The sudden outbreak of the covid-19 virus has shaken industries down to their foundations. Regardless of the size of businesses- small, medium, or large, the pandemic has spared none. The 3D industry is not an exception either, with independent 3D artists being the worst affected by the pandemic.
That being said, collaborating with customers online has always been a pain. That is if you don’t know the right ways to do the same. In that case, we’ll be discussing ways in which a 3D artist can collaborate with a customer online in the midst of a pandemic.
How Can You Work Online as a 3D Artist Amidst the Pandemic?
Thanks to the availability of affordable internet and advanced hardware compatibility, working remotely has never been this easier for a 3D artist. Let’s understand how you can utilize these things and find yourselves a decent job as a 3d artist while working remotely.
Freelance Websites are there to help
Finding a job through a freelance website is the most common approach you can follow to get yourself some high-paying clients. The freelance market is growing at an exponential rate, thanks to the work-from-home scenario and easy accessibility. Clients find getting skilled artists quick and convenient using freelance platforms while artists get good clients, a win-win for both parties.
Furthermore, using freelance websites to get jobs is far more effective than conventional approaches. Here are a few websites that can provide you with the highest-paying clients amidst lockdown due to pandemic:
- Upwork
Upwork is one of the biggest marketplaces for freelancers and agencies to get things done as fast as possible, providing its users with unparalleled transparency and convenience. Upwork always remains loaded with thousands of clients seeking highly-skilled freelancers for a reasonable price. The best part of all is that Upwork lets you connect with clients from all across the globe, as long as you and your client speak the same language, things should work out smoothly.
However, make sure to present your services with a high-quality pitch on Upwork to get listed as high as possible. Furthermore, Upwork deducts 20% from the total amount paid by the client as a service fee.
- Fiverr
The US-based freelancing platform Fiverr has been around for quite a while, never once has it left the number one position when it comes to freelancing platforms. Fiverr boasts the biggest user base of all, with the number of active buyers reaching up to a whopping 3.42 million, with the processed gross merchandise value exceeding $700 million (as per 2020 data). Fiverr works independently of the region you’re in, all you need is some good 3D rendering and modeling skills and you’ll land yourself a high-ticket client on Fiverr.
- PeoplePerHour
PeoplePerHour is another freelance marketplace that specializes in connecting small businesses to skilled freelancers. PeoplePerHour enables you to charge a service based on time. That means clients will have to pay you for the time you dedicate towards finishing their project, letting you make more money for doing complex tasks.
- Using LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a social media platform primarily focused on career and professionalism. Maintaining your LinkedIn profile is the least you can do to stand out in the competitive market. LinkedIn is especially helpful for beginner 3D artists who can’t seem to land a high-paying client due to a lack of experience.
However, finding clients on LinkedIn is the toughest approach you can go with, yet it’s also the most rewarding. Once you’ve mastered LinkedIn and managed to create a strong profile, finding customers for your services will be a piece of cake. LinkedIn allows you to build a strong long-term portfolio that can benefit you anywhere in your career.
You can also use the platform to write blogs, create a network, or engage with fellow 3D artists. Overall, it won’t be wrong to say that LinkedIn is your best friend when it comes to finding customers for collaboration online amidst the pandemic.
Best Online Collaboration Tools for 3D Artists
There are some online 3D collaboration tools that let 3D artists collaborate with their customers online in real-time. Here is the best of them:
- Slack
Slack is a one-of-a-kind collaboration tool created while keeping artists in mind. It allows artists from all across the globe to collaborate clearly in real-time. Enabling perfect and clear real-time communication, Slack is a godsend collaboration tool for beginners and professionals alike.
From a business perspective, thanks to the real-time communication with the customer, you won’t need to spend time on emails and meetings anymore. The tool becomes even more effective when it comes to managing teams. You can utilize multiple channels to effectively communicate with the members of your team without creating a fuss, enabling project development to be smoother than ever.
Slack is extremely popular and has a gigantic user base of more than 12 million. The software is so popular that there’s a good chance you’re already using it.
- Invision
Invision is a platform-independent collaboration tool created specifically for designers. The tool can turn your designs into fully active prototypes, all while keeping your progress synced. This allows clients to provide you with feedback at every step of your design, marginally reducing the chances of getting major errors in the final piece.
Invision demands no upfront payment, you can get started with the tool without spending a dime for your first project. You’ll need a paid plan if you want to further utilize the software for your projects.
- GoVisually
The free software enables hassle-free communication between clients and designers. For instance, GoVisually allows you to add comments or mark annotations within the design, enabling effective communication of the design. While this saves designers from hourlong calls and painful emails, clients can effectively address the issues to designers by targeting specific parts of the design with comments and annotations.
Furthermore, the annotations can be chosen with the shape of your choice- elliptical, rectangular, or free-hand lasso. You can customize the selection even further by changing its colour and weight. GoVisually is a handy tool for designers who are looking for the best free collaboration tool (Yes! It’s completely free to use).
The software also doesn’t hold back when it comes to artist-artist collaboration. For instance, it makes managing projects easier by implementing a feature called “layers” which especially comes in handy when collaborating with different departments. Layers in GoVisuallywork the same as Photoshop, each user contributing to the project can create a new layer that can be hidden or shown with just a click.
- Basecamp
Basecamp is undoubtedly one of the most straightforward collaboration tools known for its simple and beginner-friendly UI. That being said, unlike other project management applications, Basecamp’s UI is far more consistent and understandable. In fact, the sole purpose of creating Basecamp revolved around keeping the UI as simple as possible as the developers at 37Signals (owner of Basecamp) couldn’t find a less complex collaboration tool.
The software features, most of the collaborative tools, designers mostly make use of. To-do lists, wiki-style documents, file sharing and messaging, you name it, Basecamp has it. To top everything off, the versatility that Basecamp provides is immense, enabling artists to work on Basecamp via the web or with Android and iOS applications.
What’s the current scenario for 3D artists in physical reality?
Section plans, elevation plans, floor plans, diagrams, and renderings are no longer necessary for 3D artists when presenting their work to customers. They can’t guarantee that their customers would be happy with their job even if they prepared all the necessary resources.
When a customer discovers something that they don’t like, the real trouble begins since the customer refuses to let go of it. This is a prevalent issue for 3D artists working with customers online in the digital era. Because of the time and expense involved, the animation is a poor solution to this issue. Do you know the best approach to collaborate online with your customers and have the least amount of hassle? If you’d want some helpful hints on how to approach this problem in a manner that benefits both you and your clients, we’d be happy to supply them. No matter what you do or where you come from, communication is the key to your success.
How can the collaboration happen to customers online?
We’ll talk about the best methods to work effectively with your clients online and ensure everyone is on the same page. There are several factors to consider while attempting to grasp the employment market for 3D artists. With any luck, this brief handbook will assist you in navigating the job market and communicating with your customers.
3D Freelancing Rendering Procedure
A complex method is used to turn 2D photos into 3D renderings. While there are precise phases in the process, many 3D rendering artists typically go forward according to their previous knowledge and the customer’s needs.
The procedure often goes like this:
- Getting To Know The Task
3D artists begin by understanding the project’s vision, needs, and goal from the client’s perspective, which is done via drawings, blueprints, and reference photos. The 3D artist may develop a 3D idea or visualization of the project. The 3D artist chooses the camera angles after the 2D blueprints are finalized. Understanding the task is very important for online coordination.
- A 3D Model Must Be Created First
To generate digital 3D models, 3D artists make use of specialized computer tools. Physical models are modelled after their 3D counterparts. The picture, on the other hand, can only be found in digital form. You can even get a small prototype ready for customers online.
- Materials and Textures
To make a 3D model seem more realistic, 3D designers employ materials and textures. It’s a lot like painting and sticking things on an actual model in that respect. Modifying and applying a rough or smooth texture digitally may be done to model surfaces as needed.
- Lighting Design
A 3D render’s lighting is crucial since the digital 3D model must simulate a real-world lighting environment. If you’ve ever worked with physical lighting, then you know how difficult it can be to create realistic-looking light for a 3D render. So, take care of it since it’s a little more challenging when it comes to demonstrating your work online.
- Executing The Rendering Methodology
A technique known as rendering creates 2D graphics once the 3D model has been made. Depending on the 3D artist’s ability and the Render’s needs, rendering time might range from a few minutes to a couple of days. The picture or scene’s complexity determines the quality of a 3D render and the amount of detail sought and might take a while. However, make sure that you pay attention to the deadline, you are committed to customers online.
- Increasing The Quality Of The Render
To get customer comments and input online, low-resolution drafts of the Render are sent over as part of the 3D render refinement process. A 3D render artist uses this input to build an optimal picture, then incorporates all of the client’s requests. Accommodating customer feedback is essential when it comes to online collaboration.
- The Render Is Delivered
The agreed-upon photos are sent back to the customer in the specified format and size after proposed adjustments are included in the 3D renderings. Once the customers are confident about your work online, you get a green signal, else you make the edits. After that, the images may be optimized for the specific end-use by the client.
What can a 3D artist attract customers online amidst a pandemic?
- Being The First To Do Something
Getting an early start and becoming the greatest are often linked. You commit to working on projects that other people deem unimportant or not worth their attention. Being the first means taking a certain amount of risk since you never know whether your idea, product, or talent will find a market. You’ll be light years ahead of the competition once it occurs.
- Making The Transition To Expert Status
Starting early is essential to being an expert, but it isn’t required to be the greatest. It necessitates that you be seen as someone who has the know-how and is constantly looking for creative solutions to problems. Your reputation will grow, and you’ll get more exposure if you publish your instructions online or in brand publications.
- Winning A Challenge Is A Nice Feeling
Winning is an excellent opportunity to showcase one’s abilities and stand out from the rest of the pack. Nowadays, it isn’t easy to win contests due to the rise in the average skill level of 3D artists. You shouldn’t give up since taking part in challenges is always helpful to your resume, and the more you do it, the more likely you are to get recognized. Don’t give up. A decent place to start if you’ve never entered a 3D competition before is the Weekly CG Challenge.
- Making A Statement On A Crowded Field
If you’ve already got a desk job, make a name for yourself as a dependable, knowledgeable professional who always got things done on time, listened well to input, and worked well with others. Many of your co-workers may change jobs in the future, relocate to a new city or country, and contemplate working with you once again on a remote basis in the future.
- Creating A Network Of Contacts
You will benefit from having as many people aware of and talking about what you do as much as possible. Word-of-mouth marketing is the most successful since it is honest, efficient, and cost-free.
- Taking A Look At The Classified Ads In Your Area’s Newspapers And Periodicals
Even though this strategy is the simplest, it may be the most successful if done right. Take architectural visualization artists, for example. If you’re interested in local real estate investing opportunities, focus on residential properties. Most likely, you’ll come across firms in need of assistance with interior renderings or project visualizations.
To Sum It Up
Cities like New York, where real estate is flourishing, and similarly bustling ones like Mumbai and Delhi, have seen a growth in 3D rendering over the past several years. After carving out a position in the industry, 3D rendering has grown in popularity to the point that specialized software is now required to provide the highest possible render quality. When it comes to online collaboration, it is often important to tap the right market, especially during pandemic.
Use the freelancing websites listed above, to find more experience and customers if you are a freelance 3D artist or an expert looking to collaborate online. In the end, you’ll have an effective plan for getting your online collaboration with customers off on the right foot. As a result, they’ll be happy to post excellent evaluations about your work as a 3D artist since you were so transparent and honest with them. Finding top customers and surpassing their expectations should not be difficult if you keep things simple and follow the norms of interaction in the digital age.
