An environment artist is a professional artist who works in the video game industry or film industry as a 3D modeler, specializing in outdoor and indoor locations for a game or film's setting.[1] They are responsible for creating and modeling the majority of the overall assets and visuals the player will encounter on the screen, and for bringing life to the world. They texture and place assets, such as buildings, streets, foliage, furniture, and all other elements, into a scene using a method called set dressing. In a game environment, the artist also approximates collision so that the player doesn't run through walls or other objects that block movement, and optimizes mesh geometry so that the level runs at a manageable framerate.
History of environment art in games and cinematic industries
The history of environment art within games and other cinematic industries is characterized by a gradual progression of advancements within technology that brought environment art to life. The incorporation of fine arts skills into the technology and entertainment industries resulted in the many intricate backgrounds in movies and games that we see today. Although it is difficult to pinpoint its origins, various individuals and their contributions have significantly changed the way backgrounds and environments work.
Early techniques and innovations
Before technology was introduced in the games and cinema industry, there were various other techniques used such as matte painting, miniatures, rear projection, and forced perspective. These techniques were used to simulate large-scale settings, oftentimes when "backgrounds and environments [were] too expensive, impractical, or impossible to recreate or achieve through traditional on-location or practical set design".[2] Popular films such as Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back used matte painting to achieve realism in the background.[3] These techniques are still used but in a more digital atmosphere as it is quicker and cheaper.
Contributions of notable individuals
One of the companies that has defined cinematography is the Walt Disney Company. Many individuals have contributed significantly to defining the style of film produced by Disney. Eyvind Earle and Claude Coats were award-winning artists who worked on films such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Fantasia, Cinderella, Peter Pan, and Sleeping Beauty. Both Earle and Coats produced varying effects from the styling and colors. They each brought a never-before-seen artistic skill when designing the backgrounds that many modern-day artists refer back to. For example, Earle produced the "magical, medieval look" [4] that is in Sleeping Beauty and Claude produced "stunning watercolor background paintings in Pinocchio [5]. These new standards elevated the experience of audience members as the atmosphere and general feel of the film were improved.
Evolution in gaming environments
The gaming industry is slightly different. In earlier games such as Pong, there were very simplistic backgrounds, often using a few solid colors. Slowly as games could handle more demand, pixel art became a very popular art style and could be seen in games like Donkey Kong, Legend of Zelda, and Super Mario Bros. As GPU s became stronger and more versatile, 3D illusions were implemented in games like Doom to simulate a 3D environment. In modern-day video games, there is a variety of games that are in 2D, 3D, or both. These different styles can be accomplished through software like Maya, Blender, Nuke, Unreal Engine, and Adobe Creative Suite. For example, VALORANT's maps, a first person shooter produced by Riot Games, are made in 3D. However, as you travel further away from the main level, the background is changed to detailed 2D art that has depth to simulate the dimensionality of it.
Impacts and challenges
While environment art has enhanced the visual and emotional appeal of films and games, challenges such as historical accuracy persist in historical genres. There is extra importance placed on creating environments that are historically accurate in order to create a more immersive experience for the player. An example is Assassin's Creed's depiction of Notre Dame. Kris van der Voorn spoke about how the game's representation of the Gothic cathedral is a huge possibility in rebuilding Notre Dame because of its "unerring accuracy."[6] From an educational perspective, misrepresentation in games can lead to historical misunderstandings and distortions. It would provide false information that impressionable young children and adults may perceive as truth.
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