How to Make Game Art as a Programmer By Pavel Konstantinov CEO & Founder at RetroStyle Games | Jan 28, 2023 Ask a Question One-man game production studios are becoming more frequent nowadays, and many of them are succeeding. That being said, what happens when that one individual isn’t an artist? What should be done first? Learn about game illustration programs and build your game art portfolio? Perhaps, but this is far from the first step on your path. There are many directions for making game art. And today we will try to dive into them in more detail.This article examines some of the choices available to indie game programmer for making or purchasing art for their game. What is Game Art? Artists & Designers are key creative roles in the best computer game design companies. What’s the difference between game art & design? We’ll cover that.Game art and design differ in the position and responsibilities of their artists: game art supports the game’s visuals and feel, while game design leads the creative and project management processes of gameplay. Game art is key to modern gaming, informing players and informing them of their interactive actions.Game art covers any visuals used in a game, 2D and 3D. UX, protagonists/antagonists, backgrounds, weather effects, storyboards, etc. all fall under game design. Although programming is required to position and utilize the graphics, anything the player sees is a part of game art, as is any art generated during the game’s development stages. Why is Game Art Important for Programmers? There are various benefits of incorporating game art into game programming. So let’s try to understand them all and determine which of the benefits we really need. 1Visually appealing gamesGame art can help make games more visually appealing, which can increase player engagement and retention. This is important from a commercial point of view. The modern gaming market is crowded. Therefore, it is very important to create a product that will differ from all others not only in its functionality, plot, and history but also contain art and programming at the same time.2Immersive Game ExperienceGame art can help to create a more immersive experience, as it can bring game worlds to life and help players feel like they are part of the game. Orcs, elves, or pirates. Players must feel part of the process, fully involved in its essence. Therefore, when creating the art of the game, pay attention to this component, since it is very important.3Game PersonalityGame art can also help to add more personality to a game, which can help to differentiate it from other games in the genre. We’ve talked about this before, but it’s a really important aspect. It doesn’t matter if you choose pixel art for game developers or realistic game art. Your product must be of high quality and unique.4Game PopularityGame art can also help to increase the popularity of a game, as it can help to make the game stand out in marketing materials and draw in more players. Whether you’re an indie game programmer or work for a game art and full product company, you should always consider the end user and whether they’re willing to pay money for the final product. Example: Isometric Pixel Art for Programmers If you’re a game developer, whether working independently or for a larger company, it’s essential to consider the end user. What kind of gaming experience are they looking for, and how can game art help deliver that experience? Isometric pixel art is just one example of the many techniques and game styles developers can use to create stunning visuals that engage players and keep them coming back for more.So, are you one of the game developers using isometric pixel art? Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, take some time to think about how game art can help take your game to the next level and draw in a wider audience. After all, the more people playing your pixel game, the more successful it’s likely to be. Tools and Resources A computer game can take decades to develop, and a significant amount of work must be completed before the first line of code is written. Before you sit down to put all the parts together, you must first develop an idea and overarching design for your game. Improvements will undoubtedly occur during the development process, but having a powerful concept in mind will save you a lot of time and stress later on.Whether you intend for your game to be 2D or 3D, you will require tools to assist you to get your concepts down on paper. Such tools will be essential to you as an artist as you build the look and feel of your game. If you are not an artist, you should be conversant with the tools that your artists could be using.Nevertheless, if you’re an artist (which is presumably why you’re reading this), adaptability is your best tool. The more 3D modeling software and approaches you know, the more competitive you’ll be. We’ve prepared a list of art applications that concept artists frequently use. 1PhotoshopPhotoshop is the ideal artist’s holy grail. It’s basically mainstream technology, albeit countless other items work just as well. Nevertheless, some knowledge of Photoshop is beneficial. You have a lot of alternatives because you may change images as well as create art from scratch. You can also design patterns to transfer onto your 3D models, making it much more versatile.2Maya Maya is one of the standards for 3D modelling and animation in the games industry. It is expensive but offers a range of features such as 3D modeling, animation, and rendering. The learning curve can be steep, but this is an excellent tool to have in your arsenal. Although you will mostly use 3D modeling skills for concept art, knowledge of 3d animation art styles with all of its features will only benefit you in the long run.3ZBrushIt is a sculpting program that functions similarly to conventional sculpting. Anyone can construct extraordinary modeling techniques with the ability to sculpt up to one billion polygons. ZBrush is ideal for concept art since it allows you to keep importing your creations into other programs for modeling, animating, and rendering.43DS MaxAnother industry standard for 3D game modeling services. 3ds Max Design is mostly used for massive, open-world games, but it also has powerful 3D modeling and rendering tools. Concept artists can use it to rapidly and easily construct detailed models and surroundings. Because 3ds Max Design is a frequently used technology in the gaming industry, it is highly suggested that you become acquainted with it. Game Art Design Process: Step-by-Step Guide When creating any game, there are several important steps that should not be missed. Here is a short list of these steps: Concept The moment when an idea is born within a team or within one person. At this stage, it is important to articulate the main idea of your game as clearly as possible and think through the plot. Design This is where the design team comes in to create game concepts and final designs. Design can also be called the creation of code and the entire technical component of the game. Here you can also ask how to create game assets. This is the perfect stage to sort things out. Pre-Production At this stage, testing of the almost finished product takes place. It is critical to consider the errors and make changes before releasing the game. Post-Production The final step, but a very important one, is releasing your game to the public, should be known to as many people as possible so that you can get feedback and continue to work on improving your product. Learn more: How To Make Art For Video Games How to Speed up this Process The process of drawing your own video game is not easy and can cause many complications. Especially if you work on your own as an independent developer. Although the process of creating a game can take years for many teams,To avoid this, based on our experience, you need to draw up a specific plan where the actions of one or another team member will be described step by step. If this is entirely your project, create a detailed schedule. A competent time manager will help you achieve your goals on time.Don’t delay creating a test version of your product. Let the players feel the reality of your game as soon as possible, check it for bugs and problems. to avoid these mistakes in the future. Tips and Best Practices for Game Art Creation A brilliant developer can create a technically flawless product. However, no matter how technically advanced and bug-free it is, it can quickly become boring and gloomy for the player. A brilliant designer may create an exciting game using elements in which the player will enjoy overcoming crashes, glitches, and eerie images. So let’s look at a few practices that will help you be the best at your job: 1Work Together with the DesignersYou must collaborate closely with your game’s creator when generating game art. This will benefit you in a number of ways. It assists you in developing an art style that is appropriate for your game. Collaborate with your design team to figure out how to make their concept into artistic indie games using images.2Use Art to Communicate InformationMobile gamers prefer to be given information aesthetically. They dislike reading long passages of text. They are not fond of lengthy lessons. As a result, you should use art in novel ways to enhance performance.Other games developers employ visual cues to assist their players in learning how to play their games. The visual signals in the game prompt players to make various decisions in the game, such as selecting a specific item, attacking a specific enemy, or moving toward a specific location.3Examine OpponentsYou may learn a lot about game art for programmers by looking at other games in your genre. Take a look at the finest games in your category to find out which art styles are popular. Look at the worst of the bunch to learn which art styles don’t go well with the category.4Enhance that Over the FutureThe contemporary art style is more appropriate for the current era. However, as time passes, so do the trends in game art and the desires of gamers.5Consider the user interface (UI) designUI design plays an important role in creating a user-friendly and visually appealing game. Game developers should be familiar with the different UI design concepts to create effective user interfaces. For more information on game UI design, check out this article on game user interface design examples. It contains a comprehensive list of game UI design examples with explanations of their features and benefits. By studying these examples, game developers can learn best practices in UI design and apply them to their own games. Game Art Examples for Programmers To inspire programmers and everyone who reads this article to create quality game art development, we want to share examples of several of our works that we are especially proud of.Our artists designed a whopping 107 rooms for the Relaxing 3D Interiors for Zen Match project, each with four overpaint variations in distinct color palettes. The biggest accomplishment, however, was that we improved the workflow, used numerous scripts and tools, and used automated rendering. This investment in optimization and automation has enabled us to function efficiently with the vast amount of 3D pictures required for the game, as well as to prepare for greater projects to come. Our team created a semi-automatic migration of location, lighting, and effects from Unreal to Unity for our second equally favorite Cyberpunk Skater Girl project. For this, experienced programmers were linked so that our project could continue to expand and improve.As you can see, art and programming go hand in hand in these and many of our other projects. We try to combine the two sides so that our games are impressive for both future players and our customers. It is important for us to take all points of view, since many programmers also have knowledge in the field of game dev art and can make suggestions that will significantly improve the quality of this or that art. If you are still looking for an answer to the question, “How can you make game art?” please contact us and we will try to advise you and find the answer. GET IN TOUCH Conclusion Based on our experience, you need to put in enough effort and have enough desire if a career as a game programmer is what you enjoy and what inspires you. It is a difficult path, but you will be able to pass it because along the way you will meet enough educational materials, wise assistants, and a team of gamers who are just as inspired as you are. After all, game development art is a whole science in which you must become Einstein.Use the list of programs and tools that we have demonstrated in this article, and you will find the answer to the question of how to design graphics for games. Don’t give up if everything doesn’t come out on the first try. We wish you good luck and believe in your gaming and creative success. FAQs: Fake What are the options for indie game developers who struggle with creating art? Indie game developers who struggle with creating art have several options. The first approach is to adopt simple, minimalist indie game art styles, which can reduce the complexity of asset creation. Developers can also use tools and software designed for game art for indie developers, such as Aseprite or Procreate, to streamline their workflow. Another option is to outsource art creation to freelance artists or studios specializing in indie game concept art creation. Additionally, developers can utilize asset marketplaces like Unity Asset Store or itch.io to purchase pre-made assets, saving time and ensuring professional-quality visuals for their games. Where can I find tools and tutorials for different art styles? Finding tools and tutorials for different art styles can greatly enhance your game development process. For game art for programmers, platforms like Unity Learn and Unreal Engine offer comprehensive tutorials on creating and implementing art assets. If you’re looking for specific tools for game art, Aseprite is excellent for pixel art, and Blender is a powerful, free tool for 3D modeling used by many studios that use Blender.For specific art styles, Procreate is popular for hand-drawn and digital painting techniques, with numerous tutorials available on YouTube. If you’re interested in games with cool art styles, websites like ArtStation provide inspiration and tutorials from professional artists.When it comes to assets in game design, Kenney offers a vast collection of free and paid assets. For how to develop Android games, Google’s Android Developers site is a valuable resource.To learn how to design game levels, Gamasutra features articles and guides from experienced game designers. Lastly, for getting more information on the topic of what are match 3 games, GameDev.tv offers specialized courses.These resources provide a wealth of information and tools to help you improve or create game art as a programmer, making it easier to bring your creative visions to life.The answer must include links to specific tools and tutorials for some art styles, making it easier for developers to find the resources they need to improve or create game art. If I can't find an appealing art style or I lack artistic skills, what should I do? If you can’t find an appealing art style or lack artistic skills, consider 3D art outsourcing or 2D game art outsourcing. These services connect you with professional artists who can create high-quality assets tailored to your game. Many platforms offer numerous freelancers skilled in game art for programmers. Outsourcing is a very good option because it ensures your game has professional visuals, allowing you to focus on other development aspects. Additionally, using asset marketplaces like the Unity Asset Store can provide pre-made assets to enhance your game without extensive artistic input. Are there any recommended services for outsourcing game art? Yes, there are several recommended services for outsourcing game art, such as game environment art, UI/UX design, and animation services.Game environment outsourcing is important for creating high-quality, immersive environments. With the help of environment art services, you can get detailed 3D models and textures that can significantly enhance your game’s visual appeal.Game UI/UX design services specialize in creating intuitive and visually appealing user interfaces that improve player experience. Professional developers in this field will provide custom UI/UX solutions tailored to your game’s needs, ensuring that your game interfaces are both functional and aesthetically pleasing.You also need game animation services, because it’s responsible for everything from character animation to complex motion graphics. Such services can focus on both 2D and 3D animations and can bring your game characters and scenes to life. I know how to program, now how do I learn how to model 3D games? To learn 3D modeling in the gaming industry, start by exploring free tools like Blender, which offers extensive tutorials and a supportive community. Websites like Blender Guru and CG Cookie provide beginner-friendly courses. Additionally, platforms like Udemy and Coursera offer comprehensive courses on 3D modeling. Practice by creating simple models and gradually move to more complex ones. Engaging in game development forums and joining online communities can also provide valuable feedback and support. We believe this structured approach will help you gain the necessary skills to model 3D games effectively. Submit Rating Average rating 4 / 5. Vote count: 43 No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post. We are sorry that this post was not useful for you! Let us improve this post! Tell us how we can improve this post? Submit Feedback ❤️ 👽 😎 🎮 👻 Get the Latest News in GameDev industry 😎