The Importance of Concept Art

Concept art is a visual art medium which an artist takes help of to create a basic framework of a certain game concept and then uses it to develop it into a full-fledged product. It describes the basic sketches created for a certain concept involving models or designs which need to be represented visually. It has been around in the gaming industry in India and around the world ever since its establishment. It’s a certain type of illustration which revolves around pre-production designs ranging from products like cars, toasters, movies and of course video games. It is used mainly by a designer to present visualizations of his ideas – for example, weapons, landscapes, vehicles. Everything is designed before it goes into a game and these designs represent the look and feel of the final game. Everything that can possibly be seen (before the development stage of a games production) is designed.Sometimes, the concept art gives such a strong feeling of the world that some story elements are created based off the art itself.

Disney used this term first in 1930 in their manuals and documents. To this day, concept art has been the term that signifies the basic and initial sketching of the game characters and designs. It is one of the most significant stages in video game designer companies like Dhruva Interactive, one of the best game development studios in India.It is also used hugely in 3D game development companies.

Game concept art begins with simple and rough sketches of the characters and other aspects of the game. Concept artists then make refinements to this which result in a more detailed and specific sketch, that includes special features that make it unique. On further refinements, the details of the characters and settings are drawn sharply and crisply giving them a finishing touch. This is finally transferred to the software to enhance and revitalize the concept art which began as mere sketches on paper.

The job of a concept artist is constantly sought after because the purpose of concept art is undeniably the most important step of design concerning visuals, and visuals are considered as one of the most crucial elements within video games. This step is the most creative and artistic and forms the building blocks of success.

At this point, we should understand that illustration and concept art are not the same.Concept artists use sketches to showcase ideas that represent the look of a world and an illustrator will take the same concept and create an elaborate and detailed picture. Sometime the two are the same person, but to stay true to the definition of concept art, they are considered different.

Technology has helped ease the process of game concept art. What would take days earlier for designers and artists now takes just a few hours. Richness and realism are being used extensively in animation and game design that was not possible before. Large-scale collaborations and unification are also being made possible through technology.

From Adobe’s Photoshop to Maya, artists do not have to spend time refining designs on paper and instead can take the help of technology and software to improve the quality of refinements and adjustments. This has ultimately led to more time, more chances of being productive and finally, more one of a kind creation.