Every hero needs a world to save. That’s where an environment artist comes in. Whether you’re creating a new Skyrim or the next Star Wars, environment artists are required to construct cohesive 3D worlds, from terrain to sky and everything in between. As well as films and games, environment artists can also be found creating realistic training simulations, helping visualize spaces for architects, and more. Environment artists tend to be generalists, and as such have a lot of freedom to focus on multiple areas like: 

  • Modeling
  • Sculpting
  • Textures
  • Materials
  • Matte painting
  • Lighting
  • Lookdev

Why are they needed?

Want to turn a generic forest into a relaxing summer retreat? What about a haunted wood? Either way, you’ll need an environment artist. A truly effective environment artist will have the ability to make the mundane feel interesting. Even a basic layout can soon become a fully-fledged world, with subtle details that form a story.

“The world around us isn’t always exciting, but the skill to take something generic and build upon it is a key trait to be mastered,” notes Scott Homer, Senior Environment Artist (Fortnite) at Epic Games.

Source: Unreal Engine Blog