Character Concepting for Games | Research

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http://www.digitaltutors.com/tutorial/685-Character-Concepting-Workflows-for-Games-in-Photoshop

Character Concepting Workflows for Games in Photoshop
[Digital Tutors]

Click Link to view video:

Tips from concept artist "Eric Chiang"

Silhouetting

• use large brush to avoid adding in detail too early
• establish silhouette, then find ways to make it more visually interesting
• liquify tool to push and pull, adjust shapes quickly and easily when silhouetteing 

Building Orthographic Model sheet

• Photo bashing used to make things look very photo realistic
• use them as a base to paint over, not straight up
• keep proportion in mind
• CTRL-R brings up rulers, use them as landmarks in pose to line up front side and back view in same proportions
• use same silhouetted shape for front and back view to save time
• mark shoulder, elbow, waist, knee ankle on guide lines
• poses not dynamic/very still in orthographic
• making sense of something, taking big idea and making sure it works
• block in shapes over silhouette
• use solid shapes and hard edges
• paste photos onto orthographic, transform so it fits better - doesn't have to be perfect, will be painting over it.
• save a lot of time, don't have to spend time painting folds in fabric ect
• get over the idea that using photographs is cheating, use tools at your disposal to get jobs done.
• do concept images/poses first and keep those images open to reference colours
• very important to find faster ways of doing things
• turn around times are very fast, constantly getting feedback and having to change things
• lose sketches
• 3 different sketches in 3 different styles to communicate idea (to art director)
• stay loose let ideas flow
• more sketches - more original and successful designs
• use mood and lighting to illustrate how char. would look in game
• after concept painting translate concept to orthographic sheet, communicate idea to 3d character designer.

Honestly, I think the photobashing in Chiang's concept is awful, I mean, whats with the stuck on head? Although Watching this video has let me know that orthographics dont have to be 10/10 amazing, they are just to get across to the 3D modeler what the character looks like so it can be modeled in game.