This is it. The final installment in the Deep Dive series.
If you’ve made it this far, you’ve learned a lot: how product visualization works, where it fits in a company, what skills matter, what tools are used, and how the future is being shaped by 3D and AI.
But maybe you’re still sitting there thinking…okay, cool, but how do I actually start doing this work? How do I go from being a generalist (or a motion designer, or a VFX artist, or an architectural visualizer) to someone making CPG renders for big brands?
That’s what this guide is for.
I’ve pulled together everything I think you need to know if you’re already skilled in 3D, but want to break into this industry. Some of it is practical, some strategic, some cultural. And at the very bottom, there’s a link to a Notion version of this guide that’s open to comments, updates, and suggestions from anyone reading.
Let’s get into it.
Product visualization is one of the fastest-growing areas in 3D right now, with strong demand and relatively few artists specializing in it. It’s a space where your skills directly translate into commercial value through faster design cycles, scalable marketing visuals, and new types of interactive experiences. This guide covers the essentials:
Product visualization uses 3D to design, prototype, and market physical goods. Think of anything on a store shelf or e-commerce site: snack bags, shampoo bottles, furniture, sneakers, electronics. Each one needs to be visualized long before it’s made, and increasingly, companies are turning to 3D for that work
by Kens Visual → https://www.behance.net/kensvisual
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There are a few major reasons this shift is accelerating.
3D allows teams to design and market products before they physically exist. Designers can test form, color, and packaging instantly. Marketing can start producing imagery before the first prototype leaves the factory. That kind of lead time saves weeks or even months across large organizations.