3D ART
3D GRAPHICS
What is 3D Art? Whenever we start a video game, regardless of whether we are talking about The Legend of Zelda, Halo, or The Last of Us, the very first element we have a chance to notice is always the protagonist, our character, that is, a polygonal model that will accompany us throughout our adventure. But what is the figure that diligently realizes all the characters and environments we get to observe? That is precisely the role of the 3D Artist, a professional whose job is to bring to life references (the meaning of which we will see later) in three dimensions (or 3D, hence the name), which are provided by the Art Director, i.e., the one who directs the entire artistic direction of a product. But is that simply what it is all about? Absolutely not. The field of 3D Art is divided into many sections, such as modeling, layout, animation, material, texture, and rendering.
Many people know, an artist’s goal is to create memorable works precisely because of the aesthetic input they will be able to provide within a video game, but to understand the importance of 3D modeling in video games one only has to imagine some of today’s interactive works, then take away all the attention to detail in each three-dimensional model. It’s not exactly a great show, is it? The aesthetic realm, especially with the means available in our era, has become even more of an essential aspect. Think of Ghost of Tsushima, where the art direction alone and the work done by 3D Artists managed to drive its success. But how does it become possible to peer within this field? The answer is as trivial as it is complex: learn how to handle 3D modeling software.
Getting started with modeling in 3D Art is very simple: open the software of your choice, choose a geometric shape to start with (each modeling program will provide you with several basic shapes to select from), and have fun with whatever you have in mind to bring to life! However, in a development studio a reference will, for the most part, always be provided as a starting point. A reference is nothing more than a “starting point” to follow from the moment you begin your project. In it you will be given various directions to follow and the graphical style to adopt. Their existence is essential, since in large software houses you might be faced with a project without a compact art direction.
Undoubtedly becoming a 3D Artist and, consequently, joining the world of 3D Art is not for everyone. Of course, this is not to say that there is no possibility for some artists, but certainly having at least one of the requirements we will mention will make your path to learning and professionalization much easier than expected!
-Model only what you want to see: it might seem like an obvious statement, but many artists get eternally stuck trying to make even the tiniest detail of a model perfect. In this sense, one should not panic. It all comes down to one key word: planning, or planning. It is best to spend some time planning your project with all the necessary details. Alternatively, you can also transcribe ideas on paper and follow a general plan on implementation. The important thing is to have guidelines, especially if you will be working under pressure or within a team.
