Digital Sculptor Career Profile
- Career Name - Digital Sculptor
- Category: Art & Design / Business / Health / Education
- Skills Required: Life skills 40% - Career skills 60%
- Basic Subjects: Art, Language, Business Studies
- Required Education: High School Certificate
- Species Worked With: Pets, Critters, Farm Animals, Wildlife
- Short Courses: 340 - Rewards = Points +Badges
Do you want to work as a digital sculptor?
READ: This page helps you read about the career and the information you need to decide whether this is indeed the career you want to follow.
RESEARCH: Learn about the skills required and minimum subjects to enter this career, as well as the places where you can study further after school.
PREPARE: If you want to plan and prepare for your career, then join the OZT community! Members have access to tools while chatting with other students and experts from around the world. Prepare to be amazed!
CAREER MENTOR
UPDATED:
29 April 2024
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What is a digital sculptor?
A digital sculptor is an artist who creates three-dimensional sculptures using digital tools and software. Instead of working with traditional sculpting materials like clay or stone, digital sculptors utilize computer software and input devices such as graphics tablets or styluses to sculpt virtual models in a digital Environment.
They are creating incredible designs, especially in education (such as printed animal anatomy) and health (printed limbs for prosthetics).
Alternative Names
A digital sculptor is also known as:
- 3D Artist
- 3D Printer
- 3D Sculptor
Career Categories
The digital sculptor career can be found within the following OZT career categories:
- Art & Design
- Business
- Animal Health
- Education
Prices and sizes of Printers?
There are several sizes of printers, all with their own printing abilities.
Types of Sculpture?
Printed sculptures from animals for education to prosthetic limbs
What does a digital sculptor do?
What does a Digital Sculptor focus on?
Digital Sculptors with a focus on animals may sculpt small or large figures or designs with the use of a 3D printer.
What are the daily tasks of a Digital Sculptor?
- Discuss brief with clients
- Study animals, their anatomy and behaviour
- Scan the object
- Design a digital replica of the proposed image
- Create the sculpture with the 3D printer
- Presentation to clients of work done
- Create and add new work to a portfolio
- Sourcing of materials and establishing business relationships with suppliers
- Administration and filing
3. Working conditions of a Digital Sculptor
Where does a Digital Sculptor work?
Environment –
Digital sculptors normally work indoors in a design studio or office setup. They do also spend some time in the outdoors, studying the animals they need to work with.
Places of Employment –
Most digital sculptors work privately, under contract for various clients. They can also secure a commercial contract through zoos, amusement and theme parks, animal hospitals, rehabilitators and animal prosthetists.
What is the average annual salary of a Digital Sculptor?
As most 3D Sculptors are self employed, their income is based on selling their work and obtaining contracts. On average the income per year is around $55,000. This will differ from country to country.
What kind of difficulties can a Digital Sculptor face?
The most difficult part is always to get your work seen by future clients. For this a lot of artists need to be well versed in the setup and use of social media. Artists may work long hours and over weekends and holidays to finish work within tight deadlines. They may also need to travel long distances.
Future growth & possibilities
The growth of animal related sculptures is slow (around 3% per year) with a lot of competition, although the market in digital (online) 3D rendered sculpting/drawing has definitely shown a very good growth.
4. Which Skills are required?
The skills required for a career as a digital sculptor can be divided into two very important groups. The first is the group containing life skills, which are the core skills that are necessary or desirable for full participation in everyday life. The second group is career skills, or the specific skills required to allow a person to enter and operate effectively within a specific career. Some or maybe even all of the life skills can assist in strengthening the career skills, and they might even be the same for specific careers.
Life Skills
- Self-awareness
- Empathy
- Critical thinking
- Creative thinking
- Decision making
- Problem Solving
- Effective communication
- Interpersonal relationship
Career Skills
- Strong artistic skills
- Basic business knowledge
- Basic customer service skills
- Good health and physical fitness
- Strong computer literacy
5. Which subjects must I have at School to help prepare for this career?
Art will be your major or most important subject in school, whether you want to study further, or not. It will strengthen your artistic skills and techniques, and prepare you for a career as a sculptor.
Business Studies is not a compulsory subject for further tertiary studies, but it will definitely help you to understand and run your own business one day.
Language is not required, but it may help you prepare for a further studies and understanding some of the definitions used by sculptors.
The subjects you choose at school are important as they lay the foundation for further studies at college or university. While still at school, it’s also important to learn more about the animals you will work with, as well as gain some experience.
OZT has a list of various tertiary institutions where you can study further, after school. Each of these institutions also have their own Group page on OZT where you will find the exact subjects they require of you to have passed in school. Keep these requirements in mind, and discuss it with your school, guidance counselor and parents to ensure that you are prepared!
6. What will I need to Study to become a Digital Sculptor?
Minimum educational requirements
To become a digital sculptor doesn’t require formal training, but many do go on to study a College Diploma. Short Courses are essential to learn different techniques.
Study Focus
Major –
If you want to study further, focus on subjects that cover art, design, 3D rendering software.
Short Courses –
A good background in art is essential, so be sure to perfect your skills by practicing daily. Focus is also needed in understanding the software used (many 3D printers have their own software).
Study Duration
The duration of College Diplomas can be between 1 and 2 years. Short Courses are usually between a few weeks and a year.
Possible Career Preparation Paths
If this is your dream career that you want to pursue, then it’s important to plan the way forward.
Why is planning important?
To ensure that you understand the requirements for your career, and that you are always prepared for the next step on the road towards your dream. A Preparation Path is like your road map to where you want to be.
Possible Paths:
Possible Combined Career Paths
It is possible to sometimes combine two or more related careers. This normally happens when you study and practice a specific main career, but the knowledge and experience gained also help you to have a paying hobby or secondary income career.
Possible Alternative(s):
Stepping Stone Career
Being a sculptor can also be used as a stepping stone career. A stepping stone career is one which is used to help you get to another career, normally because the other career is too difficult to reach (sometimes due to things like high fees etc).
You can begin as an intern designer after basic short courses and expert guidance (maybe working under a mentor). The money made can then be used to pay for studies towards a promotion or another career, and the experience helps in gaining knowledge. One paying to help get to the other.
Some of the possible paths:
Even though it is important to study to get into some of the art and design careers, most of the skills you will need will be acquired through on-the-job training. This means that you will learn how to perform some of the daily tasks by actually doing it a few times and learning the steps.
In some cases entry level positions (or junior positions) require training sessions even before you are allowed to actually perform your job duties. These sessions are offered by the place of employment, after you have successfully applied.
Apprenticeship is also possible where you need to learn printing skills from a more senior person or expert.
Join the Digital Sculptor Group in STEP 8 to learn more and even interact with the educational institutions that will help you secure your dream career!
Average level of education of those entering the career
7. Licenses, Certificate, Registration and Professional Associations
Certain animal careers require some form of legal certification to prove that you can indeed do the work, and work with the necessary equipment.
Although not required by law, certifications may help workers establish their credentials and enhance their skills.
Learn more about requirements by joining OZT in STEP 8.
Professional Associations
8. Where can I study further?
All of the above information will help you understand more about the Career, including the fact that there are different paths to take to reach it. But if you are almost done with High School (Grades 11 or 12), you also need to start thinking about further studies, and WHERE you will study.
See the List of Universities, Colleges and Online Training Academies who offer courses towards 3D design and printing.
Join the OZT community
Join us as a special member and learn more about becoming a digital sculptor.
Members of the Platform have special access to:
- Info on the best places where you can study (colleges, universities and online)
- Expertly designed advice to prepare you for the career, and links to places where you can gain valuable experience. For some career experience is necessary, otherwise you wont get the job!
- Top notch info on each of the different species you will work with
- Make friends around the world and share knowledge
- Compete and win points, badges, games, prizes and certificates. Be the best of the best, while you learn and prepare!
If you have decided on being a Digital Sculptor, please click on the JOIN GROUP button. members will be directed to the Group, while non-members will be assisted to register first.
If this career is NOT the career for you, then you may return to the MAIN CAREER menu.
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