Ok to work from other's concept art on your reel?

cursedDice

Hello polycounters! I'm new to this forum, but you'll be seeing me a lot in the coming months, as I am nearing the end of my schooling, and I'm almost done with all my non-game related CG classes. I have 4 months till graduation, and by then I need to have poured my heart into my reel.

Anyways, onto my question!

What are people's thoughts on using concept art to do my environments and props from that ISN'T mine. I am specifically wanting to work from some of Mythic's Warhammer concept art (doesn't everyone these days ).

Is this 'allowed'? I will of course make sure it is obvious that the concept art is not mine, and give full credit on my demo reel and website...but I am wondering if this will in anyway come off as 'wrong' to the people with the power to hire me.

I am in the process off planning what environments I am going to be pouring my life into for four months, so I want to choose something that is ok.

Thanks, and stay tuned to actually see some of my work!

Jesse Moody

I wouldn't see a problem with it. In a studio thats basically what you are gonna be doing. Taking someones concept and turning it into a 3d model.

Just give credit where it is due and you should be good to go man. A ton of us do this sort of thing.

blankslatejoe

Ask permission. most people say 'sure', so long as you credit them. Mythic, being a company with a game coming out soon, might be iffy...on the other hand, they may look at your model and decide its just what they need and hire you because of it.

Just be sure you credit the artist.

Personally, I'd say using someone else' concept is a smarter idea than using your own.. a lot of game artists think they are better at concepts then they are. If youre not selling yourself as a concept artist, but selling yourself as a production, modeling, texture guy then focus solely on those. Having a kickass concept to work from, even if it's someone elses, can only make your own work turn out better.

cursedDice

Whoa, such swift replies! Thanks guys.

So to totally cover myself I should email Mythic and ask for permission to use their concept art on my demo reel? If I do send them an email and don't get a response...should I go ahead and use it?

I may be being a little picky here, but my future four months from now is going to depend on this demo reel, and I want to make sure I'm doing it right.

Thanks again!

Slum

Since 90% of mythic are on this board, I'm sure somebody here can give you a definitive answer. I've asked some mythic folks before if I could work from their concepts, and it wasn't a problem.

Rwolf

I say ask permission first. There was a a student at my school that used some concept art for his model. Later he was asked to remove it from his reel because it wasn't "representitive" of the original authors work.