Game Art

Game Art Principles

Visual design thinking for games - style selection, asset pipelines, and art direction.

1. Art Style Selection

Decision Tree

What feeling should the game evoke?│├── Nostalgic / Retro│   ├── Limited palette? → Pixel Art│   └── Hand-drawn feel? → Vector / Flash style│├── Realistic / Immersive│   ├── High budget? → PBR 3D│   └── Stylized realism? → Hand-painted textures│├── Approachable / Casual│   ├── Clean shapes? → Flat / Minimalist│   └── Soft feel? → Gradient / Soft shadows│└── Unique / Experimental    └── Define custom style guide

Style Comparison Matrix

2. Asset Pipeline Decisions

2D Pipeline

3D Pipeline

3. Color Theory Decisions

Palette Selection

Color Principles

• Hierarchy: Important elements should pop
• Consistency: Same object = same color family
• Context: Colors read differently on backgrounds
• Accessibility: Don't rely only on color

4. Animation Principles

The 12 Principles (Applied to Games)

Frame Count Guidelines

5. Resolution & Scale Decisions

2D Resolution by Platform

Consistency Rule

Choose a base unit and stick to it:

• Pixel art: Work at 1x, scale up (never down)
• HD art: Define DPI, maintain ratio
• 3D: 1 unit = 1 meter (industry standard)

6. Asset Organization

Naming Convention

[type]_[object]_[variant]_[state].[ext]
Examples:spr_player_idle_01.pngtex_stone_wall_normal.pngmesh_tree_oak_lod2.fbx

Folder Structure Principle

assets/├── characters/│   ├── player/│   └── enemies/├── environment/│   ├── props/│   └── tiles/├── ui/├── effects/└── audio/

7. Anti-Patterns

Remember: Art serves gameplay. If it doesn't help the player, it's decoration.