From idea to design: concept art in Fortnite
Have you ever wondered how the characters and scenarios of your favourite video games are created?
Concept art is a fundamental technique in the creation of video games that allows the designer's vision to come to life. In the initial phase of a project, the appearance of the characters, settings and objects of the world that is being built is worked on. This process includes the creation of sketches and detailed drawings, modelling and texturing of objects and 3D characters. Each element of the game has its own personality and atmosphere that is communicated through concept art.
Fortnite, one of the most popular games of our days, is one of the best examples to understand the work and involvement of this speciality in the design and development of video games. If there is one thing that stands out in this game, it is the enormous variety of characters, environments, vehicles, weapons, etc., each of them with their own concept design.
For concept artists, it is essential to build characters that are attractive and recognisable. In Fortnite, characters have a distinctive appearance, despite varying seasonally as in the case of Jonesy or The Visitor, with new and striking skins. Through their design they have to convey the personality and characteristics of that avatar, while remaining consistent with the game's story and setting.
Scenery design needs to balance being visually impressive and exciting with being practical and functional. On the island on which Fortnite takes place, we find distinct and varied locations, making the world fun and engaging to explore.
But if something marks the richness of a video game like Fortnite, of the battle royale genre, it is the weapons and objects that players can use. For example, each weapon has its own reload time, range, damage and accuracy, which requires individualised conceptual design to make it easy to identify during the course of the game.
However, although it may seem that a concept artist is only involved in the initial stage of the creative process of a video game, he or she is also involved in aspects such as visual storytelling and game promotion. They work closely with level designers, scriptwriters and artists, building a world that feels realistic and alive.
Have you ever thought about becoming a concept art designer?
With the Art minor in our Bachelor's Degree in Design and Development of Video Games and Interactive Environments, you can become a concept artist.
