Game Art – Advice From Someone In the Industry

[Seedling]

So, you love playing games and you love art. You’ve got a sketchbook full of ass-kicking robots, and you’ve got an idea in your head for a whole computer game, right down to the shape of the swords and the bone-chips stuck in the monster’s teeth. And maybe you’re looking at college, or maybe you’re in college and looking at the end of college. Or maybe you’ve been out of college for years and you’re looking for a change. At any rate, you’re probably unsure of what to do next.

Perhaps I can help you. My name is Michelle Clay, and I am a modeler/texturer/environment builder at a company called Turbine. My specialty is environment art, and I like helping aspiring artists figure out where to go next when they want to be where I am.

I give out a lot of the same advice over and over, and all too often I’ve thought of the perfect nugget of wisdom to share only eight hours too late, when I’m in the shower and the conversation is long over. So I figured, why not dump it all somewhere here on Concept Art? I’ll just throw it all out in one disorganized heap, and by golly, if anyone thinks its important enough they might actually sift through and find some words to help them on their way.

So, anyway, here goes. The following includes rambles from me, and from other folks in the games industry who have been kind enough to share some of their knowledge, and some highly unorganized assignments at various levels of difficulty. Please feel welcome to join in the discussion!

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Table of Contents
. . .because this mixed-up mess of information has grown very large. . .


Assignments
Concept Art for Environments
Assignment #1 - Analyze a Game Environment

Process of Working with Concept Art
Assignment #2 – Monsters and Concepts
#2A - extra credit
#2B - more extra credit
2D Versus 3D
Assignment #4 – Draw a Chair
Simplicity from Complexity
Assignment #5 – Carousel
Photo Realism – Where to Begin?
Assignment #6 - Photorealism
Composition
Assignment #7 – Composition
#7 B
From Observation to Concept Art
assignment #8 – From Observation to Concept Art
Game Design
Assignment #9 – Game Mod
Environment Art
Assignment #10 – Rocky Environment
#10 Extra Credit
Low-Poly Doo-Dads
Assignment #11 – Low-Poly Doo-Dads
How to make the most of your (lousy) education
Assignment #12 – Make a Dull Assignment Fun
Paintovers
assignment #13 – Paintover
#13A – Drawing in Perspective
#13B – Paintover an Existing Game
Environment Art: Dungeons
assignment #14 - Modular Dungeon Pieces
Trees
Assignment #15 – Trees
#15 A – Concepting for Trees
#15 B – Modeling and Texturing a Tree
#15 C – Expanding on What You Have Built
extra credit


Advice
Rambly Rambles about College
The Process of Working with Concept Art
Two-Year Schools and Technical Artists
I’ll chime in about exercise, too. . .
More on an Art Education Versus a Tools Education
Having a Tough Time Getting Hired as a Concept Artist?
Internships
Jhartford’s take on Internships
Game Industry Salaries
Maya Versus Max Versus Other
Portfolios, Reels, Resumes, and Cover Letters
More on Portfolios
Tips from Dr. Memory
Qitsune on Pixel Art
ConCrete’s link to game mod stuff
DoInferno shares more on Pixel Art
Djobuk on Paintovers in Concept Art
Chirp Chirp’s Tips
More from Chirp Chirp
Chirp Chirp on Normal Maps
Schmoozing
Loads of Useful Links! Thanks Chirp Chirp!
Chirp Chirp’s Book List
Maurice on Moving to Where the Jobs Are
Game Dev Mapper Link
DeBlackKnite on Indy Games
What makes an art department?
Masque’s UV Tutorial
Games versus Movies

By the way, the thread in the Communities Activities forum that goes along with this thread never got off the ground. Oh well.