2D Art

Group photo of the Orga-Team in both Art Departments in summer 2024. Pictured from left to right are Gina Meusel (2D), Lisa Kinder (2D), Rabea Kolsch (3D) and Jessica Schmidt (2D).

The 2D Art area creates digital art and visual concepts for games. Everything from concept art to character animations, background images, and user interfaces is included. The workshop welcomes all skill levels, but has a relatively high workload. Not only are the basics of drawing taught here, but above all how to produce and implement assets for games. We currently work mainly with the free drawing software Krita.

Skills in the 2D De­part­ment

Konzeption und Stilfindung | Melodie der Meisen | Semesterprojekt SoSe2024

Con­cep­tu­al work

A feeling for visual uniformity is developed. This is based on fundamental design principles and typical media conventions from the industry. 2D artists help firstly to visualise overarching information and decisions in relation to the game concept and secondly to work out an art style.

Ausschnitt aus dem 2D Department Workshop des Wintersemesters 2023-24

Me­dia pro­duc­tion

Various assets are produced for a video game. These include, for example, backgrounds, characters, animations, tiles, elements of a user interface or individual in-game components that are placed in the game world for interaction or decoration. This is done using drawing programmes and the Unity Engine.

Ausschnitt aus dem 2D Department Workshop des Wintersemesters 2023-24

In­ter­dis­cip­lin­ar­ity

We work closely with the 3D and audio departments. Regular dialogue and coordination are important for a consistent in-game experience. For example, a 2D artist provides the templates (Turn Arounds) for 3D models and paints the UV map of the model. The mood and ambience in the game is realised together with the audio.

Our role and re­spons­ib­ilites

In the first semester, the role of 2D artists is experienced in its entirety for the first time in the GameJam. This is where all the workshop content and exercises for effective realisation come together in a small time frame. Depending on their strengths and abilities, 2D artists divide up research and conceptualisation tasks and produce their assets in consultation with their team and the other departments.

If they participate again in the summer semester, previously learnt skills are applied in the semester project. This is where the responsibilities of a 2D Art Lead are added, which involves the long-term coordination of their own team or good co-operation as a team member.

Vocab­u­lary of the 2D De­part­ment

A texture is like the mesh of a cube cut open at the edges. The texture covers a 3D model like a skin and can add colour, structure, depth and character to a previously grey model.