Game Concept Art - Week 4

Week 4 - Reference

Our video game world is made up of two tribes, one of STONE, and one of IRON. Using the reference photos from the NY Natural History Museum, design:

- a Musical Instrument
- a Weapon
- a Tool
- two Food Items (one Vegetable/Fruit and one Meat)

One prop design for each tribe based on their Stone or Iron lifestyle. Obviously, the "Mad Max" characters are from the Iron tribe and the characters from the series, "Primal" are a Stone tribe. Think about the limitations and advantages each tribe has and use those traits to influence the prop designs. Focus on the differences between the tribes and play up the contrasts in the shapes. Stone tribe will have access to dinosaur bones, skin and primitive mammal and bird fur/feathers. Iron tribe will have access to machines, engine/vehicle parts and artificial surfaces like rubber, steel and chrome, but they have no access to animals (perhaps they live off of human flesh or insects and fuel?) 

You can design as many props for each group as you like, but the minimum is 5 for each. The composition can be landscape or portrait using the 1:78 aspect ratio. The designs should be rough with NO COLOR. You may use Black, White and shades of GRAY, but do NOT use COLOR for this assignment.

African Tribal Reference:

Stone Age Props (Primal) -

Iron Age Props (Mad Max) - 

Your final design should begin to look like a poster showing the conflict inherent in the video game. We will add color the following week. 

Print out your final designs or add them to a thumb drive so they can be projected for review. 

 

Game Concept Art - Week 3

Week 3 - Research & Reference

A developed idea is only as good as the research done and reference found for it. World Building requires details. Answer the questions Who? What? Where? When? and Why? with imagery. Learn about the subject matter and study the culture of the environment you are designing. 

Design Assignment:

 

Find a location in Dallas that is interesting and could possibly serve as inspiration for a location in the Fury Road/Primal video game. Take detailed photographs of all views of tractors, utility trucks, wrecked vehicles, recycling plants, oil refineries, junk yards and abandoned factories. Pay important attention to the scale of things and the overall layout of the lot. Draw a rough map of the area so you know how buildings relate to each other. Take pictures with a person standing next to the subject matter periodically to reinforce the relative scale. Collect the best photos of the group and assemble them thematically on a reference board using Photoshop. See the attached example:

This is a reference board for developing the City of Perfection, an early location concept from the 2019 film, Ugly Dolls. The photos show "Brutalist" structures and Modern/Surreal buildings characterized by their massive, monolithic and 'blocky' appearance with a rigid geometric style and large-scale use of poured concrete and glass. These materials represent the cold and structured life the Perfect Dolls live in this world.

Game Concept Art - Week 2

Week 2 - Design Basics

Meaning of Shape Language

Introduction to Color Theory - Like Music, Color is Mood

Who is Charley Harper?

 

Design Assignment:

Design several Insects from the Mad Max world and design several Dinosaurs from the world of Primal using the basic shape language of circle, square & triangle.  

Think of ways to develop a world where Post Apocalyptic Vehicles exist with Proto Humans and Dinosaurs in the Distant Future. What does each group need to survive? What does each group want? What element in the landscape separates them? 

Turbo/Adrenaline Powerups can become available by using a guitar controller for the Mad Max world or a drum controller for the Primal world. 

Dinosaurs = Fuel

The video game we will develop is based on Mad Max - Fury Road and the animated series, Primal. This game will be much like Grand Theft Auto in a Post Apocalyptic future with DINOSAURS. The goal of the game is to survive and guarantee your sustainability.

Game Concept Art - Week 1

Game Concept Art - Introduction

Fall Semester - AUG 27, 2019

Who is Frederick Gardner? 

Discuss education and work experience. 

Frederick Gardner Film/TV Credits

Class Structure will be as close to a studio environment as possible. 

Life Drawing

Artists will participate in Life Drawing :30 min before Call Time in the studio. One volunteer will be asked to pose for various 3 minute poses while the rest of the artists execute quick gesture drawings in pen and marker, pencil or other medium of choice. The goal is to have the model sit for 8 poses in :30 min. Life Drawing will be held every week before the studio lecture and production time.
Life Drawing Examples:

Suggested Materials for Life Drawing:

- Small Sketchbook to fit in pocket or backpack. Paper quality is important! Moleskin Sketch Book is the best brand.
- Pencil and Pencil Sharpener
- (or) Mechanical Pencil
- (or) 30% Gray Marker and Fine Point Black Sharpie
- (or) Black, Sepia or Brown Brush Pen

The best place to shop for Art Supplies is Asel Art Store  or Blick Art Supplies (online). Always ask for a student discount, usually 10%. 

Asel Art stores are located all over Dallas:

Asel - Cedar Springs
Retail Store & Corp. Office
2701 Cedar Springs Road.,
Dallas, TX 75201

Asel - Warehouse
8900 Premier Row,
Dallas, TX 75247

Asel - Plano
2929 Custer Rd. #340,
Plano TX 75275

Asel - Richardson
101 S. Coit Rd. Ste #375,
Richardson TX 75080

Asel - Arlington
618 W. Park Row Ste. C,
Arlington TX 76010

 

Lecture 1 - "World Building, Materials & Creating Drama"

Discuss the production design of the Book of Life. Note the difference between the 2 worlds, wood (Land of the Living) and stone (Land of the Dead). How do the materials affect the story and limit the characters?

Discuss the concept of a world made of fabric. What are the inherent limitations? How do the materials guide the story and the character quest?

Textbook:

- The Noble Approach by Tod Polson (& Maurice Noble)

The Noble Approach on Amazon

The Game

Mad Max vs Primal... Beast vs Machine... Future vs Past... Warm (Blood) vs Cool (Blood)

Dinosaurs = Fuel

Race to Survive with a full belly and a tank of gas. 

Instinct or Extinct!

Mad Max - Fury Road

 
Primal

The Wacky Races

Circle, Square & Triangle

Design Assignment due Tues, Sep 3. Design 3 compositions, each using a circle, square and triangle and dark medium and light grey tones. Each composition should be in the 16x9 aspect ratio.  Digital or paper copy will be acceptable. 

Game Concept Art 1 - FALL 2019

"Primal Fury"

"Primal Max"

Richland Game Art - The Business of Concept Art/Animation - Week 15

Week 15 - The Business of Concept Art/Animation & Prep for Final Pitch

Last Lecture - Attention to Details (Wood Grain, Nuts and Bolts add Realism

How to Market your Art:

The difference between Commercial Art and Fine Art:

The difference between Concept Art and Illustration, THEY ARE NOT THE SAME!

Building a Commercial Art/Concept Art Portfolio:

Name Recognition & Signature:

It's Who You Know... Art Clubs, Social Media & Drawing Sessions:

Dallas Art Groups
Dallas Art Groups

Dallas Meet Up - Art Groups
Meet Up - Dallas Art Group

DFW Art Groups
DFW Art Groups

The Business Card & Logo

Moo.com
Business Card Printing - Moo.com

Building a Portfolio:

 - TAG Union Portfolio webpage
Frederick Gardner Union Portfolio Page

- Creating an Art Blog (Why you draw what you draw/the "Process")
Frederick Gardner Art Blog

- Portfolio websight
Frederick Gardner Portfolio

- Hard Copy Portfolio
Blurb.com
Portfolio Publishing - Blurb
Lulu.com
 Portfolio Publishing - Lulu.com


- Digital Portfolio/pdf-olio

- Your Rights and Your Art (What Can You Post and What Can't You Post?)

- Fan Art/Life Drawing/Commissions/Graphic Art

 Motion Graphics for Film - 

 Danny Yount - Making Titlea for Film

Dev Art (Good for Professional Portfolio) - 

Fan Art (Bad for Professional Portfolio) -

Beware of Social Media:

- Facebook
- Linked In
- Twitter
- Pintarest
- YouTube
- Flickr
- Instagram

Get an Agent/Lawyer

Fire Your Agent/Lawyer

Union or Non-Union vs Freelance

You work for the Union, not for the Studio.
Union Contracts & Wages

Starting a Business (Independent Contractor/LLC)

Form a LLC in TX - NOLO
Form a LLC in TX - Legal Zoom

The Industry and Taxes and Texas

Texas Film Commission
Dallas Film Festival (DIFF)

Professional Organizations:

- The Animation Guild (TAG) IATSE Local 839
Animation Guild
- The Art Director's Guild (ADG)
Art Directors Guild
- Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS)
Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciecnes
- Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (ATAS)
Academy of Television
- International Animated Film Society (ASIFA)
ASIFA
Annecy Animation Film Festival
- National Cartoonists Society (NCS)
National Cartoonist Society
- Visual Effects Society (VES)
Visual Effects Society

Professional Conventions:

- Comicon International (San Diego, CA)
Comic-Con
- New York Comicon (NYC, NY)
- CTN Animation Expo (Creative Talent Network)
CTN Expo
- Ottawa International Animation Festival (Canada)
- Siggraph (CG Art)
Siggraph
- Annecy International Film Festival (France)
Annecy Film Festival

Animation/Game News:

Character Design Blog
Character Design Blog
Cartoon Brew
Cartoon Brew Animation News

The Interview

- Know What you are Worth $
- What to Wear
- Always Be Early!
- Resume/Business Card/Portfolio
- Turn off the Phone!
- Eye Contact and Hand Shake
- If you don't want the job, the next guy WILL take it
- Why are you better than everyone else?

Start Looking for your Next Job as soon and you Land the First One!

Continuing Education:

- College Art Classes
UT Dallas - Visual Arts
Art Institute Dallas - Animation Program
- Visiting Artist Lectures
- Life Drawing
Dallas Area Life Drawing
Dallas Area - Figure Drawing
- Sculpting/Sewing/Welding/Woodwork
- Cultural Travel
- Museum/Zoo Sketch Groups
- Coffee Sketch Groups
- Movies/Video Games/Books

Credits and the iMDb

Frederick Gardner - iMDb

Tools of the Trade:

 Here are pictures of my work environment with Animation Desk and Standing Computer Desk:

- Computer w/ Lots of RAM! (Mac Preferred in Art Industry)
Apple - iMac Pro
- Large and High Resolution Monitor (2 Preferred)
- WACOM tablet or Cintiq
Wacom - Cintiq & Tablets
- Scanner (scan at 300 dpi)
- Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop
- Sketchup
Sketch Up - 3D Drawing Program
- Paper/Sketchbook
- Pen & Ink/Pencil or Graphite w/ Eraser
- Grey Markers (30, 50 & 70%)
Prismacolor Markers
- Ruler
- Lots of Light
- Good Chair or Standing Desk
- Portable Drive
- Portfolio Case or Briefcase
- Passport
- Hard Copy of Portfolio (Always Updated)
- Resume Copies (Always Updated)
- Business Cards (Always Updated)
- Animation Disc, Punched Animation Paper
- Good Pencil Sharpener (Panasonic is the BEST)

Rewards:

- Work from Home (Remotely)
- Work until you Die
- Pension/Retirement/Health Care
- Add to the Historical Film/TV Record
- Oscar & Emmy
- Travel the World