Creativity and Video Games

[Jason Windsor]

I know friends who play multiple instruments and are in bands, I know people who are exellent at graphic design or painting and they don't play video games. Being a creative professional and playing video games don't seem to mix. It seems that video games just aren't compatible with the time it takes to produce art.

Well I'm wondering if I should quit video games cold turkey. I just bought a piano and I'm a graphic design student and I haven't done either in my free time as long as I have a PS3 in the house.

Do you think bohemian ways have no place for video games?

[Nrx]

Ya know i got a wii but i never play it, its not a distraction for me at all, but now im in a band, well i've not done any art in months now.

its seriously fucked up. i think the problem isnt the item its what you gain from it, if you gain satisfaction from a game then youll turn to that, i get satisfaction from developing my guitar and vocal skills and thats a hell of alot easier at the moment than getting satisfaction from art. (with music you fuck up and theres nothing staring you in the face, with art you have whatever youve drawn and its a bit de moralising even though ill feel great that ive just had 72 epiphanys in a row)

My point, its not really that games cant be part of a creative lifestyle there not the problem, its your personality and if you find your self relying on games for your satisfaction fix then its probably worth going cold turkey for a little while. at least untill you get hooked and start seeing your development in art.

[Jason Windsor]

My point being Da Vinci or Picasso didn't have time wasters like video games and neither did Mozart or Miles Davis.

[Samari]

I like video games. If you enjoy them I suppose you just have to make sure you don't play them too much that it becomes a distraction.

And for the record I would love to be a concept design artist and work with video games as a career. Or rather, I wouldn't mind that if that's where my life took me. As long as it pays the bills and I like doing it.

[Seedling]

You're failing to take us game industry professionals into account. It takes a lot of artists to make a game, and generally we're in the field because we like playing games.

[Interceptor]

There are plenty of pros who spend some time behind the controller. The problem is moderation. Just don't spend every waking moment playing games.

[Nrx]

My point being Da Vinci or Picasso didn't have time wasters like video games and neither did Mozart or Miles Davis.

games consoles , hookers and opiates its all the same shit in the end :P

[sodAp]

My point being Da Vinci or Picasso didn't have time wasters like video games and neither did Mozart or Miles Davis.

YEAH, and Digital Painting is *teh* evil, Da Vinci or Picasso didn't have computers.

[Farvus]

Yeah. I don't know how to bring together those two things - art and computer games. I used to play a lot but now I'm preparing myself to work as concept artist and knowledge about actual computer game industry would definately help. However painting and designing takes all time there is. I also have too slow computer and not enough money to buy games.
Maybe I should buy some compuiter game magazine from time to time and look at pictures :P.

[Dusty]

You're failing to take us game industry professionals into account. It takes a lot of artists to make a game, and generally we're in the field because we like playing games.

Agreed.
I definitely don't spend as much time drawing as some of the folks here, but I still find plenty of time to balance personal art, work, and playing video games.

I will happily admit that in my WoW phase I got a little bit TOO into it and didn't do much art at all, but I identified the problem and scaled that whole thing back. Now I am back to the proper balance. Then again, I guess it depends on where you are. I busted my ass from age 10 to age 21 to get into working on games, so I accomplished that goal. By no means have I accomplished ALL of my artistic goals, but I am in a position to relax a bit and I feel I deserve to play games every now and then if I feel like it.

-D

[Psychotime]

Wow, that makes no sense.

[Raspberi]

HAHA well, I'm a "bohemian" in a sense. I play other games though. I tend to surf around on a webforum similar to this one, and I'll play card games (MTG) when I get the time. I used to play Pokemon (I'm still trying to get the original 150, dangit!) but it just takes up too much time.

In a way, it's a bit ridiculous 'cause I haven't been doing much jamming with my bandmate lately, and drawings are slow coming.

But perhaps it's just the time of the year (at least for me).

Since I started attending college, I've stopped watching TV almost completely! And since I don't have a TV, I don't play any video games. D:

[Jason Windsor]

The seductive part of gaming is that I'm an art student. I appreciate artwork of all kinds. Playing video games is like being able to live inside someone's painting. I can't give up games because I can't justify not exerpiencing peoples amazing work.

[Sulk-Sal]

Actually, playing games (especially WoW) and the thought of one day working in them is one of the few things that got me through art school.

Actually, I think I learned more about art from WoW then I did from my art school...

[VulgarDragon]

Heh. I own a personal game museum with thousands of games for PC and different consoles from vintage Atari to Playstation. And you know what? I almost never have the time to play them. But when I do, I play because I enjoy them and also they sometimes inspire me. And I keep some of the boxes, because some of them have good artwork on them.

[DavePalumbo]

I'm not much interested in sprawling games because of the time commitment, but simple ones are great for clearing my head during breaks. Tetris is still one of my favorites for it, I'll probably never get tired of that game.

I do know some people who are super into their games and also super productive. I think Dan Dos Santos fits that group. I remember him talking about scheduling it though, making a window for that sort of thing so that it won't intrude on productive time.

[dcorc]

Television is for appearing on - not for looking at.
Noel Coward

Same applies to video games. You're supposed to be the producers of the content, more than the consumers of it!

[MiniGoth]

Just make sure the games don't eat your life.

I tend to get very absorbed in a game for a while, lose interest, then head back to it.

Okami is %&$^% gorgeous. So I spend a week drooling in game, then pulled out my brushes and worked on trying to make those smooth strokes of varying thickness. Very inspiring.

[Whitevillage]

I hardly play much games since I take drawing on a more serious level (and lack of free time). ;) I do play every day a fighting about 30 minutes and that's it, in the past it was about 2 hours...

[feifeicreate]

wow~~~so many game haters here.... I'm a gamer, I have an xbox 360 and a PS3 (although I'm thinking about selling the PS3 because there's really not many exclusives I like). I have a day job, I do digital painting 3 hours everyday (minimum), I play video games, I read 2 books simultaneously (one at work, one at home) and I try to have 4 or 5 hours of sleep.

A lot of people speak of how damage game addiction could be to your life, or if you play games you don't have time to do anything else.....or how great artists were all work no play...LOL...It's not about games, or TV, or internet surfing...It's about how you plan your time, how you keep everything under control.

Sit down a do a little detailed daily activity list, from 8 to 5: work; 6-7 excercise, 7-10 painting, 10-11 TV; etc. etc, and stick with it. you'll find 24 hours is actually a very long time, and you can have a lot done with in.

[tash9]

I am confused on this subject as well, so lately I have decided to play games, whichever one it is, only with friends. When I was little I would play playstation rpgs with a person around that was waltzing through. "Wow look at the drama" "That was a lot of numbers" "What is this place?". You can talk bullshit back and forth whatever make fun of that, relax laugh. I remember those instances better than when I played some dull part of the game alone, so I would assume it was a lot more inspiring on my daily life, which then turns into the art.
Fortunately most games are bad now so I don't feel pressure to fall over myself and play shit.

Good luck

[plantman]

Making computer games and producing art dont mix.

[Ilaekae]

...?...

This thread is about Monopoly and stuff like that...right? I think I got the gist of the discussion , but...ummm...it sounds like they electrified them...

When the hell did that happen?!?







:P

[feifeicreate]

Plantman: quite the contrary, good video games are ART, and making a good game is producing art, just like good movie is art. Bioshock is a piece of art, Halo is a piece of art, GTA4 is art...(and so many others...) I'm sure being on CA, you've seen some of the amazing concept art for games, I don't know how you define "art", but for me, they're superb art works both in creativity and technique.

[Seedling]

When you apply for a job at a game company, you will be asked about the games you have played. If you don't have the time to at least sample a few games now and then as research, then you must at least spend time watching others play games.

But staying addiction-free is also important. 40 hours of WOW a week is not research unless you are aiming to be a designer of high-level raid content for mmorpgs. (And game design isn't art.)

[Dusty]

Making computer games and producing art dont mix.

I disagree completely. I spend 8-12 hours a day making games depending on crunchtime or not, and when I get home I either play games or do yet more personal art.

Mixes quite well, I'd say.

-D

[Jie Kageshinzo]

Making computer games and producing art dont mix.

Tell that to the guys who made Shadow of the Colossus.

[pok82]

I've got a friend who's been desperate to break into the comic book industry for years. He managed to put out four issues of his comic a while back. But for the last few years all he does is play video games. He barely draws and when he does it's not nearly at the level he was at before.

The result: He's 31 with the skills of a beginner.

I love my rpgs, but I don't try to draw and play games at the same time. I can't focus on drawing if I'm playing Kingdom Hearts and I can't focus on the game if I'm worried about finishing a pic.

You don't have to stop playing video games, but if you want to improve as an artist you're gonna have to make time for the art. Or you'll end up like my friend and spend 6 hours a day playing games, but just 1 hour a week (at best) drawing.

[Microbe]

I draw whenever I can and every now and then I like to sit down, start up Mafia and hear some engine noise by those old race cars, it really gives me a kick and inspires me to draw cars

[Jason Windsor]

I think that 6 hour charcoal drawing is on 18x24 inch sketch pad, can't be sure. I pretty good sized sheet, is that still to much time to spend on it? Is it the work of a novice or intermediate?

Oh and the reason I posted the sketch here was because it was part of these discussions.

[jubjubjedi]

huh? what?

[pencilgeek]

i want to work for bioware some day....do any one knows of any bioware concept art? that will be sweet to look at.

[Ian Mack]

...?...

This thread is about Monopoly and stuff like that...right? I think I got the gist of the discussion , but...ummm...it sounds like they electrified them...

When the hell did that happen?!?







:P

Really wish I had an uncle like you...my funniest uncle is a hardline conservative who thinks Global warming is a scam to make David Suzuki and Al Gore money. :P

re: thread

Everything in moderation. Exercise self-control.

[Hyver]

My point being Da Vinci or Picasso didn't have time wasters like video games and neither did Mozart or Miles Davis.

probably not, although miles davis might have rocked at pong

and i bet da vinci had a thing for dancing menuets, mozart was a regular bonafide party animal, and picasso liked to look through caleidoscopes.
my point being, videogames aren't the only timewasters (as you put it) in the world, or throughout history.

i think you need to read up on "procrastination" and learn a bit from that.
and if you have a question about it, please don't post it here

:lounge:

[dcorc]

Jason - Turn OFF the games console NOW, and go DRAW!!

[ALH]

Everyone needs a break now and then. I dont play as many hardcore games as i used to, but i sure as heck still unwind with a quick round of geometry wars or a couple of songs on guitar hero.

Personally i find games help my spacial awareness, I always draw or paint things with more depth if i've just been staring at a 3d model for a while than if i've looked at a photo or even gone out for a walk. Being able to rotate things in-game and see them from directions you'd not be able to irl ( without a ladder at least) is very handy!

[Brashen]

I agree they mix quite well I get a lot of inspiration from games and movies.

they used to be a distraction but I find myself playing less and less. oh and I hate console gaming so maybe i dont have it as bad as you!!

[Jason Windsor]

Idle waste of time, that's what they are... how often do you play now? I feel that if I have a game system in the house that's all I think of doing... I should just sell them all.

[dcorc]

Jason - if you want to be a games artist, you should be thinking about producing content for them, rather than playing them. (Obviously some experience as a player is needed, but it sounds like you've got plenty of that already). What's needed now is to consolidate and extend your skill-set as an artist (you've got plenty of talent, don't be in any doubt about that - you just need to start putting it to good use). There's loads of support here (and elsewhere online), plenty of facilities for improving your art, if you want to take advantage of them. Industry-professional illustrators, concept-artists and visual-effects experts, fine artists, and world-class teachers are all available to you online.

[AeonPhoenix]

Video Games can be very fun to play, but even then it shouldn't get in the way of your drawing, if you plan to do some kind of art in the future. Some people have more discipline than others. It shouldn't get to the point that games interfere with other things in your life, if that's the case then you should seek some help. All stuff aside, Video Games are a wonderful form of expression, and there are many games out there with distinct style and aesthetic value.

[Carbono]

Video-Games can be used as a source of learning and inspiration by the artist, Prometheus (check his sketchbook in the exclusive sketchbooks section, if you don't know his work) teach us this very well.

What you need to do is use the game as a source of inspiration, and not just as a "Mindless Player", analyze stuff in the game, what you like, what you don't? Try to learn, get some ideas from it. Maybe you should play with a blank paper by your side (or a sketchbook), i always do this and end up stopping from time to time to draw something I liked or found it inspiring.

Anyway Man, If you think you're lacking on your practice, go for it bro.