The Day-to-Day Life of a 3D Character Artist: Behind the Scenes 3D Character Creation Workflow

As a 3D Character Artist, the work goes far beyond just sculpting cool characters. It’s a mix of artistry, technical problem-solving, and structured planning that all come together to bring characters to life in a production pipeline.

Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of the process I personally follow, which I believe are some of the most important foundations in character creation.

Angelo's 3D Model based on Chamako's concept art

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Step 1: Understanding the Foundations

Before touching any tools or starting on a model, it’s critical to understand and practice the art pillars. These are what make or break the believability and strength of your work.

• Art Principles: Line, composition, color theory, form, shape, tone, value, gesture, and weight.,

• Anatomy Practice: Human, animal, and cloth studies to understand structure and movement.,

• Inventive Anatomy: Once foundations are strong, experiment by pushing and redesigning anatomy.,

• Primary, Secondary, Tertiary Forms: Build from large, simple shapes → medium details → fine details.,

• Focus on Primary Forms: A solid base is more important than surface detail. Without it, the model will always feel weak.

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Step 2: Research & Absorbing Reality

The next step is diving into research and reference gathering. This is where your observation skills come into play.

• Collect References: Background stories, fabrics, materials, props, time period references.,

• Material Studies: Understand textures, how fabrics are woven, and how surfaces react to light.,

• Contextual Research: If working on clothing, study sewing techniques and construction methods.,

• Observe Reality: Don’t just imagine what something looks like—train your eye to notice small details and subtleties.,

The more you observe and research, the more believable and authentic your characters will feel.

Reference Images

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Step 3: Structuring the 3D Character Creation Workflow

Once the art principles are understood and research is gathered, the next focus is creating a workflow that sets you up for success.

• Project Setup: Decide how to break down your materials and mesh.,

• Workflow Fit: Every project is different—choose the workflow that fits best.,

• Resolution & Density: Define texture resolution, texel density, and polycount targets.,

• Flexibility: Build structures that allow for quick changes. Avoid workflows that lock you in and cause problems when revisions come in.,

• Pipeline Integration: When working in a studio, study how the team sets up shaders, models, and assets so you can integrate smoothly. (For example, when I worked on Risk of Rain 2: DLC – Survivors of the Void, I had to align with their shader networks and pipelines while keeping my own workflow efficient.),

Having a plan doesn’t eliminate all challenges, but it makes the process far smoother.

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Conclusion

I consider these three steps the most important part of a 3D character creation workflow. The technical side—modeling techniques, sculpting tricks, or software tools—are valuable, but without strong foundations, research, and a solid workflow, the work will always feel weak. Tools are only as powerful as the artist behind them. I hope this breakdown helps shed some light on the behind-the-scenes process of a 3D Character Artist. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out—I always enjoy connecting with other artists.

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Meet the Writer

Angelo Gazzia

Hi. I’m a 3D Character Artist with 4 years of professional experience. I’ve had the chance to work on projects like Risk of Rain 2: DLC – Survivors of the Void, creating enemies, survivors, and skins while collaborating closely with teams to integrate assets into production pipelines. Beyond production, I’m deeply passionate about anatomy, design, and the artistry that makes characters feel alive. For me, art is not just a career, but a lifelong love and pursuit.