Concept Artist
Being a Concept Artist is quite a busy job, and a hard one to boot. It really interests me because of the final figures that are used in the finished product really stand out to me. I've always wanted to be a part of creating games and influencing others to become the same, and inspire the younger/developing artists to draw like other concept artists have done for me. I have read websites which really explain what you really need to become an artist in the Game Industry.
Breaking In
2D Conceptual Artist
----------------------------------------------
Breaking In
2D Conceptual Artist
If you love to invent worlds, people and creatures on paper, then Concept Artist might be just the job for you. A good video game conceptual artist needs the classic "hand skills" of the traditional artist to generate high quality images quickly - images that will inspire the team and might even be used as temporary art in the game. You'll need to especially good at 'perspective style' artwork and real and organic architecture. You might also create storyboards for movie sequences, so you'll need to be able to sketch important movie elements quickly without getting bogged in unnecessary detail. You will probably not create any actual in-game art, but will be responsible for the basic 'look' of many things. In design brainstorming sessions you'll sketch out ideas on the fly. At the beginning of the project, you'll create a lot of the art that appears in design document, and at the end, your art may be featured on the web site and in the manual.
Breaking In's article is short and sweet. It makes me realise that I need to really work on the range of artistic abilities I have, and focus deeply on things I really struggle with. It will be easy to have a wide range of techniques in my arsenal if I ever came to needing extra skills such as environment sketches, animal development or anatomy, I will be able to do it.
It's crucial to be able to become flexible with the knowledge, or else it will be hard to find the things you really enjoy drawing in the real world, I believe.
Breaking In's article is short and sweet. It makes me realise that I need to really work on the range of artistic abilities I have, and focus deeply on things I really struggle with. It will be easy to have a wide range of techniques in my arsenal if I ever came to needing extra skills such as environment sketches, animal development or anatomy, I will be able to do it.
It's crucial to be able to become flexible with the knowledge, or else it will be hard to find the things you really enjoy drawing in the real world, I believe.
----------------------------------------------
Animation Arena
How do I become a Concept Artist in the games industry?
Hmmm, this is a tricky one. Concept art cannot really be taught. Being a good concept artist is about drawing as much as you possibly can, whenever you can. The great Chuck Jones once said that every artist has a million naff drawings inside them, it's just a matter of working through them so you get to the point where you only produce your best.
I myself have been drawing from the very first moment I picked up a pencil, but to get really good takes time and persistence. It's good that you admire Disney and Anime but don't try to copy and imitate them too much, use the style and line construction as a guide and try to develop your own line style and characters. If you spend most of your time copying other people's work you will never learn how to come up with outstanding creations of your own.
A good way of getting good is to focus on an aspect of drawing that you really enjoy. I chose traditional animation and background art, it teaches you a lot about a character's attitude, emotion, and motivation, aspects which are all to important when creating believable characters and environments.
This description, by a Concept Artist who was interviewed by Animation Arena, really speaks to me. I'm not very confident in my drawings, and I'm very sure many others aren't as well. Picking up a drawing style you really enjoy and really developing it as your own, then trying to change it again, branching it out to other styles that really attract you. I think this is a great way to introduce Concept Art and inspires me to keep developing on my style, then branching it out to other styles to create another unique style.
----------------------------------------------
I feel a little like I've lost control over my color usage over the last couple of years... Now that Bastion is more or less wrapped up, I'm hoping I can begin the road to recovery and expanding horizons :). Here's a doodle of the evening - started as an insane urge to draw chainmail, which quickly faded. I was really trying to channel the preraphaelites whom I love so much with only moderate success... I'll do better next time!
This text isn't really 'how to become a concept artist' it was more of an inspiration. JenZee is one of my most favourite Concept Artists, she's very bubbly and full of amazing potential. This paragraph made me feel like I wasn't alone. All artists make mistakes, which is why you work in a huge team, to iron out the mistakes you make and keep progressing, even if it's something you don't like. Keep trying and keep persuing your dreams. Apparently, being a concept artist, you still keep learning new styles and develop new techniques.
----------------------------------------------
