Importance of Preparation process

Source		Quote, image or video	Annotation	Academic or Popular
Surname	Flowerchild	Do you have a creative process? -Definitely, though it does change a bit, as needed. Nearly everything starts in the sketchbook as a messy thumbnail, then a full-color sketch in Photoshop (which could probably be called a speed painting in all reality), and lastly a finished painting. Sometimes I skimp on the prep work for a piece, but I usually end up kicking myself for that. It helps to have a solid foundation to build a picture off of.	Environment artist Noah Bradley explains how he creates his environment art. He says how important it is to do preparation work rather than just jumping onto the final piece. Preparation work would help visualising the final artwork at very early stage, thus avoid finding mistakes after painting for hours, and by doing sketchbook work (thumbnailing) the final artwork will have more depth and meaning.	Popular (Website)
Initial	S
Year	2011
Title	Alternate Worlds: Interview with environmental concept artist, Noah Bradley
Publisher	http://idratherbemakingart.wordpress.com/ 2011/09/12/alternative-worlds-interview-with-concept-artist-noah-bradley/

Importance of Traditional Art knowledge for 3D Environment artists

Source		Quote, image or video	Annotation	Academic or Popular
Surname	Unknown	Some people believe that in order to be a good 3D artist, you don't have to have traditional art skills... what are you thoughts on this? First, what is a good 3D artist? In my opinion, 3D is just a tool, it is like a pencil, and if you have good basis in traditional art, you’ll be a better 3D artist. It’s like a good keyboardist, if he has a strong background in piano, jazz and classic, he will be a better keyboardist, even if he plays dance music… I think that to have a good sense of composition, lighting, a 3d artist should spend more time taking pictures with his camera and drawing than surfing on 3D forums :) I’ll loose some friends there! Well, you have to take the problem at the beginning, if you have a rich imagination and a good sense of perspective, lighting, it is surely because you have strong traditional art skills :)	Matte Painting artist Raphael Lacoste explains how 3D artists should have vast knowledge in traditional art, instead of just focusing on 3D package. Good matte painter should have good knowledge in colour, lighting and perspective, in stead of just focusing on 3D softwarese.	Popular (Website)
Initial
Year	Unknown
Title	3D Artists - Interviews - Raphael Lacoste
Publisher	http://www.raph.com/3dartists/interviews/i-i277.html

Use of various tools to create stunning art

Source		Quote, image or video	Annotation	Academic or Popular
Surname	Shafer	What program do you do the majority of your work in, and why? -Vue is a great starting point. It helps me a lot to set up composition and lighting for a scene. Right now I use Vue 9. When the setup is done and the render finished I move into Photoshop (CS4).  That’s where I really have the fun.  Refining things, adding textures, etc. That’s where I can nail the mood I want the picture to have. Sometimes I use Lightroom for final color tweaking and refining. Of course, Lightroom is a photography tool, but hey, I try to use everything I have to get the last drop of awesomeness off of my picture.  That’s a part I particularly enjoy too. The whole final tweaking of the picture.	One of the industry matte painter Chrstian Hecker describes how he uses environment package Vue, in order to create industry standard Matte Painting. Combination of 3D and 2D is a must in industry nowadays. I was interested in the way he he works, how he uses different softwares - 3D package and Photography tools, anything to create the best out of the final image. Artist should not be limited to one tool, there are no rules, and we must use anything - skills, resources, knowledge and such - to create stunning images.	Popular (Interview on a CG Website)
Initial	E
Year	Unknown
Title	Interview with Matte Painter and Vue Digital Artist Christian Hecker
Publisher	http://cg.creativefan.com/interview-with-matte-painter-and-vue-digital-artist-christian-hecker/

Preparing for the Industry

Source		Quote, image or video	Annotation	Academic or Popular
Surname		Preparing for the industry -Church is passionate about the industry he is a part of: “This is a great industry to be in. It continues to grow and reward those with talent and good ideas. One of the great things about it is that it's so competitive, with so many great ways to do things and create images. The advice I always give is to practice all the time, learn the fundamentals, and recognize your bad habits or weaknesses and try and address them as soon as possible. There's so much great artwork out there it's easy to judge your skill level.” Church also emphasizes the importance of artists doing what they love and presenting only their best work: “The quality of work an artist presents is extremely important. I can scan a 20-page portfolio in about 15 seconds and I can tell everything I need to know about the skill level, creativity and professionalism of the designer. The work either grabs me or it doesn't; it's either fresh or it isn't. There's no amount of hand waving or excuses that can help or hinder the artwork once it's presented. The lesson is to present your best work, be professional but persistent, and always draw or paint what you love because it shows.”	Interview with industry leading concept artist, Ryan Church. In this interview he shares his view on getting into the industry and how to prepare for it. The part I found important was to "practise all the time" and "compare yourself with other professional artworks". It is vital to keep on improving as the industry is very competitive. A lot of artists will try to get to his position but to do so it will require unimaginable amount of effort. All we can do is to keep on improving on the skill set, expand them and foremost, love what you create.	Popular (Interview on a CG community website)
Initial
Year
Title	The Art of Ryan Church
Publisher	http://www.cgsociety.org/ index.php/CGSFeatures/CGSFeatureSpecial/ the_art_of_ryan_church

Duties of Environment Artist

Source		Quote, image or video	Annotation	Academic or Popular
Surname	Unknown	Duties The environment artist (also known as an environment modeler) creates backgrounds and scenery for video games—anything from architectural elements like pyramids or arenas to chairs and plants. Game designers first hand an idea to the concept artist to sketch. After several drafts and revisions, the concept art is sent to the environment artists to create 3D models with texture, color, and lighting. During this time-consuming process, the senior environment artist will continually consult with the design team to ensure a consistent style. He or she will also communicate with level designers and animators to take into account gameplay considerations like mission-critical assets, inclusion of vehicles, and design of creatures and other non-player characters. Thorough planning is required prior to modeling. The artists and designers collaborate to meticulously map out necessary props and scenery elements that drive the story, occur in the player’s interaction with the environment, and move forward the mission.  If the Resident Evil 5 level designers intend Sheva and Chris to beat a countdown to the rescue boat outside the oil refinery, the environment artists need to give the pair an escape route, and make sure the boat is waiting. There is nothing more frustrating than courageously fending off an army of zombies only to find the getaway vehicle didn’t get rendered in—what a bummer. Another concern is in-game rendering and poly count. The environment artists must consider the limitations of the game engine and storage medium to determine resolution quality. If a scene attempts to render with a poly count that is too great, the animation will lag; players get unsightly blimps and incomplete objects. Artists need to determine where they can afford low-resolution images (like distant backgrounds) and reserve high-res capacity for items in the foreground or close to the camera.	I was particularly interested in this Duties of Environment artist. Environment artist job is to create the world of the game, film and such. This article briefly describes the basic work flow of how initial concept can be taken into environment artists hand then created into the final assets.	Popular (Art Website)
Initial	Unknown
Year	Unknown
Title	Get in Media - Environment Artist
Publisher	http://getinmedia.com/careers/environment-artist

History of Matte Painting

Source		Quote, image or video	Annotation	Academic or Popular
Surname	Mattingly	"Matte painting has been around since the dawn of filmmaking. It’s been continuously used since the first example debuted in 1907. The history of matte painting begins with one man, a camera, and a sheet of glass in the bright sunlight of California."	It is amazing to know how old the matte painting's history is. It is almost as old as film making and I found it very fascinating. It is very interesting to know how the whole matte painting process evolved since the days of simple sheet of glass - to today's 3D technology.	Academic (Published Book)
Initial	D
Year	2011
Title	The Digital Matte Painting Handbook
Publisher	Wiley Publishing, Inc.

Unleashing Creativity

Source		Quote, image or video	Annotation	Academic or Popular
Surname	Mattingly	Creating a concept sketch -“What am I going to paint?” If you were working on a movie, you would be given direction as to the look and feel of the piece. You have the hardest and most creative task of all—you can do whatever you want. I encourage you to do several concepts with distinctly different moods, and then pick the best of the group to work on in subsequent chapters. As you continue, let me share some ideas on how to unleash your imagination."	It is interesting how artists find it difficult to create something when they are given an absolute freedom. Artists usually find it easier to work when they are given theme, or direction, even though it is their job to create concepts from their imagination. Is freedom not the best way to unleash the creativity? What is the best way to unleash our creativity?	Academic (Published Book)
Initial	D
Year	2011
Title	The Digital Matte Painting Handbook
Publisher	Wiley Publishing, Inc.

Job specification for Environment Artist

Source		Quote, image or video	Annotation	Academic or Popular
Surname	Rock Star North	We'd like to hear from the industry's most talented environment artists. You will be designing, building and texturing the world and have the creative and technical knowledge to achieve the highest quality results within budget. Advanced skills in one or more of the standard industry 3D packages essential. Knowledge of 3DS Max an advantage. Please accompany the application with links to your portfolio or provide examples of your work. RESPONSIBILITIES Model, texture and create collision in 3D for game environments. Works closely with Programmers to ensure polygon counts and texture sizes are fully optimized for target platforms while minimizing any impact on artistic integrity of assets. Participates in R&D of new techniques to implement into production pipeline. Proactively seeks feedback from Lead Artist, Producer and Creative Director. Ensures that artistic style is consistent with defined visual style for the game QUALIFICATIONS 2+ years of post-secondary educational experience in 2D and 3D art production. Superior 2D and 3D art skills. Eagerness to learn new software tools and technologies. Ability to work in a team setting, under deadlines and time constraints. Expertise in 3ds Max, Photoshop, or other technologies utilized in the production of game art. Strong technical background with ability to grasp new programs and systems quickly. Ability to work with a high degree of self-direction and motivation. Strong communication and time management skills. Able to prioritize and multi-task. Creative nature with strong problem solving skills. Game experience preferred.	Job Specification by a game developer Rockstar North. This job in particular is 3D environment artist and it requires knowledge in Autodesk 3DStudio Max. Although qualification including education in 2D as well.	Popular (Job Specification on the official website of an Edinburgh based game comopany)
Initial
Year	2012
Title	Rock Star North Jobs -  Environment Artists
Publisher	https://www.rockstargames.com/jobs/position/ 850d09bc75390852e54f70c88088eeac/rockstar-north

Suit the needs - Becoming a good concept artist

Source		Quote, image or video	Annotation	Academic or Popular
Surname	Tsai	THE ROLE OF THE CONCEPT ARTIST Steven Olds, a talented artist and art director who taught me a lot of what I know, told me once that a good concept designer is also by definition a good role player – he or she should be able to hide their own artistic idiosyncrasies in order to best serve the project, similar to the way a good actor can portray any type of character.	Good Concept Artist must be able to work for the game, and not simply just create what artists want. It is important for artist to create concepts that suit the needs of their client.	Popular (Article on an Art Magazine)
Initial	F
Year	2007
Title	Imagine FX - July 2007 - The 20 Rules of Game Concept Art
Publisher	Future Publishing