He turns abstract ideas into concrete visual creations.
The concept artist plays an essential role in the video game creation process. He acts as the liaison between the game creator, art director, lead game designer, and all production teams.
Their primary role is to visually communicate the intentions and concepts defined by other team members, while ensuring the overall consistency of the project. It transforms abstract ideas into concrete visual works and ensures that all stakeholders, whether artists or technicians, understand and follow the same artistic direction. A concept artist intervenes in the game development process at the earliest stages, thereby helping to create the graphical basis of the project.
Versatility is at the heart of this profession
A concept artist creates illustrations of characters, settings, scenes, and atmosphere, always taking into account technological limitations and possibilities. His versatility is very important as he must be able to work on various visual aspects of the game, from pre-production to the production stage, he plays the role of assistant art director and assistant game designer, guiding teams in the desired direction. They should communicate their visual concepts clearly and work to improve them based on feedback and necessary adjustments.
A concept artist is a versatile artist, capable of drawing by hand, but also proficient in digital tools such as digital painting and 3D when necessary. As production progresses, he works closely with 3D artists, level designers, and even special effects artists to ensure his concepts are realized accurately.
Business information
Level of study: Bachelor +3 – Bachelor +5
Gross monthly salary: from 2100 to 4000 euros.
I translate the wishes of the creators
This work requires technical skills, an excellent understanding of the graphics flow and the human qualities to translate the creators’ wishes into material that other team members can use. Must have a strong general knowledge of drawing and painting, as well as a thorough knowledge of visual aesthetics in order to create quality artistic concepts.
Required qualities
- Drawing (2D)
- Creativity
- Image culture
- Communication
Achievements upon completion of studies
- Knowledge of digital painting programs.
- Basics of lighting, composition and color.
- Materials and textures
- Academic drawing
- Knowledge of the production chain
Words from the Pros: Interview with Pierre Mesenburg
Concept artist and illustrator for video games and cinema. He currently works as a freelancer for Mooncolony, which works on various AAA games. He has worked with Resolute Miniatures, Meta-Legends and others. He is also a speaker on e-artsup. His work can be found on Instagram (Pierre.mesenburg), as well as on Artstation: https://www.artstation.com/pim_0
His role is to develop the games’ visual identity.“
What is the role of a concept artist in digital production?
His role is to develop the visual and graphical identity of games or films that are produced by the studios. It can create characters, settings, objects, and more. In short, he is a designer. He will be able to intervene in post-production. It is an extremely versatile profession given the number of different tasks that can be assigned to those who perform it.
Art director, designers, developers… Who do you have contacts with during the production process?
Our main contacts are the art directors who direct and oversee production, the 3D artists responsible for bringing our designs to life, and other concept artists. That is why communication is very important in this profession in order to prevent mistakes and facilitate the work of the entire production.
Does the Artist concept have more creative freedom or is it more about serving others?
It all depends on the project and how it develops, but in general the concept artist will present several proposals. The final choice will be made by the artistic director or the customer himself. In general, a concept artist must adhere to the brief given at the beginning and always be attentive to the client’s requests. Thus, creative freedom is determined by the task.
Before becoming a concept artist, is it necessary to go through other roles such as environment artist or character designer?
The term “concept artist” is a bit vague in the sense that an environment artist or character designer is also a concept artist. This term unites all professions related to the artistic part of film or video game production. Today, in major studios (AAA), the demand for people who specialize in a certain area remains high, so a concept artist will specialize in a certain area (such as a character designer). Or it can remain very versatile for smaller studios.
What instruments do you mainly work with? Is it necessary to have in-depth knowledge of the software?
I work with Photoshop and other 2D software, as well as 3D on some projects. Blender or Zbrush are also used for concept art. It all depends on the production and style of concept art requested. And yes, you need to be fluent in different software, because the industry is developing very quickly, you always need to be able to adapt. While this work was once done on paper, today it is done on a graphics tablet and even in virtual reality. The profession is developing rapidly, we must be aware of this.
Is AI a threat to this profession? How can you use it in your work?
This is a rather delicate issue. As a concept artist and designer, I don’t support this type of tool. However, as I already said, technology is just developing and you always need to keep up with the times. My personal opinion about artificial intelligence is that I do not perceive it as a threat, given that at the moment we clearly see that at the production level it will only slightly speed up the delivery of supply. Either way, you need to master the basics to use this tool correctly. A trained artist will be able to add it to their process to make things easier for themselves, but someone who does not have high artistic skills will not be able to create a concept that meets the studio’s request, even with this tool. Therefore, I remain confident in the dangers of this tool.
In what industries is a concept artist currently in demand?
It is mainly in demand in video games, animation and cinema. This may also be useful in other areas. If he masters illustration and drawing in general, he will be able to work on many different projects. Drawing and painting are tools, so it’s all about what people choose to do with them. When we need to create an image, we may have to intervene in many different industries.
Guide 2024 – Digital Careers – Schools and Training
This sheet is taken from a special edition”Guide 2024 – Digital Careers – Schools and Training” is published by Jeux Video Magazine and is available in your newsagents for €7.50. Click on the cover to find excerpts from other professions.
Internship and job offers for computer graphics designer, concept artist, art director
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