Game Art Tutorials

       Game visuals have come a long way since the monotone pixels of Pong and Space Invaders. Looking at the video game visuals today, it's obvious that each successive generation of hardware has opened the doors for more realistic gaming experiences. With technology continuously expanding the storytelling possibilities of the medium, the gaming industry now demands a specific kind of digital artist to define the limits of what's capable on screen. This page was created to help you develop the skills to become part of a specialized group of artists. These artists help to create the next generation of video games, innovating in visuals as well as in gameplay, and helping to shape the future of one of the world's fastest growing forms of entertainment.


What will I be studying?
       In this competitive industry, companies are looking for creative people who are passionate about the craft of taking a game from concept to market-ready. The resources on this page will help you prepare to do just that, as you study:

• Digital Imaging
• Life Drawing
• Drawing & Anatomy
• 2D Animation
• Digital Storytelling
• Character and Object Design
• 3D Modeling
• Game Art & Design
• Texture Mapping
• 3D Animation
• Material & Lighting
• Game Modeling
• Game Production Pipeline
• Designing Interior Spaces and Worlds

Articles & Books An Introduction to Spine - A great tutorial by GamesFromScratch

Video Tutorials  An Intro to Spine Spine User Guide The Complete Spine Game Rigging & Animation Course The Ultimate Spine Game Rigging & Animation Course Learn Rigging & Animation Techniques in Spine

AUTODESK MAYA

Books  Introducing Maya 2011

Video Tutorials  Maya 2013 Essential Training 1.) Interface & Organization  2.) Polygonal Modeling Techniques 3.) NURBS Modeling Techniques 4.) Creating Textures & Materials 5.) Animation Tools 6.) Lights & Rendering Beginning Maya Maya 2013 Tutorial for Beginners Learning Maya LT Maya LT/ Maya Modeling Beginner Basics Maya LT/ Maya Game Environment Modeling & UVing Autodesk Maya Tutorials for Beginners Maya 2013 Oil Barrel Modeling, Texturing & Lighting Tutorial Modeling Vehicles in Maya Maya: Game Prop Creation Autodesk Maya 2013  Learning Autodesk Maya 2013  Learn Autodesk Maya 2015 How to Create The 3D Gun Model Master Maya - A Guide to 3D Modeling Intermediate  Maya Spitfire Modelling Tutorial Using a height-map to create a terrain in Maya How to Create a Tree in Maya Rigging & Animation  Maya for Beginners: Complete Guide to 3D Animation in Maya Fast animation and rigging techniques using Maya 2017 The Complete Bipedal Rigging for Games in Maya Course Maya Animation Tutorial for Beginners Maya Motion Path Animation Tutorial Introduction to Rigging & Skeletal Animation Elemental Mapping is a YouTube Channel which contains a video series covering how to model, texture and animate both the arms and a weapon in Maya for FPS games. You can view them below: Modeling  Texturing Animation Scripting  An Introduction to Scripting    Node-Based Compositor for Maya Learning Autodesk Toxik Game Characters Complete Game Character Workflow 01 Character Modeling Complete Game Character Workflow 02 Texturing & Rendering

3D STUDIO MAX

Books Essential 3ds Max 2008 3ds Max Model Rigging

Video Tutorials  Rigging & Animating 3D Weapons - Learn how to rig your 3d weapons in 3d studio max as well as animate them with character hands 3ds Max 2013 Essential Training

Articles & Books Blender For Dummies, 3rd Ed Blender For Dummies, 4th Ed Beginning Blender Blender Master Class - a hands-on guide to modeling, sculpting, materials and rendering Blender 2.5 Blender Composting and Post Processing (Online version here) Blender 2.6 Cycles: Materials and Textures (Online version here) Blender Cycles: Lighting & Rendering Cookbook  Blender 3D Basics 2nd Ed Blender 3D Incredible Machines    Building a Game with Unity and Blender Complete Blender Game Art Tutorial - learn to create 2D or 3D game  ready assets from zero experience Randomchaos Articles Blender & XNA Part 1 Blender & XNA Part 2  Blender & XNA Part 3

Video Tutorials Blender Basics Tutorial Blender Fundamentals 2.7 Blender Fundamentals 2.8 The Basics of Blender 2.8 Blender Guru - Blender 2.8 Blender 2.8 The Complete Guide  Blender 2.8 - Learn 3D Animation Super Crash Course in Blender Learn 3D Modeling: Blender Basics A Practical Introduction - Modeling & Animation in Blender Creating 3D Environments in Blender Animation Learn 3D Animation - The Ultimate Blender Guide

Free Version  App.Sketchup.com/app Books Google SketchUp 7 For Dummies Google SketchUp Cookbook Teach Yourself Google SketchUp 8 in 10 Minutes Google SketchUp Workshop - learn modeling and illustration in SketchUp Beginning Google SketchUp for 3D Printing Sams Teach Yourself Google SketchUp 8 in 10 Minutes SketchUp 2014 for Architectural Visualization, 2nd Ed The SketchUp Workflow for Architecture

Video Tutorials WildAcademy: SketchUp - SketchUp video tutorials by Jake Day Williams Workshop Addict - Tutorial series for SketchUp users Learning SketchUp Pro 2015 SketchUp Make 2017 - From Beginner to Advanced SketchUp 2018 Essentials Training (Windows Version) All It Takes to Master SketchUp

Books  Gimp for Absolute Beginners Gimp for Beginners: First 12 Skills The Ultimate GIMP 2.10 Guide: Learn Professional photo editing

Video Tutorials  GIMP Tutorials - Gimp tutorials by Jake Day Williams

Articles & Books Substance Painter Online Documentation

Video Tutorials Allegorithmic: Getting Started in Substance Painter Texturing an asset form start to finish  Texturing an asset from start to finish: Opacity Update Model Prep: Using a high res mesh & a single material Allegorithmic: Substance Painter Fundamentals (Playlist) Fundamentals 01: Physically Based Rendering Fundamentals 02: Importing Meshes Fundamentals 03: Importing Textures Fundamentals 04: Texture Sets Fundamentals 05: Baking Textures Fundamentals 06: Viewport Fundamentals 07: Working with Layers Fundamentals 08: Materials & Channels Fundamentals 09: Painting & Brush Settings Fundamentals 10: Particle Brushes Fundamentals 11: Masking Fundamentals 12: Generators & Filters Fundamentals 13: Projection tool, stamping images Fundamentals 14: Smart Materials Fundamentals 15: Opacity Fundamentals 16: Emissive Effects Fundamentals 17: Exporting Textures Allegorithmic: Substance Painter Advanced Creating a basic Substance Painter Filter  Allegorithmic: Substance Painter Model Preparation 01: UV Mapping & Texel Density 02: Material Setup 03: Tangents & Shading for Normal Maps 04: Mesh Setup for baking Using a high res mesh & single material Substance Painter 2018 Substance Painter for Beginners Substance Painter Crash Course -- an excelled tutorial by Dylan Mellott Substance Painter Quickstart Mike Hermes: Substance Painter Tutorials  Burned Steel Effect in Substance Painter Baking Maps in Substance Painter 2 Layers & Masks Substance Painter 1.3 Viewport Enhancements Substance Painter 1.3 Baking Textures Substance Painter 1.3 Smart Materials Substance Painter 1.7 Baked Lighting Tutorial Substance Painter 2.0 UI & Viewport Updates Substance Painter 2.0 Clone & Smudge Tools Substance Painter 2.0 New Mask Editor Substance Painter 2.0 Finishing Filters Substance Painter 2.1 Features & Painting Skin Substance Painter 2.3 Adobe Photoshop Export  Creative Use of Particle Brushes Creating a custom damage filter for Substance Painter PBR Validate for Substance Painter Grimy Barrel Scene in Blender & Substance Painter Shipping Container Texturing Tutorial Smart Skin Material Demo Smart Skin Material Walkthrough Substance Painter Essential Training Substance Painter 2018 Essential Training Learn the ART of Substance Painter The Complete Substance Painter Course: Create 3D Gun Texture How to Texture 3D Aircraft Model in Maya & Substance Painter Substance Painter 2 for All Levels! Video Game Weapon Course: Modeling/ Substance Painter 2 Game Assets Modeling & Texturing a gun in 3DS Max & Substance Painter Part 1 Part 2  Part 3  Part 4

Installer  Unreal Development Kit Download Essential Reading  Getting Started with UDK UDK Build Upgrade Notes  UDK FAQ  Whizzle Creation  Dungeon Defense Books Unreal Development Kit Game Design Cookbook UnrealScript Game Programming Cookbook Mastering UDK Game Development

Videos Unreal Engine 3 Video Tutorials World of Level Design: UDK Tutorials Level Designer with UDK Creating a UDK Game Advanced Texturing/ Mesh Painting Animation & Matinee for Games Building, Animating, & Setting up Custom Weapons Animating Dynamic Destruction in Maya for Unreal Building 3D Worlds with The Modular Workflow Creating Sparks, Embers, & Collision with Unreal's Cascade Modeling & Texturing Foliage The Complete Introduction to Materials UDK Game Development

Articles & Books CryEngine 3 Manual CryENGINE 3 Game Development CryEngine Game Development Blueprints

Videos World of Level Design: CryEngine 3 SDK Tutorials CryEngine 3 SDK Level Design

Articles & Books Unreal Engine 4 Online Documentation (API) Unreal Engine Game Development Blueprints Unreal Engine 4 Scripting with C++ Cookbook Unreal Engine 2D Game Dev Tutorial Series

Videos World of Level Design Unreal Engine 4 Tutorials Quick Tips: Unreal Engine 4 Tutorials Unreal Engine C++ Developer: Learn C++ & Make Games UE4 Master: Create Multiplayer Games with C++ Free UE4 Displacement Blending Materials Environment Art Tutorials

A special thanks to Dean Wright for creating the images that are used on this page.