Building an immersive gaming experience requires both technical skills and creativity. The game artists must create beautiful, fascinating visual aspects to attract more players.
Everything you see and interact with in the games is the work of game artists. So, what are the activities in a day in the life of a game artist?
This post will bring you more detailed insights!
An Overview of Game Art
Game artists are different from game designers who produce the mechanics and content of the games. The artists create the visual elements and art that players see and interact with.
The visual aspects play a vital role in a game’s success. They must work in harmony with the game’s mechanism and playing style. Some popular elements that a game artist produces are:
- Characters, objects, and background
- Visual effects
- Environments
- User interface
Hence, game artists are usually part of a gaming project. They work with game developers and others to build a complete product.
These experts use modern drawing software and devices to produce these arts. They also use AI to tune the projects and achieve their desired outcomes.
A Day In The Life Of A Game Artist
The most common working environment for game artists is game studios. They work on multiple gaming projects and handle their visual aspects.
Workplace And Job Overview
I’m working for a game production studio with a dedicated office space. The company provides me with tools and equipment for producing games.
Some examples are computing devices, high performance laptops, drawing tablets, and premium software. There are many artists in my company, including graphic designers, game developers, and coders.
I’m responsible for building and testing all the visual elements of the games. Before designing, I will discuss with the other experts carefully to agree.
Regular meetings and feedback sessions are common practices in my firm. It ensures that all artists’ work aligns with the game’s vision and requirements.
There are strict deadlines for each project that I have to follow. For example, I may have one week to finish the 3D models of the game’s characters. Then, I will submit my project to the manager and wait for feedback.
The exact elements I design depend on the type of project. Some light games with simple mechanics are very easy to build. Meanwhile, it may take months to create a large-scale project with complex graphics.
8:00 AM
I usually come to the game production space at 8:00 AM. All company employees will join a 30-minute meeting. The game director will go through the plans for upcoming projects and review the current progress of each member.
The studio is developing an RPG game with a complete story and an open world. The developers have finished developing the game’s concepts and storyline. Now all artists and designers will work on visual aspects.
As the game’s scale is very large, my team must break it into many projects. I’m responsible for developing the game’s background and characters’ visuals.
10:00 AM
I will start building the 3D models of objects and characters at this time. I follow the guidelines and requirements provided by the game developers for this task.
For example, there are strict regulations about the characters’ height and physical characteristics. I will follow the storyline and descriptions provided to build suitable visual illustrations.
For this task, I will first draw the sketches on the tablet. Then, I will use design software to add more complex details, and I also work on the small details.
A game character will constantly move and perform various actions. Thus, I will use a 3D modeling tool to build the motions of the character models. Then, I use animation software to make them look more lively.
11:00 AM
I need to build one character model to catch up with the developing schedule. After finishing all the animations, I will subject the project to the team manager.
I also work with the other game developers and designers to test the project’s quality. For example, we try to simulate the characters in a gaming environment.
Then, we check the characters’ movements and expressions thoroughly. If there are any flaws or visual bugs, we will adjust the drawings and solve the problem.
In the Afternoon
I’m good at drawing 3D models and designing lively elements. Therefore, my work revolves mainly around building and game environments and characters.
When all these parts are completed, I will assist the other artists in building visual effects and user interfaces.
Is Game Art The Right Profession For You?
Game art can be one of the lucrative options for artists at the moment. In 2023, ComputerCareers.org indicated that game artists could earn an average of $105,576 per year. This number is above the median pay of this industry.
You will need the knowledge of game development and using modern drawing software. Understanding UI design and 3D modeling is essential for game artists.
Moreover, you must be a person who loves creativity, loves to engage in art, and has an endless passion for games.
Talented game artists can also choose to start their own projects. They can develop some unique games with distinct and attractive art. A successful game project can help them earn a huge amount of money.
Final Thoughts
Visual aspects are not the sole factor that decides a game’s success. An excellent game must have an intriguing story and user interaction. Yet, beautiful graphics will give it an edge over the competitors.
An excellent game artist can make simple visual arts look so beautiful. They work in conjunction with the playing style to create a fascinating game.
Thank you for reading!