ImagineFX Presents - The Art of Gaming - 3rd Edition 2022

150 Pages·2022·35 MB·English

W
E T H E A RT OF
N
G A M I N G
FEATURING YOSHITAKA AMANO • RAPHAEL LACOSTE • JESSE VAN DIJK
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
100+
SKETCHES &
CONCEPTS
INSIDE
INTERVIEWS WITH
THE ARTISTS BEHIND…
•ASSASSIN’S CREED
•UNCHARTED
•FINAL FANTASY
& MORE
CHARACTER DESIGN TIPS STEP-BY-STEP GUIDES WORLDBUILDING TUTORIALS
L
A
CI ln
FI ao
F
O t
N i
U it
% gi
0 d
10 i
D
E
N
HIRD DITIO
TE
Produced by former Playdead
CEO Dino Patti, and the brainchild
of film veteran Chris Olsen,
Somerville prompts awe and dread.
Composition is critical: Somerville is
a side-scrolling adventure – though
here colour is everywhere, dystopia
is now apocalypse, and there is
combat as well as the usual
panicked escape.
Welcome
Games can transport you to anywhere a
developer’s imagination dares to go. They take
us to distant worlds, fantasy realms, and
anywhere in space and time. These experiences
are often so immersive that it’s easy to forget
how all our favourite characters and game
worlds were once a collection of simple sketches
dreamed up by an artist.
In this book, we celebrate the work of artists in
the video game industry and speak to leading
designers from some of the world’s best studios.
Discover how studios create the stunning
cinematics that drive storytelling in games, plus
other insider secrets. Budding concept artists
will also find plenty of tips and techniques in
our tutorials and masterclasses, so you can have
a go at bringing your own ideas to life.

Future PLC Quay House, The Ambury, Bath, BA1 1UA
The Art Of Gaming Editorial
Editor Jacqueline Snowden
Designer Lora Barnes
Compiled by Alice Pattillo & Adam Markiewicz
Senior Art Editor Andy Downes
Head of Art & Design Greg Whitaker
Editorial Director Jon White
ImagineFX Editorial
Art Editor Daniel Vincent
Senior Art Editor Will Shum
Brand Director Matt Pierce
Contributors
Emma Birch, Katy Stokes
Cover images
Even Mehl Amundsen, CD Projekt Red, Darren Bacon, Matej Jan
Photography
All copyrights and trademarks are recognised and respected
Advertising
Media packs are available on request
Commercial Director Clare Dove
International
Head of Print Licensing Rachel Shaw
[email protected]
www.futurecontenthub.com
Circulation
Head of Newstrade Tim Mathers
Production
Head of Production Mark Constance
Production Project Manager Matthew Eglinton
Advertising Production Manager Joanne Crosby
Digital Editions Controller Jason Hudson
Production Managers Keely Miller, Nola Cokely,
Vivienne Calvert, Fran Twentyman
Printed in the UK
Distributed by Marketforce, 5 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5HU
www.marketforce.co.uk Tel: [phone]
The Art of Gaming Third Edition (CTB4515)
© 2022 Future Publishing Limited
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Future plc is a public Chief executive Zillah Byng-Thorne
company quoted on the Non-executive chairman Richard Huntingford
London Stock Exchange Chief financial officer Penny Ladkin-Brand
(symbol: FUTR)
www.futureplc.com Tel [phone]
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
CONTENTS
LEVEL 1 LEVEL 2
FROM SKETCH TO SCREEN INSIDER INSIGHTS
[10] 20 RULES OF CONCEPT ART [48] ASSASSIN’S CREED ORIGINS
The techniques and skills that Raphael Lacoste, art director of
make a great piece of game art the Assassin’s Creed franchise,
on recreating ancient Egypt
[14] ENVIRONMENT ART [58] UNCHARTED 4: A THIEF’S END
MASTERCLASS Environment artist Martin
How to generate striking Teichmann takes us through a
location concepts day at Naughty Dog
[20] DIRECTOR’S CUT [ ]
60 GALLERY –
Industry experts discuss the
COFFEE STAIN
future of cinematic storytelling
Explore the industrial
landscape of Satisfactory
[30] GALLERY – KRILLBITE
Why Mosaic’s monochromatic
world draws players to colour
[32] PRESS X TO SKIP [ ]
62
How developers create
unmissable in-game cinematics
[ ]
40
PIXEL ART STUDIO PROFILE: CD PROJEKT RED
Why this distinctive art style is more We talk to the makers of The Witcher
than just a retro aesthetic series and the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077
LEVEL 3
TIPS, TRICKS & TUTORIALS
[70] HALO [96] 25 WAYS TO BECOME A
Lead concept artist Darren BETTER CONCEPT ARTIST
Bacon takes us behind the Learn all the top tips of the
scenes at 343 Industries concept art trade
[78] DESTINY 2 [106] REIMAGINING AN
Jesse van Dijk, art director of ICONIC CHARACTER
Destiny 2, reveals how the Your step-by-step guide to
unique sci-fi world was created updating a gaming icon
[86] YOSHITAKA AMANO [110] TURNING AN IDEA INTO A
The legendary artist discusses STRONG CONCEPT
his fascinating career A handy technique to help you
flesh out initial design ideas
[92] GALLERY – SPACE FOX [118] BUILDING A WORLD
The sophisticated palette of Learn how to create and
Lona: Realm Of Colors illustrate unique worlds
[ ]
12
[126] LIFE AT AN INDIE
GAMES COMPANY
How to reap the benefits of
working at smaller studios
[130] [138]
GAME ART CAREER MODE
MADE EASY Push start on your
Hone next-level skills video game career
LEVEL 1
FROM SKETCH
TO SCREEN
[ ]
20 DIRECTOR’S CUT
[10] 20 RULES OF
CONCEPT ART Industry experts discuss the future of cinematic
The techniques and storytelling in the video game industry
skills that make a great
piece of game art
[14] ENVIRONMENT
ART MASTERCLASS
How to generate
striking location
concept designs
[ ]
32
PRESS X TO SKIP
How developers make
in-game cinematics
that players won’t
want to skip
[30]GALLERY –
KRILLBITE
Why Mosaic’s
monochromatic
[ ]
12 world draws
players to colour
[40]PIXEL ART
Why this distinctive
art style is more than
just a retro aesthetic
[ 10 ] FROM SKETCH TO SCREEN
A concept design job in
games means being able to
communicate ideas clearly
and effectively