It seems like the definition is pretty liquid, but I think there's still some sense to made from it. When I think of designer I think of someone who looks at the game as a whole instead of from one angle. True, an artist is a designer, but a designer isn't necessarily an artist. Technical designer's work at all levels of development, doing scripting and overall game design work and making sure every technical aspect of development works well together.
A designer makes decisions, trail blazes and organizes. An artist takes that direction and produces something.
At least that's how I see it. I don't have game industry experience yet, but I do work full-time in the field.
The designer and artist are quite broad titles. Artists can be designers in the sense that they build concepts, bring functionality to a game/layout/website etc. For example, many graphic designers also work as illustrators, or need to create artistic assets for the site they are working on. This is where the artist and designer title blend.
I'm asuming though, that you are talking about the artist and the designer in the gaming industry. This is where you see quite a difference in the two. Usually artists or the art team can be made up of UI designers, animators, concept artists, 3D modelers, etc. Whereas the design team may be made up of level designers, creative directors, game designers, a dash of programmers, etc.
Essentially, the game designers work out the nuts and bolts of how the game works. The who, what, where, why and when of a game. The mechanics and hows it's played. Is it a 2D, 3D, flash based game? What sort of assets, programs, tools are needed to make and play the game. How to make the game functional and entertaining? Artists can be part of this too, but they basically make the game look pretty. Very pretty.
Design is art itself though. Never forget it. The programmers and designers build worlds like architects.
There's probably more to this, feel free for anyone to correct me or pitch in!
It's a great question!!
some places, the designer doesnt actually build anything. more of a word guy. types up stuff, goes to meetings and designs the game. talks with others about what the game should look like, game play elements, story overview. that sorda thing. where artists actually do art.
in my studio, however, our "design team" is made up of one of the owners (who does all HR, accounting, press, phone calls, etc), 3rd in command (who does video editing and UI elements normally), art director (who normally does all concept art, level blockouts, and does modelling and texturing as well), and 2 of our TESTERS.
so, as you can see, it varies... but when it comes down to it. designers talk about the game to come, where as the artists build their vision
The way I've always seen it is the game designer (I'm assuming you mean game designer) is essentially the person that creates the design document and files the ESRB documents. This person or persons outlines and schedules detail of the game.
Generally, design has certain goal in mind, is driven by practical needs and has to work. Design that does not work or works badly is a bad design without any doubt.
Art is more broad and fluid. It can also have certain goals and practical background, but it does not have to.
As for artist vs designer kind of thing, it really is pretty vague question.
If we're not talking about the game industry:
- designer --> someone who produce something for a client
- artist --> someone who produce something for himself
I've learn this in my class.
With videogames, all an artist needs to do to show you their work is use a controller to move you around whatever they've done.
A designer needs to give YOU the controller for you to really understand what they've done.
For the most parts, it's about purpose. Say you were making a racing game, and it would be a yearly release, and have a 'hero' vehicle.
The artist would make it look like a F1, sound like a F1, or alternatively make something cool.
The designer would go back through history, pick up cues from the Lotus 80 and Chapparals of the late sixties, cough up something like this:
The iterate it every year based on what worked for the players and what didn't. Maybe it needs a cleaner wake, maybe it needs more grip, etc.
If a guy who speaks english as a second or third language asks a question like this and you don't take him seriously you're probably an asshole.
uncle good description man. In a broad sense, designers tend to work for a purpose, artists for an aesthetic, but the lines are very very blurred when you get into the kind of context we use them, 'graphic designer' or 'concept artist'.
There is a difference between Art and Design for a reason.
Art is subjective.
Design is Objective .
When we design, we do so to facilitate SPECIFIC GOALS, when we create Art we do so to communicate subjective emotions. The combination of the two is what allows us to do what we do for studios, audiences, & clients.
That's an oversimplification. Design lies between art and science. If design is objective to art's subjectivity, design is subjective to science's objectivity. Look at any given hardware product from Apple - they're famous for their emphasis on well-designed aesthetics and usability, but their work is very polarizing between fans and haters.
I had a realization about how to define successful design while I was in grad school - truly good design is always a balance between two opposing elements. Any number of scales apply:
order <> chaotic
science <> art
familiar <> unique
accessible <> innovative
understandable <> intriguing
The very best work finds a sweet spot in between. Something too far to the left is too objective to be good design: too boring, too predictable, too rigid to be engaging - it's too dull to hold someone's interest. Something too far to the right is too subjective in the same way: too exotic, too unfamiliar, too confusing or incomprehensible - it's too radical for someone to easily engage with it.
The very best bits of design give a user some common ground, a familiar starting point, and engage them with something challenging and different to elevate their experience. That part, the unique/art/intrigue component, is so subjective that the vast majority of modern design fails to be anything more than a forgettable rehash of what's gone before.
Taken out of context, YES, it is an over simplification, a compromise I made to not produce a wall of text.
However, please note the statement below that
Quote: The combination of the two is what allows us to do what we do for studios, audiences, & clients.
They are always to some degree inseparable, discretely defined they exist as extremes; polarities of the creative spectrum.
However, I completely admit discreet definition of an ambiguous process is not honest nor does it due justice to the complexity of things.
I actually quite like these wallpapers, I think they act as a intriguing expression of the issue, but your point is well received, and very valid.
I want to believe that we level artist somehow bridges the gap between designers and artists with "Visual Design" or something fancy like that but maybe that's just me ^^
Arf. This always gets me annoyed. I'm a 2D artist, but technically I'm a Graphic Designer. I call myself both. Game Designers (and every other Designer which falls under game Design categories, such as Level Design) are something completely different.
I hate when job listings confuse the role though and drop my role into lots of different sub-categories, such as Art, Design, Marketing, New Media and sometimes even Programming. Fffffff!
artist? is there even a definition anymore? nobody wants to define art, but rather keep it as an ambiguous term. that way everyone can call themselves an artist in some way or form, even if they're shitting on paper, and hanging it on a wall.
Replies
A designer makes decisions, trail blazes and organizes. An artist takes that direction and produces something.
At least that's how I see it. I don't have game industry experience yet, but I do work full-time in the field.
The designer and artist are quite broad titles. Artists can be designers in the sense that they build concepts, bring functionality to a game/layout/website etc. For example, many graphic designers also work as illustrators, or need to create artistic assets for the site they are working on. This is where the artist and designer title blend.
I'm asuming though, that you are talking about the artist and the designer in the gaming industry. This is where you see quite a difference in the two. Usually artists or the art team can be made up of UI designers, animators, concept artists, 3D modelers, etc. Whereas the design team may be made up of level designers, creative directors, game designers, a dash of programmers, etc.
Essentially, the game designers work out the nuts and bolts of how the game works. The who, what, where, why and when of a game. The mechanics and hows it's played. Is it a 2D, 3D, flash based game? What sort of assets, programs, tools are needed to make and play the game. How to make the game functional and entertaining? Artists can be part of this too, but they basically make the game look pretty. Very pretty.
Design is art itself though. Never forget it. The programmers and designers build worlds like architects.
There's probably more to this, feel free for anyone to correct me or pitch in!
It's a great question!!
some places, the designer doesnt actually build anything. more of a word guy. types up stuff, goes to meetings and designs the game. talks with others about what the game should look like, game play elements, story overview. that sorda thing. where artists actually do art.
in my studio, however, our "design team" is made up of one of the owners (who does all HR, accounting, press, phone calls, etc), 3rd in command (who does video editing and UI elements normally), art director (who normally does all concept art, level blockouts, and does modelling and texturing as well), and 2 of our TESTERS.
so, as you can see, it varies... but when it comes down to it. designers talk about the game to come, where as the artists build their vision
An "artist" might be a concept artist, an asset artist, or a tech artist. All very different responsibilities, with varying roles.
A "designer" could be a game designer, a GUI designer, a graphic designer, a mission designer, a level designer...
Art is more broad and fluid. It can also have certain goals and practical background, but it does not have to.
As for artist vs designer kind of thing, it really is pretty vague question.
\level artist : work for visual beauty.
level designer : work for gameplay
Artist starves. Nuff said.
But seriously, I think design usually has purpose, art doesn't have to really, it's all about that I guess.
- designer --> someone who produce something for a client
- artist --> someone who produce something for himself
I've learn this in my class.
With videogames, all an artist needs to do to show you their work is use a controller to move you around whatever they've done.
A designer needs to give YOU the controller for you to really understand what they've done.
For the most parts, it's about purpose. Say you were making a racing game, and it would be a yearly release, and have a 'hero' vehicle.
The artist would make it look like a F1, sound like a F1, or alternatively make something cool.
The designer would go back through history, pick up cues from the Lotus 80 and Chapparals of the late sixties, cough up something like this:
The iterate it every year based on what worked for the players and what didn't. Maybe it needs a cleaner wake, maybe it needs more grip, etc.
uncle good description man. In a broad sense, designers tend to work for a purpose, artists for an aesthetic, but the lines are very very blurred when you get into the kind of context we use them, 'graphic designer' or 'concept artist'.
There is a difference between Art and Design for a reason.
Art is subjective.
Design is Objective .
When we design, we do so to facilitate SPECIFIC GOALS, when we create Art we do so to communicate subjective emotions. The combination of the two is what allows us to do what we do for studios, audiences, & clients.
This explains why I often wake to walking into the wall whilst wondering where my paycheck is.
designers make the sticky label indicating how much the picture is worth.
Artist builds it WITH HIS BARE FUCKING HANDS.
I hate when job listings confuse the role though and drop my role into lots of different sub-categories, such as Art, Design, Marketing, New Media and sometimes even Programming. Fffffff!
and still do the same work and are underwaged ^^