3D Modeler Resume examples & templates

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Copyable 3D Modeler Resume examples

Ever wondered who builds the digital worlds you explore in games, movies, and VR experiences? That's where 3D modelers come in—the artists who transform concepts into three-dimensional reality. These digital sculptors blend technical precision with creative vision, crafting everything from photorealistic human characters to fantastical creatures and environments that were previously impossible to visualize.

The field has evolved dramatically since its early days of basic polygonal shapes. Today's 3D modelers work with sophisticated software like Blender, Maya, and ZBrush, often specializing in areas like character design, environmental modeling, or product visualization. The industry is currently seeing a surge in demand for real-time 3D skills, with job postings for Unreal Engine specialists increasing by 37% last year alone. As extended reality (XR) technologies mature and more industries—from automotive design to medical visualization—embrace digital twins and simulation, 3D modeling professionals find themselves at the intersection of art, technology, and storytelling. The next decade promises even more opportunities as the metaverse concept takes shape and digital experiences become increasingly central to how we work, play, and connect.

Junior 3D Modeler Resume Example

Maya Carlson

Portland, OR | (503) 555-7891 | mcarlson3d@gmail.com | linkedin.com/in/mayacarlson3d

Junior 3D Modeler with 1+ year of professional experience creating detailed assets for games and animation. Proficient in organic and hard surface modeling with particular strengths in character design and environmental props. Quick learner who thrives in collaborative environments and adapts to project requirements. Portfolio: mayacarlson3d.com

Experience

Junior 3D Modeler – Pixel Punch Studios, Portland, OR

March 2023 – Present

  • Model and texture low-poly game assets (300-3000 triangles) for mobile game “Creature Conquest,” meeting technical requirements while maintaining visual quality
  • Collaborate with art director to refine character designs and ensure consistency with game style guide
  • Reduced asset creation time by 17% through development of reusable component library
  • Assist with rigging and weight painting for secondary characters and creatures

3D Modeling Intern – Greenlight Animation, Portland, OR

September 2022 – February 2023

  • Created over 30 environmental props and background elements for animated short film “The Last Lighthouse”
  • Assisted senior modelers with UV unwrapping and basic texturing tasks
  • Participated in daily stand-ups and weekly critique sessions to receive feedback and improve modeling techniques

Freelance 3D Artist – Self-employed

May 2022 – Present

  • Design and model custom 3D assets for indie game developers and small businesses
  • Created detailed product visualizations for local furniture company’s website and catalog
  • Developed procedural material library for architectural visualization projects

Education

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Digital Arts & Animation

Portland State University – Portland, OR

Graduated: May 2022

  • Senior Project: “Wanderer” – A short animated film featuring original character models and environments
  • Advanced Courses: Character Modeling, Environmental Design, Digital Sculpting, Game Art Pipeline

Certification: Substance Designer Fundamentals

Adobe Authorized Training Center – Completed December 2022

Technical Skills

  • 3D Software: Blender, Maya, ZBrush, 3ds Max (basic)
  • Texturing: Substance Painter, Substance Designer, Photoshop
  • Rendering: Marmoset Toolbag, Blender Cycles, Arnold
  • Game Engines: Unity, Unreal Engine (basic knowledge)
  • Modeling Techniques: Poly modeling, digital sculpting, retopology, UV unwrapping
  • Version Control: Git, Perforce

Additional Information

Portfolio Highlights: Character model featured in Artstation spotlight (Jan 2023); “Best Student Work” award for environmental design at NW Digital Arts Showcase

Languages: English (native), Spanish (conversational)

Mid-level 3D Modeler Resume Example

MIGUEL SANCHEZ

Chicago, IL | (312) 555-9814 | miguel.sanchez@email.com | linkedin.com/in/miguelsanchez3D

3D Modeler and character artist with 5+ years of experience across gaming and animation. Known for creating detailed, high-quality assets while maintaining optimization standards. Quick learner who adapts to new software and pipelines. Passionate about pushing the boundaries of realism while meeting tight production deadlines.

EXPERIENCE

Senior 3D Modeler – Vertex Studios, Chicago, IL
March 2021 – Present

  • Model and texture high-fidelity character assets for AAA game title with 1.8M+ units sold
  • Reduced character mesh optimization time by 27% by creating custom ZBrush scripts
  • Lead a team of 3 junior modelers for environment asset creation, mentoring on topology best practices
  • Collaborated with animators to ensure proper topology for character deformation and movement
  • Transitioned team to Substance Painter workflow, cutting texture creation time nearly in half

3D Modeler – Digital Dreamworks, St. Louis, MO
January 2019 – February 2021

  • Created over 120 hard-surface and organic models for mobile games and promotional content
  • Specialized in weapon and prop modeling with 4K textures for first-person shooter title
  • Worked directly with art director to establish modeling guidelines for outsourcing partners
  • Rebuilt legacy assets to meet next-gen specifications while maintaining visual consistency

Junior 3D Artist – CreativeTech Solutions, St. Louis, MO
August 2018 – December 2018

  • Modeled and textured architectural elements for product visualization
  • Created low-poly assets for real-time architectural walkthroughs (avg. 1,500-2,000 triangles)
  • Assisted with UV unwrapping and basic texturing for senior artists’ models

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Fine Arts, 3D Animation
Missouri State University – Springfield, MO
Graduated: May 2018

Certification: Advanced Character Creation
CGMA Digital Arts Academy (online)
Completed: October 2020

SKILLS

  • Software: Maya, ZBrush, Blender, 3ds Max, Substance Painter, Marmoset Toolbag
  • Techniques: Organic modeling, hard-surface modeling, character design, retopology, UV mapping
  • Texturing: PBR workflows, hand-painted textures, procedural texturing
  • Technical: Basic rigging, Python scripting (beginner), normal map baking
  • Game Engines: Unity, Unreal Engine 5
  • Other: Version control (Perforce, Git), Agile/Scrum workflow

PORTFOLIO

Portfolio website: www.miguelsanchez3d.com
ArtStation: artstation.com/miguelsanchez

Senior / Experienced 3D Modeler Resume Example

Marcus Reeves

Los Angeles, CA 90025 • (310) 555-8764 • m.reeves@emaildomain.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/marcusreeves3d • Portfolio: marcusreeves3d.com

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Senior 3D Modeler with 9+ years crafting high-quality assets for AAA games, film, and architectural visualization. Specialized in organic character modeling and hard-surface assets with exceptional topology management. Known for balancing artistic vision with technical requirements while mentoring junior artists. Proficient in multiple 3D packages with a passion for pushing the boundaries of real-time rendering.

EXPERIENCE

Senior 3D Modeler – Quantum Vision Studios, Los Angeles, CA (2019 – Present)

  • Lead a team of 5 modelers on “Shadow Protocol” (PS5/Xbox Series X), personally creating 37 hero assets and establishing the modeling pipeline that reduced iteration time by 23%
  • Developed procedural modeling techniques for environmental destruction sequences, cutting production time from 14 days to 5 days per sequence
  • Collaborated with art directors to reimagine franchise-defining characters for next-gen hardware, maintaining visual consistency while increasing polygon budgets by 3x
  • Pioneered the studio’s transition to Blender for specific asset types, creating custom training materials that brought 12 team members up to speed in under 3 weeks
  • Mentor junior modelers through bi-weekly portfolio reviews and technical critiques

3D Character Artist – Dreamscape Interactive, San Francisco, CA (2016 – 2019)

  • Created 24 hero characters and 40+ NPCs for “Legends of Alterra” MMORPG expansion, adhering to strict technical specifications while maintaining artistic quality
  • Optimized legacy character models, reducing poly counts by 18% without visual quality loss, improving game performance on mid-range hardware
  • Developed modular character creation system that enabled 200+ unique variations from base meshes, dramatically increasing production efficiency
  • Contributed to pipeline improvements that reduced rigging preparation time by 31%

Junior 3D Artist – ArchViz Partners, San Diego, CA (2014 – 2016)

  • Modeled detailed architectural elements and environments for high-end real estate marketing materials used by clients including Hilton Hotels and Westfield Properties
  • Created furniture and décor assets for 17 commercial visualization projects, balancing detail with render efficiency
  • Assisted senior team members with lighting and material setup for final renders
  • Developed a library of reusable assets that cut production time for common elements by 40%

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Computer Animation – Ringling College of Art and Design (2014)
Senior thesis “Fragments” featured in SIGGRAPH Student Exhibition

ZBrush Certified Professional – Pixologic (2017)

TECHNICAL SKILLS

  • 3D Software: Maya, ZBrush, Blender, 3ds Max, Substance Painter, Marvelous Designer
  • Engines: Unreal Engine 5, Unity
  • Specialties: Organic modeling, hard-surface modeling, UV unwrapping, retopology, PBR texturing
  • Additional: Photoshop, Marmoset Toolbag, basic rigging, Python scripting (automation)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Volunteer mentor for “Digital Artists of Tomorrow” program teaching 3D fundamentals to underprivileged high school students. Presented “Efficient Character Pipeline for Indie Developers” at GDC 2021. Fluent in English and conversational Spanish.

How to Write a 3D Modeler Resume

Introduction

So you're ready to land that 3D modeling job? Your resume is going to be your portfolio's sidekick - not the star of the show, but definitely crucial to getting your foot in the door. I've reviewed thousands of 3D artist resumes over the years, and the difference between those that get interviews and those that don't often comes down to a few key elements. This guide will walk you through creating a resume that speaks directly to hiring managers in gaming studios, animation houses, architectural firms, or wherever your 3D modeling career is headed.

Resume Structure and Format

Keep your resume clean and scannable - just like your topology should be! Aim for 1-2 pages maximum, with the following structure:

  • Contact info and portfolio link (make this PROMINENT)
  • Professional summary (3-4 lines max)
  • Technical skills/software proficiency
  • Work experience
  • Education/training
  • Additional relevant sections (awards, publications, etc.)

For formatting, stick with clean, professional fonts like Arial or Calibri at 10-12pt. Use bold for section headers and job titles, but don't go crazy with design elements. You're a 3D modeler - your portfolio shows your creativity, your resume shows your professionalism.

A mistake I see all the time: 3D artists creating over-designed, graphics-heavy resumes that get butchered by ATS systems. Save the creativity for your portfolio and keep your resume simple!

Profile/Summary Section

Your summary should be quick and punchy - mention your specialization (character modeling, environment art, hard surface, etc.), years of experience, notable clients/projects, and one standout achievement. For example:

"Character modeler with 4+ years creating game-ready assets for mobile and console titles. Specialized in humanoid characters with 3K-15K poly counts. Reduced rigging issues by 37% on Project Thunderbolt through improved topology planning."

Professional Experience

This is where you shine! For each role, include:

  • Company name, location, your title, and dates (month/year)
  • 3-5 bullet points describing your work and achievements
  • Numbers whenever possible (polygons, timelines, efficiency improvements)
  • Project names (if you can share them) and your specific contributions

Example bullet point: "Created 27 unique character models for 'Zombie Apocalypse Now,' including the main protagonist with 4 clothing variations and 17 customizable features, meeting all milestones 2 weeks ahead of schedule."

Education and Certifications

List relevant education, with most recent first. Include:

  • School name and location
  • Degree/certificate title
  • Graduation year (or expected)
  • Relevant coursework (if you're early in your career)
  • Software certifications (Autodesk Certified Professional, etc.)

If you're self-taught (many great 3D artists are!), you can list relevant online courses or bootcamps you've completed instead.

Keywords and ATS Tips

Most companies use Applicant Tracking Systems that scan for keywords before a human ever sees your resume. Sprinkle these throughout your resume (but only if they're true!):

  • Software: Maya, 3ds Max, Blender, ZBrush, Substance Painter, Marmoset, etc.
  • Technical skills: UV mapping, retopology, PBR texturing, rigging, animation
  • Workflows: high-poly to low-poly baking, normal map creation
  • File formats: FBX, OBJ, GLTF, glTF, STL
  • Game engine experience: Unreal, Unity, CryEngine

Industry-specific Terms

Show you know your stuff by naturally incorporating terminology like:

  • Poly budget/poly count restrictions
  • Level of detail (LOD) optimization
  • Procedural modeling
  • Sculpting and retopology workflows
  • Physically-based rendering (PBR)
  • Hard surface vs. organic modeling

Common Mistakes to Avoid

I've seen these resume killers too many times:

  • No portfolio link (or buried somewhere hard to find)
  • Generic objectives like "seeking a challenging position"
  • Listing every software you've ever opened without proficiency levels
  • Focusing on responsibilities instead of achievements
  • Outdated or irrelevant skills (nobody cares about your Poser experience from 2005)

Before/After Example

BEFORE: "Responsible for creating 3D models for games."

AFTER: "Modeled 14 weapon assets and 8 environmental props for 'Galactic Warfare,' optimizing each asset to under 2,500 polys while maintaining AAA visual quality through strategic normal mapping."

Remember - your resume gets you the interview, your portfolio gets you the job. Make sure both are showing your best work!

Soft skills for your 3D Modeler resume

  • Cross-functional collaboration with designers, animators, and developers (I’ve built strong relationships with art directors who trust my judgment)
  • Constructive critique acceptance – able to take feedback from multiple stakeholders without getting defensive
  • Client communication that transforms technical concepts into accessible language
  • Time estimation for complex modeling tasks (usually accurate within 12% of actual time)
  • Mentoring junior team members while maintaining my own productivity
  • Stress management during tight production deadlines – I’ve learned when to step back and recalibrate

Hard skills for your 3D Modeler resume

  • Proficient in Autodesk Maya, Cinema 4D, and Blender (7+ years experience)
  • High/low poly modeling techniques for game assets and film production
  • Texture mapping and UV unwrapping using Substance Painter and Mari
  • Experience with ZBrush digital sculpting for organic character creation
  • Rigging and character setup for animation pipelines
  • PBR workflow implementation for realistic material creation
  • Photogrammetry integration for realistic asset development
  • Python scripting for custom production tools and automation
  • Version control through Perforce and Git LFS for large file management