What is the purpose of a Organic, Mechanical, Prop, artist?
Organic artists specialize in environments, living creatures, aliens, humans. This would be used to create concept art or 3D models for games, T.V shows and Films. They would gather information from the real world to then recreate or add it to a project of there own. This helps the prop artist and the developers of the games industry to visualize the game better. There is also Mechanical artist, who specialize in making the vehicles, weapons, anything that would class a machinery in the games environment. Putting together blueprints from all angles of the mechanical art so the 3D modeler has something to reference from, while also gathering real world examples of machinery. Prop artists specialize in all the others props in the games environment, e.g. trash, barrels, cans, anything that wouldn’t be used as a weapon. Prop artists in films would create full life scales of the environment, vehicles, weapons, anything the audience would see on the screen. They would also recreate a small scale model of a environment or building as reference on how to build the final prop. For example, at the Warner Bros studio tour The making of Harry Potter, they have the sets, props, concept art, costumes, and all of the blueprints and scale models of everything they used in the films. Character artists specialize in creating all the characters in the game. The modeler will make a t-pose of the character, so the animator can see the way it moves with all the textures. The t-pose is also a better way for rigging the character to load into the game. There is a team of people that create concept art, so the modeler can get an idea of characters.
How are they used to develop a full 3D Environment?
The Concept art for the environment is used so the modelers have a reference and can see how everything looks, so they can bring it all to life within the game, It’s there as a guide for the final outcome. Each team would play a part in the pre, mid and post production stage of the development. Concept artist pave the way so the developers can get a visual idea of the game, this then goes onto the 3D artists, prop artists and character artists to make the playable aspects of the game. After everything has been made and ready for testing, the game then goes into Alpha, this gives the developers of the game to fix anything that might have broken. Beta is when the public can play test the game then give feedback if needed. The final stage is the realize of the game, concept artist might comeback and create posters the box art.
What is Iterative design?
iterative design is when the developer of a project makes sure any issues are smoothed out before the realize. In modelling this involves three important stages, formulate, test, evaluate, this makes the developing of the game flow better. iterative design comes up in play testing a game. The game testers see if they can identify if the game runs the way it’s meant to and also seeing if there is any bugs. This also means constantly going back to others areas and improving it. For example, having a piece of concept art that is designed in a fantasy style but the model has more of a cartoon look, then going back and tweaking it to get as close to the original design. This is where the testing of a game comes in with Alpha, Beta and Gold.
Analyse 5 art pieces from discovered artists:
Dennis Chan is the concept artist for the recent Spider-Man PS4 game, he created the characters, vehicles, costumes and scenery for the games concept art. Dennis Chan is a freelance concept artist and illustrator, he worked with insomniac games to create all the artwork. He has also worked another game Wolfenstein: New Colossus and concept art for the film Kong: Skull Island. The reason I’ve chosen to write about his art is because it’s some of the best I’ve seen, when i look at the work i feel like i can transport myself inside the scene.
Edouard Caplain is the concept artist and illustrator for the Life is Strange game series. He now works at DONTNOD Entertainment as a concept artist. He designed all the scenery and characters. He spent three years working from start to finish on the games concepts. The first project he worked on was a game called The Outsider, the game got cancelled before release. He has also worked on other games including WarDevil: Unleash the Beast and Alien: Isolation. The reason i have chosen to look into his work is because i like the way he designs all of his concepts, especially the Life is Strange series, the art style is simple but effective, it’s created using Photoshop with a water color style, which i feel my art style is similar. I have took inspiration from some of his pieces and captured that in my final piece.
Peter Zoppi is an 3D artist who works at Treyarch. He has worked on Call of duty: Black Ops one and two, James Bond: Quantum of Solace, Underworld: Evolution and Night at the Museum. He uses the software Maya, Mudbox, Zbrush and Photoshop. He specializes in high to low poly modeling, texture painting and look development. Even though i have not chosen to model for my final piece i can still get research and inspiration for a simple model. The difference between concept art and 3D art is concept artist don’t have the limitations when creating something, 3D artist have to take in consideration which way to model a character, prop or scenery would work better and the poly count to make sure there’s not to high of ploys so it’s easier to load it up within the game and how many tris they use when modelling, Tris are harder to work with because they are triangles instead of a square.
In the image above modelers would have used the extrude tool to get the indents and the bevels on the body of the weapon.
Michel Hatfield is the lead technical artist for Naughty Dog games industry, including producing props, weapons, dynamic simulations and real-time physics. He has worked on all the models for the weapons, props and vehicles within the Uncharted series, The Last of Us Part two and Jax Racing series. I chosen this artist because i’m a fan of the Uncharted series and the style of the game with the scenery caught my attention, the style is realistic the textures and the models are represent the real thing, they look to be worn down over time. I have also taken inspiration from the prop designs to use in my model.
What is the art style?
With the concept artists the art style is mostly water colors used in Photoshop, professional concept artists will take real world scenery, buildings, vehicles and people to then go over in Photoshop, This creates a realistic look. I’m more drawn to the water color art style mainly used in the Life of Strange concepts because even though you can see the brush marks within the art it’s still detailed. When it comes to the Uncharted models and the Call of Duty models, it’s a realistic art style because the games take place in the real world. Every part of the games scenery, characters, props, Weapons, buildings, vehicles are very detailed and with the light casing in the game makes everything have more of a natural look.
What is the purpose of the art piece?
The purpose of my art piece is to show what the games environment looked before the 3D model stage. I would like it to also inspire other artists to create their own version or use some aspects within it. For example, Dennis Chan created the concept art for Spider-Man PS4 so the fans could see the development posses of the game, they were also their to get an idea of how the scene and villains would look in the game, going through different versions before deciding on the final outcome. Some purpose of art pieces are there just for merchandise including, the games cover, posters, art books.
Art style is importance because each game has the potential to do something unique with their game. This can also be useful because it catches peoples eyes, everyone likes different things. Someone could be drawn to the more cartoon art style rater than a realistic look. It also helps if the artist sticks to a consistent art style rather than keep changing, it would make no sense when playing a game and not having the same style all the way through, it would be distracting and it could effect the flow of the story.
How do artists professionally display their work?
These days it’s very easy for artist to promote their work, there are many websites to create portfolios and social media pages, so companies can see their work. Artstation is one of the more popular ways. A lot of the gaming, films and T.V show industry use Artstation to promote and show their projects. More of the smaller artists use social media as a way to show their art to the community, this can get a lot of positive feedback and sometimes companies will get in touch with the artists to collaborate on a project. Art books is another way to promote work, but not many people do this because everything is online. There is a small part of the art community that still likes to have a physical copy
What is a professional 3D Artists workflow?
When gathering all the information and designing the game 3D artists will take references from anything their inspired by, other games, movies, T.V shows or even the real world. This will then go into idea planning, then concept art to have a chance to change anything. The 3D artists will model, UV and texture all the characters, buildings, environment for the game. The teams will go through many rough models and sketch to get to the final outcome. The game tasters will play through it to find any bugs or problems with the textures, this gives the developers a chance to refine them. When the final outcome of the game is realized there will still have updates to fix or change the game.
Sketch Book:
I have produced a series of props, human anatomy, scenery, organic and mechanical sketches to show my interest and my understanding of the concept art posses. The idea for my final piece is a scenery concept of inside the Three Broomsticks from Harry Potter. I will be using Photoshop and using some of the other concepts i have research for inspiration, Mostly the Life is Strange are style. while looking at 3D models of the Golden Snitch to create my own version. The reason i have chosen to do concept art than a model is because i feel that a concept artist is my preferred part of the gaming industry, it gives me the chance to be as creative as i can.
Why is color theory useful?
Color theory is used all the time within games, movies, T.V, this is what lets the audience know who the protagonist and antagonist are, it’s also used mainly in games to guide the player to the next level or tell the player weather areas safe. Some items will glow a light blue or shine when playing the game to tell the player they can use it. Bright colors are uselessly always used for the protagonist because it refers back to the three primary colors, blue, red and yellow. For example, Supergirl’s suit is red, blue and yellow this is to show a symbol of heroism. Darker colors like, Black and Green are used for the antagonist because they represent evil. Artists will use colors that compliment each other, a forest scene will consist of different types of greens, browns, yellows to get a natural style. In the resent years some gaming companies have created horror games in a bright colorful style. For example, Hello Neighbor is a stealth horror game but uses brightly colored cartoon art style. Gone Home is about a woman returning home and goes through a series of puzzles in the house to find out what has happened, this art style uses dark colors and is set at night in the middle of a storm. This just shows how easy it is to use color theory to interpret into something else.
Lighting in any form of art is important, in video games lighting is important because it is used as a device to guide the player to a location, item or a character. Lighting in concept art kinder does the same thing by having light shine through a gap or on an object this intrigues the viewer to want to know what’s behind the gap or what the object is. Light is constantly shining on everything, objects buildings, people, animals, environments this is something professional concept artists have to take in to consider, because it wouldn’t be realistic if there was no shadow, the art would look more like a cartoon. Examples of light in life compared to light within concept art.
Task 2
Develop a Brief and Project Plan:
For my final project i have deiced to create a concept art piece using Photoshop in stead of a 3D model. The reason for this is because i find my skill set lies within the concept art side of games, talking it through with my lecturer we agreed this is the better option but still have to use some modelling through the project. So i have picked a prop to 3D model, UV and texture. We came up with a monthly project plan to follow and tick off everything that i need to do.
What will my concept art be developed for?
The final concept piece would be used as a background for in game wallpaper and collectible postcards or for a steal cover bookcase for the game. When it comes to the Golden Snitch model, that would be used as a prop inside game play, For example the level could be controlling Harry Potter and the player has to catch the Snitch. The prop would be on all platforms, PC, PS4, Xbox, Switch, Mobile. There has been many Harry Potter games that include the Lego Harry Potter years 1-4 and 5-7, The Philosophizer’s Stone and Chamber of Secrets for the PS2.
Who is the target audience?
The target audience would be for all ages, weather it be the concept or the model. They don’t involve any valance mainly just concept scenery and prop for the game. The gaming industry would be viewing my concept and model to then be used in a game, also if i was to upload my work to Artstation or ant other social media platform the art and gaming community would patently see my concept and asset.
When working inside the gaming industry they will always follow a set time schedule and expected to stick to it. In some cases the artist will have a chance to make there own schedule but around the main timeline. They will always be changes when making a game, for example the game could be set in modern times, for the artists to come up with concepts and models, then for the developers to complicity change the original idea then set the game in the past.
When coming up with a schedule for our brief i made a project plan for the next seventeen weeks and while documenting all the progress. I deiced to first work on my final concept before doing all the research because it’s gives me the creative space and not having to worry about rushing. my imitations would be the 3D side, my skills mostly lie in having a artists eye when it comes to concepts, Photoshop and sketches. I will give myself two weeks to do research, planning my ideas, deciding to create either a asset or concept. designing the concept final, i will get that done in four weeks and using the sketch pad in Photoshop, and drawing small concept ideas in a sketch book, gathering resources from the real world to research and sketch. The modelling will be the longest out of the whole project giving myself the most time to design, UV and texture, this is not my area of expertise, taking inspiration from the Golden Snitches from the existing Harry Potter games.
What are my references?
I took inspiration from some Harry Potter themed Photography and coming up with an idea for a concept level design. With the art style i wanted to use a water colored effect, taking inspiration from some of the older Harry Potter movie posters, using lighting and bright colors, browns, red, yellows, creating a warm vibe. Using a Golden Snitch replica as a physical reference as well as some original and unique versions other game developers and fans have designed. Below is my recent version of my project plan. Green, orange, red represent what part of the project i would find the hardest. The green and yellow represents the progress of what i have achieved.
The scale of the project?
The project itself is has a lot more involved with gathering research, modelling the asset, coming up with ideas for the concept, then making the final concept piece. This is the first time planning my own project with making my own brief, and planning it out to fit it all in the course of seventeen weeks. Comparing this in the gaming industry, it would not be considered on a bigger scale. As of the costs to produce this project would be on the lower end because the company would already provide artists with the equipment and software. The concept would not be the challenging part, my skill set is within the art side of video games and i’m very familiar with Photoshop and confidant of the outcome. The modelling side would be the most challenging because with past experience with Maya is not as skilled as i would like. To really do well in this side i would have to practice and get used to using Maya and do some research into how to model.
Task 3
Idealization and Creation:
I have chosen to do a concept art piece based on Harry Potter, the images below are some props i have taken and drawn more detailed versions, using Photoshop and the traditional pencil and paper. With also taking a photo of the prop to use as reference. I started my final concept piece first because it would give me more time and could get all my ideas in one place, then i did my simple 3D model of the golden snitch because my skills don’t typically lie in 3D modelling.
I draw a more detailed version of the prop to get an idea of what the colors and lighting would go in the final piece. I used Photoshop then used a watercolor texture to make the prop look like on of the original Harry Potter posters.
The image below is a photo reference of the Golden Snitch, I will be looking at this image when 3D modelling, to capture the detail. The seem that goes around the main part of the snitch could be used as a way of opening and closing, to hide something inside it.
Concept
This is a step by step slideshow of the creation of my two concepts. It’s shows the different layers I used throughout my work. I used Photoshop to create throughout the possess, blending darker and lighter colors together to get a more realistic vibe. I used a color pallet to reference, by using a color pallet it’s easier to get the right colors and to see what they look like before i use them. I am trying to capture a warm feeling in the concept, that’s why i have used a series of reds, yellows, browns. So the viewer can get more of the warm vibe, in the background i made it look cold and icy outside. The concept scene takes place in the Three broomsticks, a pub in the world of Harry potter.
Slideshow of version two of my concept.
Model
The prop i have chosen to model is the Golden Snitch, the software i used to create this was Maya, a 3D modelling software used within the gaming industry. I have taken screenshots of the posses of my model. I didn’t use extrude within my model because i wanted to put more focus into my concept art, modelers use extrude to add detail such as indents, buttons, face features. I took my high to low ploy bake and exported the bakes into a FPX file, then uploaded it into Substance painter and add textures. I have added some youtube tutorials to show what techniques to use in Maya.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAxUMjHdS84
In this video the guy is explaining and showing all the techniques, tools and shortcuts that you can use in Maya.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOokoFED7QE
The video below is showing how to rig a character, starting with creating a skeleton and adding it underneath the models joints.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dC2rhIm3n-0
Tutorial of how to model a weapon by using turos, and ovals by mapping it out using a reference photo.
Mapping out what the model will look like. Using the extrude tool and scale tool to get the right size and look of the model.
Taking ideas from the reference image and putting together all the parts. When modeling i combined the low poly with the high poly model, this allows for the deatil to be captured in substance painter.
Using the curve tool to make sure all the detail around the model match the reference. Using trous shape to create the lining around the model.
Creating a low poly version from the high poly model to then use in substance painter.
Final version of the high poly model, side view.
Final version of the high poly model, front view.
Moving onto the UV of the model. The reason for this is so when moving into substance painter the texture will go onto the model.
The problems i found using maya were just navigating around the software. My skills lie more with the art side of the industry. There’s a lot of technical involved with modelling, i don’t enjoy it, i find it more stressful than anything. Knowing where the UV’s are and how to take them apart to create nets is one of the many things i struggled with making the model, i had to ask for a lot of help while making the model. hopefully in the future i can do more work with the art side. The UV side of the 3D was confusing having to unfold the model and match the seems to create the net.
The concept side was easier for me, there were some problems i ran into, for example, creating and capturing light within the concept but after experimenting with the color pallet and doing research into light theory and color theory i managed to over come it and produce a concept i’m happy with. I new learnt techniques in substance painter to create the textures for the snitch, adding new layers so i could add scratches and dirt changing the mixing the colors gold and silver to make it look worn, there are brushes for different textures if i wanted to add finger prints, or dents i could lower or rise the height.
Designing Stage:
I designed my own color pallet to use for the final concept. By doing this i will be able to experiment with different colors and blend them together so the concept looks more realistic. I have done a series of light and dark colors, going back to color theory certain colors mix go well with others and using light theory to get a more natural look.
A diagram on color and light theory
My ten completed sketches of my ideas to model, created digitally on Photoshop, with annotations.
Health and Safety:
When working in the gaming industry there isn’t that much involved with health and safety. Prop designers would work with machinery and materials in film and TV to recreate the sets, most gaming industry’s have 3D printers which could involve heavy machinery but nothing dangerous. Open wires is a big thing in anything involving computing, if the wires are exposed then that could risk in a fire or if wires are spread across the office floor then employers could trip over them. The layout of a employers desk/office is important not only to look professional but tidy, when a space is not organised or the way the employer likes it then can cause a them to be stressed because they don’t feel safe or know were there property is, a employer wants the feeling of being safe in there own space. Having food/drink in a work environment where there are computers is not especially, employers could spill liquids on the computers or any hardwire then cause fires, other employers might eat when working, but getting crums in the hardware end ups breaking it. When working with/on computers all the time it can lead to injury or health risks in the future, repetitive wrist strain is the main injury with pro gamers to game designers. Repetitive wrist strain causes pain and aces in ones upper body and wrist due poor posture and repetitive movements at work. RIS mostly effects your arms, elbows, wrists, hands, fingers, neck and shoulders. Coming from a person that suffers from repetitive wrist strain, it slows my movements in my left hand and getting sharp pains from my hand and arm, that mixed with constantly having a not in my left shoulder from having poor posture when gaming and doing college work.
Eye strain when staring at a monitor for long hours can lead to bad eye sight in the future, and can cause headaches/migraines, companies have designed special glasses for gamers or anyone that works with computers so they can wear them and not have strain on there eyes. You can lower the brightness on the monitor so your eyes aren’t exposed to that much light. Gunnar glasses are the ones I use for gaming and computer work, they are recommended by doctors, they protect and enhance your vison. They are designed with a blue light protection factor, the lenses are yellow to combat the blue light from the monitor. Sitting indoors for long hours is not recommended, a person can’t be indoors for more than twelve hours a day, you need to take a break, walk around, get fresh air, stretch. Being indoors all the time leads to lack in Vitim D and prone to more colds, diseases. All the time when doing college work I listen to music with in earphones, the music is not loud but it still can cause loss of hearing over time and not paying attention to your surroundings. It is recommended that people use headphones rather than in earphones because having something in your ear can damage the ear drum.
Evaluation
This is my finial outcome of my concept are and model. I’m very happy with the outcome, the use of colors and the overall scene I chose for the drawing. The image in my head came to life and was captured on screen the way I pictured it. I wanted to try and create light within the scene so I used lighter colors with the fire and cast light through the window. I feel I have achieved all I could do with the model and concept.
My model of the snitch came out better than I suspected, as I’ve addressed throughout this project my skill set with modelling is not great but better having gotten a little bit used to Maya. What went really well was the textures I really enjoyed getting the textures to how the prop is displayed in the films, while adding my own touch. The reason I chose to model the snitch was because it’s a small prop and I know I could cope with it, but if I had more time I would like to model something bigger, maybe a house or a lamp. Substance painter I found very easy to use, it’s similar to Photoshop and having been using Photoshop the whole of this year I’m confident I’ll only get better and learn more tips and tricks when creating textures.
Ngons are faces made up of five or more sides. They are connected by five or more vertices. Anything over four sides is considered a Ngon. The reason to avoid Ngons when modelling is because if you have a quad the model will be better and look cleaner. Ngons cause problems when creating the model. When the model is moved to rigging then animation, it’s easier to do so in quads. Ngons cause render issues, the model may look fine in Maya but the render version may have strange visuals. To avoid this you would have to go back and clean up the Ngons on the model.
The purpose of UV unwrapping is because the UV map is the flat representation of the 3D version of the model. The simpler way to explain this is it’s the net of a shape, For example, the net of a cube or cuboid. Game designers use UV unwrapping so the textures for the model can be put on.
If I was to change anything in my final concept I would add a little life to the drawing by adding a character or creature, for example the sketch of pickett the Bowtruckle I did earlier on, added him behind other props in the concept. I would have liked to have done more with scenery or environments maybe drawing a abandoned building, city or forest. I’m pleased with my model of the snitch, if I had more time and got used to modelling and using Maya then I would have added more detail or chosen to model something bigger. The Substance painter textures came out really well don’t think I would change anything about them.
In the games industry level designers can get paid between £20,000 and £35,000, game designers get can get paid £30,000 but can work their way up to £45,000. A senior game designer could earn up to £60,000.
In Concept art employees can earn £54,000 a year. A beginner concept artists starts a £27,000 a year, the highest an artist can get paid is £92,820 a year.
Animators at the beginning earn £12,000 to £15,000. It depends on how much experience a person has. Experience animators can get paid between £23,000 to £26,000. If an animator has at least ten years with experience they are paid around £36,000.
Deadlines in the gaming industry are very important and the developers make sure they are met. The reason deadlines are important is so the designers, animators and artists have a plan to follow, if a game is due to come out next year then the developers need to make sure everything is done on time and to a good standard. The public will also want the game to be one time with deadlines because people hate to hear a game has been delayed in production, but the public would rather have the game be delayed so the developers can fix all the bugs than having a game be released without being fixed.
When working in Photoshop for my concept i found some tips and tricks with working with color and light theory, using different shades of the same color, brighter colors for a mood change. Using the drawing tablet really helped the control of the brush rather than using a mouse. Sometimes i would forget to use a different layer or make a new layer, then having to go back and delete my progress.
These are my initial sketches leading up to my final piece. I started out with small props leading into creatures, i was thinking of drawing a character but with more considered doing a environment instead. So i drew a quick sketch of my version of the Quidditch pitch. My favourite out of the sketches would be the snitch and Pickett because i like how they look realistic, and i could see them being sketches for the films or games. The golden snitch helped me envision for the modelling stage and how to create the textures.
Feedback:
I gathered feedback from my class mates about my concept art piece, what they liked about it and what they didn’t like about it. This feedback has helped me and wall help me in the future when it comes to concepts i have taken all the information on board, good and bad. By seeing other peoples prospective it has helped me observe my work deferentially and by doing this i can see what i need to change about the use of color or if the work would suit a different style.
Ollie: I like the shading in the reflection in the Occamy egg, and the Butterbeer glass.
Rodrigo: the scarf design might be my favourite; I like how well you did the folding in the scarf. I also really love the lighting coming the window it creates a mood in the illustration. The rendering in the illustration helps everything stand out, especially the other props like the egg and badges.
Shay: I feel the general composition to the piece is well structured the colour blend in well overall and the attention to detail as the light comes thought the window is well done has a more realistic look. Some improves would be adding more detail to back ground getting rid of the blocky colours.
Overall i think i have meet the criteria and followed the project plan well. For the first time with any project i deiced to work backwards by drawing my final piece first then doing the research after, but by doing this i created more stress for myself with worrying about keeping on top of the deadlines. I will not be doing this in the future i would prefer to work from the traditional start to finish. I feel my project was a success and have learnt that my skill sets lie within concept art rather than modelling but will continue to learn about modelling next year. My final piece come out exactly how i planned it, the layout was how i pictured it. The use of lighting and color was better than i expected combined with all the research i did and using that within my concept. I have uploaded my snitch model into Unreal Engine, first taking a screenshot of the model bigger than normal scale so i could get the reflection of the character. Then scaling the model down to the size of the original snitch.
Scale is important because characters in game need to have that real world geometry so the players can make sense of that prop, environment or building. It’s necessary to have the axis centred on the model because when modelling and in Unreal you want the axis centred with the model, this helps the model move better around the environment.
Imogen Carr (GAMING) 