3D Character Art Mentorship

Build a Studio-Ready Character Portfolio

A bespoke, 1-on-1 mentorship with a AAA Lead Character Artist.

Your Mentor

Chad Emond

Lead Character Artist, Mentor

Hey!I'm Chad. I've been a Character Artist in the video game industry for almost two decades and I've contributed to 15+ AAA projects across a variety of art styles. Some of the projects I've worked on include South of Midnight, Far Cry 6 and Dragon Age II.Over the course of my career, I've learned what it takes to not only build a AAA-ready character portfolio, but also build a sustainable career.I've reviewed countless portfolios and made hiring decisions as I built up character teams.My mentorship is designed to help you navigate the challenges, avoid the mistakes and build a portfolio that makes you stand out.

Not just another course or tutorial.

Bespoke mentorship from an industry pro.

Student Showcase

"When you have a teacher who loves the craft as much as Chad does, it’s impossible to fail. He really pushed me to level up my skills during my mentorship with him.The workflows and techniques I learned from Chad are an integral part of the work I do in the industry now. Truly one of the best mentors I’ve ever had."

- Gavin Kannangara

"I had the privilege to be one of Chad's student during my time at Think Tank.
He helped me push my skills to the next level by guiding me with clear concepts and an approach that encourages exploration as part of the process.
His mentorship has given me a solid foundation for tackling any character with confidence."

- Hugo Buniet

"Chad was a great mentor during my time at Think Tank Training Centre. His technical knowledge, artistic insight, and constructive feedback helped me grow as a character artist and develop a stronger understanding of what it takes to create high-quality characters for games and film.I especially appreciated his ability to look beyond the technical aspects and help me think more critically about the artistic choices behind my work.His guidance was a valuable part of my journey, and I’d recommend him to anyone looking to take their character art skills to the next level."

- Abbas Sigaroudi

"My mentorship with Chad Emond at Think Tank Training Centre was a truly valuable experience that helped me grow both as a character artist and as an artist in general.Chad shared his knowledge, experience, and artistic insights with great dedication, always pushing me to think deeper, refine my work, and strive for a higher level of quality.His approach to anatomy, UVs, and retopology is particularly impressive, and I learned a great deal from the way he breaks down complex topics into practical, effective workflows. His guidance helped me identify areas for improvement, approach challenges with a fresh perspective, and better understand what it takes to create compelling, production-ready characters.Beyond the technical skills, his mentorship gave me the motivation and confidence to keep pushing my limits. I'm genuinely grateful for his support and for everything I've learned from him throughout this journey."

- Issam Fajraoui

My Approach To Mentorship

Focused, personalized mentorship

As a Lead Character Artist and mentor, I've helped dozens of artists become better artists and many of my mentees have found careers in the industry. Mentorship gives you access to my almost two decades of professional experience.This isn't a structured course, rather a personalized 1-on-1 mentorship where I'll try to understand your goals, your strengths and areas you need to improve.I'll be working with you directly for the course of the mentorship to develop and elevate your skills to build a polished, production-ready character art portfolio.My goal is to help you make the best character you've ever made and level-up your skills as a character artist.

What You Can Learn

  • Full Production-Ready Character Workflows - Learn industry best practices and gain a deep understanding of the entire character creation workflow, including sculpting, retopology, UVs, texturing and Unreal Engine. You'll learn how to build characters that not only look great in renders, but are ready for studio pipelines.

  • Artistic Anatomy - Anatomy is a foundational skill for character artists. I'll help you better understand anatomy, form and give you tools to help you grow as an artist.

  • Portfolio Building - I'll help you structure and plan out your portfolio to prepare you for a career in the industry. As someone who has been on the other-side building character team, I know what teams are looking for and can help you put your best foot forward.

  • Unreal Engine - Unreal Engine is at the forefront of character rendering technology and one of the most widely used engines. I'll guide you through the process of setting up your character, creating materials, lighting and rendering.

  • Production-Ready Mindset - Working in games is not just about the art you create. You also need to be able to navigate the complexities of a game production. This includes making artistic decisions based on deadlines, working with other disciplines in a pipeline, adjusting to technical limitations, responding to feedback and much more. I've been through multiple productions and I can help you prepare you for what it takes to succeed as a character artist in this industry.

Apply For Mentorship

01. Apply

Submit your portfolio for review.

02. Review

Applications are reviewed within 5 business days.

03. Introduction

If accepted, book a free introductory call.

04. Mentorship

Begin your mentorship.

Choose the mentorship that works for you.

1 Hour Call

$195 USD

Book a 1 hour call.Choose between a recorded or live session, customized to your needs.Ideal for artists who want guidance or a one-time review.

  • Choose either recorded or live

  • Portfolio Reviews

  • Project Feedback

  • Career Guidance

Standard Mentorship

$950 USD

An 8-week mentorship with weekly recorded feedback to help you develop your portfolio and learn industry best practices.Ideal for artists who want high quality feedback to improve their portfolio but can't commit to the live-session format.

  • Weekly Recorded Feedback - 30 minutes of recorded feedback every week.

  • Additional Support - Additional written feedback, including paint-overs, as needed, every week.

  • Portfolio Review - A recorded review of your entire portfolio, including actionable feedback to improve the overall presentation.

  • Post-Mentorship Support - Access to an exclusive Discord community for current and former students to share feedback and progress and receive on-going career advice.

  • Fit Check - A free 15-minute call to assess if the mentorship is right for both of us before committing.

  • Skill Level - Suitable for intermediate and above artists.

Premium Mentorship

$1850 USD

An intense 8-week mentorship with weekly 1 on 1 live feedback sessions to help you develop your portfolio and build a career.Ideal for artists who want direct mentorship and support in developing their skills and portfolio.

  • Weekly Live Feedback - 8x60 minute live-sessions to provide feedback, including sculpt-overs and live-demonstrations.

  • Additional Support - Additional written feedback, including paint-overs, as needed, every week.

  • Portfolio Review - A recorded review of your entire portfolio, including actionable feedback to improve the overall presentation.

  • Post-Mentorship Support - Access to an exclusive Discord community for current and former students to share feedback and progress and receive on-going career advice.

  • Fit Check - A free 15-minute call to assess if the mentorship is right for both of us before committing.

  • Skill Level - Suitable for intermediate and above artists.

FAQ

  1. Are live-sessions recorded?
    Yes, all live-sessions will be recorded and provided to you to refer back to later.

  2. Do I need to provide my own software?
    Yes, you will need to provide your own software, as we'll need to be able to exchange files for review.

  3. When will the weekly live-sessions take place?
    Live-sessions will be booked week-to-week based on my availability. I'll always do my best to find a time that works for both of us. I'm in the ET time-zone.

    Questions? Feel free to contact me.

Book A 1-Hour Call

Tell me about yourself, your work as an artist and goals for the call.I review every application personally and will respond within 5 business days.

Apply for Standard Mentorship

Tell me about yourself, your work as an artist and goals for mentorship. I review every application personally and will respond within 5 business days.If I think it's a good fit, we'll book a 15 minute fit check call to discuss before any commitments.

Apply for Premium Mentorship

Tell me about yourself, your work as an artist and goals for mentorship. I review every application personally and will respond within 5 business days.If I think it's a good fit, we'll book a 15 minute fit check call to discuss before any commitments.

Contact Me

Feel free to contact me with any questions regarding the mentorship options.