Game Design Music and Art

Game art frustration – coolj

CoolJ

Member

Posts: 354
From: ny
Registered: 07-11-2004
Can anyone recommend a good path to learning game art? I would like to devote a couple hours a day for the next few months to become good enough artist to do some decent art. I would like the art to be semi-realistic, maybe along the lines of FFX or maybe closer to FF: Spirit Within. Though, I have looked at CROSSGEN comics and I like their artwork too (not necessarily their story or content, though).

I'm very inexperience as an artist. I like drawing, but have never put enough time in it to even know if I could be good at it.

I know it takes talent, but I'm guessing it's like playing a guitar (which I'm NOT good at). How do you know if you don't pick one up and put enough time in it.

Any suggestions? Maybe books you could recommend? Awsome online course? I know some of you guys are probably pretty good. What works for you? Do your art on paper and then scan it in, or do you draw on the computer with a tablet? Do you find a style you like and stick with it, or is it best to try to different stuff?


GUMP

Member

Posts: 1335
From: Melbourne, FL USA
Registered: 11-09-2002
The stuff you referenced is all 3D art. There is a free version of 3dsmax called gmax that is designed for creating models for games.

http://www4.discreet.com/gmax/

MadProf
Member

Posts: 181
From: Larnaka, Cyprus
Registered: 01-24-2001

I normally use for art a program called "blender" ( http://www.blender3d.org/ ), which is free. It is a complete 3d modeling, rendering, and animation program. There are tutorials and such on their website, and others, all over the place. The community is very supportive, and helpful. Particually the Elysiun website, and forums.

If you need other free art programs, try the "gimp". ( http://www.gimp.org/ ), which is useful for cleaning up pictures, if you scan them, or drawing them from scratch even on the computer.

I also use a program called "inkscape" ( http://www.inkscape.org/ ), which allows you to do vector graphics on the computer (made from lines, not from pixels). This is probably less useful for photoreal art, but fun and may be useful anyway.

All these 3 programs are useful, and free, so I hope they help you. But for learning to draw, and be an artist:

http://www.learn-to-draw.com/ <-- this looks interesting. I don't know about it really, as I only just found it. :-) good ol' google...

Also, the blender website, and the blender community sites have many tutorials and such which could be useful, part of it is just experimenting and playing with the tools you have, and learning to be comfortable enough to then extend your ideas though the tool. Like drawing, through the pencil. With blender, through 3d objects, lights, etc in the computer.

Hope this helps,

God bless,

Dan

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7 days without prayer makes one weak.

[This message has been edited by madprof (edited January 11, 2005).]

bennythebear

Member

Posts: 1225
From: kentucky,usa
Registered: 12-13-2003
thanks for the links people, i know i'm not the one that asked but hey...i like 'em. especially the one that allows you to edit game characters...like dungeon siege, it should come in handy for me.

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proverbs 17:28
Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

www.gfa.org - Gospel for Asia

www.persecution.com - Voice of the Martyrs

CoolJ

Member

Posts: 354
From: ny
Registered: 07-11-2004
Yeah, thanks for the links! I do have a 3d modeling program called trueSpace. It seems ok for modeling, but the animation stuff is a bit buggy, the app gets confused and likes to crash or the bone positions get out of sync. I have been learning to use it, though.

My problem is my ability to do computer art is not so great right now and texturing models seems to be the critical difference in a low poly model looking like crap or looking awsome.
Here's an example of my art right now. The model is not mine, the texture is though:


Does anyone know how gmax and blender3d compare to trueSpace?

goop2

Member

Posts: 1059
From:
Registered: 06-30-2004
I see your problem. You should color the objects and peeps yourself, not use real textures. Take some time with it and it will look much better. I have never done any modeling, but Ive examined textures on games and can tell you that the custom stuff looks WAY better.

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I dont like siggys. They are to hard to think up :(

MadProf
Member

Posts: 181
From: Larnaka, Cyprus
Registered: 01-24-2001
How did you do that texturing? It looks almost like 2d? The lighting on it is very odd too...

I never managed to get the hang of TruSpace. I don't think the same way as it does. There are many many different 3d programs, and all of them work a bit different. Like Poser, I could _never_ get it to move people into positions I wanted (even basic things like sitting down, or waving). But in blender, I can animate and move things extremely fast. My father, on the other hand, I tried to teach blender to, but he could never figure it out. Then one day he called me over "Hey dan, have you ever tried this program, poser? It is so easy to use!" and he had got people arranged just how he wanted very quickly. Anyway...

I prefer blender. All other programs I have tried to use feel messy and slow... then again, other people hate blender and say it is confusing and elitist. Blender does take quite a while to learn, it is confusing at first, but once you get the hang of it, I find it is quite logical, and very very fast. I can build whole houses, faces, and so on, in minutes, in ways which amaze other people (building mockups of theatre sets, for instance, in front of peoples eyes. fun!). Try it if you want, but expect about a week or two _minimum_ to get the hang of thinking the same blender way.

Anyway, God bless, I hope you enjoy art, and find a 3d program you can express yourself and learn though. Have fun!

(Blender motto: One hand for the keyboard, one hand for the mouse!)

Dan

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7 days without prayer makes one weak.

CoolJ

Member

Posts: 354
From: ny
Registered: 07-11-2004
Yeah, I used some of the filters in paint shop pro to create most of the clothes textures - I guess it is pretty obvious now that I look at it. The head is 100% my own mouse drawn art,though. Maybe I'll try to redo him without using the filters.

I tried blender a long time ago, and found it difficult to use. But maybe its changed a lot since then. I've downloaded it and I'm going to check it out soon.

Thanks for your feedback!

outcast

Member

Posts: 40
From: Guatemala City, Guatemala
Registered: 12-08-2004
The trick is to just pic a tool and learn it. I have opened blender a few times but it seems to confusing for me. I learned Strata (an incredibly easy program) and have done a lot of stuff with it. It is great for learning, and has a great render engine. I'm currently learning Maya 6, which I plan to use from now on. So yah just pick some tools and learn them, then you can come back and ask for advice. Which is a great way to improve your skills. Jeff

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Jeff McArthur. Creating Nak'Urij
BlueGill Studios Games