5 Steps To Gorgeous Game Art - revartsgaming.com

5 Steps To Gorgeous Game Art

Thomas Brush
Views: 55883
Like: 4374
Whether you’re making a 2D or a 3D game, I can tell you how to make your game gorgeous.
► Get 50% off Full Time Game Dev for Black Friday:
► The sale ended, but you can still get 3D Art Pro for 35% off for a limited time:
► Enroll in my FREE 3D course!
► Get my 2D Game Kit free:
► Learn my secrets to $100,000 as a game dev:
► Learn Game Dev (Get 25% off with code LETSGO):
► Learn 2D Art (Get 25% off with code LETSGO):
► Wishlist “Father”:
► Edited by:
► Follow Thomas on Instagram:
► Follow Coder of “Father” Ajay:
► Follow “Father” 3D Weapons Creator, Felipe:
► Follow “Father” sound designer, Hector!
► Play Neversong:
► Play Pinstripe on Switch or Steam:
► Check out my games:
► Ask a question on my subreddit:
► My Studio Set-Up:

186 Comments

  1. Okay, this video is 75% vaguely misleading, and provides near-useless generalized information, teaching next-to-nothing, which has no correlation to "game art" per se.
    It implies a lot of things about design, – but that's another skill tree. An artist draws,
    the designer – designs. Sometimes they are the same person. Let's break it down.

    1. At point 1 – the dude implies that you should learn something called "color
    design", which is one of many design aspects to be taken into account.
    But, he never explain that – nor does he tell what color design is. Fail.

    1A. With the example in music – now he really stepped into shit. Music of different
    nations and cultures has a vastly different view of what sounds harmonize and
    which do not. Harmonic intervals unacceptable in western composition and
    unpleasant for a western ear – will be nonetheless perfectly acceptable in a
    different part of the world. With the example of the inept wannabes shown at
    01:31 – these people appear incompetent only due to the lack of proper music
    education and training.

    2. An example at 03:32 is a failure due to a number of reasons at once. The chief
    among then is a lack of design PLAN. This is just mush of random pics, no
    wonder it turned out a blunder. Every good design must start with a vision, a
    plan. And that is yet another key factor that he does not even mention. Only
    then the other factors come into play (which this image fails also).
    Conversely, – the image at 03:37 appears competent – because first of all it
    is clearly evident that it was planned. And planned well. Also, it did right on
    all the other factors that you learn and practice in graphic design, such as
    image layering, color design, depth of field, etc.
    However, – he mentions as if "detailing" is the decisive factor. Bullshit.
    Detailing has nothing to do with it, and if the image at 03:37 was made
    with greater detail – it would only benefit from it. Detailing always makes
    better – IF (yes – IF!), if your DETAIL DESIGN is on point. And he once again
    mentions nothing of the concept. I call that, – a swindle.

    3. 04:08 – another piece of nonsense. In order to KNOW what details are critical,
    which are secondary and which are ornamental – one has to study and practice
    drawing. Or be sufficed with creating teletubby-like shapes. You cannot know
    this stuff out of the blue. Like all things in life – this requires learning, education,
    and a lot of practice. Don't buy into "easy 5-minutes a day" mantra.

    4. Next, he proceeds mentioning sound… Or implicitly – SOUND DESIGN. Which again,
    nothing is explained about. Good sounds don't just pop up out of nowhere, you
    actually need to make them (unless you pay someone else to do it). In order to
    make a great effect from source material – you still need a reasonable
    understanding of what makes a sound pleasant and how to make that: frequencies,
    EQ-ing, compressor, recording software, mastering, stereo planning, audio effects,
    filters and most of all – how to listen and use your ears as a precision audio instrument.
    Then, another concept is being implied – but never addressed: segmented audio
    design, (or whatever you want to call it), as in designing segments of an FX, and
    only then putting it all together, yet again – by having a plan first.
    To make a great effect starting FROM NOTHING AT ALL – beside all of the above,
    you need a very impressive imagination to boot. That's a side note.
    Finally, even great sound – will not make up for it, if everything else is lousy.
    Poor sound design, on the other hand – can very well decimate an otherwise
    worthy project. Unless everything else is so perfect that someone else makes a mod
    that fixes your sound blunders 😉

    5. Less is NOT more. It can become more in certain very specific situations. And for
    such scenario to actually happen – a lot of other, previously mentioned and otherwise
    design keypoints – have to be dead on. It does not just magically happen like "less
    is more – whoop dee-doo!". No. Fog (or darkness) is a good example. But then, only
    as long as the subject remains in the fog – less is more. When it comes closer into
    view – detail needs to take over, if you're shooting for quality.
    The "less is more" principle not only is very scenario-specific, but also – is best used
    in moderation, – like any strong effect. Otherwise it will not stand out, but will surely
    make thing bland and boring.

    6. Well, we've arrived at the good 25% of the video (timewise). Depth of field. Absolutely,
    but again, this subject needs several official graphic (and photo) design classes, not a
    3-liner on a video that is mostly self-promotion. The approach in 3D and in 2D is indeed
    very different for this subject. In 3D this is much easier to achieve, having to do mostly
    with the way the objects are perceived relative to distance, in terms of visible detail,
    proportion, color and focus. With 2D you'll have your hands full with the layer-by-layer
    scenery design, especially if it is not static – such as in a scrolling shoot-em-up.
    A lot of 90's 2D games were devoid of depth of field effects, and with today's eye –
    it is a rather unprofessionally looking.

    Bottom line: there is a lot of work. There is no trick, no substitute for skill.
    If you want to make game art – being an artist is a must. How good of an artist?
    The best you can be. Even to make a Mario sprite from scratch, you need some
    basic concepts of drawing (digital or traditional, preferably both). And if you aim
    for more than the venerable plumber – then the mountain to climb, – just got that
    much higher.

    Good luck!

  2. Thanks for adding! I really enjoyed and hope I can use some method in my game I am working on.

  3. I was able to 2X my game rev! I went from $0 to $00!
    p.s. I'm just kidding Thomas, your content is actually really helpful to a lot of aspiring devs. The color theory stuff was superb. 🙂

  4. Colors was what drew people to play games the original Metroid, Godzilla on the NES. Also, the music. But, music I guess is a topic for another video.

  5. Color theory
    Basic Shape
    Audio Feedback
    Organized Intention
    Atmospheric Depth

  6. Making everything looking like a girls room isn't my idea of good game art . Their's a few artists who have a good style then Everybody else copy .

  7. Amazingggg!
    Will definitely make good use of these tips. Thank you!

  8. Thanks Thomas this is very helpful in pointing art direction in my current game and future projects!

  9. Anyone here had a discord group to join for unity and game dev chat?

  10. Freaking LOVE you Mr. Brush. These videos are so helpful and because of artists/developers like you, newbs like me can progress lightyears faster than the guys just out there wingin' it. Bookmarked that course, and I'm going to pick that up as soon as I finish a few other courses I'm in the middle of. HOLD ME TO IT!

  11. Hey Thomas, would you mind sharing the name of the piano song you used at the start of the video?

    Love your videos btw

  12. There's nothing more gorgeous than a good mom joke

  13. This might be your best video yet. Thank you

    Good job!

  14. This was awesome. Love to see more of these tips/tricks. The fog blending everything into the color of the sky was news to me. I can't un-see it now.

  15. “You will learn how to double your game’s revenue” HAHA I QUADRUPLED IT, I am at 0

  16. Thanks for teaching about complementary colors, that's a cool concept

  17. You made this world so amazing
    I'm not game dev but u give me a lot of boost

  18. Having 0 art/design skills is why I quit gamedev. It just wasn't working out with 0 creative skills

  19. could somebody list down the games featured in this video

  20. The Friendly Neighborhood SuperVillian says:

    This is so informative!

  21. Thomas! Thank you for making great videos!!!

  22. I love that you brought up Thomas was alone for how powerful abstract art can be. And Quake with it's epic soundtrack. I was used to great music coming from the Amiga, but Quake blew me away when I first tried it.

  23. I actually liked those random colors in that still

  24. Incredible value here, I tangentially heard about all of these but this is more detailed and more direct, thanks

  25. This video is actually funny af 😂 Thomas is great at (among everything else) keeping us all motivated, so thanks Thomas!

  26. Dude, this Video is stupidly overloaded with brilliant and usefull information. Thanks man!

  27. the section on depth, at 8:21 is also about the concepts of atmospheric perspective.

  28. I’m going to one up Thomas
    1 step to beautiful game art:
    Step 1: get good at art

  29. It's always those things that if you're told, you're like "well it's obvious", but unless you are told, you won't be able to use them.

  30. You did an excellent marketing. You jump in right into the industry…. game maker

  31. Only thing I remember about Firewatch is the graphics.

  32. The color might be used well but the forms and lines leave a lot to be desired. I was trying to learn how to create nice forms but this is about color. A bit misleading.

  33. interesting! i went to school for music production specifically for music theory to be able to write / arrange my tunes properly, its cool to see a "colour theory". This feels like something i shouldve learned in high school when i listen to you talking about it!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.