Riot video series offers an introduction to creating game art
Curious about careers as a videogame artist? The League of Legends dev breaks down the jobs.
If I wanted to become a videogame artist, Riot Games probably wouldn't be my first choice of instructors, but even if I'm pretty sure this Champion is just Iron Giant with boxing gloves, Riot's 'So You Wanna Make Games' video series is pretty good, offering a basic overview of the various fields aspiring game artists can pursue.
The first episode is embedded above, and you can find all the videos in this playlist. They cover everything from VFX and UI design to concept art and animation, running through the basic principles that guide each field (anecdotally, I hear VFX artists are in demand).
You won't find anything instructional in the videos, but a glimpse into the processes each artist goes through as they build fireballs and environments and health meters. If you have an interest in creating art for games but don't know where to start, the series, which was posted last month, is worth a watch.
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Tyler grew up in Silicon Valley during the '80s and '90s, playing games like Zork and Arkanoid on early PCs. He was later captivated by Myst, SimCity, Civilization, Command & Conquer, all the shooters they call "boomer shooters" now, and PS1 classic Bushido Blade (that's right: he had Bleem!). Tyler joined PC Gamer in 2011, and today he's focused on the site's news coverage. His hobbies include amateur boxing and adding to his 1,200-plus hours in Rocket League.