Dear Dev Log: BSharp’s Current Developer Log

BSharp, Art Director of MMORPG Pirates of the Burning Sea – currently in development at Seattle-based Flying Lab Software – shares his thoughts on image making, 3D and Art Direction. Beginners to the craft might be able to pick some tips and tricks from the master, while fans will get to have an inside look on how their favorite game is made.

He likens Game Art to how movies are now: poly counts are higher, textures are larger, animation files denser, shades are more complex, etc., thus setting the bar higher for audience’s expectations. If you give them something good they’ll appreciate it, but they absolutely won’t tolerate mediocrity in visual production quality or vision.

According to BSharp, since representational painting has alot of the same discipline as 3D production minus the animation bit, like designing your scene and characters, model, texture and light them. Instead of jumping directly into 3D, be “traditional” first. Explore what makes Rembrandt’s lighting techniques different from the other masters. This will give you approximately an idea of what you’re getting into.

The full article awaits after the jump!

BSharp, Art Director of MMORPG Pirates of the Burning Sea – currently in development at Seattle-based Flying Lab Software – shares his thoughts on image making, 3D and Art Direction. Beginners to the craft might be able to pick some tips and tricks from the master, while fans will get to have an inside look on how their favorite game is made.

He likens Game Art to how movies are now: poly counts are higher, textures are larger, animation files denser, shades are more complex, etc., thus setting the bar higher for audience’s expectations. If you give them something good they’ll appreciate it, but they absolutely won’t tolerate mediocrity in visual production quality or vision.

According to BSharp, since representational painting has alot of the same discipline as 3D production minus the animation bit, like designing your scene and characters, model, texture and light them. Instead of jumping directly into 3D, be “traditional” first. Explore what makes Rembrandt’s lighting techniques different from the other masters. This will give you approximately an idea of what you’re getting into.

I think we will all agree that 3D art production is indeed a craft. You need skills – mad skills, to at least be in an acceptable level. To that BSharp says:

“IÂ’ve heard many game art directors claim that “getting the art 90% of the way there is easy, but that itÂ’s that last 10% that is so difficult to get right.” ThatÂ’s always been an interesting statement to me because it at once seems to ring true while at the same time it makes entirely no sense. The reason it does not make sense is because while it sounds measurable – heck, itÂ’s using percentages – and useful, it does not explain what deliverables the percentages correspond to and is, therefore, actually measuring nothingÂ…and ultimately saying nothing.”

He insists that instead of adapting this kind of mentality, a 3D artist/Art Director hopeful must learn to make good choices. In a corporate world, sometimes you lose your vision in the process, always remember that visual priority is key.

Taking painting a sky as an example to explain visual priority, BSharp’s thoughts are direct to the point.

“Lots of peopleÂ’s skies from history look right, but very few look amazing and InnessÂ’ look the most amazing of all. What does that mean about blue? What does that mean about choices? You see, this is what art and vision are really about: having an understanding of the small, intimate abstractions like color tweaks (or design tweaks or composition or edge control or color transitions, etc) that leads to amazing results, results that transcend the medium and ring true on a experiential level, placing the audience in total believable emersion.”

A while ago I mentioned, something about beginners picking up tips and tricks on this entry, and I think this is the best tip of all.

“But believe me, without the pain of having your work mercilessly criticized before an audience of your peers by someone better than you, you really wonÂ’t be able to meaningfully assess or guide artwork.”

Gulp.