If you’re a budding illustrator who wants to venture into concept art, you may be wondering, what is concept art? Concept art is a visual art form that helps to communicate the concept of a game, film, or a movie. World-building artwork is used as a way to inspire the development of various forms of media, making it very different from visual development art.

Learning and Improving Concept Art Skills

So now you know the definition of concept art, it's time to move on to how you can improve and become better at it. There are several things you can do here. Concept artists create many iterations of a design or a story. They will also draw on references to inspire their art, whether it is fictional stories, history, fashion, or other movies. It’s also a good idea to try and:

Master fundamental drawing and painting techniques

Practice with both traditional tools and newly-released digital programs

Understand how world-building works and use it to your advantage

Put a focus on being bold, original, and unique with your work

Focus on the finer details when trying to sell a story

Key Techniques in Concept Art

Popular concept art techniques include following the 80/20 rule. This involves using 80% of things people recognise, before adding 20% new. Even vast fictional worlds need to have some kind of anchor so that the audience can connect with it. Some techniques used to create concept art can be found below.

Thumbnails

These are small sketches to show a quick view of your idea.

Compositional Sketches

Taking elements from the thumbnail and making them into a frame to convey the mood and look of a location.

3D Tools and Rendering

Take your 2D drawing and bring it to life.

Kitbashing

Combining different assets to create something brand-new. This is a very common concept in the world of video games.

Photobashing

Merge and then blend photographs so that you can create something both new and unique.

Role of Concept Art in Various Industries

Concept art spans across numerous sectors, including animation, movies, and video games.

Concept Art in Video Games

Concept art in video games is about designing the feel of a game before it proceeds to the final stage of development. Paintings, references, drawings, and digital representations are created to try and convey a key theme for the game, and the characters within it. These will go on to be the building blocks of the future world. Video games to take note of include Ori and the Blind Forest, Legend of Zelda, Grand Theft Auto, and Call of Duty, as they rely heavily on video game concept art.

Concept Art in Movies

When directors come up with an idea for a movie, it's the concept artist who helps bring it to life. Concept art in movies is a continual reference that assists throughout the entire video game creation process. It ensures the movie is appealing to the eye, and gives a measure of a project’s size or scope.

Concept Art in Animation

Concept art in animation serves as a reference point for animators. They find a visual style that works and can be used as a way to sell a pitch, or a project to a production studio. Concept art is a key step before a project is undertaken.

Careers in Concept Art

Career paths for concept artists include exploring professional developments while undertaking professional training. Some go on to join professional bodies and become a specialist in a particular style or form of animation. Others go on to become illustrators or artists. There’s no set career path, which gives the individual a great deal of freedom.

Skills Development

There are many ways to develop your skills as a concept artist, including going on a course, seeking a mentor, or working with experienced industry professionals. Asking for continual feedback on your work and taking inspiration are also very good ways to improve.