Pre-Production Documentation β Artstyle
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 Blizzardβs approach, mainly World of Warcraft.
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
80 Level (2019) Creating a WoW-Inspired Magic Scene. Available at: https://80.lv/articles/002mrs-004adk-creating-a-wow-inspired-magic-scene