This article is for those who’re looking to become a serious environment artist and not someone who wants to call themselves a ‘prop artist’, set dresser, or any of thing along that line for the rest of their career. You are an environment artist. Your role and title is to the overall environment. Not the prop.
A number of people have e-mailed me over time asking for comments & critiques on work they are making for their portfolio and every single time I’ve said the same thing: Tell a story.
When you sit at your desk and say to yourself, “I am an environment artist” what are you saying exactly? A few of you may say that you’re creating the universe of which the character interacts with, but the majority of you are saying you create props used in levels, maps, worlds, whatever you want to call the outlet. Are you really just that?
Are you, the environment artist, really the fire hydrant you’ve just made?
Or what about that crate with the “This side up” text on one of the sides?
Oh but it has a normal map (!!!), so you’re obviously kicking it up a notch and really expressing your creativity.
Those who believe themselves to be a “prop artist”, someone who’s job it is to create assets such as mail boxes, street lights, sandbag walls, etc., should be giving themselves more credit. Granted, you may just sit at your desk all day creating these small yet significant art assets. However, until you realize the contribution to the environment that they are making you’ll never be able to remove yourself from that role. I’ll touch more on this towards the end of the article.
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Thanks to AdamBrome
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