Gather reference and create a basic 2D sketch to work from. This early phase can be very rough. You only need enough to understand the basic shapes of the asset for the 3D blockout you’ll be making later.

For students who prefer not to use 2D, you don’t need to make a sketch during this assignment. However, make sure to still collect reference and plan out your asset in general.

Create your earliest 3D sketch, test it in-game, and continue refining until you reach a good stopping point. From there, create some notes about what might want to be added to the 3D model. If you prefer not to use 2D, you can simply plan out what pieces you’d like to add to the design once you reach this stage.

Go through 2D, 3D, and the game engine as many times as needed until your asset model is complete. Then add materials and animation elements if necessary. Take your time with this part of the process and have fun refining!

Create a final image of your asset, either by doing a 2D paintover or by rendering out a final beauty shot in 3D. These kinds of finished images of an asset design are useful for various aspects of a game, and are also great for a portfolio!