r/TechnicalArtist

Unreal dev created their own auto retopology tech
▲ 10 r/TechnicalArtist+1 crossposts

Unreal dev created their own auto retopology tech

I've recently launched an auto retopology tool for Blender which I have been working on for over a year, it uses specialized methods for each mesh class (cloth, inanimate and organic) in order to reach the best possible output. Most of the time was spent in learning ONNX and how to build models correctly.

Inanimate objects can translate to any hard surface models which require no vertex deformation, the remesher is equipped to generate the lowest possible vertex count while prioritizing the overall 3D shape and outputting coherent edge flow mimicking artist-like topology.

Inanimate remeshing is completely automated and can handle loose parts intelligently, though it is recommended to keep face count below 1.1 mil to ensure a faster completion rate.

As for cloth remeshing, it is guided using UV islands while assisting the artist by highlighting the vertices to use for creating a grid. I plan to fully automate this using multiple AI layers + algorithms, much like what is currently configured for inanimate.

Documentation and tutorials are planned (things are pretty self explanatory though), will be visible in the account center under the Community section. If you purchased through my Lemon Squeezy during it's early stages, insert your email or order # in the promo code area for a discount or free upgrade depending on the license.

available at https://empyreanremesher.com/

youtu.be
u/Atlantean_Knight — 21 hours ago
▲ 1 r/TechnicalArtist+3 crossposts

Entering Gamedev Industry as an artist in 2026

As a Visual Communication grad here in India, and with little experience in 3d animation and modelling, I am really passionate to enter the game industry as an environment artist or a level artist. Ik gaming not even a big thing here in India to purse a career here. Planning to immigrate to Canada or Uk.

Read enough posts on how bad the industry is rn and people with 10-15 years of experience are jobless. But yeah, to get hired in a studio, the portfolio should be like exceptionally well, in a way an employer couldn’t miss. Ik it takes heart and soul to get there. Willing to put that and even 80 hr weeks to build my portfolio. The thing being, the right network.

Also the visa and the work permit regulations are tbh frustrating for Canada. Very few courses at Universities are Pgwp eligible. While it’s getting expensive too. Haven’t explored much of UK yet other than Alberta.

Would really be helpful if anyone could guide me through the process of selecting the right path. I personally feel, people who’ve experienced stuff, could guide better.

Thanks in Advance!

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u/SoloSceneSmith — 1 day ago
▲ 1 r/TechnicalArtist+2 crossposts

I built an Unreal Editor tool to catch project structure problems before they become cleanup work

I’ve been working on Project Structure Guard, an Unreal Editor plugin for enforcing naming and folder conventions across a project.

The main reason I built it was pretty simple: naming and folder rules are easy to agree on at the start of a project, but much harder to keep consistent once the project grows and more content gets added.

For v1.2 I focused less on adding more rules and more on making the workflow around them safer and easier to use.

Some of the things I added:

• Baseline Tracking, so existing violations can be accepted and you can focus on newly introduced issues

• Protected Paths, so important folders can still be validated without allowing automatic structural changes

• Search and a more detailed result inspector for larger validation sets

• Bulk Preview 2.0 with Ready / Blocked / Skipped / Conflict states before rename or move operations

• Rule ordering, search/filtering and read-only rule testing

• Content Browser validation actions

• Quarantine + Restore for unused assets instead of immediately deleting them

• A -failonnew option for CI/CD, so existing accepted issues don’t have to fail the pipeline

I also tried to make destructive actions deliberately conservative. For example, normal unused assets can’t just be permanently deleted through the tool — permanent deletion is restricted to managed quarantined assets and still performs safety checks.

Here’s a short ~1 minute showcase of the current workflow:

https://youtu.be/wDlVkgT0nPU

Fab:

https://www.fab.com/listings/7dfc5ec6-1261-4f86-8e69-82ea0ae1e8a2

I’m developing this solo, so I’d be interested in feedback from people working on larger UE projects: what part of project structure tends to become the biggest pain for you — naming, folders, cleanup, or enforcing conventions across a team?

u/HankeUnrealTools — 2 days ago

Feedback on my workflow transition: 3D Animator building Python/Blender tooling (Reel + ArtStation inside)

Hi everyone

I’ve been working as an Animator for nearly 8 years(studied animation and VFX) but over the last year, I’ve been focusing on the technical side—learning Python and developing custom add ons in blender. My ultimate goal is to transition into a dedicated Technical Artist / Rigging TD role. I’ve been unemployed for 5 months and it’s getting really frustrating…
I’d love to get feedback from experienced TAs on whether I’m framing my skill set correctly and targeting the right areas:

Demo Reel: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XkyYJA8vKIjdfNKACZET1BCDMagKss8G/view?usp=drivesdk

ArtStation: https://koalina.artstation.com

For those who transitioned from pure Animation to Tech Art, what was the biggest gap you had to bridge when applying to studios?
Any critique on the work or advice on the career path is highly appreciated. Thanks!

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u/Sufficient-Ad-251 — 4 days ago
▲ 0 r/TechnicalArtist+2 crossposts

Laptop for specializing in 3D & motion design

Hi everyone! I’m a design student about to graduate, and I’ve decided to specialize in 3D and motion design. The problem is my current computer can’t keep up: performance-wise it’s holding me back, and I feel like it won’t let me reach the level I’m aiming for. So it’s time to replace it.
I mainly work with After Effects, Cinema 4D and Blender.
I’m super torn between a powerful Windows laptop and a MacBook Pro. Anyone here working in motion or 3D who can share their experience? What would you buy today?

Thank u <3

reddit.com
u/Successful-Foot6208 — 5 days ago

Becoming a Technical Artist: Learning Path, Required Skills, and Career Stability

If I’m starting from scratch and want to become a Technical Artist, what should I learn and in what order? I’m currently learning 3D modeling and game development, including Maya and Unreal Engine, so I’d like to know which skills I should build on top of that, such as Unreal materials and shaders, Blueprints, Python, procedural workflows, optimization, tools and pipeline development, or anything else that is important for getting hired. I’d also like to understand what a Technical Artist actually does day to day, what the entry-level job market is like, and whether Technical Art is a reasonably stable long-term career considering the rapid development of AI.

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u/Tulip_gorgeous554 — 5 days ago

I've started learning Houdini

I want to become a technical artist, and I’ve started learning Houdini and the VEX language. What kind of suggestions do you have?

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u/majimasever — 5 days ago
▲ 18 r/TechnicalArtist+1 crossposts

POM, Triplanar POM, Pixel Depth, and SPOM in Unreal Engine 5

I created this video to demonstrate the different depth techniques available in Procedural Material Layers:

  • Parallax Occlusion Mapping
  • Triplanar POM
  • Pixel Depth
  • Silhouette Parallax Occlusion Mapping

Procedural Material Layers (PML) is a modular material system for Unreal Engine 5 that helps to combine, blend, paint, and customize materials using reusable layers and procedural masks.

PML on Fab:
https://fab.com/s/0a26f21e3f35

You can find more PML tutorials and feature demonstrations on my YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhqUhIN0Uwzn-UajaMykxkk97-RrXWw9h

I’d be happy to hear your feedback or answer any questions.

u/FlamingoSad9210 — 5 days ago
▲ 260 r/TechnicalArtist+2 crossposts

I'm excited to share that the Unity Shaders Pro Bundle has grown to 600+ pages covering Shader Graph, HLSL, Math for Graphics, SDFs, Ray Marching, Compute Shaders, and custom Post-Processing in Unity. We're continuing to update every book in the bundle with new content and improvements.

u/fespindola — 8 days ago
▲ 5 r/TechnicalArtist+1 crossposts

How is the technical artist job market?

I'm terribly sorry if anyone already asked this. Couldn't find it anywhere. I'm a 2d | 3d generalist and looking to transition to a technical artist role after three brutal years of getting my ass handed to me by the current job market.

A little background, i fully understand the entire 3D pipeline. Can do an entire project from start to finish. Including rendering and compositing. My strongest skillset is animation and lighting. I've been enjoying working on programming side projects the last few years.

I know HTML, CSS and basic JavaScript. Understand a lot about APIs and automation for some reason. But never got deep into python and C+ which is the basis of 3d programming.

I'm willing to learn that, as Houdini is the next DCC I want to bring into my skillset.

My main question is, is it worth it to become a Technical artist? The gaming and film industry are in shambles. But for me it has never really made a difference, since I'm in Africa and been closed off to the industry overall.

Do you recommend me learning to become a technical artist? Do I have to be in a production hub to get work like other roles in games and film? And is it worth it given the current state of the industry. Or should I just transition to software development?

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u/Open-Air-8845 — 5 days ago
▲ 1 r/TechnicalArtist+1 crossposts

How does the game design/animation industry feel about using Unreal Engine MetaHumans?

I’m curious what people who work in game design, animation, 3D, or related fields think about Unreal Engine’s MetaHumans.
Do you see MetaHumans as a useful professional asset that can speed up character creation and let artists focus more on animation, storytelling, environments, customization, etc.? Or is using them sometimes looked at as lazy compared to modeling and creating a character completely from scratch?
I’m also wondering how accepted they are in professional settings. Are MetaHumans commonly used in actual game, animation, cinematic, or virtual production pipelines, or are they more seen as a prototyping/previs tool?
And from a student/portfolio perspective, is it okay to use a MetaHuman in a portfolio if you’re transparent about what you did? For example, if someone used a MetaHuman as a base but created/customized the clothing, hair, textures, animation, lighting, environments, and overall presentation themselves, would employers still consider that a strong portfolio piece?
Would it depend on the role you’re applying for? Like, would it be more acceptable for someone applying for animation, game design, technical art, cinematics, or Unreal-related positions than someone applying specifically as a character modeler?
I’m interested in animation/game design rather than specifically becoming a character modeler, so I’m trying to understand where the line is between using professional tools efficiently and relying too heavily on premade assets.
Would love to hear from people currently working in games, animation, Unreal, virtual production, or anyone involved in hiring/reviewing portfolios.

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u/altgirl30 — 6 days ago
▲ 72 r/TechnicalArtist+1 crossposts

Procedural Material Layers – Major Update Now Available for Unreal Engine 5.8

Hi everyone,

I’ve released a major update for Procedural Material Layers, my non-destructive material layering system for Unreal Engine 5.

The update includes:

The system is designed to help environment artists build detailed PBR surfaces while keeping every layer editable and non-destructive.

You can find the updated version on Fab: https://fab.com/s/0a26f21e3f35

Check out the latest Video on YT:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhqUhIN0Uwzn-UajaMykxkk97-RrXWw9h

I’d really appreciate your feedback!

u/FlamingoSad9210 — 9 days ago
▲ 3 r/TechnicalArtist+4 crossposts

[Hobby] indie horror game, so we are looking for people to help ( The work is unpaid and based on personal initiative ) just want to finish project

Hi everyone,

Our team lineup has changed significantly, so we’re looking for interested people to help out to finish our demo.

We need:

A 3D animator (Blender)

A technical artist

A level designer

You can find most of the artwork on our profile; feel free to message us, and we will answer your questions.

reddit.com
u/S_TGam — 7 days ago

My plant grow simulation finally comes together!

My plant grow simulation finally comes together! Working on this on the side for my garden simulation game. Actually in-game this is not supposed to grow in realtime, but it could!

My idea is that modelling plants is very hard and I want a solution that can simply not hand made, so I needed to make a system. It can handle normally self supporting plants but also climbing structure.

I am not yet sure how this works in a growded environment and some special cases are not yet supported, but the first tests look promising

The idea is to grow plants in the background while player switches days, so performance is not the main concern. I only like to have a little preview maybe of the next few growing steps and that players can control grow direction.

Now this is still a preview, I would need to make propper mesh generation later and I want to know at each point how stable the plant is, how far it is from its stem etc. so that I can make a more believable wind simulation in the shaders.

u/McDev02 — 11 days ago