Working from memory is fine, but a folder of photographs or a wall of concept sketches to work from are crucial. Even the most talented artists have a wealth of reference around them while they work. Do your researchĪpproaching a project with no research material is like building something with your eyes closed. Will it be animated, for example? If so, will individual fingers need to bend, or will the mouth need to open? If the character wears a hat, will you ever see underneath it? If not, there’s little point in building the top of its head.
Knowing how the character will be used and what they must be able to do can have a dramatic effect on the model itself. Are you going to work in centimetres or metres? This has to remain consistent throughout the game or you will end up with scale issues further down the line, especially when rigging and animation are involved. One of the first things you should investigate before starting any game character is your set of working restrictions.īy this I don’t mean polygon and texture page limits – which are paramount to the success of your creation, of course – but rather the environment settings and how the character will be used and seen in the game.Įnvironment settings are variables such as working units. For those times, and many more, I hope these simple rules will help you as you work.
