There are many opportunities for Visual Development in animation. Some roles can be very specific such as prop designer, environment artist, background painter, character designer, etc. Other roles are more general, i.e., Visual Development Artist. In either case, it's great to show a breadth of really well-executed pieces.

The following are key foundational skillsets looked for in a visual development portfolio.

• Story moments. Do your designs capture visual story moments, i.e. character emotions, relationships, comedic moments, heartfelt moments?

• Exploratory concepts that set a tone or mood of a story. Can you make the audience feel something with your image through color and light?

• Composition. Are you framing your image like a scene seen through a camera, i.e., where are your characters in relation to the background, foreground, etc?

• Shape language. Are you using shapes to communicate meaning in your work? Different shapes can provoke different reactions. Does your shape language evoke the emotion you want to convey to the audience?

• Color and Lighting. Do your designs showcase your understanding of color and light to tell a story, i.e., setting tone and mood? Are your designs lit to lead the audience's eye?

• Understanding of Anatomy. (e.g., posing, expressions, gestures). Can you draw clear facial expressions that convey the character's thoughts, and emotions? Do you understand the skeletal and muscles of anatomy, body mechanics, and how the body moves, shapes, and forms?

• Technical drawings. (e.g. orthographic turns, line work, breakdowns, color packeting).

• Understanding Perspective. Understanding where your characters and objects are in space and understanding how each object is viewed in relation to other objects will create a sense of depth and size relationship that will make the shot seem real.

• Showcasing a range of versatile styles. Showing versatility in your work lets recruiters know you can adapt to different styles of projects, i.e. 2D, 3D cartoony, stylized, photo-real, etc. Your style is your unique calling card, and it speaks to who you are as an artist!

• Worldbuilding. We want to see your understanding of creating unique, believable worlds that tie character and story together.