The artist in the gaming industry: the organization of the workflow
Creating a game is a complex process and requires a huge amount of resources. A full game can be obtained only by combining the work of experts from different fields. Therefore, the quality of the project directly depends on the quality of work of the links of this complex system. This means that every designer in a team is part of a huge game production mechanism.
In order for tasks to be performed as efficiently as possible, it is very important to build a workflow correctly. Under the work process refers to the understanding of all external and internal factors that contribute to the performance of work. This may be the organization of the workplace, setting up tools, collecting materials, stages of work, communicating with people, etc. The process should be structured so that resources are used most efficiently and the result is obtained as quickly as possible.
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My name is Sergey Samarsky, I am the leading designer of multimedia objects in the Plarium company. I work with games such as War of Thrones, Sparta: War of Empires, Pirate Code, Conflict: Art of War, Rules of War.
In this article I would like to share tips to work, based on my own experience. Perhaps many of the mechanisms described below are not new to you, but they form the basis of the artist’s workflow, both in the gaming industry and in any other field.
So, the artist received a production task.
Work should begin with a search for illustrative material (popularly “refs”), such as photographs, works by other artists, 3D models and other materials that will help in the work. This is done in order to set the initial direction of the search, that is, decide in which direction to move, choose a style, technique, idea, and so on. After the approximate picture of the solution is formed in your head, you should gradually clarify the details, and do it again and again until you get the desired result. For example, rather rough sketches on paper or in photoshop can serve as the first stage. Further work is reduced to the refinement of these sketches, the elaboration of their individual parts, the work on the concept.
This technique works not only in drawing, but also in mathematics. Since I received a technical education, I can trace the similarity of the drawing process and the process of solving the problem of applied mathematics. In some numerical methods, the solution of the problem is found by numerous tests with constant refinement of the search direction (directional search).
And now apply it to the drawing. For example, in order to draw a good character concept, it is necessary to sort out a large number of options, while constantly adjusting the direction of the idea. Obviously, these methods use the same principles.
Therefore, before undertaking sketch drawing, it is necessary to sort out and analyze a sufficient number of alternatives. At this stage, it is recommended not to spend a lot of time on technical aspects, such as form, perspective, anatomy, but to go through as many ideas as possible. Any method is suitable for this purpose. You can draw new elements, insert them from a photo, deform old ones, cut, copy, stretch - anything. You do not need to think about the quality of lines, volume.
If we neglect this, we can make a lot of mistakes at the initial stage, which means that subsequent actions will not be able to compensate for this deficiency and will simply be in vain. If you break the methodology for solving the production problem by items, you get the following:
This stage allows you to set the initial direction. It is needed so that the artist could roughly determine what needs to be done and how.
Stage busting options and screening failed. This stage allows you to gradually get closer to the desired result by analyzing options.
The stage of working out the selected idea. Enumerate the options on the level of technology: color, light,
composition.
And finally, the final is the stage of preparing the final picture, which should go to production.
It is very important to monitor the result of the work in the right size and in the right place. If you are drawing a game illustration, check out how this illustration looks in the game. If you are drawing an interface element, look at how it looks in the context of the entire interface.
And now let's look at it all on an example.
To illustrate my point, I set myself the task of drawing a coat of arms for a character class like WoW or Diablo. Suppose I need to draw a coat of arms of a warrior.
First of all, I collected a selection of references in a large .psd file. As can be seen from the refs, there are many ways to draw a coat of arms of a warrior.
After the initial collection of information is complete, we can begin to work on the concept. The attributes that we place on the coat of arms will talk about the character of a warrior, belonging to a particular race, his specialization, etc. A number of characteristic attributes can be identified that would tell about who the character is.
It should be borne in mind that different elements cause different associations. So, if we draw, for example, axes and a round shield, then we get the coat of arms of a Viking or barbarian. If you add fangs or horns to it, you can get an orc emblem. We can clearly determine which associations one or another element causes, so we easily manipulate the thoughts and emotions of the viewer at this level. At this stage, I am not thinking about the volume or quality of the lines, but above the idea and associations.
Once we have decided on the idea, we can proceed to its implementation. Now is the time to be confused over the lines and volume.
It is important not to forget that throughout the process you should check the result in the final amount.
I decided that this picture can be used as a clan achievement in the War of Thrones game. Therefore, at the final stage, we will look at how it looks in the context of the entire interface.
Importance of information
The importance of any outside information for problem solving and training should not be underestimated. New ideas are nothing but recycled old ones. By combining and modifying known solutions, you can get a completely new idea. If combined correctly, the idea will not be rejected by the perception of the audience, because they will look at their usual things-images. For example, if knight armor was taken as a basis, it can be made fantasy by means of several modifications. But again, the basis of this decision is the base, which was taken from the real world.
Therefore, the library of visual images in memory must be filled to capacity so that it can be accessed at any time and as quickly as possible to extract the necessary information. To do this, you need to watch the outside world, watch photos of cats, watch works by other artists, constantly visit CGhub and similar resources.
This is done in order to fill the memory with images and examples of solutions to similar problems, which will help to quickly and efficiently solve a new problem.
In the process of drawing should keep a selection of information before your eyes. It is best to place it on the second monitor.
The importance of criticism, communication and teamwork
Communication with people is one of the most important factors in learning. Communication helps to look at all the problems from an angle that is unavailable to you. Outsiders can often easily see the mistakes that elude your eyes, and you get the opportunity to correct them.
There are many forums for artists, where people show their work and criticize others. Self-development through communication with other artists is very useful, because it helps to gain new knowledge through the examples of one's own and those of others.
Communication is also a way to get information. As in other cases, here you need to be able to filter the excess and extract the useful. Even the harshest and inadequate criticism may contain a bit of common sense. And you, as a person interested in your own development, should be able to extract this meaning.
Common Misconceptions and Myths
One of the most common myths is that the artist’s coolness depends on the coolness of his instrument. That is, many people think that a new version of Photoshop or a new tablet for a lot of money will fix their mistakes. But! A person draws not with his hands, but with his head, and this means that the artist’s coolness depends directly on the flow of his brain, and not on what is put in his hands. Yes, the tablet adds convenience in the work, but no more.
The second myth is photoshop brushes. Thanks to them, you paint a little faster, it's convenient, but no brush will teach you to draw. Brushes are set up to increase the speed or comfort when drawing, and not to draw something more correct and beautiful.
Another myth associated with education. Many believe that art education will solve absolutely all problems, but there are many examples when education has gone to its detriment. I regard education as another source of knowledge, but this knowledge needs to be able to extract and use it correctly. The immature mind is often difficult to understand.
There is another common misconception that concerns not only drawing. Many people postpone learning with the thought of “then somehow I will learn.” I can say with 100% certainty: if nothing is done, this “later” will never come. If you want to learn something, study right now and do not postpone.
And the last rule: there are no secrets of mastery. Only everyday work and patience.
In order for tasks to be performed as efficiently as possible, it is very important to build a workflow correctly. Under the work process refers to the understanding of all external and internal factors that contribute to the performance of work. This may be the organization of the workplace, setting up tools, collecting materials, stages of work, communicating with people, etc. The process should be structured so that resources are used most efficiently and the result is obtained as quickly as possible.
')
My name is Sergey Samarsky, I am the leading designer of multimedia objects in the Plarium company. I work with games such as War of Thrones, Sparta: War of Empires, Pirate Code, Conflict: Art of War, Rules of War.
In this article I would like to share tips to work, based on my own experience. Perhaps many of the mechanisms described below are not new to you, but they form the basis of the artist’s workflow, both in the gaming industry and in any other field.
So, the artist received a production task.
Work should begin with a search for illustrative material (popularly “refs”), such as photographs, works by other artists, 3D models and other materials that will help in the work. This is done in order to set the initial direction of the search, that is, decide in which direction to move, choose a style, technique, idea, and so on. After the approximate picture of the solution is formed in your head, you should gradually clarify the details, and do it again and again until you get the desired result. For example, rather rough sketches on paper or in photoshop can serve as the first stage. Further work is reduced to the refinement of these sketches, the elaboration of their individual parts, the work on the concept.
This technique works not only in drawing, but also in mathematics. Since I received a technical education, I can trace the similarity of the drawing process and the process of solving the problem of applied mathematics. In some numerical methods, the solution of the problem is found by numerous tests with constant refinement of the search direction (directional search).
And now apply it to the drawing. For example, in order to draw a good character concept, it is necessary to sort out a large number of options, while constantly adjusting the direction of the idea. Obviously, these methods use the same principles.
Therefore, before undertaking sketch drawing, it is necessary to sort out and analyze a sufficient number of alternatives. At this stage, it is recommended not to spend a lot of time on technical aspects, such as form, perspective, anatomy, but to go through as many ideas as possible. Any method is suitable for this purpose. You can draw new elements, insert them from a photo, deform old ones, cut, copy, stretch - anything. You do not need to think about the quality of lines, volume.
If we neglect this, we can make a lot of mistakes at the initial stage, which means that subsequent actions will not be able to compensate for this deficiency and will simply be in vain. If you break the methodology for solving the production problem by items, you get the following:
This stage allows you to set the initial direction. It is needed so that the artist could roughly determine what needs to be done and how.
Stage busting options and screening failed. This stage allows you to gradually get closer to the desired result by analyzing options.
The stage of working out the selected idea. Enumerate the options on the level of technology: color, light,
composition.
And finally, the final is the stage of preparing the final picture, which should go to production.
It is very important to monitor the result of the work in the right size and in the right place. If you are drawing a game illustration, check out how this illustration looks in the game. If you are drawing an interface element, look at how it looks in the context of the entire interface.
And now let's look at it all on an example.
To illustrate my point, I set myself the task of drawing a coat of arms for a character class like WoW or Diablo. Suppose I need to draw a coat of arms of a warrior.
First of all, I collected a selection of references in a large .psd file. As can be seen from the refs, there are many ways to draw a coat of arms of a warrior.
After the initial collection of information is complete, we can begin to work on the concept. The attributes that we place on the coat of arms will talk about the character of a warrior, belonging to a particular race, his specialization, etc. A number of characteristic attributes can be identified that would tell about who the character is.
It should be borne in mind that different elements cause different associations. So, if we draw, for example, axes and a round shield, then we get the coat of arms of a Viking or barbarian. If you add fangs or horns to it, you can get an orc emblem. We can clearly determine which associations one or another element causes, so we easily manipulate the thoughts and emotions of the viewer at this level. At this stage, I am not thinking about the volume or quality of the lines, but above the idea and associations.
Once we have decided on the idea, we can proceed to its implementation. Now is the time to be confused over the lines and volume.
It is important not to forget that throughout the process you should check the result in the final amount.
I decided that this picture can be used as a clan achievement in the War of Thrones game. Therefore, at the final stage, we will look at how it looks in the context of the entire interface.
Importance of information
The importance of any outside information for problem solving and training should not be underestimated. New ideas are nothing but recycled old ones. By combining and modifying known solutions, you can get a completely new idea. If combined correctly, the idea will not be rejected by the perception of the audience, because they will look at their usual things-images. For example, if knight armor was taken as a basis, it can be made fantasy by means of several modifications. But again, the basis of this decision is the base, which was taken from the real world.
Therefore, the library of visual images in memory must be filled to capacity so that it can be accessed at any time and as quickly as possible to extract the necessary information. To do this, you need to watch the outside world, watch photos of cats, watch works by other artists, constantly visit CGhub and similar resources.
This is done in order to fill the memory with images and examples of solutions to similar problems, which will help to quickly and efficiently solve a new problem.
In the process of drawing should keep a selection of information before your eyes. It is best to place it on the second monitor.
The importance of criticism, communication and teamwork
Communication with people is one of the most important factors in learning. Communication helps to look at all the problems from an angle that is unavailable to you. Outsiders can often easily see the mistakes that elude your eyes, and you get the opportunity to correct them.
There are many forums for artists, where people show their work and criticize others. Self-development through communication with other artists is very useful, because it helps to gain new knowledge through the examples of one's own and those of others.
Communication is also a way to get information. As in other cases, here you need to be able to filter the excess and extract the useful. Even the harshest and inadequate criticism may contain a bit of common sense. And you, as a person interested in your own development, should be able to extract this meaning.
Common Misconceptions and Myths
One of the most common myths is that the artist’s coolness depends on the coolness of his instrument. That is, many people think that a new version of Photoshop or a new tablet for a lot of money will fix their mistakes. But! A person draws not with his hands, but with his head, and this means that the artist’s coolness depends directly on the flow of his brain, and not on what is put in his hands. Yes, the tablet adds convenience in the work, but no more.
The second myth is photoshop brushes. Thanks to them, you paint a little faster, it's convenient, but no brush will teach you to draw. Brushes are set up to increase the speed or comfort when drawing, and not to draw something more correct and beautiful.
Another myth associated with education. Many believe that art education will solve absolutely all problems, but there are many examples when education has gone to its detriment. I regard education as another source of knowledge, but this knowledge needs to be able to extract and use it correctly. The immature mind is often difficult to understand.
There is another common misconception that concerns not only drawing. Many people postpone learning with the thought of “then somehow I will learn.” I can say with 100% certainty: if nothing is done, this “later” will never come. If you want to learn something, study right now and do not postpone.
And the last rule: there are no secrets of mastery. Only everyday work and patience.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/218299/
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