The Secret Weapon Top Studios Are Using to Hire 3D Artists in 2025

As a 3D artist in 2025, being a generalist is the new specialty. Gone are the days when studios required only one skill—like modeling, lighting, animation, texturing, or rigging. Nowadays, studios (not just in Nigeria, but also in Norway, Ethiopia, and beyond) demand expertise in three or more areas. If you claim to be just a modeler, you won’t get hired for any project. You need to be able to work from concept to final render—and if you can’t, studios won’t want you.

What Studios Really Want in 2025

The New 3D Generalist Job Requirements

Studios no longer hire artists for just one skill. Instead, they demand multi-disciplinary proficiency:
✔ Model high-quality assets (Characters, props, environments)
✔ Texture & shade (Substance Painter, procedural workflows)
✔ Light & render (Real-time in Unreal Engine or Blender)
✔ Rigging (Even if you don’t animate, rigging is a must)

Animation is the only exception—some studios still hire dedicated animators, but rigging is non-negotiable.

We’re in a digital transformation era where software can handle multiple tasks. If you check job listings outside Nigeria, you’ll notice studios adopting tools like Blender, Maya (which now incorporates real-time rendering), and Cinema 4D (which also supports real-time workflows). Because these tools have evolved, studios expect artists to evolve too. Content is consumed faster than ever, so production must keep up. Relying on separate teams for each task isn’t efficient for organizations following agile methods like Scrum.

Real Job Posting Example (From LinkedIn, US Studio)

“3D Generalist – AAA Game Studio”

• Requirements:
  • Strong modeling skills (Characters & environments)
  • Proficiency in Substance Painter for texturing
  • Experience with real-time rendering (Unreal Engine 5 or Unity)
  • Knowledge of rigging (Maya or Blender)
  • Bonus: Animation skills, but not required

Instead, they want small, versatile teams producing multiple high-quality assets simultaneously. So, if you want to stay relevant, embrace being a generalist. Build a portfolio that proves you can deliver high-quality content across multiple disciplines. Studios now prioritize artists who can handle diverse workflows efficiently.

Key Takeaway: Studios want artists who can own an asset from start to finish—not just one part of the pipeline.

The Tools You MUST Learn in 2025

To stay competitive, master these:

1. Blender (Free, industry-adopted, full 3D pipeline)
2. Substance Painter (Industry-standard texturing)
3. Unreal Engine 5 / Unity (Real-time rendering & game dev)

Why? Because job postings explicitly ask for these skills.

How to Adapt & Get Hired

1. Build a Portfolio Showing Full Workflows
   • Example: Character creation → Texturing → Rigging → Real-time render, Asset Model → Texturing → Rigging → Real-time render,
   • Studios want proof you can deliver complete assets.
2. Learn Rigging (Even If You Don’t Animate)
   • Rigging is now a core skill for generalists.
3. Focus on Real-Time Workflows
   • Unreal Engine 5 & Unity dominate games, film, and ads.