An Instagram filter designer is a 2D and 3D designer who knows how to master Spark AR. In addition to being a designer he must master Javascript code as well as module-based programming. This is required to be able to create interactive Instagram filters rich in animations and interactions.
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I’m Bastien, Spark AR creator of Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat filters.
I’m a Javascript developer and 2D / 3D artist.
I develop your animations, interactions and custom designs for a fully customizable filter that will reflect the image of your brand or your project.
Don’t hesitate to contact me for a quick estimate of price and time!
bastien@filtre-experience.com
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First skill you’ll need as a filter creator : 2D designer
To be a filter creator you first have to master Photoshop or any other 2D design alternatives. With that skill, you’ll be able to edit, optimise and create assets for your clients.
Most often client even send you a mockup as a .psd file. So being able to create, edit and design stuff in Photoshop is a must have.
Spark AR provides you official 2D and 3D assets to help you, as a creator, to create beautiful assets that you can use in filter. For instance, you have the 2D face flat images that will allow you to draw a makeup with a layer on top of it in Photoshop. Once your done, juste hide the face assets and export your makeup with transparent background. At this point you should have a square image. Import that square image in Spark and create a new Face Mesh. Create then a new material, and apply the new texture we exported from Photoshop to it. Apply the material to your Face Mesh and tada, you should have your MakeUp appear.
Be sure to choose the correct Material type.
Second skill needed as a filter creator : 3D designer
2D is a must and 3D is a great plus if not a must aswell. You’ll need to know at least the basis of 3D because all the filter software are in fact some 3D software. Indeed, they’re build and thought like 3D software because Augmented Reality uses 3D environment. So In order to make filters, you’ll need to understand the basic concepts of 3D softwares. Theses concepts includes : Materials, Position, Scale, Rotation, Normal Map, UV, PBR,… You can learn theses concepts quite easily now with Youtube and all the Blender tutorials you can find on it. Learn the basics.
Third skill you’ll need as a filter creator : Coding
Coding in Javascript is a real plus-value being a filter creator. Most of creators come from the 3D or 2D desogn world because the overall feeling of filters belongs more to design than to code and dev. However, being a developer can unlock you plenty of possibilities. Indeed, if you can code in Javascript you’ll be able to do complex interactions quite easily while it’s a pain using the no-code too : Patch Editor.
Fourth skill needed to sell your filters : Commercial
That’s not the best part. Unfortunately you don’t have to be just a great artist to find a lot of clients. Of course, if you’re building innovative stuffs, peoples will catch you but that’s pretty rare. Most of times, you’ll have to reach clients and sell your idea. What I can suggest at the beginning is doing demo. Not too much niche demo but demos you can easily adapt to new clients. Take a general type of experience, by example the image tracker on cans. Then make different versions for different client you would like to work with. Keep them published and online so people coming from the outside can see you already have some work on your portfolio.
Fifth skill you should have : Tech Lover
Filters are closely linked to new technologies. Indeed, it’s just some global RnD regarding use-cases that we’ll need in the future using Augmented and Virtual Realities. If you’re a tech lover, you’ll feel good, because lot’s of new experiment and new features are released quite often by Snapchat Lens Studio, Facebook Spark AR and TikTok Effect House.
Pros being a filter creator : Travel
As every digital work, you don’t have any geographic limitations. That means, if you’re personally able to work and live like that, you could keep travel while working in parallel for clients. Do not under-estimate the time you need to exchange and dialogue with client, that’s very important to keep a good relation with your client.
Cons being a filter creator : Time
As every freelancer jobs, it takes time. You are not free regarding time because you’ll have to work a lot to have things done. So even if you have geolocation freedom, that does not mean you have plenty of time for yourself. As a service provider, the service you provide is counted on you daily basis hours. But months later, you’ll be able to go faster and faster creating filters, that mean you could either take more client or keep the same client rythm and gain on personal time you have for yourself.
Conclusion
It can be tough at the beginning but you won’t regret it. The community is enormous and is always glad to help, even beginners, and don’t worry, you’re not too late. Plenty of new techs are coming!
