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We are thrilled to introduce Daniil Gerber, a very talented junior 3D environment artist that impressed us with his portfolio. As our trailblazing intern, he brings valuable skills and creativity that will make a great contribution to our studio during his time here. In this Q&A, Daniil shares insights about his background, interests, and advice for students seeking internships. Daniil, tell us a bit about yourself and what sparked your interest in pursuing Game Design? I am a game design student living in Berlin, currently specializing in 3D Environment Art. From a young age, I was drawn to art, and over the years, my medium evolved from paper to digital 3D graphics. After graduating, I decided to combine my two passions — games and 3D art — into a future career. That led me to pursue my studies in Game Design at HTW Berlin. What is one project in your portfolio that you are most proud of and why? I’m proud of several pieces in my portfolio, each for different reasons, as they focus on aspects like PCG (Procedural Content Generation), overall 3D quality, and materials. If I had to pick a standout project, it would be my recent Gothic Cathedral piece. Completed over two weeks of intensive work, this project showcases my ability to bring together all my skills to create an optimized, real-time environment using industry-standard software, further enhanced with Unreal Engine’s material capabilities. In your portfolio, you mention specializing in PCG Framework in Unreal. Can you share why it appeals to you? A bit of background: in my studies, we began with Unity, and after completing two projects, we were allowed to switch to Unreal Engine for our university work. As an environment artist working in Unity, I found that I lacked certain tools for advanced object placement. Unreal Engine's PCG Framework, which comes as a plugin, felt like a game-changer because I didn’t have to develop a solution from scratch. With PCG, I can create systems for prop placement, architecture, and full environments, as I did during my first game jam project, “Baton Pass to Play”, where I developed a system to procedurally generate the game environment. What are you most excited to learn during your time at Sierra Division? I am most excited to push my creative boundaries and refine my attention to detail in asset and environment creation. I look forward to advancing my software skills to achieve high-quality results and gaining insights into the communication and development pipeline within a studio like Sierra Division. What goals do you hope to achieve by the end of your internship? By the end of my internship, I hope to improve both my technical and soft skills, as well as connect with people who are professionals in their field. I also look forward to receiving valuable advice on how to improve my approach to different aspects of asset and environment creation. What's one piece of advice you would share with students looking for their first internship? My main advice is to reach out to studios directly, even if they don’t explicitly advertise internship positions. Don’t be discouraged by rejections; instead, keep improving your skills and portfolio to increase your chances of landing an internship at your desired studio. Check out Daniil's portfolio . We are always on the lookout for talented artists to work with. Even when we don't advertise any openings, artists are welcome to submit their portfolio for future consideration on our Careers page here .

Back by popular demand, the next Sierra Division challenge takes you to the Viking Age where you are tasked to build a worthy settlement fit for Norse warriors! Sharpen your blades for a new opportunity to test your skills and win some cool prizes. As your objective, you will need to create a diorama that represents a village scene that captures the essence of Viking life, architecture, and culture. Feel free to let your imagination go wild! Build the interior of an old Viking pub, a Viking Battleship, or an area in a village city center. Stay realistic and as historically accurate as possible, or give your village a stylized, futuristic twist. This is an exciting opportunity to learn about the history of the Vikings, Norse mythology and the ability to showcase your technical skills alongside your research capabilities, creativity, and storytelling skills. DASH OFFER Dash is a world-building tool that takes your UE5 environment creation process and makes it effortless. To help give you the best possible workflow for your Viking Village entry, ALL challenge participants are getting a free 2 month license . VIKING VILLAGE CHALLENGE PRIZES A total of 3 talented winners will be selected for this challenge. The grand prize awarded to first place is a one-on-one Career Guidance Mentorship with Jacob Norris , president and creative director at Sierra Division. We also have awesome prizes generously provided by our sponsors: Adobe Substance 3D , Marmoset , Dash , Fox Renderfarm , Rizom-Lab , and ArtStation . 1ST PLACE 2ND PLACE 3RD PLACE 1:1 Career Guidance Mentorship session with Jacob Norris 1-year Individual subscription for Adobe Substance 3D 1-year Individual subscription for Marmoset Toolbag 1-year Individual subscription for Dash 1-year Individual License for Rizom UV Virtual Spaces USD$200 Gift Card to the Sierra Division S tore 1-year ArtStation Pro account USD$300 Fox Renderfarm coupon 1-year Individual subscription for Adobe Substance 3D 1-year Individual subscription for Marmoset Toolbag 1-year Individual subscription for Dash 1-year Individual License for Rizom UV Virtual Spaces  USD$100 Gift Card to the Sierra Division Store 1-year ArtStation Pro account USD$200 Fox Renderfarm Coupon 1-year Individual subscription for Adobe Substance 3D 1-year Individual subscription for Marmoset Toolbag 1-year Individual subscription for Dash 1-year Individual License for Rizom UV Virtual Spaces USD$50 Gift Card to the Sierra Division Store 1-year ArtStation Pro account USD$100 Fox Renderfarm Coupon CHALLENGE JUDGES: Artists from the Games Industry and the Sierra Division team will have the honor of reviewing your work. Impress the judges with a scene that they will never forget, by creating a unique Viking village that highlights your 3D modeling and rendering skills! KEY DATES: Challenge Dates: October 16 to November 29 Winners Announced: December 16 DELIVERABLES: To take part in the Challenge, you will need to first join our Discord Server to be able to login to our submission forum. Once you are on the forum, create a new discussion post under the Viking Village: 3d Challenge section where you will post the deliverables listed below: Work-in-Progress:  Throughout the challenge, share your creative process, including reference gathering, sculpting, texturing, and more. A 3D diorama (or very small environment): Viking Village scene What is a diorama? Take a look at these Example A , Example B Final Submissions:  Your final entry must include at least: 1 Beauty Render : A high-quality render that showcases your diorama in full glory. 1 Wireframe View:  A detailed wireframe to highlight your modeling skills. 1 Breakdown View:  An insightful look into the textures and materials used, providing a comprehensive understanding of your work. Grey Lighting Scene Render : No Albedo map. Has Lighting, Normals, Roughness, Metalness. (Detail Lighting if using Unreal Engine) Specifications:   Diorama Scale: Participants can choose the scale they want to work with. However, we recommend focusing on quality over quantity, otherwise you may run out of time! Minimum submission image resolution : 1920x1080px / JPEG format (Maximum 3840x2160). All submissions must include your legal name, the title of your work, and Challenge logo. Download logo here . CHALLENGE RULES Challengers must submit their best Viking Village diorama, including WIPs and wireframe, breakdown and render by November 29 at 23:30 UTC. Challengers must be 18 years of age or older. All challengers need to have a Discord account, join our Discord server, and sign up on our forum with the same Discord account. Join our Discord server here . For the complete list of rules, eligible countries, and terms & conditions, please go here .

Transitioning from an individual artist to establishing an art outsourcing studio is a significant challenge. With the increasing uncertainties working for AAA studios as a stable career option, many motivated artists with entrepreneurial ambitions are setting up their own external studios and becoming service providers. This provides artists with the opportunity to build teams of like-minded professionals who share similar values and have greater control of the projects they want to work on. While attending in-person conferences is ideal for connecting with and meeting new clients, it’s not always feasible. These events may not be held locally, and traveling can be expensive or you may simply not have the option to leave your home for a few days. The good news is that there are ways to build your online presence and attract your very first client. At our studio, Jacob Norris, successfully founded Sierra Division after working with industry giants like NVIDIA, Kojima Productions, Naughty Dog, and Insomniac Games. Below are some of his strategies to help build your online presence and attract your first clients as a new art outsourcing studio. Sell Digital Products on Marketplaces Selling digital assets on popular marketplaces is an effective way to showcase your skills and gain exposure. By researching market demand, creating high-quality assets, and promoting them, you not only practice marketing skills but also increase your visibility among potential clients. Positive reviews and high sales can lead to recognition by studios of all sizes, from indie to AAA, who purchase digital assets from these marketplaces. Sierra Division’s asset packs can be found on their website and the Unreal Engine Marketplace . Jacob first established his reputation under the handle PurePolygons selling digital assets and tutorials. Back in 2015, the Unreal Engine marketplace team took notice of his products and featured him on their blog , driving traffic to his page. Through hard work and continuously creating highly-rated products, he was eventually approached with his first major outsourcing project and was able to build his team. Sierra Division's first Art Outsourcing project was for Snoop Dogg's "Crip Ya Enthusiasm" music video. Our studio was responsible for creating various props and environments, such as the pool scene and Astro's Donut Shop. Build Your Own Website Creating your own website is essential. While some studios opt to only have an online portfolio page or LinkedIn profile, a website serves as a central hub that you fully control and demonstrates that you are a professional and legitimate company. On your website, you can tell your story effectively by showcasing your portfolio, describing your services, and providing contact information for potential clients to reach you at. Utilize website builder tools to create a clean, user-friendly website that best represents your brand and what you offer. You can then link your website to other platforms where you showcase your work. On your website, include testimonials from former employers, colleagues, or satisfied marketplace buyers to build credibility and trust with potential clients. List Your Studio You'll want to be as visible as possible to attract potential clients. Studio art outsourcing managers are busy folks, and from experience, will often begin their search for a service provider through word-of-mouth. But, if they are looking for further options or for a particular skill set, they might go to an online directory where they can filter studios by location and skill. For example, Sierra Division is listed on ArtStation  and on Game Caviar . Broadcast Your Knowledge To stand out, be active on social media and share your expertise. It helps if you've previously worked as an in-house artist at a AAA or Indie studio, as you will have a ton of experience and lessons learned to share with others. Studios value not only talent, but also strong communication and problem-solving skills. Make it easy for them to see if you are the right fit by starting a YouTube channel or blog where you can easily showcase your knowledge and attract an audience. An example of a tutorial created by Sierra Division artist, Niels Couvreur, demonstrating his expertise while sharing some insights of our studio's game asset pipeline. We hope these tips help you on your journey to establishing a successful art outsourcing studio. We won't deny that it takes a lot of hard work and there is some luck involved. But, by ticking off the above boxes you have a greater chance of being seen, and being at the right place and at the right time to lock in your first client. At Sierra Division, we’re working on exciting projects and always looking for new collaborators. Whether you’re interested in co-development, outsourcing, or joining our team, feel free to reach out !

If you’re reading this, then you’re already in the process of developing that killer new IP or working hard to make an existing one even better. Having done your research, you know how big of a commitment it can be to gather all the key ingredients to create a successful game. Let's imagine the following: you've got the groundwork laid out for a game; it has a compelling storyline, the gameplay mechanics are on point, but there's one piece of the puzzle that's missing - stunning 3D art to truly bring your game to life. You could buckle down and try to do it yourself, or you could find a kick-ass outsourcing team to work with. But, how do you find the right 3D game art outsourcing studio? Below are some pro tips from our studio to get you started. (Image Credit: Sierra Division - Industrial Sci-Fi and Modular Oil Rig) CONSIDERTATIONS FOR USING A 3D GAME ART OUTSOURCING STUDIO: When deciding whether outsourcing is right for your needs, it's important to consider the benefits that an external partner can provide. Keep the following factors in mind during your evaluation. EXPERTISE: Generally, 3D Art Outsourcing Studios consist of experienced professional artists with a strong understanding of 3D tools, techniques, and styles that can either complement an existing in-house art team or act as a full production team through a co-development process. Not all studios are made equal though, and we’ll share some more tips further down on how you can spot quality and assess a team’s expertise while reviewing your different outsourcing options. COST SAVINGS: Establishing an in-house team comes at a substantial cost. To attract the best talent, you’ll need to offer competitive salaries and benefits, have infrastructure setup, offer training, hire recruiters, and invest an immense amount of time and money into each person you hire. Then after all of that work, they might end up leaving a year later or potentially provide lower than expected performance on the job. Outsourcing removes all of that headache and cost by saving time, resources, and eventually forming that long lasting relationship with a team that you trust. We also have some recommendations as you continue reading on how you can get the most out of your outsourcing relationships to benefit both you and your project. TURNAROUND TIME:   Outsourcing Studios are well-equipped to handle projects with tight deadlines, providing a swift turnaround for the creation and delivery of assets. This agility is crucial in game development, where meeting deadlines is often synonymous with success.  SCALABILITY: A studio can easily adjust the size of the outsourced team based on project requirements, ensuring that the right resources are allocated without the long-term commitments associated with hiring an in-house team. VISUALLY IMPRESSIVE 3D ART FOR LASTING IMPRESSIONS In your consideration, you may ask how necessary high-quality art is to your vision or to creating an immersive experience. Many of the top-selling and highly acclaimed games rely on having incredible visuals that help players to become fully immersed. If you have a great story, then the art will support the game’s narrative, bringing to life everything from the land to the characters, creating an enjoyable player experience. Games like the Uncharted Series, The Last of Us, God of War, Final Fantasy, and many more know this all too well. Having great art is also perfect for marketing the game; the art simply speaks for itself and will leave a lasting impression on the audience. Naughty Dog works with top 3D artists like Jacob Norris and Javier Perez to create stunning artwork "Identifying your game's distinct style will steer you towards the right 3D Art Outsourcing company" Having the best 3D art team you can get makes hitting that high-quality bar a walk in the park. In some cases, hiring in-house makes sense, but keep in mind the time it takes your recruiters to post jobs on your site and on LinkedIn, conduct interviews, not only find that incredible artist from overseas, but get them to relocate and all setup in house. Depending on the project, this approach may be worth the effort, but when the clock is ticking you’ll also want to look into quick solutions even as you build your in-house team. Art Outsourcing starts to look a lot better after considering all this. Once you’ve established that hiring a 3D art outsourcing studio is the way to go, you’ll need to find the best studio that will meet your needs and that you can rely on to help make your game a success. Finding the perfect 3D Art Outsourcing studio can be daunting. A quick search on Google brings up many sponsored links, and browsing the Studio Directory on ArtStation reveals 400+ studios. Thankfully, there is an approach to quicken this process which we will outline below.. DEFINE YOUR VISION: Every game has a unique rhythm, a signature style that sets it apart, often defined in the early stages of game development by concept artists. Whether it's a futuristic, alien-inhabited sci-fi world, or a lush fantastical forest waiting for organic sculpting, identifying your game's distinct style will steer you towards the right 3D Art Outsourcing company. In some cases, you can seek out studios that work with you in a “Co-Development” relationship, where they can help provide these concepting services directly to you and find that unique style that you’re looking for. Imagine players navigating this sci-fi oil-rig interior level LOOK AT YOUR OPTIONS: Your next assignment is to find the industry's best 3D Art Outsourcing Studios. We suggest starting off with ArtStation’s Studio Directory which allows you to filter studios by skills, software and studio size alongside their portfolio, giving you a quick and efficient way to pick or eliminate studios. Do you want a partner that specializes in Unreal Engine or NVIDIA Omniverse? Do they need to have expertise in Adobe Substance’s toolset? Selecting the right filters will eliminate a great deal of studios and save you a lot of time. ArtStation Studios Directory If you’re looking for additional options, you can browse LinkedIn, do a Google search, or maybe even ask ChatGPT, but those options will require a greater time commitment as you’ll need to take a couple extra steps to get a good grasp on these studios' art style, skills and expertise. In many cases you may end up right back on ArtStation to view their portfolio. So, it’s usually just the best place to start and save yourself some time. "Working with a quality team, even if the quote may be slightly higher, can actually save you money if the delivery time is faster, the team is more professional, and the work requires less rounds of feedback." THE PORTFOLIO: A potential partner's portfolio is your glimpse into their world. It can give you a good idea of their skill set, creativity, and ability to deliver on your vision. Do they showcase art that matches your game’s style, strong attention to detail, and creativity? If they tick those boxes, go ahead and add them to your consideration list. Curious to see an example portfolio? You can check out our ArtStation here ! CREATIVITY: When you're browsing through a studio's portfolio, think of it as peeking into their creative kitchen. What you're looking for is a spark – that special something that shows they're not just good with the tools, but they've also got the imagination to make your project pop. It's all about finding a team that can think outside the box, bring fresh ideas to the table, and really get what you're trying to achieve. This creativity factor is huge because it's what sets apart a project that's just 'okay' from something that's truly engaging and memorable. So, if you come across a studio whose work makes you stop and think, "Wow, that's exactly the kind of vibe I'm going for," then you're on the right track. Remember, you're not just hiring skills; you're hiring vision. The Rabbiter - Melee Weapon REPUTATION MATTERS: A studio’s reputation can often provide really useful insights. Check out which games and projects they’ve previously worked on. Also, reviews and testimonials will provide information about their professionalism, reliability, and work ethic. This is especially important to take into consideration. GET THE QUOTE: Once you’ve shortlisted a few potential partners it’s time to reach out to them and get a quote. The more details you can provide about your project, the more precise the estimate will be. But remember - the cheapest isn't always the best. It’s not unheard of for some studios to give you an unbelievably low price to lock in the contract.  But once the work has started, you may find that they assigned their most junior staff to your project or that quality and communication are not up to expectations. If the price is too good to be true or much lower than your other quotes, make sure to ask them how they got to this number. The last thing you want is to discover that key deliverables were not included as part of the contract and you’ll need to pay extra. Ensure that all asset deliverables are included in the contract Working with a quality team, even if the quote may be slightly higher, can actually save you money if the delivery time is faster, the team is more professional and requires less rounds of feedback, and they may even offer suggestions to improve the product. A cheaper quote from a less reliable studio could end up costing you a lot more in countless hours of feedback, bad communication or missed deadlines, and taking precious time away from you or your art managers just trying to sort it all out. You may even end up simply doing the work yourself as a result. "If the price is too good to be true or much lower than your other quotes, make sure to ask them how they got to this number." COMMUNICATION IS KEY: Effective collaboration depends on clear, consistent communication. You should never be left wondering or worrying about what's being worked. As you are negotiating the contract, have your company's art outsourcing manager or art director meet with the art outsourcing partner and have them discuss communication tools, frequency of updates and project management strategies. You'll also want to ask the studio about their security infrastructure to ensure that your intellectual property is safe with them . A top-tier partner will be equipped to handle your project and keep you you in the loop at all stages, delivering exactly what you’re looking for. SEAL THE DEAL: You've made your choice. Now it's time to formalize the partnership. Make sure the contract covers all essential points - payment terms, delivery timelines, confidentiality, and anything else that may be important for your project. With these tips, you're ready to find the perfect 3D game art outsourcing company to bring your game to life. Whether it's breathtaking hyper-realistic sci-fi landscapes, stylized characters or anything in between, you're on your way to creating a visually captivating game that will keep players hooked. If you found this information useful and are interested in learning more or giving our services a try, contact us and we’d be happy to talk more with you and see if Sierra Division would be a good fit for your project, or if we can recommend one of our partners for your needs. We’re looking forward to hearing from you and giving your project the attention it deserves.

As we embark on a well-deserved holiday break, it's the perfect time to pause and reflect RTX Style on all the achievements we've celebrated throughout the year at Sierra Division. Follow along to see what we've been up to, from our client work to the team's internal projects, and make sure to scroll all the way down to find out who the lucky winners are of our social media giveaway. When we first launched Sierra Division, our goal was to bring top-tier content to a broader community and create groundbreaking artwork at the highest level for Games, Media and Entertainment. With the incredible dedication of every member of our team, we've been consistently striving to deliver excellence to all of our clients, continuing to create and iterate on our highly-rated props and environment asset packs, and have laid the ground-work for many internal projects, along with so much more this year. We've been busy haha. With thousands of you engaging with our content across our social media platforms and reaching out to us on our website, it's been a huge boost to our morale to have the community's support along the way. Thank you for being a crucial part of our success story! If you're interested in following our journey even closer, please consider subscribing to our newsletter where we'll be sharing recaps, doing giveaways, and providing the latest updates from the team. ART OUTSOURCING AND CLIENT WORK The reception of our art outsourcing work here at Sierra Division has been a true wonder to experience. Ever since our first client project for Snoop Dogg's - Crip Ya Enthusiasm Music Video , we've been incredibly lucky to have received attention from both major studios and indie studios alike. Our Client List is continuing to grow and the relationships along with them. We really value the opportunities we've been given to work on such amazing projects and with such passionate people. For now, many of the projects we've been working on still remain under NDA, but we can't wait to share them with you once we have the opportunity. The artists at Sierra Division have been busy this year, and we've grown quite a bit to accommodate our newfound popularity. Even with our expansion, maintaining a high level of quality throughout our work, ensuring customer satisfaction, and fostering a healthy working environment for our team, have remained at the forefront of what drives us. We look forward to continuing that steady growth into the new year. Thank you so much to our Clients! You keep us pushing forward and help us continue to make Sierra Division the great studio that it is. SIERRA DIVISION INTERNAL PROJECTS Not only have we been working with some great studios during our time Outsourcing, but we also have many on-going internal projects. Some of these projects have been shared publicly and others are still in the process of development. Let's take a look at what the year has had in store for us on the team. MARKETPLACE PACKS Industrial Sci-Fi and Modular Oil Rig Pack This pack has seen incredible success from our customer base. Over ten 5-Star reviews across Unreal Marketplace and Gumroad. We had tremendous fun creating the Oil Rig Cinematic Reveal trailer which can be found on our YouTube page . The pack contains VFX, multiple blueprints and a follow-along guide to make world-building easier. It has also been updated to add 5.1 support and future water plugin updates that have been made to UE5. Modular Interiors and Explorer Props Not only did we release the full set just this year, but have since added a full expansion to the pack that helps users create multi-story buildings. With a variety of stair types and options, this has been very exciting to share with the community. Heist Essentials and Tools Pack This was our first props release pack. It was a fun challenge to explore different options of releasing full environments vs. smaller prop sets for customers to enjoy. We look to continue to release a variety of content like this in the future. It's always good to have options! Our environment and prop packs can be found on Gumroad and the Unreal Engine Marketplace . KITBASH LIBRARY In order to optimize the efficiency of our asset creation process, we have been building out tools, libraries, and smart materials for the team. Earlier in the year, we shared a short Blog post on our ArtStation to showcase all the fun and creative ways the team is using our Kitbash Library to create some Friday Afternoon Artwork. UNANNOUNCED INTERNAL PROJECTS There's been a number of images and portfolio posts we've been making on our ArtStation regarding upcoming projects from the team. These are only a small glimpse into what we have been working on and can't wait to share more into the coming new year. More information and further announcements will be shared as each of the projects are closer to completion. If you're interested in looking at more images and detailed breakdowns of some of the assets, please take a look at what we've been sharing at the ArtStation link above! CHARITY CONTRIBUTIONS We like to give back whenever we can, and especially to causes that the team is passionate about. When releasing some of our Marketplace content, we committed to making charitable contributions for any amounts made for both our Oil Rig and Explorer's Room Packs on the Marketplace. We're happy to say that thanks to all of your support, we've already been able to contribute over $500 to the Charities through sales of our Assets. This is huge! It was only just a hope that we could start to make a difference, and in just one year it is becoming a reality. We will keep you all updated on the progress of these charity endeavors as they continue. In the meantime, if you are interested in seeing exactly where we are giving back, please take a look at the charity websites here. Ocean Conservancy https://oceanconservancy.org/ Project Amigo https://www.projectamigo.org/ THE OUTLOOK FOR 2024 TUTORIALS AND ONGOING CONTENT CREATION Be on the lookout for Tutorials and Guides coming from the Sierra Division team in 2024. We want to start sharing with all of you a deeper look into our processes, workflows, and general tips that help us to create beautiful artwork in a timely manner. Reach out to us as well if there are any specific tutorials you are interested in, or if you would like to collaborate with us on creating some new tutorial content! Some of our unannounced internal projects are of course related to new asset packs we've been working on, while others are part of something larger. In any case, if you've been happy with your products from our studio, you can absolutely expect to see more work from us in 2024 and more artwork available for sale to add to your library. AVAILABILITY FOR NEW CLIENTS In order to maintain close communication, high quality work, and strong relationships with our Clients, we are only adding new clients on a limited basis. If you are interested in working with us or hearing more about our services, we'd be happy to speak with you while we still have some room to take on your projects. Our artists have a wide variety of skills and are quick to adapt to new workflows that will fit your project. Reach out to us if you've been thinking of bringing on a new Outsourcing Partner or Co-Development Studio and we can talk more. GIVEAWAY WINNERS ANNOUNCED We were blown away that so many of you participated in our very first social media giveaway. To spread the holiday cheer we are selecting not one, but three winners! Without further ado, Congratulations to: Ilya C. on LinkedIn, Andres Ramirez on Twitter, and Guille2019 on Instagram. We hope you enjoy our Modular Interiors and Explorer Props . Let us know If you create something awesome with the asset pack by tagging Sierra Division on social. We hope to be able to do more giveaways in the future. Stay up-to-date on our activities by subscribing to our newsletter. THANK YOU FOR A WONDERFUL YEAR We owe everything to our valued customers, clients, and exceptional team. Thank you so much to everyone that supported us, that continues to work with us, and to those that are just joining. 2024 is going to be another exciting year and we can't wait to see how all of you will be a part of our journey. Cheers! Jacob Norris (aka PurePolygons), President Interested in reaching out to us regarding any of our Marketplace Packs or availability for new Client work? Feel free to Contact Us to find out more or consider Subscribing to our Newsletter to get the latest updates and news from the team.

Are you ready to take your art to new heights? Sierra Division invites junior to intermediate artists with 5 years or less experience to join the thrilling 3D prop challenge Himalayan Treasures from June 1st to July 10th. Imagine you are an explorer on a quest for treasure in the vast region of the Himalayas. What artifacts would you discover? As your objective, you'll need to create a 3D artifact that could be found in the Himalayas. This is more than a technical challenge, it's an opportunity to dive into the region's rich history and showcase your ability to combine research, your individual creativity, and storytelling skills. Submissions will be evaluated based on a comprehensive set of criteria, including adherence to guidelines, technical proficiency, visual impact, and cultural appropriateness. Ready for the adventure? 3D Challenge Prizes A total of 3 talented winners will be selected for this challenge. The grand prize is full admission to a 1:1 3D Environment Art mentorship with Sierra Division mentor Jon Arellano , with second place winning a Career Guidance Mentorship with Jacob Norris . We also have exciting Challenge prizes generously provided by our sponsors: NVIDIA , Adobe Substance 3D , Marmoset , Dash , Rizom-Lab , and ArtStation . See the full list of prizes: 1ST PLACE 2ND PLACE 3RD PLACE 1:1 - 8 sessions -Environment Art Mentorship with Jon Arellano NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 OR a NVIDIA Studio branded Laptop/ Specs: Razer Blade 14 with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 GPU. 16 GB RAM and 1TB SSD 1-year Individual subscription for Adobe Substance 3D 1-year Individual subscription for Marmoset Toolbag 1-year Individual subscription for Dash 1-year Individual License for Rizom UV Virtual Spaces USD$200 Gift Card to the Sierra Division S tore 1-year ArtStation Pro account 1:1 Career Guidance Mentorship session with Jacob Norris 1-year Individual subscription for Adobe Substance 3D 1-year Individual subscription for Marmoset Toolbag 1-year Individual subscription for Dash 1-year Individual License for Rizom UV Virtual Spaces USD$100 Gift Card to the Sierra Division Store 1-year ArtStation Pro account 1-year subscription to Adobe Substance 3D 1-year Individual subscription for Adobe Substance 3D 1-year Individual subscription for Marmoset Toolbag 1-year Individual subscription for Dash 1-year Individual License for Rizom UV Virtual Spaces USD$50 Gift Card to the Sierra Division Store 1-year ArtStation Pro account Challenge Judges: We have some incredible judges from Sierra Division and the Games Industry that are looking forward to seeing your Himalayan artifacts! Key Dates: Challenge Registrations Open: May 22 Challenge Dates: June 1st - July 10th Winners Announced: July 18th. Deliverables: To take part in the Challenge, you will need to first join our Discord Server and then register on our forum with that same Discord account. Once you are signed-in, create a new discussion post under the Himalayan Treasures: 3d Prop Challenge section where you will post the deliverables listed below: Artifact: A rendered prop or prop set, from any historical period, incorporating visual and artistic elements that are characteristic of the Himalayan region. Work-in-Progress:  Share your creative process, including reference gathering, sculpting, texturing, and more. Final Submissions:  Your final entry must include: Beauty Render : A high-quality render that showcases your prop in all its glory. Wireframe View:  A detailed wireframe to highlight your modeling skills. Breakdown View:  An insightful look into the textures and materials used, providing a comprehensive understanding of your work. Specifications:  Minimum resolution of 1920x1080px in JPEG format. All submissions must include your legal name, the title of your work, and Challenge logo. Download logo here . Challenge Rules Contestants must submit their best Himalayan inspired artifact by July 10th at 23:30 UTC. Contestants must be 18 years of age or older and have 5 years or less experience as a 3D artist. Registration is free but required to enter. All contestants need to have a Discord account to register for our contest, join our Discord server, and sign up on our forum with the same Discord account. Registration begins on May 22nd, 2024. Join our Discord server here . For the complete list of rules, eligible countries, and terms & conditions, please go here .

Learn how to create a photorealistic, game-ready prop with Sierra Division.     Join Sierra Division's Environment Artist   Niels Couvreur , as he walks you through the full game-asset pipeline to create a brand-new portfolio piece – a real-time prop based on the vintage camera. You'll learn how to model, optimize, texture, and present a game-ready 3D asset using a CAD to polygon workflow in Fusion 360. The Series is divided into four main chapters with sub-chapters for each, covering the full game-asset pipeline. Modeling: Discover modeling in CAD as you recreate the vintage camera in Fusion 360. This chapter will cover reference gathering, the blockout, and creating low-detail and high detail versions in our CAD software. Low Poly, Game-Ready Asset: Learn how to optimize your model for real-time rendering by creating a low-poly version that strikes the perfect balance between visual fidelity and performance. We'll also discuss the pros and cons of converting models with the best topology from CAD. Baking & Texturing: Bring your model to life by applying realistic textures and materials. Learn texturing techniques and workflows to achieve a visually stunning result. Presentation: Put the finishing touches on your real-time prop by setting up an appealing scene that showcases your work in the best possible light. Rendering workflows will be demonstrated in Marmoset, as well as NVIDIA Omniverse USD Composer for those looking for a free alternative. By the end, you'll have gained invaluable skills in CAD modeling, game asset optimization, texturing, and presentation. Most importantly, you'll have a polished, real-time prop to add to your portfolio, demonstrating your skill and knowledge of the game asset pipeline. Course Starter Content: Download our Starter Content pack to to help you follow-along as you create your own Vintage Camera. Featured Software Below is the list of software used in the Series, as well as alternatives to choose from. Fusion 360   (Alternative: Plasticity ) Moi3D  / Pixyz 3dsMax   (Alternatives: Blender , Maya or other modeling software) ZBrush (Alternatives: Blender) RizomUV (Alternatives: Blender / Zen UV ) Marmoset Toolbag Adobe Substance Painter NVIDIA Omniverse RELEASE SCHEDULE Courses in this Series will be released on our YouTube on a weekly basis. Follow-along at the same pace as other learners and connect with them by joining our community Discord server. On Discord, you will be able to ask questions and share your progress. Part 1 - Modeling June 27 Course Introduction Watch now June 27 Reference Gathering Watch now June 27 Setup & Blockout Watch now July 1 Blockout Part II Watch now July 2 Low Detail Part II Watch now July 3 High Detail Pass Watch now Part 2 - Low Poly, Game-Ready July 8 Low-Poly Conversion Watch now July 9 Low-Poly Optimization Watch now Part 3 - Baking and Texturing July 23 Baking in Marmoset Watch now July 24 Part I - Base Layers Watch now July 25 Part II - Detailing Watch now Part 4: Rendering July 30 Marmoset Toolbag Watch now July 31 NVIDIA .USD Composer Watch now

It's a wrap for the first Sierra Division 3D Art Challenge ! From June 1st to July 10, artists were tasked with creating an original Himalayan artifact. Over 50 artists participated from around the world, for not only the chance to win cool prizes, but to test their skills and have a new project to include in their portfolio. We were thoroughly impressed by the participants' skill level, creativity, and community spirit; it was inspiring to see everyone cheering each other on. We would like to thank our wonderful industry judges for taking the time to carefully review all challenge submissions: Javier Perez, Jonathan Benainous, Inka Sipola, Jon Arellano, Sebastian Bielecki, Miroslav Baev, Niels Courvreaur, Doru Bogdan and Jacob Norris. As well as give a heartfelt thank you to our prize sponsors: NVIDIA, Adobe Substance 3D, Marmoset, Rizom UV, Dash and ArtStation. All those that completed the challenge should be very proud of their work. This was not an easy challenge and you did it! Watch our Showcase featuring the final submissions received, and continue below for the Winners and Honorable Mentions reveal. THE WINNERS 1ST PLACE: Jacek Barabasz - Handheld Prayer Wheel "I chose the Tibetan hand-held prayer wheel because they embody a unique blend of spiritual practice, artistic craftsmanship, and cultural heritage, serving as a tangible means for practitioners to engage with their faith and spread positive spiritual energy." -JB Jacek will receive a Sierra Division Mentorship  with Jon Arellano, a Store  gift card, and prizes from our sponsors. What the judges had to say: "Excellent execution on different materials; beautiful work!" "Really nice asset with a rich history as well! A tight UV pack, well placed and optimized geo, even texel density across the asset, and I absolutely love the display of how this asset comes apart. Perfectly executed." "It was definitely the best executed prop in terms of quality, and presentation. Artistic liberties from the reference in terms of texturing were for the better." Go to Jacek's full submission. 2ND PLACE: Cody Trenholm - Phurba "I worked on this off and on over the past two weeks and had a blast, especially with the texturing. Geo was not limited for the challenge, so I took the opportunity to go crazy with ZBrush." - CT Cody will receive a Sierra Division Mentorship with Jacob Norris, a Store Gift Card, and prizes from our sponsors. What the judges had to say: "Cody's creativity and skills really stood out. The Phurba he made really nails the 'Himalayan Treasures' theme with great details and a nice design." "Lots of great sculpting!" "This prop turned out great! I really enjoy the details in the albedo and the attention to clean UVs. This feels like it could be straight out of Tomb Raider! The sculpting looks really nicely done and the overall piece is amazing! " Go to Cody's full submission. 3RD PLACE: Rodrigo De La Rosa - Citipati Statue "Commonly known as Citipati (meaning ‘Lord of the Funeral Pyre’) these Guardians of the Cremation Ground invariably depicted as a pair of male and female skeletons in a dancing pose. They are intended to be quite terrifying with a gruesome smile on their skull-faces but this function is intended to scare only those who enter the graveyard with improper intentions. Such intruders might include tantric vow-breakers who wish to misuse the cemetery for evil rituals or thieves who intend to rob the deceased person’s remains. In addition to these obvious protective roles they also act as encouraging presences for those meditators whose proper tantric rituals require the use of a cemetery as a place for meditation on impermanence and death itself." - RDLR Rodrigo will receive a Store  Gift Card, and prizes from our sponsors. What the judges had to say: "He put a lot of effort into the sculpting and texturing; even went above and beyond to hand retopo it. Overall, it's a really nice piece and would fit perfectly in my living room." "Great design and strong silhouettes; nice balance of color." "This statue really captures the Himalayan culture well. The sculpting and texturing are really good and definitely deserves a spot on the podium." Go to Rodrigo's full submission. HONORABLE MENTIONS Honorable Mention: Jacob Lipelt - Mandala Go to Jacob's full submission. Honorable Mention: Moitel Thibault - Mask of Greed Go to Moitel's full submission. Honorable Mention: Vitalii Kiforenko - Exorcist Box Go to Vitalii's full submission. Honorable Mention: Humza Sohail - Ritual Dagger Go to Humza's full submission. Honorable Mention: Sebastian Kmec - Prayer Pipe Go to Sebastian's full submission. Honorable Mention: Ksenia Beloshevskaia - Hanging Bell Go to Ksenia's full submission. Honorable Mention: Hirak Banerjee - Praying Bell Go to Hirak's full submission. Join our Discord to congratulate participants, and be the first to know about upcoming activities at Sierra Division.

On #PortfolioDay, 3D artists across Twitter "X" were able to submit their portfolio to the Sierra Division team for a chance to receive personalized feedback on their work. In a time where the job market is fiercely competitive and navigating its challenges can be daunting, many artists voiced their struggles and asked for guidance on how to refine their portfolio to improve their job prospects in the industry. For all those who could not take part in our activity, we've narrowed down our insights into five essential tips. These pointers are designed to help you avoid common mistakes and boost your portfolio's effectiveness when applying to jobs. 1. Specialize Before Diversifying If you browse industry job boards, you will discover that the majority of studios are seeking artists that have a specialization. For example, they may be looking for 3D artists specializing in characters or environments, props and so on. This is why it is important to think about your career and what you want to specialize in as you build your portfolio. Keep a couple of things in mind: What is the job I want? What skills do I require to do this job, and am I showcasing this in my portfolio? - Rachaël van Roij, Character Artist, Sierra Division Once you've identified the type of 3D artist you want to be, see that your portfolio supports your career goal by removing projects that don't belong. For example, if your goal is to be an environment artist, then you should remove character studies and fan art from your portfolio. A portfolio with a strong focus will help potential employers better evaluate you as an artist and improve your chances of getting hired. 2. Know Your Audience Consider the perspective of recruiters and art directors as you build your portfolio. They will be reviewing your work to determine if you have the required skills and style that they are hiring for. Invest time in researching the studios you're interested in applying to, as well as the portfolios of the artists that work at these studios. This will provide you with invaluable insight into their stylistic preferences and expected skill level. You can then tailor your portfolio to be more attractive to these studios. 3. Showcase Your Process Prospective employers want to see how you approach a project and value insight into your workflow and creative process almost as much as the final product itself. Don't just have final works in your portfolio; include breakdowns, step-by-step progress shots, sketches and mood boards to demonstrate your approach from concept to final render. These will help highlight your technical skills and problem-solving capabilities. Get creative when showcasing your breakdowns. You can do videos, GIFs or slideshows. 4. Quality Over Quantity When algorithms push artists to publish regularly on social media to get more views and followers, many believe that they need to include all of their works in their portfolio. However, your portfolio should be separate from your social media accounts. Social media is there to drive awareness, while your portfolio serves to convince studios you are right for the job. "Your portfolio is as good as your worst work. Less is more. It's better to have 2-3 great pieces than 10 mediocre ones."- Sebastian Bielecki, Principal Environment Artist, Sierra Division. 5. Brand Your Artwork Consider adding or embedding your name or logo on your work when uploading to your online portfolio. This simple step ensures that if your work is shared or saved by others it remains identifiable and traced back to you, potentially leading to job opportunities! Take a look at our ArtStation portfolio to see how we brand our projects. Include your logo when publishing to your portfolio and social media accounts. By following these tips, you'll ensure your portfolio not only captures the attention of potential employers and clients, but also showcases your professionalism and proficiency in 3D art production. Whether aiming for indie or AAA studios, a well-designed portfolio is your ticket to success. Additional Portfolio Resources: Find additional resources to help you improve as a 3D artist and create a winning portfolio: ArtStation Learning: Guide to Game Art Applications - Part 1 - Portfolios Instructor: Kieran Goodson Watch here How to Build a Portfolio as a Game Artist Instructor: J Hill Watch here Building a Games Portfolio for Your Future ArtStation feat. Jeremy Estrellado, Alex Beddows and Jacob Norris Watch here Communities: Online Game Art communities are excellent hubs to connect with other artists in the industry, learn, and get feedback on your work. Our team regularly recommends artists to check out the below communities and join their Discords. Dinusty Empire EXP-Points Sierra Division Discord (Yes, we now have a Discord where you can connect with our team and other artists!) Sign-up to Sierra Division's newsletter to get updated on educational content, portfolio reviews and more.

Wandering the street food markets in Asia is an artist's dream. They are a visual feast heighted by the smell of food and eclectic sounds. The decor is vibrant with numerous street food carts packed tightly together and featuring all sorts of different types of food or wares. During rush hour, vendors stand busily behind their carts as hungry clients, locals and tourists alike, place their orders. As your eye wanders and soaks up the environment, all the little details start to capture your attention. The rusty wheels of the carts, the colorful worn umbrellas, stained handmade signs, and all the perfect imperfections call upon you as an artist to capture this incredibly cool vibe. A video clip of a street food market in Thailand. The music, street sounds, the food, and the people gathering around the vendors and their food carts is a multisensory experience. Video credit: Jacob Norris. The Inspiration The inspiration for the Street Food Carts came from travel pictures taken in Taiwan and Thailand. Like any curious traveler, Sierra Division's founder, Jacob Norris, visited many popular neighborhoods and street markets in these countries. Captivated by the ambiance and decor, he took countless pictures and videos, recognizing their potential as invaluable reference material. Going beyond simple snapshots, on some occasions he would even capture photogrammetry for elements that could benefit from it in the future. “ Sometimes I would initially take pictures with my phone and make note of any interesting objects or details. Marking the spot on my map to remember, I’ll go back the next day with the camera and then I'll do the photogrammetry run or a closer more detailed reference set up for it.” Getting Started on the Street Food Carts It was only years later that these reference pictures became of use. While searching for inspiration for a new portfolio piece for Sierra Division, finding the pictures taken of the street food markets was like opening Pandora's Box. They provided the perfect opportunity to create a fun and challenging portfolio piece. As a studio, you want to create a piece that will showcase all your different skill sets, and also pick a subject that is cool and that the team will enjoy working on. A busy road in Thailand featuring a man pedaling his tightly packed mobile street food cart. Image credit: Jacob Norris. Sorting the Reference Pictures Over 5,000 photographs were taken during the trip, requiring the sorting and organization of all shots of the various markets visited. Once compiled, a broad overview was conducted, emphasizing the must-have elements of Street Food Markets and contemplating what would make the environment iconic. Focusing on the street food carts was the logical choice, as they are the main element that defines these markets. Considering the Users When creating a prop, consideration must be given to its intended use. Behind every food cart stands a vendor, and the perspective of these individuals must be taken into account. Analyzing reference images enabled the identification of essential items required for food preparation and the various components necessary to ensure the carts are fully functional. This entailed contemplating utensils, washing bins for plates, seating arrangements, ventilation, and other pertinent factors that would need to made to bring realism to the 3D version of the food carts. A street food vendor in Thailand. Think about what this man would need for his food cart. ....Also that just looks like some really tasty food Image credit: Jacob Norris. Figuring out Requirements Once the assets needing creation were identified, the next step was determining how to approach this project. To best highlight the studio's skills, the team opted to create these assets from scratch using traditional 3d modeling software. With limited resources, particularly since this project served as an internal portfolio piece, modularity became essential. As a studio you need to be efficient and cost-effective. Modularity allows you to create new environments from these assets, expand on a scene and also gives the option to sell these assets, giving the opportunity for others to create with them. The different parts of each asset was inventoried and organized using a numbering system. Each part can then be easily reused in a different project. Assigning to the Team After compiling the asset list, the team was tasked with assignments based on their skill sets and specializations. Consistently maintaining the highest quality throughout detailed environments poses a significant challenge. Even with a top-notch team, it's crucial to understand each person's expertise to ensure that each part is handled to the highest degree, be it the modeling, texturing or lighting. The quality, look and feel must be consistent throughout. The Goal Capturing the entirety of emotions and unique experiences within street food markets in a 3D environment is impossible. However, we aim to offer others a glimpse into their vibrant atmosphere. As artists, we felt deeply connected to the vendors and their improvised street food carts. These vendors are a distinct breed of artists, crafting their own food or creations and sharing them with the world for others to enjoy. Find high-resolution images of Street Food Carts in our portfolio . All vegetables seen in this project can be obtained from our store .

We are thrilled to announce the launch of our new 3D asset store. Getting high quality 3D assets by the Sierra Division art team is now only a click away. Perfect for Games, Animation, VR, Unreal Engine, AAA to indie, our assets are made specifically with the user in mind. Our assets will fit seamlessly in your environments. You'll never need to worry about your game or experience looking cheap or boring ever again. Get everything from industrial pipes, heist tools, sleek interiors, materials and blueprints, essential furniture props, and much more. Benefits Purchasing from our store gets you some awesome benefits that you won't find on other marketplaces: Unique and high quality 3D Assets: Made by our Art team with the utmost care and precision. Choose your license : Find options for indie buyers and enterprises. Lowest Price: Get the best price on our assets. Priority Support: Get a reply within 1 business day. *Currently available via Desktop. Mobile version coming soon. Launch Offer: Free 3D Asset Pack As part of our launch celebration, we are offering our Modular Interiors and Explorers Props pack for FREE for the entire month of March. With this pack you will be able to create hallways, rooms, entrances, and full spaces. Included are highly detailed hero props that are ready to be used in 1st Person player experiences or as beautiful props in your story driven environments. Simply apply code SDSTORE at checkout to claim yours. Code valid for individual, indie, and commercial licenses until March 31st.

Happening from March 18 to 22 in San Francisco, the Game Developers Conference is the go-to event in North America to connect with Game industry professionals and learn more about the latest trends and developments. Whether you are going on behalf of your company or attending on your own, preparation is key to having a successful and productive time at the conference. Here are 12 tips from our Studio to help guide you as you gear up for the event. Image Credit: GDC Official PLAN FOR GDC EARLY 1) Set a Goal for Attending GDC There are several reasons to attend GDC, such as networking with peers to staying updated on industry trends. To give you focus, start by defining your primary goal for attending. This could mean finding new clients or securing in-person meetings with studio recruiters to increase job prospects. Once you've set your goal, it will be easier to identify the key individuals, companies, and activities you want to meet with. This approach will keep you on track and help maximize your time at the event. Meet with the right outsourcing studios at GDC with the help of our guide. 2) Research Passes and Activities GDC is massive and there's a lot to see and do. In 2023, GDC drew more than 28,000 attendees, held 700 sessions, and had more than 330 exhibitors on the Expo Floor*. One can only imagine what this year will have in store. There are four tier passes for GDC, and your choice decides your access. If you're goal is to learn about the industry, go for the Summits badge. It grants access to Monday and Tuesday sessions before the Expo. For networking, the Expo badge works. There are also plenty of networking activities you can do without a badge. Studios, Companies, and self-interest groups will often organize their own events, such as industry mixers or summits at various locations near Moscone Center. GDC attendees watching the Epic Games "State of Unreal" Image Credit: Official GDC 3) Book Your Trip If you're fortunate enough to call San Francisco home, you've got a head start. But for those traveling from elsewhere, it's time to secure your flights and accommodations. Take advantage of any hotel discounts available through GDC's official website to keep expenses in check. San Francisco can also get sketchy. For your safety, and especially if you are traveling alone, avoid the Tenderloin area when booking a hotel. 4) Scan Social Media for GDC Mentions From late January leading up to the conference, you'll notice a surge in GDC-related posts, with many individuals and companies announcing their presence. Consider joining the conversation by making your own post—it's an excellent opportunity to discover if people you know will also be attending, potentially saving you the effort of individually reaching out to all your contacts to inquire about their plans. Social media also serves as the prime platform for discovering the parties, networking events, and summits occurring alongside the conference. Lookout for party lists being shared on GDC related Facebook groups or find the invites through Eventbrite. 5) Schedule Meetings in Advance It's common for people's schedules to fill up quickly before the conference kicks off. If you simply walk up to a booth on the Expo Floor, the business development manager or recruiter you're eager to speak with might already be busy in meetings. Chance encounters do happen, especially at networking events or even while queuing for your GDC pass, but do aim to secure some meetings in advance. When booking meetings, look for a single location to host them so that you’re not running around San Francisco. If you don’t have a booth, hotel lobbies near Moscone Center are a popular option. Get there early to grab a spot while you wait for your meeting attendees to show up. However, if you find that you’ll need to do some running around to get from meeting to meeting, give yourself a good buffer. Contact us to book a meeting at GDC 6) Networking Prep You never know who you will run into at GDC. Order enough business cards to hand out or create a digital business card that includes all of your most important links, such as your portfolio, website and social media accounts. Wi-Fi can be spotty at conferences, so prepare an offline version of your work to avoid any technical issues. This is especially important if you are planning on meeting with clients or recruiters and want to show them your work. 7) Bring Unique Swag Attending GDC presents a strategic opportunity to showcase your personal or company brand. Stand out from the crowd by bringing cool and unique swag for people to remember you by. This could be a keychain with a character from your game or a USB stick with unique art. Think outside the box! Whatever you decide on bringing, think how these items will help spark conversations and leave a lasting impression long after the event concludes. We will be bringing our sleek new business cards, and also have a fun little surprise. AT GDC 8) Get your GDC Pass Get your pass as soon as you arrive. Lines can be long and you'll need your pass to gain access to the Expo Hall and talks. 9) Have Fun Networking and Discovering You'll want to connect with the studios and companies that will help you achieve your GDC goal. But, don't forget to have some fun and leave room for chance encounters: On the Expo Floor, play some games, try out the latest VR tech, or visit providers to discover what new tools you can add to your arsenal. It's an opportunity to discover new companies, make new connections and pick-up some cool branded swag along the way. When at parties, now is the time to have some drinks to relax and start conversations, but don't overdo it. It's still a professional conference and you can start having just a coke or a spritzer without alcohol to continue staying social while still being ready and fresh for the next day. Have fun, but remember your goal for attending! Last year, GDC attendees go to meet and watch our Creative Director, Jacob Norris, do an Unreal Engine demo at the Epic Games booth. 10) Keep Track of Who You Meet If you follow Tips #5 and #9 you will be meeting with a ton of people. Keep track of who you meet, make a quick note of what you discussed, and any action items to take after the conference. AFTER GDC 11) Follow-up Don't let those new connections go cold. Add everyone you met with to your contact list, and send them quick email or LinkedIn message saying it was nice to meet them. If you discussed working together, follow up with more details or set up a meeting. 12) Reflect on Your Experience Now is the time to go full-circle. Remember Tip #1 where you set your goal for attending GDC? Now is time to reflect on your experience and see if you reached your goal for attending. Write your thoughts in a private document or go ahead and do a public blog post to let the world know. We hope you enjoyed our GDC Pro tips! Studios looking to work with a new art outsourcing partner can book a meeting with our team at GDC. Learn more about our art outsourcing and co-development services, as well as ways to partner with us on upcoming projects. Meet Jacob Norris: Creative Director Jacob Norris (aka PurePolygons) is the Creative Director and Founder of Sierra Division. Prior to founding the studio, Jacob worked at Insomniac games, Kojima Productions, Naughty Dog, and lead multiple projects and teams at NVIDIA. Some of the games he’s worked on include, Metal Gear Solid V, Resistance 3, Uncharted 4 and NVIDIA’s RTX Demos, such as Marbles RTX, Ramen Shop, Project Sol, among many others. To schedule a meeting with the Sierra Division team, you can use our contact form below or find us through the official GDC Event app.