Portfolio Documentation and Pitch- Tulika Roy

When I finished the landscape painting and the foliage, the whole scene was really close to the look I was going for. But the tutorial had a few more tips that could make it even better, so I kept going.

Adding a soft yellow tint to the tips of the grass blades was one of the final things that really brought the scene to life. This small tweak may have seemed insignificant, but it ended up making a big impact. The grass suddenly had a lot more depth and visual interest, with the gradient from base to tip.

Fig.1 Gradient for the Grass Tip

The last thing that was left to do was adding a gentle wind, and it was surprisingly easy to do. When the grass started swaying gently in the wind, the whole scene suddenly felt more real and alive.The subtle motion of the grass made it feel dynamic.

Fig.2 Adding wind

What really caught me off guard was how much I loved doing this whole project. At first, I was kinda nervous about starting this because it looked difficult, and I just kept delaying it. I thought it was gonna be a really tough, but it actually turned out to be one of the most fun things I've done so far. The process was really enjoyable, and I was surprised by how much I got into it.

More importantly, I learned a lot from it, from lighting setup, landscape sculpting, Runtime Virtual Textures, terrain painting, foliage, and material setup.

I was really pleased with how everything turned out in the end. I will definitely use this in my Final Project.

References

Rawat, A. (n.d.) Creating a Stylized Environment in Unreal Engine 5 [YouTube]. Available at: https://youtu.be/17_1qrfgysI

After I finished the technical setup for the landscape material, I started painting the terrain. I ran into some problems, but working through them taught me a lot. I felt like I learned a lot from the experience.

When I switched to Landscape Mode and went to the Paint tab, I expected to see all the material layers ready to use, just like in the tutorial. But instead, I had nothing. This was confusing, since the tutorial had shown that the layers would be automatically available. I wasn't sure what to do next or how to get the layers to appear.

I was stuck at first, thinking I'd messed up the material setup, so I spent a bit of time trying to figure out what was going on. I tried creating layers manually, but I didn't understand how that would work. There was an option next to the layer creation menu that said add layers from assigned material. As soon as I clicked that, all my landscape layers showed up, and everything started working as it should. After this problem was solved, another showed up.

Fig.1 Colour Layers

I was having trouble getting the colors to layer on top of each other when I started painting. They just wouldn't sit on top of each other like they did in the tutorial I was following.

Fig.2 Colours not blending

I found that each layer was set to No Weight Blend, which wasn't what the tutorial said to do. The problem was, my version of Unreal Engine 5 didn't have the same setup options as the tutorial. This made it really confusing, especially when it came to creating layer info, in the tutorial it gave them an option to select the weight blend but mine didn't.

I ended up spending a lot of time trying to figure out this problem. I posted about it on the Unreal Engine forums, asked on some Discord communities, and even asked on Reddit, hoping someone would answer. Finally, someone on Reddit gave me the solution - they told me I just had to double-click on the layer info asset and manually change the blend method from No Weight Blend to Weight-Blended. This was such an easy fix yet it took me so long to figure it out, which was frustrating.

I was finally able to paint the terrain, and this is where things started to get really creative. It was a slower process, but it was all about layering different colors across the landscape, graduallybuilding colours on top of each other, until I finally got to a point where I was satisfied with the result.

Fig.3 Painted Landscape

The next stage was adding grass. The creator of the tutorial was kind enough to share the grass mesh they made in Blender, which saved me a lot of time and effort. I brought the FBX file into Unreal, added it to the Foliage Tool, and then made a material for the grass.

Fig.4 Grass Material

The grass material was really interesting as it picked up the colours of the landscape. This made it blend in seamlessly, giving the impression that it was a natural part of the environment.

As I worked on the scene, I changed the foliage settingsa bit, increasing the density and changing the maximum scale to 3. I then started painting it across the landscape and the scene was finally beginning to take shape.

Fig.5 Painted the Grass

Turning off the Cast Shadows on the grass made a huge the difference. Without shadows, the grass suddenly looked softer and lighter, with a much fluffier texture.

Fig.6 Fluffy Grass after turning off the Cast Shadows

Now the scene was really coming together, and I could finally see the soft, stylized look I had in mind, kind of like the Ghibli movies.

References

I've always been fascinated by the whimsical, soft landscapes you see in anime and games like Genshin Impact. I wanted to learn how to create these kinds of environments myself. This is definetly somehing I can use for my final environment. So, I started to experiment with creating my own stylized landscape.

I was searching for tutorials, but I didn't like a lot of them, they either went too fast or just showed the end result without explaining how to do it. But then I found one that was really good, it was easy to understand, and the person explaining it took the time to tell me why they were doing each step, not just what to do. This made a big difference, it felt like I was actually learning something, rather than just following a set of instructions.

This was the first time I was using the latest version of Unreal Engine 5. The tutorial I was following was made with an older version, so I had a few problems here and there like, some tools and settings were in different places.

I started with a blank level. The level was completely empty and dark, so my first move was to set up the lighting. For the lighting, I added, a Directional Light, a Sky Atmosphere, Exponential Height Fog, a Skylight, and Volumetric Clouds.

Then I switched to Landscape Mode, I started by creating a new terrain and tweaking its size. This is something I always wanted to try. I started sculpting the landscape, using the different brushes to add some height variation.

After shaping the landscape, I moved on to one of the most important technical parts of the workflow: Runtime Virtual Textures (RVTs). I created two Runtime Virtual Textures, one for Base Colour and one for Height.

Fig.1 Components in my Outliner

I then set up two virtual texture volumes and made sure they were big enough to cover the whole landscape. Then, I assigned the right textures to the correct outputs.

I then created a material for the landscape. I added 4 colour variations to the material that we will use to paint the landscape later.I then created a material instance, which I then applied to the landscape, for better and easier control.

Fig.2 Landscape Material Blueprint

References

One thing my tutors have consistently encouraged throughout the course is trying new things and learning techniques that are commonly used in the industry. One thing that kept coming up was trim sheets. I had heard about them before and knew they were considered a valuable skill, but I never fully understood what they were or how they were actually applied to 3D models.

My biggest point of confusion was how artists create one texture sheet and then transfer those textures onto different models. I understood the idea in theory, but I did not understand how you would actually do that.

I came across a really helpful video which was actually a breakdown of a larger environment, but the start of the video had a really nice explanation and tutorial for trim sheets. The video showed how to create a trim sheet from scratch, it included both wood and stone textures. Since those are the two materials that I'll be using in my Viking project a lot, it seemed like the perfect chance to try out this workflow and see if it would work for me.

I started with a basic square plane in Maya, just 1×1, as the base for my trim sheet. From there, I built the different parts of the trim.

Fig.1 Base Trim Sheet

I then added a plane again and made it a 2x2, then I adjusted the edges of my trim sheet so they fit together perfectly. This would apparently help it make a tileable texture.

After I finished modelling, I exported the trim sheet and got it in ZBrush, where I added the details to make it look like wood and stone.

Fig.2 Adding details in ZBrush

I got a 1x1 plane as my low poly mesh after I finished sculpting. Then I used Adobe Substance Painter to bake all the details from my high poly sculpt onto this plane. I did the texturing part by following the steps shown in the tutorial, and it was pretty easy to do.

I didn't put as much time into making this look perfect as I did with my other project, the wooden plank test. This was more about testing out a new way of doing things, rather than getting everything just right. My main goal was to figure out the process, not to create a flawless final product.

Fig.3 Final Textured Trim Sheet

I opened maya again, got the low poly mesh and applied the trim sheet texture to it. Then I made a simple wooden beam using a cube and tried out the trim sheet on it to see how it looked.

It was really cool when it worked, because I finally got to see how trim sheets work. I could see why they're so useful, they save time, let you reuse textures, and make things more efficient.

Fig.4 Using the trim sheet

This experiment was one of the most useful things I have tested so far, and it is definitely something I can use in my final project.

References

After I finished sculpting my wooden plank, I started texturing it. First, I baked my high poly onto the low poly. The details already looked really good on the low poly model, so I had a great starting point for painting.

Fig.1 After Baking, Ready for Texturing

I took a closer look at how professional artists texture their work before I started. One thing that really helped me was a video by ZugZug Art, where they showed a fanart texture of a chest from World of Warcraft. Even though they used 3DCoat and I'm using Substance Painter, the way they worked was really useful to see. It was great to see how they built up the colour and added highlights.

I referred to an article again on 80 Level about Alex Iveroth's workflow for the Blizzard Student Art Contest. What caught my attention was how they used colour. They started with a limited colour palette and then added a little vibrant colour to make the material look more interesting. I thought this was a great idea and wanted to try out in my own projects.

I was playing around with Substance Painter and I tried out the Stylized Light generator for the first time. It was really useful because it gave my plank a cool kinda stylized look right from the start. This meant I could focus on building up the details from here.

Fig.2 Using a stylized light generator

My workflow was straightforward:

Adding the base colour

Adding the light values

Adding in darker shadow tones

Build subtle ambient occlusion

Apply a dirt mask for surface variation

Add a vibrant colour (in my case, green) to create visual interest

Paint lighter highlights by hand

Add subtle hue variation, including reds, oranges, and cool blues in shadow areas

I took a closer look at the wood textures in World of Warcraft's housing website, really zooming in on the details.

I'm really pleased with how this plank looks. For the first time, I feel like I've made something that has the kind of stylized, hand-painted look I've been trying to achieve. I know I still have a lot to learn, but this experience has given me more confidence in my ability to create textures and has helped me understand how to build stylized materials. It's a great feeling to see my skills coming together like this.

Fig.3 Finished Handpainted Plank Test

References

ZugZug Art (n.d.) World of Warcraft – Earthen Dwarves Chest Fanart (Texturing Process). Available at: https://youtu.be/zp4qoAQI4Ow

Iveroth, A. (2019) Creating a Scene for the Blizzard Student Art Contest. Available at: https://80.lv/articles/creating-a-scene-for-the-blizzard-student-art-contest

As wood is one of the main materials used in my Viking house, I wanted to spend time understanding how to create a stylized wooden plank is made that is suitable for the hand-painted art style I am aiming for.

At first, I stumbled upon an image guide that showed how to sculpt stylized wood, but I didn't quite understand it because some of those techniques were completely new to me in ZBrush.

Fig.1 The Image Guide posted on Linkedin by N-hance Studio

I was having some trouble, so I went on Youtube to try and look for a tutorial. Luckily, I stumbled upon a really helpful video on YouTube that walked me through the process step by step. The video was in Korean, but it was very easy to follow and almost exactly what I was looking for.

To start, I used the Trim Dynamic brush to wear out the outer edges of the plank, which helped to get rid of the perfect the straight lines. By doing this, the wood started to look a little more unique.

I learned how to add the deformations on the wood from the video. This was the part I couldn't understand throught just the image guide. I did it by using the lasso brush to select certain parts of the plank and hit Ctrl+ Alt to sharpen the mask. Then, I invert the mask and hit Ctrl +H to hide the mask, and then used the Move brush to elevate the selected area. By doing this over and over, I could create many different deformations in the plank and it finally started to take shape.

Fig.1 Masking

Fig.3 Using the Move tool to elevate the deformation

Then Finally after adding all the major deformations, I started adding smaller details like indents, scratches, grains, etc.

Working with this new sculpting technique was a real game changer for me, it taught me so many new things. Before this, I would've spent hours trying to manually sculpt every little thing, but this method made this process very efficient.

Fig.4 Final ZBrush Sculpt

References

YouTube (n.d.) Stylized Wood Sculpting Tutorial. Available at: https://youtu.be/_gdxVZV4fi4

With the research and planning stage completed, I moved into the first practical stage by creating an initial blockout in Maya.

I started by looking at the big picture, trying to get the overall shape of the house blocked in. I used my concept art as a guide and began building the main parts of the house, keeping it really simple so I could see how it looked in 3D. So, I could test the structure and make any necessary changes before starting to add too much detail.

Fig.1 Rough Blockout

This blockout is an important first step, even if it's not perfect. Turning the concept into a rough 3D blockout really helped me get a sense of the house's size and proportions, way more than just looking at sketches or references. I could see what was working and what needed tweaking, which will save me time later on. I also added some background props to help and figure out their placement.

I actually think the blockout of the house looks nice, and the finished product will look really good. Even when the blockout is still really rough, the shape of it had a lot of personality, which made me feel like I was on the right track with my idea.

I also took a look at how various artists created stylized Viking environments in 3D. By studying their approaches, I got a better sense of how I can use similar methods to bring my own project to life. This process of analyzing their work and understanding the steps they took to achieve their results has been really helpful in figuring out how to apply those techniques to my own work.

Let's look at Viking Village by Maria Puchkova. I really liked the way things were set up in this example, and how they used little details to give it some character. One thing that caught my eye was the helmet on top of the fence, it's a small thing, but it tells a story and makes the whole scene feel more immersive. I found this really inspiring, because it shows how even tiny props can make a big difference in bringing a space to life. It's something I might try to do in my own project, to make it feel more like people actually live there.

Fig.1 Viking Village by Maria Puchkova

The artist incorporated a large number of rocks and totems into the scene, which I found quite intriguing. Although I don't intend to use as many rocks in my own work, I noticed how this makes the environment more interesting.

Now let's look at Viking House by Andrew Melfi. The style of this one is really similar to what you see in Blizzard games, like World of Warcraft, which is exactly the style I am going for. So this is a really helpful reference. The way they used hand painted textures on the wood, is something I really liked. I think that's what I want to achieve in my project, a look that's similar to Blizzard's style, with a lot of attention to detail and texture.

Fig.2 Viking House by Andrew Melfi

The asset may be small, but the texturing really makes them stand out. Especially the wood, it's got a lot of color variation and you can even see the brush strokes, which gives it a painted look.

The next one is Viking House by Camilla Scala. I really liked this scene because it shows just one house in a bigger environment, which is similar to my concept. The artist started with a concept art and was able to make it look really similar, which is what I'm aiming for in my own project.

Fig.3 Viking House by Camilla Scala

I really liked how the roof was designed, it's so clean and well done. One thing that caught my eye was the little details like grass and leaves growing on the house and roof. It makes the whole thing look older and like it's been there for a while. I'm thinking of adding something like this to my own project, but maybe not as much as this.

This last example is Viking House by Lauréline Chambon. It really grabs your attention because of how it makes you feel and what it looks like. The person who created it did a great job of making a strong mood that pulls you in.

Fig.4 Viking House by Lauréline Chambon

The artist used Substance Designer to make the roof, whcih looks really good, but I don't think I will do my roof that way. The scuplts are super crisp and detailed, but somehow it still manages to keep a stylized feel..

Fig.5 Sculpt by Lauréline Chambon

References

Puchkova, M. (n.d.) Stylized Viking Environment. Available at: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/2x39XY

Melfi, A. (n.d.) Stylized Viking House. Available at: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/39gb4A

Scala, C. (n.d.) Viking House Study. Available at: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/BXlVD8

I looked into the kinds of plants and grass that grow in Scandinavian areas, like where the Vikings lived. Instead of just using any old leaves and bushes, I wanted to get a better sense of what the ground and plants really looked there. This way, I could make my scene look more authentic. By studying the specific types of vegetation that grows in those regions, I was able to get a better feel for how the landscape should look, from the grass to the dirt.

In Norway, you'll often find meadow grass, which includes things like Timothy grass and meadow fescue. These types of grass are really common and tend to grow in open areas, forming a kind of base layer for other plants. They make a soft and dense carpet, but it's not all the same height and thickness, which actually makes it look more natural. This variation in height and density is what gives the ground its unique character, making it look like it's been left to grow naturally.

Fig.1 Timothy grass

Fig.2 Meadow grass

From this, I understood that the ground in my scene should not be flat or evenly covered. Instead, I will have to introduce variation in height.

Norwegian environments contain a large amount of moss and lichen, especially in colder or more humid areas. These grow in different patterns and often cover rocks and ground surfaces.

Fig.3 Moss and Lichen

I noticed that these plants grow together in a mixed way, creating a natural look rather than being separated into distinct areas. Grass, moss, and small plants all blend together, making the environment feel more connected and cohesive. This blending of different plant types is what gives the area its unique character, and it's something that you can try to replicate in your own outdoor spaces.

These plants usually have a more light green color with slight variations, rather than really bright or bold colors. They don't stand out too much, which is nice if you want a calm and earthy feel. The muted tones also make them easy to mix with other plants, so it creates a nice, balanced look.

References

Homes & Gardens (n.d.) Lichen vs Moss. Available at: https://www.homesandgardens.com/gardens/lichen-vs-moss

NatureSpot (n.d.) Annual Meadow Grass. Available at: https://www.naturespot.org/species/annual-meadow-grass

I started looking at real buildings to gain a little real life knowledge for my project. I wanted to see how the Vikings designed their buildings, so I studied the way they were structured, the proportions, and the shapes they used. This helped me get a sense of what their buildings looked like and how I could use that in my own work.

I saw some really cool buildings, like the Viking longhouse. They're usually long and rectangular, with lines that go across instead of up and down. But what's really interesting is that they're not perfectly straight. If you look at pictures, you'll see that the walls and the outline of the building are a little bit curved, kind of like a boat. This makes the building look more natural and interesting, rather than stiff and fake. It's like the builders wanted to create something that felt alive, not just a boring old box. The curve gives it a special kind of energy, and it's easy to see why people find these buildings so appealing.

Fig.1 Viking Longhouse

I've learned that Viking architecture focuses on bold outlines rather than tiny details. This is really helpful for my project, since stylized environments usually need simpler and recognizable shapes. I can make the curves a bit more exaggerated in my own design to make it look more interesting. By doing this, I can create a stronger visual impact and make my model stand out.

I noticed that the roof design is really important too. Viking roofs are super steep and they go down pretty far on the sides of the building. I think this is because it helps with bad weather, but it also makes the building look really cool and triangular. They use lots of different materials like wood or thatch or sometimes even tiles, it adds a lot of depth to the building, even though it's still pretty simple overall.

Fig.2 Viking house tachted roof

This is something I can directly apply to my project by focusing on a bold roof shape and using textures to add detail instead of modelling everything.

Viking buildings are mostly made of wood, with a stone base to support them. The wooden beams are really thick and are used to hold the building up, rather than just to look good. This makes the buildings feel solid and strong.These large beams and posts are what give the building its structure, and they're a key part of what makes Viking buildings so distinctive.

Fig.3 Viking house supported by wooden beams

Another key takeaway from this is the importance of shape variation. Viking buildings avoid perfectly straight lines and rigid forms. Instead, they have slight irregularities, such as slightly curved walls or uneven edges. This makes the structures feel more natural and less artificial.

Fig.4 Curved roof of a Viking House

References

Flickr (2010) Viking Longhouse Image. Available at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/atelier_tee/5021894766

The Collector (n.d.) Viking Longhouses. Available at: https://www.thecollector.com/viking-longhouses/

Battle Merchant (n.d.) Architecture and Way of Life in Viking Longhouses. Available at: https://www.battlemerchant.com/en/blog/architecture-and-way-of-life-in-viking-longhouses

I took at the World of Warcraft world. I checked out the housing page to see how they arrange items and scenes. I wanted to understand what makes a scene look good, where they place things, and how it all comes together.

One key thing that stands out from this is how the composition is carefully planned. Usually, the whole scene is built around one main thing, like a big building or structure, and that's what grabs your attention. Then, other smaller details like little props, paths, and plants are arranged around it to draw your eye to that central point. This way, everything works together to create a clear focus. The environment is designed to guide your gaze towards the main attraction, making it the star of the show. By doing it this way, the whole setup feels balanced and easy to look at.

Fig.1 A house in World Of Warcraft

One thing to think about is how to use things like paths, fences, etc to guide the viewer's eye through the scene to the main building. These elements can be really subtle, but they help create a natural flow that leads people's eyes to where you want them to look. For example, paths often go straight to the entrance, which helps make the whole scene feel more natural.

I also noticed how the scale is handled throughout the scene, with bigger structures being backed up by medium and smaller details like props, plants, and tiny ground elements. This mix of different sizes really adds depth and stops the environment from feeling bare.

Fig.2 Smaller details

You can see a good balance between empty space and details. Not all areas are filled with things, some parts are left simple on purpose. This helps get rid of clutter and makes the important parts stand out more.

You'll notice that even when the same assets are used more than once, they're not exactly the same. Things like wooden beams, fences, and rocks will have slight differences. It could be something as simple as a different rotation, size, or position. These small changes help create a natural look, even when you're using similar assets over and over. It's all about avoiding perfection kind of.

Fig.3 Repetition of assets

This helped me understand how I should think about placing my own assets later on. Rather than focusing only on individual objects, I will need to consider how everything works together within the scene.

References

I started to dig deeper into how the environments from World of Warcraft are actually built. I wanted to know the specifics of how certain elements, like wood, roofs, and foliage, are made by the professionals. By understanding how these key materials are made, I hope to get a better sense of what makes these environments look better. So for this, I looked up a few references and tried to study them. One being posted by an artist that worked on the World Of Warcraft Midnight itself.

Fig.1 Founder's Point Housing Key Art - World of Warcraft: Midnight

When I took a closer look at the roof design, I noticed that it looks really detailed at first, but actually, a lot of that detail is just from textures, not the shape itself. The edges of the shingles are what really define their shape, and the rest of the surface just uses hand painted details to make it look like it has depth and layers. This way, the model can stay pretty simple, but still look really complex and interesting. It's a clever approach, because it makes the roof look great without making the model too complicated.

Fig.2 Roof study

I took a closer look at how wood textures are made in a more artistic way. I found an article on 80 Level that talked about an envirnement made by a student for a Blizzard Art Contest. Alex Iveroth, is the artist who actually won the Blizzard Student Art contest 2018-2019. The article said they usually start with big brush strokes and then make the texture more detailed in several steps. They don't try to make the texture look super realistic, instead they focus on making the colors work well together and adding some nice details that look like they were painted. For example, they might add a little bit of green to the brown wood to make it look more interesting and not so flat. Then they mix these colors together and use them throughout the texture to make it stand out.

Fig.3 Texturing tips by Alex Iveroth

They also talked about how they make foliage to match the World of Warcraft artstyle. They don't make complicated shapes, instead they design a few leaf cluster textures and put them on simple planes using Maya. Then they move these planes around, turn them, and slightly change their shape to make bushes and plants. This way, they can make assets quickly while still getting a result that looks really good.

Fig.4 Foliage workflow by Alex Iveroth

What's really interesting about this research is how it highlights the importance of shape variation. When creating stylized assets, it's best to avoid using perfectly straight lines. Instead, introducing some irregularities and distortions can give the asset a lot more character and make it feel more organic. This approach can make a big difference in how the asset is perceived, and it's something that artists should keep in mind when creating their own stylized assets. By adding a bit of imperfection or exaggeration, artists can create assets that feel more stylized.

I now have a better grasp of how to approach my own projects, especially when it comes to things like:

Relying on textures for complex details rather than geometry

Building materials gradually through layered painting

Using colour variation to avoid flat surfaces

Making shapes slightly exaggerated

This study is just the starting point for me to really get into the details of creating stylized assets, and I'm excited to use what I've learned so far to make my own project even better as I keep working on it.

References

80 Level (2019) Creating a Scene for the Blizzard Student Art Contest. Available at: https://80.lv/articles/creating-a-scene-for-the-blizzard-student-art-contest

I've been thinking a lot about the kind of art style I want to use for my final environment. I already knew I wanted to go for a stylized look, but I wanted to dig deeper and figure out what game I could use as a reference. I mean, how do professionals actually create and use this style in their work? That's what I've been trying to learn more about. It's pretty interesting to see how different artists and designers approach this kind of thing, and I'm hoping to pick up some tips and tricks to help me achieve the look I'm going for. Even our teachers suggested us to pick a game and try to replicate their pipeline.

So I've been really inspired by World of Warcraft, the game made by Blizzard Entertainment. What I love about it is the unique look it has, it's not trying to be realistic, but instead it's all about being easy to read and fun, with these really cool exaggerated shapes and hand-painted textures that give it a lot of character. My only worry was that the artstyle might be too old, but then I found out that they came out with a new game literally this year, which made me choose this game as a reference.

Fig.1 World Of Warcraft Midnight

Matt McDaid, who works at Blizzard, says that their artists focus on keeping things simple and clear, so you can tell what's going on right away. They do this by paying close attention to the shape of the objects, how big they are compared to each other, the colors they use, and how the light falls on them. Instead of adding a lot of tiny details, they make the shapes bigger and more exaggerated, so they still look good even from far away. This way, the art stays strong and easy to read, even when you're not looking at it up close.

Fig.2 Elements of the game made by Matt McDaid

Shapes can really affect how we feel about a place. Like, have you ever noticed how pointy shapes can seem kinda scary or threatening, while curvy shapes can feel more welcoming and friendly? It's pretty cool how designers use this to create a certain mood in the spaces they create. They often start with basic shapes and then add more details, making sure the overall outline still looks good. This way, they can control how we feel when we're in a certain environment. It's all about using shapes to tell a story and create a certain atmosphere.

When it comes to this style, textures are really important. Instead of trying to make things look super realistic, artists often paint them by hand. An article on 80 Level called "The Strings of Environment Design" says that artists create the illusion of different materials by painting how light hits the surface, rather than using fancy shaders that try to mimic real life. So, a lot of the information about lighting is actually built by painting them, which gives everything a pretty cool, stylized and handpainted look. That's what makes it so special.

Fig.3 From the article "The Strings of Environment Design"

When creating art inspired by World of Warcraft, many artists stress that it's best to start with big shapes and then add details little by little. For example, some artists begin by using flat base colors and then build up details in layers, making sure the overall shape stays clear and doesn't get too cluttered. This shows that stylized art is not about making things complicated, but about simplifying things in a way that looks good. It's all about finding a balance between keeping it simple and adding just the right amount of detail to make it interesting.

Another key takeaway is the importance of reference and observation. Professional artists constantly refer to existing work and real world references throughout the process. Studying game assets, analysing textures, and understanding how colours interact within a scene are all essential steps in achieving a convincing stylized result.

Fig.4 Reference board from an article "Creating a WoW-Inspired Magic Scene"

I'm learning that having a solid foundation in things like colour theory, composition, controlling light and dark values, and creating strong silhouettes is important to pulling off this style.

Overall, this research has helped me clearly define the art direction for my project. I aim to create a stylized environment inspired by Blizzard’s approach, mainly World of Warcraft.

References

80 Level (2017) Matt McDaid: Mastering The Stylized Art. Available at: https://80.lv/articles/matt-mcdaid-mastering-the-stylized-art

80 Level (2018) The Strings of Environment Design. Available at: https://80.lv/articles/the-strings-of-environment-design

80 Level (2018) Building WoW Dioramas with Maya & Toolbag. Available at: https://80.lv/articles/building-wow-dioramas-with-maya-toolbag-002mrs-004adk

80 Level (2019) Creating a Scene for the Blizzard Student Art Contest. Available at: https://80.lv/articles/creating-a-scene-for-the-blizzard-student-art-contest

I finally picked a concept to work with after looking at a bunch of different ideas. The one I chose is a really cool, stylized Viking house that was designed by Skylar Zhang on ArtStation.

Fig.1 Viking House Concept Art by Skylar Zhang

At first, I had a tough time choosing which concept art to go with, since there were so many good ones to pick from. But then I had a one on one class with my tutor, and that really helped me make up my mind. He told me that this one idea had a really cool and unique design, which made it stand out in a good way. It was also pretty manageable, not too easy or too hard, just right for the amount of time we had to work on it. My tutor's feedback was super helpful, and it made me feel more confident about my choice.

What really caught my attention was the way it looked. My tutor and I both thought it looked a lot like the style used by Blizzard Entertainment. You know, the kind of style that's a bit exaggerated, with clean lines and shapes. It all felt very familiar and appealing to me. I think that's because it's a style I've always been drawn to, and I could really see myself working on something like that. The whole visual feel of it just seemed to click with me.

I had a clear idea of what the house would look like, but I wanted to see it in an environment. So, I used ChatGPT to create a rough picture of the whole scene. I gave it the concept art and asked it to make the house on a landscape, add a path to the front door, and other details that would make it look like a real place. This helped me imagine what the finished house would look like in a beautiful landscape.

Fig.2 Visualization of the environment by ChatGPT

This image will not be my main concept art, but its more of a tool to help visualize the house in its surroundings. It really helped me get a sense of how everything would fit together and what the overall layout would look like. Even though the end result will probably be different, this image was a great starting point and it helped clear up a lot of uncertainty when I was first planning things.

As I thought more about my project, I started to wonder if I was trying to do too much. At first, I thought it would be a good idea to create a whole street or even multiple buildings, but then I realized that might be too ambitious. I was worried that if I tried to work on too many things at the same time, I wouldn't be able to make any of them really detailed. I wanted to make sure that my project was the best it could be, so I decided to take a step back and think about what was really important to me.

I changed my approach and thought to focus on one main thing, with a smaller environment. This way, I can spend more time and attention on the main thing, making sure it's really good, instead of trying to do too many things at once and not doing any of them well.

For me, having a clear idea of what something should look like is really important. I've noticed that when I have concept art to work from, I can stay focused and don't get as confused. It's like having a map to follow, so I know what I'm aiming for. Without it, I feel like I'm just making things up as I go along, and that can be really frustrating. Having a clear reference point helps me make decisions and stick to a plan, rather than just winging it and hoping for the best.

I talked to my tutor one on one about my ideas and they agreed that it's better to focus on one thing and do it really well, rather than trying to do too much. They also reminded me that projects often take longer than we think, so it's important to keep an eye on what we're trying to achieve and make sure we're not taking on too much. This way, we can ensure that our project turns out successful in the end. My tutor's advice was really helpful in making me think about what's really important for this project and how to make it work.

After that, I started collecting concept art to get ideas for the project. I looked through lots of artworks on ArtStation and picked out a few that caught my eye, they were really good for a stylized environment project. The references I chose were all different, some had simpler compositions, others were more detailed, but they all fit with the style I wanted to explore. I was looking for something that would challenge me a bit but still be something achievable.

Fig.1 Early concepts

Now that I've finished the first part of my assignment, I'm moving on to the next stage that is making a pre-production document for what we want to make for my final project. This is where I get to explore my ideas, try out different things for the project, and put together a solid plan for what I want to achieve. It's all about figuring out what works and what doesn't, and making sure I've got a clear vision for my project. The goal is that by the end of this, I should have no doubts about the project. By doing this, I'll be able to develop a strong foundation for my final major project and make sure I'm on the right track.

When I first started, I didn't have a solid idea, but I had a clear vision of the kind of art style I wanted to use. So, I began experimenting with a few different concepts to see which one would work best for a bigger project. I figured that by trying out a few things, I could settle on the direction I wanted to take. This way, I could narrow down my options and focus on the idea that had the most potential.

At first, I thought it would be cool to design a fancy store front, like a little bakery. I liked the idea because I could focus on making it look really good, with nice colors and details. I thought it could be a great way to tell a story and make a good impression. But then I started to worry that just one store front might not be enough, that it might be too small and not show everything I wanted to do. And since I already did a small Beach Side Cafe for my first Semester, I wasn't sure if this would be considered as doing something similar again.

Fig.1 Early Concepts

I took this idea and tried to expand on it a bit, deciding to create a whole little street or market area with a few different buildings. This way, I could have a bigger scene more appropriate for a Final Major Project, maybe. At this point I was thinking of going with Overwatch artstyle.

Fig.2 Early Concepts #2

At this early stage, I was able to think more deeply about the size and complexity of my project, and where I wanted it to go. Even though I hadn't completely figured out my idea yet, this part of the process was really important because it let me look at different options and start to focus on what would actually work for my final result. I was able to consider what was possible and what would be effective, which helped me to start making some key decisions about my project.

For this post, I discovered a recent development in the 3D industry, Project Bernini, which is an experimental tool developed by Autodesk that uses artificial intelligence to generate 3D models from text prompts or reference images. This technology shows a significant step towards automating parts of the 3D modelling process.

What's really cool about this new development is that it can create complicated 3D shapes in no time, which normally would take a lot of time and skill to make. With AI, artists can make basic models super fast, and then refine them and add them to their bigger project. This could make it easier for people to create 3D art, especially for those just starting out or for smaller teams that don't have a lot of resources. It's like having a tool that can help you get started quickly, and then you can build on that to make something really amazing. This could be a game changer, making it more accessible to everyone, not just the experts.

We still have to think about how it affects the people who make art like myself. One big worry is that if we use AI to generate models too much, we might feel the need to not learn important skills or basics. This could be more hamrful in a way for people who are jsut starting out. If they use these tools without knowing how they work, they might not be able to make things that are high quality or well made.

When we think about tools like Project Bernini, it's not about replacing artists, but more about helping them out. In a professional setting, getting things done quickly is really important. So, using AI to speed up some parts of the process, like making basic shapes or coming up with initial ideas, can actually help artists focus on the fun stuff, like making sure everything is just right, improving the quality, and making the big creative decisions. This way, artists can use their time and skills to make something truly amazing, rather than getting stuck in the initial details. By working together with AI, artists can be more efficient and creative, which is a win-win for everyone.

This change is important because it shows a bigger move in the industry to combine AI with the way artists work. It highlights how technology is changing and developing to help artists. It also implies that the job of a 3D artist will always keep changing,and you need to adapt accordingly. As the industry continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how artists adapt to these changes and find new ways to work with AI. The role of the artist is no longer just about creating something from scratch, but also about knowing how to use technology in a good way to bring their ideas to life.

AI tools can be really helpful in getting things done faster and making them more accessible, but it's still super important to have a solid foundation of the basics. Knowing when and how to use these tools is key to staying in control of the creative process and making sure everything is of high quality.

It's clear that we need to find a balance between making things easier and helping artists improve their skills in today's workflows.

References

Autodesk Research (2024) Project Bernini: Generative AI 3D Shape Creation. Available at: https://www.research.autodesk.com/projects/project-bernini/

Arnold, E. (2024) Autodesk Research Unveils Project Bernini for Generative AI 3D Shape Creation. Available at: https://www.research.autodesk.com/blog/autodesk-research-unveils-project-bernini-for-generative-ai-3d-shape-creation/