Loading
Texture artists give 3D models their surfaces — color, material, and wear — so they read as real in games and film. It's a detail-driven craft where a portfolio, not a degree, gets you hired. Here's the roadmap, with where to learn in Arizona and an honest read on the remote-friendly job market.
Where to learn in Arizona
Build skills at the University of Advancing Technology (UAT) in Tempe, ASU's digital-art programs, or online — Substance Painter and Designer, UVs, and PBR workflows — and fully texture a few assets. Arizona's game-dev community is small but real.
Credentials in Arizona
There's no license or required degree — your texture portfolio is the credential. Specialize in characters, environments, hard-surface, or look development.
Where the Arizona work is
Honest read: Arizona has a small game-dev scene (studios like Rainbow Studios in Phoenix) and no major film/VFX industry, so most texturing jobs are remote or require relocating to a hub. The upside — texturing is highly remote-friendly, so you can build a portfolio in Arizona and work for studios anywhere.
Ready to start? Browse live Arizona opportunities — apprenticeships, training programs, and scholarships across the state.
Your texture portfolio is the credential — convincing materials get you hired
Texturing rewards close observation and believable surfaces, not a diploma. Learn Substance Painter and Designer, UVs, and PBR workflows, and build fully textured assets that hold up in a game engine. A focused portfolio of polished materials — plus credits — is what lands work at game and film studios or as a freelancer.
Keep going: see whether a game design degree is worth it, compare becoming an environment artist, and check if it will pay off.