Off the map project Visual design

As one of the two Environment artists in our team, I worked alongside Becky to develop the look and atmosphere of our mid summers night dream level, using visual representations with concepts, environment art and paint overs. I wanted to achieve a variety of environment art to capture the four different level areas we wanted. For example the first clearing, connecting paths to areas, Titanias area and Oberons caves.

 

This helped to design the look of the level and help my team with the layout of the levels. I also created very quick paint overs of the white boxed level to further help the team with the layout and look of the scene.

After finishing with the concepting side of the project, I moved onto creating assets for the level, including rocks, foliage, stool, stump, giant mother tree, reeds, plate, wine bottle, roots, fairy windows and doors. Towards the end of the project I also created a vista tree background and the Enter button for the level.

To begin the project I started developing initial environment art of the four areas we wanted to incorporate in the level, starting with the first opening clearing of the forest, then Titanias water area, with Oberons cave afterwards. Using the reference image and mood board myself and group had collected, I started sketching ideas in my book, which I then transferred to photoshop to start painting over with colours. I created sketches thinking about the layout and level design of the game, for example in most of the areas, I sketched rocky banks so that the player cannot exit the level and move where they should. I also thought about the type of trees, as it is supposed to be a fairy forest I thought curved arched trees, with twisted roots would fit the theme of an enchanted forest rather than straight up trees.

. In this Environment art piece with the waterfall the in the centre, inspired from ‘Midsummer Night’s dream’ by P. D. white, I created this piece for Titanias area using photobashing and painting over with lots of layers, I then played around with colour iterations for different atmospheres and used more vibrant colours to enhance the fantasy theme.