Concept art is one of the most important stages of any design project pre-production representing the visual of characters, environments, and props ideas. The concept art process starts when the project starts exactly from brainstorming to final painting and rendering is concept art. It’s important to consider that the techniques used in the concept art process depend on the project and artists’ preferences.
The Concept Art Process
The concept art process is iterative, and each step builds on the previous one. Some common steps in the concept art pipeline exist for film, animation, and game art services. In look development, concept art is the main aspect. The concept artist often creates multiple versions of the same design, exploring different options and variations to find the best possible art style.
2D vs. 3D Concept Art Process
There are 2 types of concept art, 2D and 3D. The process of creating 2D and 3D concept art differs due to their different approaches. 2D concept art is somehow easier, simpler, and more like traditional ones.
However, 3D concept art is more complex, requires more skills, and involves using digital software to create a 3D model. Both processes require a strong understanding of art and design principles, as well as the ability to create engaging visual designs.
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2D Concept Art Process
Brainstorm
This stage is where the ideas are generated. However, brainstorming can occur at any stage of the 2D concept art pipeline. During brainstorming, artists and designers use different techniques and tools to come up with new ideas.
Read More: 2D & 3D Animation Ideas + Concept Arts
Reference
Two kinds of reference could be in any project. One is the reference from the project owner, and the other is what artists search and find. References are very important because they inform artists about the design of the characters, environments, props concept art.
Rough Sketch
This kind of sketch is done during the early stages of the 2D concept art pipeline. Rough sketches are drawings that capture the general idea quickly with lines created using pencils or digital drawing tools.
Refining the Sketch
Here the selected rough sketches are refined into more detailed sketches, clean line art, and final drawings. Artists turn a rough sketch into a polished and detailed one with more precise lines, shapes, color, details, and shading to the drawing. This type of sketch represents the vision as well as the artist’s want.
Color Key
A color key is a visual reference that shows a design’s color scheme and mood based on the color definition in art. Creating the color key is the stage before painting after sketching. In this stage, the sketches could be colored in different combinations to help the artists select the best combination of colors and color palettes.
Paint
The chosen color palette is applied in detail with different brushes and tools to the sketches. Artists should focus on lighting and shading, adding highlights, shadows, and textures to create depth and dimensionality. Here, understanding shape language, color theory, composition, and lighting is essential.
Final Render
In a 2D concept art pipeline, the final render is the finished artwork which is painted in detail with lighting and shading. This stage is where you can see the result of rough sketches, refining the sketch, color key, and painting. The artists’ efforts during the concept art process are finalized and could meet the needs.
3D Concept Art Process
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Conceptualization
In each pipeline, conceptualization is the most important part. It consists of idea generation and brainstorming to design the 3D model. Gathering reference materials can help the artists to be informed about what to do during the process.
3D Modeling and Model Sheet
Once the artist has concept art in mind, they can start creating rough model sheets and 3D modeling using 3D modeling software such as Maya, 3ds Max, or Blender. Blockout refers to the process of creating rough, low-detail 3D models to establish the shape and layout.
Once the blockout is complete, Modelers start refining 3D models by adding textures and details. Different lighting and camera angles are also experimented with to refine the look. The most critical note you should know is to be open to feedback, changes, and revisions.
Sculpting
3D software tools such as sculpting brushes make your 3D model look more realistic and visually appealing and manipulate the surface of a 3D model. Wrinkles, pores, or other fine details are added to the model by 3D digital sculpting. It is also commonly used in the creation of characters, props, vehicles, and environments.
Read More: 3D Modeling vs. Sculpting
Texturing
Once the sculpting is done, It is the 3D texturing turn to add color, texture, and great details by using texturing tools involving mapping, normal mapping, UV mapping, etc. The UV map allows the artist to paint or apply textures to specific areas. Normal maps are used to create the illusion of fine surface details. In the 3D concept art process, 3D texturing can bring the design to life.
Rigging
Now it’s time to create a skeleton and attach it to the 3D model for movement. In rigging, the 3D model is broken down into small parts: the head, torso, arms, legs, and hands. Once the skeleton is in place, the next step is to bind the 3D model to the rig using skinning or weight painting techniques. Riggers can create highly detailed and complex rigs that enable a wide range of movements.
Lighting and Rendering
Depth, realism, and emotion are given to the model in this stage. Lighting is the process of setting up the lighting environment within the 3D scene. The directional, point and spotlights can give unique properties and effects to the design.
The 3D rendering software calculates the lighting, shadows, reflections, and other visual effects to create the final concept art. Rendering can take from a few seconds to several hours or even days, based on the complexity of the art.
Why is Concept Art Important?
There are several reasons that show the importance of the concept of art. Here are some reasons why concept art is important:
- Visualizing Ideas
- Streamlining Production
- Setting the Mood and Tone
- Designing Characters and Environments
- Marketing and Promotion
Conclusion
In conclusion, the concept art process is the most critical stage of game art or the 3D animation pipeline. This pipeline includes different techniques like brainstorming, sketching, lighting, and painting for 2D projects; modeling, texturing, rigging, and lighting for 3D projects. Both 2D and 3D concept art pipelines have the same goal of visualizing and bringing ideas to life.
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