What is a game artist?
Hey. I've been lurking around for a while and finally decided to register and make a post here.
I have a pretty basic thought or question: What is a game artist? For instance, what kind of duties in the development of a game does the term "game artist" belong? Obviously it does not involve programming (or does it in some cases?), and it certainly does involve painting textures, and modeling.
Are there any areas that are in a gray zone, which are considered artist work by some, and by others not as much? I'm just a bit curious where the line is drawn, generally, and thought I would pick your brains on the subject
I have a pretty basic thought or question: What is a game artist? For instance, what kind of duties in the development of a game does the term "game artist" belong? Obviously it does not involve programming (or does it in some cases?), and it certainly does involve painting textures, and modeling.
Are there any areas that are in a gray zone, which are considered artist work by some, and by others not as much? I'm just a bit curious where the line is drawn, generally, and thought I would pick your brains on the subject
Replies
(eq forced me)
"What program do you use at your game job?"
"Excel."
Artists are becoming more and more technically proficient, Writing Max/maya scripts, etc to better improve the media in which they have to work within.
When there are limited resources in the company, artists, and everyone will be called upon to do things not on their nametag, so get ready to wear as many hats as you can.
With a hat like that, you can easily fit one or two more on top of that, now go unwrap this model, monkey!
How's about level design?
What do I do?
I build, texture, rig and export. I've written 30 or so maxscripts for importing existin rigs, rewiring hierachies, dumping and reloading skinweights, consistant rendering, AO generators, error sanity checkers...
Dan is alo about to have a huge holiday I would assume.
if you make each block a different colour while you work you can do pixel art
in a general sense, they are production artists that are proficient with a variety of different DCC tools, or digital content creation tools.
artists are typically assigned to tasks relative to their strengths.
as i see it, the flavor of game artist can be defined within these elements:
character
enviroment
technical
traditional
mmm, game artist flavor
but my day to day also includes looking up porn, chatting for hours on MSN, abusing the telephone bill of the company among many other things.. a job is never black and white unless you work in an office with 5000 staff, but those places are hell.
oh and i ocasionally model dunno make stuff like...dude.
P.S - i just woke up , gimme a break.
"General" ... essentially includes "all of the above" and
"Animator" ... makes things move.
"Conceptual" ... creates the vision by which others work
You get an environment job at a major studio and you can expect to do for the most part, nothing but environment art. However, you take the same job at a much smaller company, and you'll likely find yourself filling various roles.
I was hired at Three Rings last year as a 2d/3d artist (was at the time an environment artist). That role so far has had me doing 3d environemnts, characters, concept, UI pixel art, Flash art, level design, level building, particle effects, and major game design.
A bit of a follow up on this might be in order, though.
With software like ZBrush, Mudbox, and now also Silo 2, becoming more widespread and popular, that take a more traditional - and in a way, tactile - approach to modeling, abeit in still a digital fashion, do you see artists who want to be non-technical artists in the game industry specialising on these programs?
Is this a feasible specialty, or would you still have to be savvy in more traditional 3D packages such as Maya, and 3ds? Perhaps, like you have pointed out earlier in this thread, it depends on what studio you work for. A small studio might not be able to afford a specialised Mudbox artists who can't help out with rigging and unwrapping, and so on.
i think the best way is to be able to create (character, environment, vehicle) from concept right through to rigged, textured. you may be able to get a job with less, but from the position of an artist i would rather say, that mine, than i did the high poly modeling from someoneelses design, at that point you become more of a part of a production line than a standalone artist.
Kevin I think you're right at big companies. My Leads at my companies have all done a ton of actual work that goes into the game. But that's probably because I stay at small companies.
I make art (models and textures, sculpting) and I change change change it all the time when I get told to. I schedule my time and that of others. I make judgement calls on what works from an art direction standpoint... I meet with my team and I filter out what I have been hit with into a palatable form that I can delegate and direct.
I'm always looking at the bigger picture and the 'full frame'. I hope.
I'm never at rest and nor should any of us be... nothing is signed off till it ships, and it can always *always* be better.
And I sit very close to Rick and he's usually got some top Japanese poontang on his screen at some point in the day. God bless firefox, God bless Rick.
i also give thanks that i'm very far away from rick
Doesn't seem particularly cost effective, thats why you can outsource those kinds of things.
Btw, Silo is very affordable and feature comparable to Zbrush or Mudbox.
Personally, I think its a good idea to have as few people as possible work on any specific piece of art in order to attain a unified style and vision.
Of course, I am again thinking at the smaller, wear multiple hats, kind of stuido.