questions for pro concept artists!

[capone]

Just a little introduction, currently in my 6th year of education studying computer game design. I started this course last year to learn 3D modeling and to give myself a better chance at getting a job which involves concept art.

It would be highly appreaciated if anyone could answer any of the following questions,

1) Many highly finished concepts I see in here would take well over 5 hours to finish (for just one image), would any company expect a concept artist to spend so much time on what is just a concept?

2) I will most probably be doing work experience in the games industry next year, would a work experience modeller ever be likley to do concept art?

3) I have seen some peoples concept art have little "stories" about the character, is this a good thing to include in character concept art?

4) Who usually reviews your concept artist?, just the lead artist or more including lead director of the production etc

Thanks, I understand most people can only answer in their own experience. Just trying to gather information:cool:

capone,

[Leopoldo]

Hi,

1) Yes, if the concept art is going to be used for financing the production, ie "pitch" concept, then a high finish is required. These concepts are used to sell the whole idea. This also applies to movie concept art.

Also, inhouse, the more clear a concept "sketch" is the more likely it is that everyone involved in the production understands what needs to be done.

2) No. Everyone has their thing that they are good at, so isn't likely that you will be doing concepts as a modeller. At a smaller studio, maybe, but work experience wise I would aim at concept experience if that's what you want to do.

3) Read the script and know your characters. The more you know about whay needs to be done the better you can do it. But dont waste production money/time on too much research/brain storming. It ain't rocket science. Remember those deadlines.

4) If you are a concept artist then its the art director, the production designer and the board of directors.

Good luck,
Leo

[nova]

2. actually, this happens sometimes, and not often.

as an environment modeller, i often have to draw out concepts to be approved by the art director for specific models/sets of models that have to do with achitecture and making up the details of the level. and i'm not the only modeler that works like this, the few other environment and some character modellers do their own concepts and get them approved by the art director.

it's a realistic game and a lot of reference is used, so this kind of thing can happen. that means that even though there's one person defining the style of the game [the art director], most of the specfic models/textures being created are based on real life and exist in books, movies and in pictures on the internet.

the company i work for isn't small either like leopoldo mentioned might fit into this case. there are about 7 environment modelers/texturers, 4 level designers, 7or8 character modelers/texturers/animators, a group of creative directors and an art director. but as i understand the company i work for and the team i'm on works differently than most of the industry. the reason for this way of working is that there's so much content being produced that the art director doesn't have time to draw out all the designs. besides that, the game is in production mode and it doesn't make sense to have or hire someone to just draw, because there's such a need for content.

so.. yup :) but for the most part the games industry is getting more streamlined and is working under the eye of a publisher with a limited production time, so artists are becoming more as pieces of a puzzle, each with their specific tasks.

- laura