The World In The Eyes Of An Art Enthusiast
Have you ever been entranced by something and followed it for a long time? An “enthusiast” is someone who has a deep love for something and enjoys it to great degrees. There are many areas open for enthusiasts: art, music, literature to name a few. But today we’d like to introduce gameduo’s famous “art enthusiast”. From appreciating art, drawing/painting art to collecting art, he holds a strong passion for anything and everything “art”. What does the world look like in the eyes of an “art enthusiast” who truly loves and enjoys art?
.png?table=block&id=647b80bc-f64b-4add-aaa1-f492750ddaba&cache=v2)
Nice to meet you Yeodong! “Creativity” is an important aspect of a game artist. Where do you usually get new ideas and inspiration from?
There’s one thing I think I’m doing especially well. It’s that I really like looking at art. I fell in love with art when I was a kid so it’s second nature for me to enjoy art everyday. Big data shows me art that I like on platforms such as Instagram, Pinterest, or ArtStation. My deep interest spans from regular illustrations, to fine art, pop art, and even art toys. I try to go to exhibitions about them whenever I have time. I can pull away from art forms familiar to me when I look at art other than game graphics and this is where I get new ideas. Doing my best to expose myself to as many forms of art as possible and looking to various references led me to draw unique game art.
Is there a special reason you chose “game art” out of the many fields of art? Tell us how “game art” drew you in.
I majored in pattern design but was more interested in the character industry because I reveled in pictures and characters. When it was time to choose my path, I got an outsourcing job request to draw game resources. It was really exciting and fun to see my character move and being played by users inside a game. This small connection with a company made me want to be a game artist at gameduo.
I’d recommend game art to people who enjoy drawing. There are more game genres than you’d think so you can try out different types of art and immediately see your art applied in the game. Game art is special in that you get to create your own character and have the exhilarating experience of watching that character come alive.
I’m curious how long it takes for one character to come alive in a game.
A game has many big and small characters. I create backstories for each even if it’s not obvious in the game. I draw facial features, physical form, costumes, and weapons based on a story made up of the character’s personality, traits, what they like, childhood, etc. I think to myself ‘This guy was badly hurt when he was little so he’d have a scar on his face’ or ‘She grew up in a warm area so she’d wear this’ and I feel more affection toward the characters, which definitely makes the result better. It takes about a day to form a story and concept and then create the character.
Who’s your favorite character in gameduo?
Hmm… So many come to mind but I’d have to choose Another Dungeon’s dokkaebi! I didn’t choose a specific name for the character and just created the “Kabi” as his species. I thought it would be interesting for an anthropoid character like the Scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz to go on a journey on a search for knowledge on martial arts. Other fun points are that I colored Kabi in dark red and a gave him a face like the art toys that I like which makes the character very attractive to me.
I can see gameduo’s art growing better and better. What do you think is the key to growth?
I think it’s a level of growth that can be gradually achieved by one person. I mean an art designer has to draw well according to the game. So that’s what I did: draw all the time. Even when I wasn’t working, I drew in different ways and how I wanted. And I played as many game genres as possible to heighten my game artist senses. I was able to widen my perspective and grow rapidly by working on my craft like this for 2-3 years and challenging myself to many things. I guess the determination and pressure of wanting to create my own weapon worked as good synergies.
What are the necessary artistic factors for a polished game?
I always remind myself of “artistic consistency” for a well executed game. “Well executed” and “high quality” may seem like the same thing but it’s not. It doesn’t matter how high quality a game is if it has no connection with the game’s overall concept. For example it would be jarring for an impressive and fancy character to appear in a game that focuses on simple doodle like drawings. Consistency in artistic factors like UI images, illustrations, and ingame art is a must for a well executed game.
What are some important abilities of a game artist working in gameduo?
gameduo is loved by many by being unique. That’s how important it is for a game artist to have their own distinct color. Having strengths in a variety of art concepts like wacky, crude, healing, East Asian, etc works as a huge advantage for games.
Another important thing is enjoying drawing and making games. How your art is being used in the game, what effects it has, how users take it, and so on… It’s key to be interested in making games and have affection for the project you’re working on. You’ll have a blast if you find the balance between art and games and have your own strong color.
Tell us one thing that’s great about working as a game artist at gameduo.
I think gameduo has quite a laid back working environment even for a game company. Each artist in each project has an extremely crucial role. So an atmosphere is formed where you can show what you do best as much as you want. It’s nice because you can pitch your own ideas rather than having to draw based on fixed rules and you can also keep your own style.
Now a must ask question to a member of gameduo! Tell us your favorite game.
I actually prefer “watching” games than playing them. My favorite game and character is Mario. To be honest… I think I’m jealous?! There’s a theme park plastered with Mario and he’s so famous. As a game artist it makes me want make a character that’s also loved by the world!
It’s truly inspiring to immerse yourself in a field with love and passion for it. Why not work as a game artist at gameduo if you love “drawing” and “games”? Spread your wings in the world of games! A joyful journey full of new experiences awaits!
