2D Art for Games

2D Art for Games 36-????-01 (new course)

Course description

This course introduces students to the process of game art creation; brainstorming and conceptualizing, iterative design, interface design, pitching ideas, and documenting production. Students will complete the course with a portfolio of work that includes research, documentation, sketches, storyboards, interface designs, and formalized character, prop, and background sheets.

Course rationale

Before jumping in to 3D modeling or dedicating hours to detailing graphics, game artists start with conceptual sketches to work out their ideas and to pitch them. 2D Art for Games teaches basic skills in idea generation, idea visualization, and, building on the technical skills learned in Drawing I, guides students through storyboard development and formalizing the most successful ideas (character, prop, and background “sheets”). Students will also learn how to successfully design interfaces for immersive game play; as the interface (how the player can interact with the game) is an essential component and can make the game more engaging or frustrating and unusable. This course is a required course in the Game Major’s Game Art Concentration.

Goals and Objectives

1. Practice rapid idea generation and prototyping

2. Understand ways in which to increase emotional impact (such as composition, point-of-view, and style)

3. Create both environmental and character sketches and formalize the most successful

4. Storyboard basic sequences

5. Create interface designs that are consistent and integrated with environments, characters, game play and narrative

6. Understand how successful interface designs can deliver immersive, engaging experiences, and the importance of usability in game interface design

7. Create a portfolio of work that includes research, documentation, sketches, storyboards, interface design, and formalized design ideas