Better to Re-Create or Create?

dpaynter26

Hey Guys,
Posting another question for Environment artists and Asset Artists in the industry.
When I'm modeling something it always seems easier for me to recreate something from a favorite game or reimagine how it would look in a different style and I always get the question from friends "why dont you use your own design? or make something of your own?" And I'm wondering, when a dev looks at a persons art, say a possible hiring candidate, would it be better to see art that the person has designed themselves or would it be better to see a recreated environment from concept art or something already in a game with the artists own sort of twist or better to see something the artist has completely designed, imagined and created themselves?

walreu

I'd say if you can show all those different methods that you listed, that would be the best possible situation wouldn't it?

aajohnny

It makes you stand out if you actually make things that don't exist already, things that aren't common. I don't think re-creating shows much of anything besides technical ability and not much else. If you made something yourself you actually show more of a creative side then just "eh I've seen that"

Sukotto

I've learned that when you're first starting out that its better model something off someone elses concept(hopefully someone who is a professional concept art) Because they know what a good character/environment looks like. You'll be able to make it the best it can be if you choose a professional level concept. Until you're comfortable concepting your own characters/environments you should stick with professional work.

There are plenty of artists on PC (who are employed) that have a few pieces of fan art in their portfolios as well. It shouldn't be a deterrent but don't have a portfolio of ONLY fan art

biofrost

I would also say it is fine to use someone else's concept. My first(and right now only) portfolio piece was from Deus Ex. If you don't have strong concept art skills then when you go to model that it will also(usually) suffer from not being from a strong concept.

Of course it should not all be fan art, you can take reference from real world object, no one owns the rights to a light pole after all!

Overlord

If you can make things that don't already exist, I'd be amazed. Nothing is original, everything is derivative. Without copying the ideas of others, your works would have no context. What I think matters is how well you remix it. Copy, combine, transform. Just don't copy too literally.

Ace-Angel

Just make it look good on a budget. You can be the most creative person in the world, but it will be all for naught if it looks like you spend 10 seconds blotching everything in PS.

Snader

It depends on what they're looking for. A large company might just use you as a work tool so you should simply follow concepts and not screw around much. A smaller team could have huge benefits from artists with a bit of grasp on design.

Saman

This is a pretty tricky question. What people like is usually either a really cool design they haven't seen much of before, or a very interesting and cool take on something familiar. In the end it's the quality that matters, just make it cool looking and you'll be fine. Using an awesome and original concept will make it easier for you, people on pc don't seem to mind the quality of whatever you're making as long as the design and all is awesome. If you however use an awesome concept piece and make a really cool 3d model/scene of it people are gonna love it.

Snefer

Recreating things is a great way to learn. It gives you a fully realised target to aim for, but recreating things will only take you so far. I think a good mix is to recreate things while building up the skills to realise your own ideas. I would say start by recreating things, and then gradually mix in your own designs etc.

dpaynter26

Hey Guys Thanks for all the feedback! Snefer your advice is always taken to heart Everyone else seems to have kind of a general agreement on the answer, recreate a few things here and there then create things of my own or add my own twist to things and get a good mixture of the two going