So You Wanna Make Games?? | Episode 2: Concept Art

Summary

This script offers an insightful look into the role of a concept artist, emphasizing that their job is not just about creating beautiful art but solving visual problems for projects like game development. It highlights the importance of setting constraints, conducting research, and building a moodboard to guide the creative process. The script also discusses the iterative nature of concept art, encouraging artists to embrace change, seek specific feedback, and present their work confidently. The key takeaway is that concept art is a collaborative and problem-solving endeavor that requires adaptability and effective communication.

Takeaways

• 🎨 Concept art is not just about creating beautiful, detailed drawings, but about solving visual problems and communicating ideas effectively.
• 🛠️ The role of a concept artist is to help teams by designing visual solutions; drawing and painting are tools for this communication.
• 🔍 Constraints are essential for a concept artist to focus and prevent aimless exploration, guiding the creative process towards the project's goals.
• 🎯 Understanding the problem and establishing constraints before starting to draw is crucial for a concept artist's work to align with the team's objectives.
• 🏔️ Research and reference gathering are vital steps in concept art, helping to build a moodboard that sets the theme and tone for the project.
• 📋 A moodboard serves as an initial point for team feedback, allowing for direction checks and adjustments before detailed work begins.
• 🤔 Generating ideas for concept art involves a lot of experimentation and not being overly attached to the outcome of each attempt.
• ✍️ Drawing for ideation is about capturing the essence of an idea quickly, often through rough sketches, to facilitate team understanding and excitement.
• 🔄 Embracing change and iteration is normal in concept art, as it allows for exploration of various versions and refinement based on feedback.
• 🚪 'Closing Doors' is a technique for narrowing down ideas by eliminating those that don't work and expanding on those that receive positive feedback.
• ❓ Asking specific questions and keeping the project goals clear helps in receiving focused and useful feedback from the team.
• 📣 Presenting work with confidence and care is important, as concept artists often serve as the inspiration for the team's vision.

Q & A

What is the primary role of a concept artist according to the script?

The primary role of a concept artist is to help teams solve problems by designing visual solutions, using drawing and painting as tools to communicate ideas.

Why are constraints important for a concept artist?

Constraints are important because they help narrow the focus of a concept artist, preventing endless spinning on ideas and ensuring that the work is directed towards solving specific problems.

What is the significance of thematic constraints in concept art?

Thematic constraints, such as lore, setting, and tone of the game, limit the kind of content a concept artist will brainstorm, ensuring that the ideas fit within the game's narrative and aesthetic.

How does the perspective of the game impact the concept art design?

The perspective of the game, whether it's first-person, third-person, or top-down, influences which aspects of the design are focused on and the limitations and constraints the concept artist must consider.

What is a moodboard and why is it used in concept art?

A moodboard is a collection of images and reference material that shows off the theme and tone of the project. It is used to get feedback from the team without doing much work and to ensure the direction of the concept art is on track.

Why is drawing for ideation different from creating a polished, detailed image?

Drawing for ideation is about getting the essence of an idea in front of the team quickly, focusing on the concept rather than the polished appearance. It requires strong fundamentals but prioritizes idea communication over detailed rendering.

What is the 'Closing Doors' technique and how does it help in the concept art process?

The 'Closing Doors' technique is a method of narrowing down ideas from broad to specific by eliminating ideas that didn't work and expanding upon those the team liked. It helps to avoid going in circles and ensures that each iteration is more precise.

How should a concept artist handle feedback from the team?

A concept artist should handle feedback by asking specific questions related to the project goals, avoiding grand reveals by showing work early and often, and presenting work with care and confidence.

Why is it beneficial for a concept artist to have a sketchbook everywhere they go?

Having a sketchbook everywhere allows a concept artist to capture ideas and observations at any time, building a strong visual library that can inspire and inform their work.

What advice does the script give for evolving a design as a concept artist?

The script advises to understand the history and meaning of the design archetype, explore ideas visually, and focus on how shape language and coloring convey the intended idea to effectively evolve a design.

What is the importance of targeting a specific audience in concept art?

Targeting a specific audience ensures that the work resonates deeply with those viewers, aiming for excitement and engagement rather than creating work that is simply acceptable to everyone.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 The Role of a Concept Artist in Problem Solving

This paragraph clarifies the misconception that concept art is solely about creating beautiful and detailed drawings. Instead, it emphasizes the role of a concept artist as a visual problem solver within a team, particularly in game development. The artist's task is to use drawing and painting as tools to communicate design solutions to problems. The script also introduces the idea that constraints are essential in guiding the creative process, rather than exploring without direction. The importance of understanding the problem and setting thematic, perspective, and mechanical constraints is discussed to ensure the concept art contributes to the team's goals.

05:01

🛠️ The Concept Artist's Creative Process and Feedback

The second paragraph delves into the practical aspects of a concept artist's workflow, from initial research and moodboarding to the iterative process of idea generation and refinement. It highlights the importance of starting with a broad set of ideas and narrowing down through a method called 'Closing Doors,' which involves eliminating unsuccessful ideas while expanding on those that resonate with the team. The paragraph also addresses the necessity of receiving and incorporating feedback, asking specific questions to guide the feedback process, and avoiding grand reveals by sharing work progressively. Additionally, it underscores the significance of presenting work with confidence and passion, as concept artists often inspire their team's vision.

10:02

🌟 Embracing Iteration and the Essence of Concept Art

The final paragraph reflects on the deeper aspects of being a concept artist, focusing on the iterative nature of the role and the value of exploration and communication. It encourages artists to carry a sketchbook at all times for constant practice and observation, building a rich visual library. The artist is advised to understand the history and evolution of designs, to experiment with different constraints, and to focus on conveying ideas effectively. The paragraph concludes by emphasizing the importance of creating work that excites a specific target audience, even if it means not appealing to everyone, and the joy found in the collaborative process of refining concepts with the team.

Keywords

💡Concept Art

Concept art refers to the visual development work done in the early stages of a project, such as a game or film, to help define its look and feel. In the video, it's emphasized that concept art is not just about creating beautiful images but rather about problem-solving through visual means. The script mentions that concept artists use drawing and painting as tools to communicate ideas and solutions.

💡Visual Problem Solver

A visual problem solver is an individual who addresses challenges through the creation of visual solutions. In the context of the video, this role is central to the concept artist's job. They are tasked with designing solutions that help teams understand and realize the vision for a project, as illustrated by the script's discussion on how concept artists prepare for a project and generate ideas.

💡Constraints

Constraints, in the video, are defined as limitations or boundaries that guide the creative process. They are crucial for a concept artist because they help to narrow the focus and prevent aimless exploration of ideas. The script uses the phrase 'Always be solving' to highlight the importance of understanding the problem at hand before beginning to create.

💡Moodboard

A moodboard is a collection of images, materials, and text that sets the tone and theme for a project. In the video, the moodboard is described as an essential first step for a concept artist, allowing them to gather feedback and ensure they are heading in the right direction without investing significant effort.

💡Ideation

Ideation in the script refers to the process of generating ideas, particularly in the context of concept art. It involves trying out many concepts quickly and loosely, as opposed to focusing on detailed, polished images. The video emphasizes the importance of ideation through fast and loose sketches to convey the essence of ideas to the team.

💡Two Tone Approach

The two tone approach is a technique mentioned in the video where concept artists use only two colors for their initial sketches. This method helps prevent overthinking of small details and allows artists to focus on the larger graphic shapes, which is crucial for rapid ideation.

💡Closing Doors

Closing Doors is a brainstorming technique described in the script, where a concept artist starts with a broad set of ideas and then iteratively eliminates the less successful ones while expanding on those that the team prefers. This method ensures that the ideas become more refined and specific over time.

💡Feedback

Feedback in the video is portrayed as a critical part of the concept artist's workflow. It is the process of receiving and incorporating the team's opinions and suggestions to improve the design. The script advises asking specific questions related to the project's goals to ensure the feedback is useful and on track.

💡Grand Reveals

Grand reveals are discouraged in the video as they can lead to significant changes late in the design process. Instead, the script suggests showing work early and often to catch issues as soon as possible, which is more efficient and less costly in terms of time and resources.

💡Iteration

Iteration is the process of refining and repeating a design based on feedback and new ideas. The video highlights that iteration is a key part of the concept art process, where artists make changes and improvements to their work until it meets the project's goals and resonates with the target audience.

💡Visual Library

A visual library, as mentioned in the video, is a collection of visual references and inspirations that a concept artist accumulates over time. It serves as a resource for ideas and helps in providing a wide range of solutions to design problems. The script encourages filling this library with observations from real life and various screens.

Highlights

Concept art is not just about creating beautiful and detailed drawings, but about solving visual problems for teams.

The role of a concept artist is to communicate ideas through drawing and painting, which are tools for problem-solving.

Concept artists are involved in the early stages of game development, helping define the game's appearance and mechanics.

Constraints are vital for a concept artist to focus and prevent aimless exploration, ensuring the work aligns with the project's goals.

Understanding the problem and establishing constraints before starting to draw is crucial for a concept artist.

Thematic constraints such as lore, setting, and tone guide the brainstorming process for a concept artist.

Perspective and game mechanics impose constraints on the design process, influencing the concept artist's work.

Research and reference materials are essential for building a moodboard, which helps in getting early feedback from the team.

A moodboard serves as an initial direction for the project, allowing for quick feedback and alignment with the team's vision.

Idea generation in concept art involves rapid sketching and not being overly attached to the outcome of each sketch.

Drawing for ideation focuses on conveying the essence of an idea rather than creating a polished, final image.

The 'Closing Doors' technique helps in narrowing down ideas by eliminating unsuccessful ones and expanding on the promising ones.

Asking specific questions during feedback sessions ensures that the team's input aligns with the project's goals.

Avoiding grand reveals and showing work progressively allows for early identification of necessary changes.

Presenting work with confidence and passion is important as a concept artist, as you are often the team's inspiration.

The iterative process of concept art involves constant adjustments and refinements based on feedback and team goals.

Concept artists should aim to excite their target audience with their work, even if it means not pleasing everyone.

Carry a sketchbook everywhere to capture ideas and observations, building a strong visual library for idea generation.

Understanding the history and evolution of a design is crucial for a concept artist to create meaningful and impactful work.

Transcripts

Concept art.

Sometimes you need a drawing

so beautiful, so awe-inspiring

in its exquisite detail that

it rattles the very foundation of--

I want to stop you right there.

Concept art isn't about making

beautiful, detailed drawings.

The job of a concept artist

is to help teams solve problems

by designing visual solutions,

and drawing and painting

are just tools that we use

to communicate those ideas.

Oh, oh yeah yeah yeah, I knew that.

Got you!

So anyway, like I was saying,

a concept artist is a visual problem solver.

And in this video, we're gonna see how

a concept artist prepares for a project,

generates ideas,

and gets the most out of feedback.

Alright, let's get started.

Concept artists are involved

in the earliest phases of game development.

They're the ones helping figure out

what the game's gonna be, and how it's gonna look.

I bet it's pretty awesome to be a concept artist.

You basically do whatever you want.

No limits, no constraints!

Actually, constraints are really important.

A concept artist's job isn't to

explore for exploration's sake.

It's to solve problems.

Remember the ABCs of being a concept artist.

Always

be

colving?

That means you have to know what problem you're trying to solve.

Just drawing something cool doesn't necessarily

push the team toward its goals.

Before you even start drawing,

find out what you're solving and establish your constraints.

Yeah, I guess you're right.

I'm not really sure where I was going with this drawing.

Maybe I need some constraints.

Constraints help narrow the focus of a concept artist

and they prevent endless spinning on ideas.

Thematic constraints, like lore,

the setting, and the tone of the game,

limits the kind of content a concept artist will brainstorm.

You know, for instance, a dubstep gun

is a great idea for a game like Saints Row,

but it might be kind of out of place for other games.

How the game is experienced also has a huge impact on concept.

Designing visuals for a first-person perspective

will bring focus to different aspects of your design

and have different limitations and constraints

compared to designing something for a third-person perspective

or a top-down perspective.

The rules and mechanics in a game

set huge constraints as well.

If your ability is to pull enemies close to you,

a concept artist is usually the one figuring out

what that might look like.

Toasty?

Even something as simple as how many

health points a character has

influences the design and constraints

a concept artist works within.

Alright. Once you got your constraints set up,

it's time to start...

researching? What?

I thought we were going to draw.

Where am I supposed to research stuff?

So there's all kinds of research to immerse yourself in.

If you're making an adventure game, play other adventure games.

If your game takes place on a mountain,

get lots of images of mountain.

Maybe even go visit one.

Collecting all this reference will help you build

what's called a moodboard.

Oh yeah, a moodboard.

That's like that collection of images and reference material

that kind of shows off the theme and tone of what you're going for.

But why do a moodboard before you start drawing?

A moodboard is a great first step because you can get

feedback from the team without doing much work.

It's a great gut-check to see if you're heading in the right direction.

An effective moodboard makes it very clear

what you're going to be doing.

It can include short descriptors, often called pillars,

and should represent a fairly narrow direction.

A moodboard that's too general or scattered

will make it hard to stay focused

and is more likely to result in confusion or pivots

down the road.

Alright. I got my constraints. I got my moodboard.

Time to start drawing my great ideas.

Any second now.

Oh crap.

I don't have any good ideas!

What do I do?

Unfortunately there is no formula to come up with good ideas.

Sometimes people say a good idea is original,

something that hasn't been done before.

But chasing originality more often than not can just be paralyzing.

It might stop you from experimenting.

So the key is to just try a lot of stuff

and not to be too precious about your work.

That's why it's also so important to draw fast and loose.

We call this drawing for ideation.

Drawing for ideation still requires strong fundamentals,

but it's not about rendering a beautiful, polished image.

It's all more about getting the essence of your idea

in front of your team,

and a sketch can more often than not be enough

for your team to understand the idea

and to get really excited about it.

Ooh I know! Let's get some concept artists together

and watch how they rapidly generate ideas.

The problem they're solving:

the team needs an idea for a magical weapon.

The constraints: it must be a wizard's staff,

topped by a powerful, ancient crystal.

Ancient, powerful crystal. (All right) Wizard's staff...

Wizard's staff. I'm just gonna draw the weirdest sh- (CENSORED).

I'm gonna base all my crystal shapes on various candies

from my childhood.

Like a candy-mancer.

Damn.

Okay, I'm doing the snake staff, guys.

I'm gonna do the frog. It's gonna look exactly like yours

but just way better.

I'm already stuck. How many teeth do snakes have?

They're... four.

Nuh uh, python's have more.

That's not true.

That is true.

Woah, that was awesome! I made some of my own drawings.

But when I took them back to the team,

they wanted me to make changes.

Is that normal, to have to make changes?

Yes. Yes it is.

The concept artist goes first because huge changes are cheaper

to explore with quick drawings.

It's much harder to make changes once you're making polished art.

So the best way to work is to assume that what you're

working on could vastly change at any moment.

Especially early on,

when we're trying lots of different versions of things,

some concept artist here will use a two tone approach.

We sketch something quickly using only two colors.

It helps prevent you from overthinking small details

so you can stay focused on big graphic shapes,

making it really fast to ideate and try lots of different things.

But it seems like the changes could go on forever.

How do you stop yourself from going around in circles?

One technique we use is called Closing Doors.

Closing Doors is a method of brainstorming ideas

from broad to narrow.

You start by presenting a broad set of ideas to your team,

and then with every iteration cycle,

you close off the ideas that didn't work

and expand upon the ideas that the team liked.

Continuing this way will ensure that each idea

is more narrow and more precise.

The trick is resisting the urge to reopen closed doors.

But what if everybody on your team still has a different opinion?

How do you make sure you're getting good feedback?

Ask specific questions and keep the goals clear.

If you ask something broad like "hey do you like this?"

You'll get all sorts of answers.

But if you approach it from a goal's perspective,

like "which feels the scariest?"

It'll keep your feedback on track.

What else should I do?

Avoid grand reveals.

Make sure to show your work early and often.

If something needs to change,

it's better to know as soon as possible.

Alright, no grand reveals. Any other advice?

Present your work like you care about it.

It matters a lot how you communicate your work,

and as a concept artist, you're often the inspiration for your team.

So uh... this is the concept I did.

Um... I don't know if you guys dig it or not but

it's a guy with, like, wings and...

he's... Darius.

So imagine Darius with a [CENSORED] chainsaw axe, right.

And he's literally got a jetpack with wings

and when he flies up for his ult

he's going to come back down onto you

and just a [CENSORED] rain of fire is coming behind him.

All you hear is just him cutting through you

with chainsaw grinding and screaming.

It's going to be metal as [CENSORED].

Unmatched power!

All right, let's go over what we've learned.

First off, before you even start drawing:

know what you're solving, set your constraints,

and do your research.

Once you are drawing, make sure you draw fast and loose.

Try lots of ideas and try to work from broad to narrow.

And finally, when you're navigating feedback,

make sure you ask specific questions relating to your goals,

avoid grand reveals, and present your work like you care.

There's more to concept art than I thought.

But we're finally at the end of the video,

and that means it's time for advice and stuff.

When I was starting out, I really wish that I had been

less obsessed with making good art.

The heart and soul, I feel like, of concept art for me,

that I came to find what it was,

was that moment where you have, like, a lot of different doodles,

a lot of different versions of a thing, and you're, like,

talking through those things with the team.

Have your sketchbook everywhere you go.

Pull it out anytime you're waiting for food,

anytime you're standing in line.

Have it as a natural extension of your body.

You can really learn a lot simply from observation and absorption,

and then taking that and making it your own

and making it personal to you.

Just fill up pages. Anything you see around you,

anything in front of you in real life, anything on a screen,

fill your brain with a strong visual library that

can help you provide a lot of solutions.

Do a sheet of, like, fifty or a hundred different staff designs, right?

Give yourself constraints, like is it magical? Is it steampunk?

Is it necromancy?

Being a concept artist is all about knowing how to evolve a design.

You know how to paint. You know how to draw.

You got your anatomy down and perspective.

You've got to understand the history of the design

you're trying to evolve.

For instance I designed the new Irelia. She's a blade dancer.

Before I evolved what the blade dancer archetype is

I have to understand what it means first.

Just explore ideas visually. You'll find those those nuggets of

"oh well these are constraints, that's what I can do, I can't do."

How does this shape language convey the idea?

How does the coloring that I use, how does that convey the idea?

All of these things will tie in and all of those things will be

immediately represented when you go to show this to somebody.

Ultimately what you're doing is communicating these ideas.

That moment where you're with your team

with all these drawings and taking them through like

all the things that excited you and got you

like super ramped up to make these drawings in the first place,

and connecting those things to those ideas

that took you down that journey.

That's really where the magic is.

And so you really just want to doodle, you want to be loose,

you want to be limber, you want to be quick,

you don't want to be precious.

It's important to understand that not everyone is gonna like

every single idea that you put out there, and that's okay.

Iteration is a key part of the process

and whatever you're working on should be specific,

and often the most appealing work is made

for a very specific target audience.

Now you're not trying to make work that

everyone is simply okay with.

You want your target audience to be exploding with excitement,

even if it means some other people come by your desk

with pitchforks.