FUI/HUD Design
Hello Polycount,
I've wanted to get into FUI/HUD design for
the last few months or so but don't know where I should begin with learning. From the
research that I've been doing, it seems like a background in graphic design is
desirable, but since I have no background in design I'm not sure what to target
specifically. Like would I have to go to a college and go through a degree
program before I'm ready, or would I be able to acquire enough knowledge
through books and online courses. I've just been haphazardly reading various design books
and taking online classes from places like Learnedsquared, Lynda and Skillshare. There is a full
graphic design curriculum on www.thegraphicdesignschool.com that seems to
go through the fundamentals of graphic design, but I haven't been able to find
much outside testimonial of their online courses.
Are there any self-taught graphic/HUD/FUI designers that have found success without
breaking the bank? If so, what was your journey like? For FUI/HUD
design, what graphic design principles do you think should be focused on
Thanks in advance!
Replies
On the programming side:
You'll probably want to start out by learning how to create animated HTML5 webpages, as it's become somewhat common to use web languages for games user interfaces these days, particularly those that work well on mobile platforms. Most game engines that don't use a web language for the UI will have their own unique system. For application interfaces, Qt is probably the most popular (Maya and Max both use it for example), but it's a bit too heavy for in-game purposes.
On the art side:
Painting skills and the ability to create vector art are both a must. Common software includes; Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and After Effects. You'll likely also want to know Blender (or another general purpose 3D modeling tool) to help when creating mock-ups.
Some examples to help you get started:
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/ui-and-fui-for-movies-games-and-tests
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/51A2O
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/580Xl1
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/A6boX
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/3xwk2
https://www.artstation.com/andriishafetov
Also worth noting is that as a designer it's important not only to consider the UI (user interface) design, but also the UX (user experience). Interfaces range from practical, to absurd high-concept abstract nonsense. When you take the UX into account you're focused on making sure the interface remains practical, quick, and easy to navigate. Fancy looking interfaces with all sorts of animations and transition effects may grab peoples attention, and are thus nice to have in a portfolio, but if you want to be good at your job then always consider the user experience as well. At larger companies the roll of UI and UX design is sometimes split, where the UI designer will create high-concept interfaces with excessive visuals, and the UX designer will essentially tone them down to create something practical.