint at your experience and skill set;
- Replace the standard, CV experience section with a strengths or achievements one. This will help you spotlight your transferrable skills that apply to the role.
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
Describe how each job helped you grow or learn something new, showing a continuous development path in your career.
Describing your unique skill set using both hard skills and soft skills
Your 3d artist CV provides you with the perfect opportunity to spotlight your talents, and at the same time - to pass any form of assessment. Focusing on your skill set across different CV sections is the way to go, as this would provide you with an opportunity to quantify your achievements and successes. There's one common, very simple mistake, which candidates tend to make at this stage. Short on time, they tend to hurry and mess up the spelling of some of the key technologies, skills, and keywords. Copy and paste the particular skill directly from the job requirement to your CV to pass the Applicant Tracker System (ATS) assessment. Now, your CV skills are divided into:
- Technical or hard skills, describing your comfort level with technologies (software and hardware). List your aptitude by curating your certifications, on the work success in the experience section, and technical projects. Use the dedicated skills section to provide recruiters with up to twelve technologies, that match the job requirements, and you're capable of using.
- People or soft skills provide you with an excellent background to communicate, work within a team, solve problems. Don't just copy-paste that you're a "leader" or excel at "analysis". Instead, provide tangible metrics that define your success inusing the particular skill within the strengths, achievements, summary/ objective sections.
Top skills for your 3d artist CV:
3D Modelling
Texturing
Sculpting
Rigging
Animation
UV Mapping
Rendering
High and Low Polygon Modelling
Shader Development
Knowledge of 3D Software (e.g., Maya, Blender, 3ds Max)
Creativity
Attention to Detail
Problem-Solving
Time Management
Adaptability
Teamwork
Continuous Learning
Communication
Project Management
Critical Thinking
PRO TIP
If you have received professional endorsements or recommendations for certain skills, especially on platforms like LinkedIn, mention these to add credibility.
CV education and certificates: your academic background as proof of your skill set
A common misconception about your 3d artist CV education is that you only need it, if you have less professional experience. That is completely false. The CV education section serves to back up your technical (and sometimes personal) capabilities, fill in gaps in your work history, and show you have the initial industry background and know-how. When creating your education section:
- List your degrees in the reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent (and relevant) ones first;
- Include your degree and university names, start and graduation dates. It's optional to also denote you received a "First-Class Honours" for diplomas that are more relevant to the role;
- Curate your relevant university coursework, projects, or thesis work if you happen to have less professional expertise and need to integrate more job keywords and skills.
Your professional qualifications don't need to stop at your academic background. It's advisable to also select up to three of your most noteworthy (and relevant) industry certificates and feature them in a dedicated section. Once more, include the certificate name, the institution that issued it out, and the date you obtained it on. You could feature both hard skills and soft skills certificates, as in the examples below:
PRO TIP
Use mini case studies or success stories in your CV to demonstrate how your skills have positively impacted previous roles or projects.
Recommended reads:
Key takeaways
Your successful job application depends on how you well you have aligned your 3d artist CV to the job description and portrayed your best skills and traits. Make sure to:
- Select your CV format, so that it ensures your experience is easy to read and understand;
- Include your professional contact details and a link to your portfolio, so that recruiters can easily get in touch with you and preview your work;
- Write a CV summary if you happen to have more relevant professional experience. Meanwhile, use the objective to showcase your career dreams and ambitions;
- In your CV experience section bullets, back up your individual skills and responsibilities with tangible achievements;
- Have a healthy balance between hard and soft skills to answer the job requirements and hint at your unique professional value.
