Behind the Games: Art

There’s no way we can deny that we love videogames. The intense wait times for big-time releases and new systems is quite exciting, and playing our favorite games on our favorite consoles and handhelds is downright the most interactive and entertaining pastime. Have you ever wondered how your favorite games are made? Have you considered picking a career inside the videogame industry? We have prepared a nifty series showcasing the three main areas of the creation of videogames; art, programming, and design. These articles will give you an idea of what to expect, and they might help you determine which path to take. Sure, it’s fun to play games, but planning and creating them can be, too. Let’s begin by getting a firm grasp of the art behind games; check back early next week for the fundamentals of programming and design inside videogames.


Videogames, just like anything else, should follow a concise and thorough method of creation, and it all starts with drafts. Whether creating a character, level, item or boxart, a rough draft is always the first step. Once your ideas have been brainstormed and polished, it’s time to grab a pencil and start sketching. Concept art for game assets consists of detailed drawings of the resource in question, from multiple angles and orthographic views (top, side, front and back). Once concept art is created, a discussion and critique takes place and any needed changes are made. The overall aspect of sketch creation isn’t easy, since ideas don’t flow seamlessly onto the paper. Talent and skill go a long way in this crucial aspect of game creation.

Although on a decline, the beauty of 2D gaming continues to amaze us, particularly on the handheld market. A critical part of 2D and sprite gaming is animation; characters and objects must move realistically and attractively, after all. Part of game animation is the concept of ‘tweening’. In cartoon animation, for example, an animator would create multiple poses for a certain character’s actions; a tweener would then come in and fill in the blanks, creating transition poses, or ‘frames’, for the animation. A great aspect of game animation is its freedom. Traditional principles, such as the walk cycle illustrated above, can be used, diminished, or exaggerated, all depending on the feel and style of the game.

And then there’s the third dimension, and the concept of character modeling is introduced. Whereas a 2D character is flat, similar to a moving piece of paper, a character in a 3D world must be fully created, allowing for all degrees and angles of vision by the camera and the player’s eyes. The orthographic character sketches described above are a great tool for character or object modeling. Programs such as Maya or 3DSMax allow you to manipulate multitudes of polygons (think of them as a small, flat piece of clay) to create anything your heart desires, and front, back, and side views enable you to create the exact character or item you had in mind. Texturing, too, changes drastically; shadows and highlights in 2D sprites become texture maps, lights and shadow casting, and texture creation and implementation. Animation, too, becomes character rigging, the ability to create a ‘skeleton’ of sorts for a character model and allowing it to move. 3D art can seem overwhelming, but the many tools it offers make it a great aspect of gaming.

Although game designers share a good part of the task, the art department is mostly responsible for the way a game looks, and good games are based on good art principles. Color theory and the elements and principles of design are critical to an attractive art style. The style itself is key as well; will your game be photorealistic, cel-shaded, or something else unique and interesting? The possibilities are great, as long as certain ground rules remain in effect, such as an art direction consistent with the game’s theme and mood.

There you have it. The art in videogames is extensive and covers multiple aspects. Concept art, animation, 3D models, all for characters, environments and objects; game arts are certainly diverse. This variety is a double-edged sword, however. For example, I really enjoy 3D modeling and texturing, but drawing and sketching is like a chore to me. Keep in mind, though, that versatility in the videogame industry goes a long way. If you enjoy the beautiful graphics of certain games, consider making pretty games for others to look at.

Check back soon for the ‘skinny’ on game programming and game design!