Illustrator & Concept Artist[Differences]

[Riiroi]

Hi guys.
As stated above, id like to know the differences between being an Illustrator and a Concept Artist.

This is what i know so far (might be wrong)
A Concept Artist is paid for his idea while an Illustrator is paid for his work
A Concept Artist is given less time to complete his/her work compared to an illustrator.
A Concept Artist is an Illustrator
A Concept Artist is one level above an Illustrator?
Primary Audience of Concept Artists is other artists while audience of Illustrator is the general public

Id also like to know the different challenges(work) an Illustrator and Concept Artist face in the industry. For example, the tasks they are assigned to do etc.

Id like to thank Seedling once again for her informative thread =D

(Ps: Did a search on this and 150 posts came out. Had a hard time finding)

[Justin.]

It's like saying "A fruit is an apple."

Illustration is what many folks call an "Umbrella Term". Illustrating is creating art with a narrative motive behind it. Drawing a character for a story (concept art) would also be illustration, because there is narrative motive behind it. Drawing a still life is Fine Art- not illustration (in most cases), because it's purpose is either to be viewed as it is, to make a statement, or to improve the artist him/herself.

I think your trouble comes in understanding the info. If an illustrator IS a concept artist, then how can he be ABOVE himself? No one level of artist is "above" any other. PERIOD. Art is art. It's like saying "a guitarist is one level above musician".

Both Concept Artists AND illustrators are Art directed. The person in charge of keeping art consistent and relevant who tells you what to draw, or what they want. GAME DESIGNERS are paid for ideas. Artists are paid for VISUALIZING those ideas.
AUTHORS are paid for stories. Artists are paid for VISUALIZING the/a part of the story.
They are the same thing.

From what I have been made to believe, the work is somewhat like this
Art Director (AD): Draw me a post-apocalyptic mailman. He needs to have a respirator to protect himself from thick dust in the deserted regions he must pass through, as well as a thick scarf to keep the sand out of his helmet. his vehicle should be a motorcycle in theory, but it needs to hover. Think of jet black with neon sky blue and lime green. Also he needs a radio, 2 pistols and a rifle. Long pants, but short or no sleeves. Make him rugged, with stubble, but not a thick beard. Keep the head buzzed or shaven, because of the heat."
You: OKAY!!!!
Then..
Thumbnail thumbnail thumbnail comp thumbnail thumbnail thumbnail comp thumbnail thumbnail thumbnail comp, Show the AD.
He circles what he likes, says "put this on design number 2, and get rid of this part on number 2. Use the face of number 3."
Thumbnail thumbnail thumbnail comp. Show the AD.
He says "Nah I don't like how this turned out. Try a few more designs."
Thumbnail thumbnail thumbnail comp. Thumbnail thumbnail thumbnail comp. Show the AD.
"Okay take that face from design 3 and put it on the armor from design 5, but change the spikes to small pyramid studs, put the belt from 2 but keep the pants, I like those. But make them more tattered. Simplify the boots a little, give them more of the dynamic feeling that 4 has. Use the headlights from 2, and the chassis from 6, and the motor from 8. I like number 2's helmet, but make the respirator more obvious. Can you build his arms more? And add a storage spot on his bike for the messages.
thumbnail thumbnail thumbnail comp.
Hmm, move the storage spaces farther to the back, the bike looks unbalanced. Also change these thrusters, use the ones from 7, but make the designs a bit less detailed, more streamlined.


THEN you do the Ortho of that character, making sure everything lines up perfectly for the modelers. Then you usually do the same for the bike. You also color and do a mock texture of them so the texture artist has something to reference.

And if anything, I am SEVERLY understating the amount of thumbnails you do.

[DavePalumbo]

A Concept Artist is paid for his idea while an Illustrator is paid for his work

both are paid for both

A Concept Artist is given less time to complete his/her work compared to an illustrator.

depends on the client, once again, for both.

A Concept Artist is an Illustrator

I think the only sound conclusion in the list :)

A Concept Artist is one level above an Illustrator?

not an attitude to win alot of friend in this community. Of course, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but this is, to me, an ignorant and confused statement. Is a microbiologist "above" a scientist? But I think I understand what you mean, and it would be more like comparing the station of a microbiologist to that of, say, an astrophysicist. Once again this is, at best, a matter of personal opinion.

Primary Audience of Concept Artists is other artists while audience of Illustrator is the general public

I would say more that a concept artist's labors are not intended for direct public viewing while an illustrator's is. The concept artist is fulfilling a step on the path to a finished product (most likely a very complex product), an illustrator is creating a finished product (most likely of a more simple nature)

[sweetoblivion314]

Hi guys.
As stated above, id like to know the differences between being an Illustrator and a Concept Artist.

A Concept Artist is one level above an Illustrator?


that is a very insulting statement right there.

but what the difference really boils down to from what i can tell with my limited experience. An Illustrator (I'm gonna assume that when you use that term you mean one who illustrates book covers and insides of books) is someone who has to convey an action , or a particular scene in time and mood to tell a story. A concept artist has to convey a mood and attitude and purpose of whatever he is designing. A concept artists piece doesn't neccissarily have to have an action or tell a story (but if its a character the design itself should tell some of the characters story), he can but he doesn't have to.

[Arne S.]

an illustrater makes a picture to have it published and reach millions of people with his art. a conceptartist makes a picture to illustrate the ideas of his client and his work only goes to his client and he doesn´t reach many people with his art (directly).
an illustrator get´s famous by his published work, a conceptart becomes famous in an online-community.

both of them draw.....

A Concept Artist is one level above an Illustrator?
i believe without ca, not many people would have noticed there are conceptartists...

[Riiroi]

First of all id really like to apologize for making that stupid statement. Im really sorry. What i actually meant was that...i always had that notion that Concept artists are Illustrators who have great ideas and so...not all Illustrators can be Concept artists but most Concept Artists can be Illustrators or already are.
Id like to thank those who took the time to reply to this thread and once again im really sorry.

[GriNGo]

I have always thought as illustrators to be way above concept artists, mainly because of the reach of his work. But in the end I'm guessing the only difference between them is the type of clients they work for.

[Micaiah Nelson]

I could be wrong but, Concept Artist gets paid for conveying their clients ideas for characters or game enviorments. Illustrators are paid for their complete work of posters, covers for game magazines and other stuff like that.

It really doesn't matter the difference becuase its just the artist. If you look at the big leagues up the top of the page some of them are concept artist but all of their works in the galleries are illustrations. Same stuff you'll see in the CG books.

[Seedling]

*Gives Riiroi a big noogie.* No worries. ;-)

GAME DESIGNERS are paid for ideas.

Lots of great info here! I just want to correct this one thing. Ideas are actually a dime a dozen. 95% of the time a game designer is paid to implement ideas, not come up with them.

[concept artist]

acually a concept artist isnt paid for his ideas. he is paid for his work too.
im my opinion there really is no difference in an illustrator and a concept artist.
im a concept artist and think there is no difference. its just another way of saying it. so they are pretty much the same thing. but a concept artist has to draw concepts or the ideas of the person they are working for. so if the boss describes a monster then the concept artist draws what the boss described. an illustrtor draws pictures of his own ideas.

[Elwell]

If the work was produced with the intention of being seen by the public, then it's illustration.
If the work was produced with the intention of being seen by a development team, then it's concept art.
The work in question could, theoretically, be absolutely identical in either case.
Pieces of concept art can be repurposed and end up used as illustrations.
Pieces of existing illustration can be used as concept art.
Many artist move freely back and forth across the fuzzy boundary.

[Elwell]

but a concept artist has to draw concepts or the ideas of the person they are working for. so if the boss describes a monster then the concept artist draws what the boss described. an illustrtor draws pictures of his own ideas.
And what if the illustrator is doing a cover for a book where the author has described a monster?
And what if the concept artist has been brought in at an early stage in the creative process, precisely to help with the development of ideas?

[otis]

Oh hell! Just call yourself an Artist!!!

Terms are only needed to distinguish responsibilites at work.
If you get too wrapped up in terminology , you may just paint yourself into a corner. (pun intended) ;)

[Magic Man]

And what if the illustrator is doing a cover for a book where the author has described a monster?
And what if the concept artist has been brought in at an early stage in the creative process, precisely to help with the development of ideas?

Are you saying that a poster who calls himself Concept Artist got the definitions wrong? Oh, how certainly you jest Mister Elwell!