Art Fundamentals for the Games, Animation & VFX Industries
This page is dedicated to the Art Fundamentals for the Games, Animation & VFX Industries Component of the AIM Award Technical in Animation, Games & VFX. Below will include projects including images, video & reflections.
Technical Skills
AF 1 - Understand artistic concepts including light, colour, composition, perspective and volume.
AF 2 - Understand how traditional processes have been developed and integrated into digital art software systems and processes for games, animation and VFX.
AF 3 - Be able to demonstrate foundation skills in drawing for different purposes
Perspective Drawing - Dream Bedroom
Here I have drew my dream bedroom using a one-point perspective. I didn’t use many construction lines and I accidentally put the objects on the back wall instead of the floor.
I have used floor, wall and ceiling textures . I used free transform and the perspective tool to make the room look more realistic. I have used a bed, house plant, nightstand, carpet and chandelier to decorate the room. The perspective of the walls, floor and ceiling look realistic however it doesn’t match up perfectly and there are gaps between them.
Proportion Drawings
Here I have drew the front and side view of a basic character shape using the head as a measurement. I have made the character the length of 8 heads so that it stays the right proportion. I added some facial features to the front view of the character. The torso of the front view character went wrong and doesn’t match up to where it should be.
Colour Theory
Here I have looked at the uses of colour in games and what they can represent. colour theory is a body of practical guidance of colour mixing and the visual effects of a specific colour combination.
Character Concept Board
I was asked to create a concept board containing: a character I had made and a backstory for the character. I created a character using techniques and inspiration. I made the character on PhotoShop using the paint brush and smudge tools. I also made an intriguing backstory to go with the character. The character is designed to be mysterious and ominous. I have used dark colours on the character’s clothing items to give a peculiar and interesting tone. I used quick thumbnail and silhouette sketches to come up with the shape and size I wanted the character to be. The character’s backstory is a “Hero’s Journey” story and he has a compelling reason to reach his end goal. The character has many interesting clothing items such as a mask and hat to cover up the characters face and head. I used inspiration from games such as Destiny and Final Fantasy to come up with ideas for the clothing.
The characters body shape isn’t to proportion and looks weird. Also, The character’s stance looks unnatural and awkward. Next time, I would try to measure the body of the character and I would keep it to proportion so that it doesn’t look unnatural. I would also try to change the character’s stance so that it looks alive and not just an awkward drawing.
Art Theory
Art Theory in Context
In this essay I will be analysing and interpreting a piece of artwork called “The Brooklyn Bridge: Variation on an Old Theme”, painted by Italian American artist Joseph Stella. It was painted in 1939 and follows the Futurism art movement, it depicts the Brooklyn Bridge and a futuristic interpretation of New York in a Fictional future, embodied by Joseph Stella. “Joseph Stella was an Italian-American painter, noted for his Futurist paintings depicting city architecture, religious themes, and modern culture.” (artnet.com). Living in New York, he was inspired to paint his surroundings of the large and modern city. I will be covering the five artistic concepts (light, colour, composition, perspective and volume) and discussing how the artist has used these to create and influence his piece. I will also be considering how this painting and the whole Futurism art movement could influence a product in the Games industry. I will then discuss how a game called “Cyberpunk 2077” could have been influenced and inspired by this movement. I believe that many games with futuristic themes are inspired by the futurism art movement as the movement is essentially a visual representation of the ever-advancing world using culture and technology to express this. I also think the movement has energy and creativeness as the artist is trying to show what their predictions and impressions of the future are.
“The Brooklyn Bridge: Variation on an Old Theme” follows the futurism art movement. The Futurism movement refers to artwork that represents the energy and the constant advancement of the modern world. The movement represents concepts such as technology and industry. The art is Portrait to emphasise the tall height of the structures. The lights and size of the buildings are exaggerated to represent how sudden and fast the world is advancing. The artist uses some bright neon colours such as blue, red and green, to show the energy of technology and the potential the future holds. The art depicts a large bridge leading to a futuristic city with various buildings and deep lights. The painting reminds me of the night life in a large city such as Las Vegas or Miami because of the many lights and variation of colours used. The city looks bustling and vibrant as the city is filled with contrasting colours to give the impression of controlled chaos. The artist uses a few dark colours mixed with the bright to create the illusion of shadows to give the impression that the city is alive at night. The colours used aren’t balanced and clash with each other so that the city looks futuristic and non-traditional. The artist also used sharp edges and lines to give the buildings a sleek and modern look. The artwork was made using oil on canvas and was painted using a traditional brush. The artwork is called: “The Brooklyn Bridge: Variation on an Old Theme” and was painted by Joseph Stella in 1939. The title gives me the impression that the artwork depicts what the artist believes New York will look like in the future. “To Italian-born Joseph Stella, who
immigrated to New York at the age of nineteen, New York City was a nexus of
frenetic, form-shattering power.” (Whitney Museum of American Art) Stella uses the light artistic concept on the bridge to create lighter tones on the black part of the bridge to give the impression of light shining on it and giving it a shiny metallic look. This is also used for the light effects in the painting as they show a gradient of colour to make them look like they fade into the black background, emphasising the contrast of the bright lights and the dark sky background. Stella also uses the volume
artistic concept on the buildings and architecture to express how large and
tall they are compared to the bridge. Stella uses shadows on the sides and
edges of the structures to give the illusion of a 3D cityscape, creating a more
realistic and comprehensible interpretation of his predictions of the future of
New York. In terms of composition, the artist uses all of things I have covered
such as contrasting colours, large scale structures and gradients to create the
futuristic and bustling version of New York that Stella predicted. Stella has
also used perspective to create a 3D illusion for his painting with the
buildings that get smaller in the distance and lights that fade out the further
they reach.
Stella’s painting and the Futurism movement could influence many games with a futuristic or science fiction theme. For instance, a game like “Cyberpunk 2077” uses a very similar colour palette to Stella’s work and has the same contrast effect of the dark and neon colours clashing. “Fittingly, he depicted the bridge as a modern-day altar, its soaring cables and pointed Gothic arches reinforced by his palette of blues, reds, and blacks that resemble light filtering through a stained-glass window.” (Arthur.io). During pre-production of the game, concept art will have been created using traditional methods such as pencil drawings or paintings. The concept art will have used the same techniques as Stella’s artwork such as gradients and similar perspectives that emphasise the Immense cityscape. The concept art will then be translated into digital imagery using software such as Photoshop or Procreate. Digital art software has tools that allow artists to implement many core techniques and artistic concepts such as shading, painting and drawing. Artists can also use hardware such as a Graphics tablet and pen to enhance their experience and allow them to digitally draw or paint accurately. Digital art is easier for developers to utilise when creating a game as video games can only be developed using digital hardware. “Cyberpunk 2077” has a larger emphasis on the use of technology as it was created in the modern day and Stella’s painting was made in 1939, the painting was created a long time before and the artist didn’t get to experience modern day technology. Also, “Cyberpunk 2077” uses models of people to try to give the impression of a bustling city whilst in Stella’s painting there aren’t any people, yet still gives the illusion of a busy and vibrant city. Both however, are a fictional interpretation of a futuristic city, created by the predictions of the future.
In addition, both use lighting to contrast with the dark colours to create depth and volume in their depictions of the future. They also share similar architecture and buildings with similar scale and colours used within them, volume is used also with shadows on crevices and the sides of the buildings to create a 3D illusion. The idea of futurism in “Cyberpunk 2077” is used to create a dystopian city plagued with societal issues, yet Stella’s artwork doesn’t show how the city is or how the citizens are. “The metropolis pulses with deals, desperation, and death.”
(archpaper.com) Furthermore “Cyberpunk 2077” has a large emphasis on vehicles and weapons such as guns and knives to portray a chaotic and dangerous city unlike Stella’s discreet portrayal of a futuristic city. The game also uses technology such as phones, digital billboards and videos throughout the city to show how much it could have advanced.
I think that the Futurism art movement is very creative as everyone can have different predictions and thoughts about the ever-advancing world. This is shown in Stella’s work as he had very specific ideas about what he thought New York would be like in the future and he expressed them using many traditional art techniques. The artwork used a varied colour palette with dark colours and bright neon colours that clashed and contrasted to show how non-traditional the future could become. The game “Cyberpunk 2077” was clearly influenced by this movement as the colours, lighting and concepts are the same. Both express the energy of industry and change of a city over time by using similar artistic concepts to deliver the theme. These also share and try to convey related ideas of the potential future. “Cyberpunk 2077” however, uses the concepts to create a negative depiction of the future where chaos and dread has seized the city. Stella’s artwork seems to show the future in a positive way and the dark city is filled with light colours that represent a joyful and exciting place. I believe that Joseph Stella had a positive outlook and hope for the potential of the future New York. Traditional artwork has definitely influenced digital media such as video games because creators use them to make visually pleasing products with a clean finished look. “The Brooklyn Bridge: Variation on an Old Theme” has influenced not only the futurism movement but also other digital media that depict a futuristic or science fiction theme.
References
Joseph Stella. Available: http://www.artnet.com/artists/joseph-stella/. Last accessed 28th Feb 2022.
Joseph Stella, The Brooklyn Bridge: Variation on an Old Theme. Available: https://whitney.org/collection/works/2968. Last accessed 9th Feb 2022.
The Brooklyn Bridge: Variation on an Old Theme, 1939. Available: https://arthur.io/art/joseph-stella/the-brooklyn-bridge-variation-on-an-old-theme. Last accessed 9th Feb 2022.
Ryan Scavnicky. (2021). Cyberpunk 2077 is an architecture critique with nothing to say. Available: https://www.archpaper.com/2021/01/cyberpunk-2077-is-an-architecture-critique-with-nothing-to-say/. Last accessed 28th Feb 2022.
Art Theory Evaluation
For this formal essay I had to discuss artistic concepts and traditional concepts of a painting called “The Brooklyn Bridge: Variation on an Old Theme”, painted by Italian American artist Joseph Stella. I also had to consider how these processes have been integrated into digital platforms, specifically Games Design.
Before the essay, I felt prepared because I had prior experience with discussing artistic concepts and traditional concepts in school. During the experience I felt like I was struggling to discuss certain concepts in the piece of artwork I had chosen, and it make we worried that I wouldn’t be able to cover the necessary details. After, I felt content and relieved because I knew I had covered everything I needed to, and the essay was very informative.
I have considered a piece of artwork and demonstrated my knowledge of the artistic concepts within the piece effectively. I have used these concepts to produce an in-depth analysis and considered how these concepts could influence a digital product. I have demonstrated my understanding of traditional artistic processes. Also, I have provided information to show how the artwork was created and how this can be developed digitally to give the same ideas. I have considered how and why these processes would be digitally integrated. Furthermore, I have completed a reference list at the end of my essay and demonstrated Harvard referencing. I have formatted the essay well and used a good level of spelling and grammar. Finally, I have drawn on resources to build arguments throughout the writing. In the essay, I have successfully compared a game a piece of artwork and explained how each uses the artistic concepts.
In the essay there were some concepts I wanted to go into more detail about, however I struggled because the game and artwork I had discussed don’t utilise them often. Also, I could have used more references to build a more compelling argument.
On reflection, I realised that I had a good understanding of the artistic concepts however a few of them I found hard to understand how a piece of art uses them. I was successful at comparing a game and piece of artwork the uses the same artistic movement. I already had knowledge of artistic concepts before the essay, so I knew how to discuss about how a piece of artwork uses them, this contributed towards the success of the essay. Also, I had to research how traditional art processes how been integrated into digital platforms.
From this essay I have learned how to compare how a game and a piece of artwork from the same artistic movement use artistic concepts. I have also learned how traditional art processes how been integrated into digital platforms. These skills can be used in the future if I had to consider the art style of a game being developed so that it can utilise artistic concepts effectively. In the future, I would make sure to pick a game or piece of art to discuss that uses all of the art concepts clearly.
The next time I consider a game’s art style I will think about the art movement used and how the effectively artistic concepts are used. I could also practice comparing a game and piece of artwork with the same art movement in mind to further develop my knowledge of art concepts.
Environment Concept Art Project
Story
The story begins with a powerful elf woman in a shadowy forest. Her archenemy is a telepath who has long flowing hair. The two have been brought together by fate in order to rescue their friend Kulag from the grips of the Frost Dragon followers. The two must make their way to the garden of evil to track Kulag’s last steps.
Mind Map
Mood Board
Thumbnail Sketches
Silhouette
Here I have created a silhouette for my final concept art piece. This helped me to position the different layers in the right place and keep the layers to proportion for my final piece. The silhouettes also helped me to create the right shapes for the trees and create volume in my art, the background layers standing out from the main subject.
Idea Development
The design works well because volume is shown with the subtle tree layers in the background. Also, light is used effectively with the fireflies and window light sources. The colours used also work well together to create a mystical forest that the brief asked for.
The background layers however seem to be too subtle, and they could be darker or larger to blend the really make the background and foreground distinct. The lights used also aren’t used exactly right as there aren’t shadows to show area where the light doesn’t reach to, shadows would make more of a realistic image.
When I was making it the background trees were too light and I had to go over them with a darker shade to make them more subtle. Also, the leaves texture looked unrealistic so I ended up deleting it and making the tree taller, resulting in a more engaging and interesting look.
Idea Development Volume
The background tree layers create volume within the design and gives a sense of depth to it. The perspective is effective because there is a lot going on in the background that can make the foreground and background really distinct.
The background layers however are very subtle and perhaps could be darker or cover a larger area to make the background seem more independent.
The background trees were too light of a shade and barely visible so I had to go over them with a darker shade. Also, the fireflies all looked the same size and they make the piece, in terms of volume look unrealistic. I made all of the fireflies different sizes and brightness so that some of them looked further away.
Idea Development Light
In my design I have used many light sources such as the window and the fireflies. I have used shadows on the trees for the places the light doesn’t reach and I used lighter tones for the areas where the light reaches. The light sources really make the contrasting shadows stand out and make a more realistic image.
The shadows however could’ve been harsher to make them stand out more as they are subtle.
Idea Development Colour
The different colour palettes are strong and create mood in the image well. For instance, the blue colour palette has more of a sombre tone than the original colour palette. The main subjects in the image don’t blend in when using a different colour palette meaning the foreground and background are distinct. In all of the images they have different contrasting colours that all work effectively together to create an interesting piece.
The background colours are too bright with these palettes and they should be darker to make the background more distinct.
Final Development
Presentation Board
Final Evaluation
I believe the lighting in the final piece is effective because the light sources are believable due to the use of shadows and lighter textures. The shadows are in the places that the light doesn’t reach and it contrasts well with the light tones used for the areas the light covers. The main light sources are the fireflies and the window, they bring a bright effect into the somewhat dark foreground. The colours used really bring a mystical and intriguing tone to the forest design. Contrasting colours are used to represent how colourful and diverse nature really is, creating a convincing image. The colour palette is strong and creates mood in the image well, it gives a sense of calmness with the purple background. The composition of the image is effective as there are multiples layers on top of each other that stack to create a deep image. Lighter colours were used for the background layers so that the foreground and background are distinct. The background tree layers create volume within the design and gives a sense of depth to it. The multiple background layers stack to give the effect of a large forest with many trees in the distance. The perspective is effective because there is a lot going on in the background that can make the foreground and background really distinct. The perspective really shows the how large the forest is and makes the image feel deep due to the stacked layers. Overall, the piece is effective in trying to show story in an environment due to the textures, depth and techniques used.
The background layers are too subtle and I could either make them darker or more prominent to make the foreground and background blend. This would make the background look closer to the foreground, this would be an improvement as the background looks way too far away from the foreground. Also the painting in some areas looks messy and could be cleaned up as the colours in the background look faded and distorted. Furthermore, the lines used aren’t very straight and could be neater to make the piece more presentable. When I was adding colour to the piece the background tree layers seemed too light and barely visible so I had to go over them with a darker shade. Also, the leaves texture I had used initially looked unrealistic so I ended up deleting it and making the tree taller, resulting in a more engaging and interesting look.