A Systematic Artistic Approach to 3D Character Creation for Games
Olgskaia-Mustonen, Kristina (2025)
2025
All rights reserved. This publication is copyrighted. You may download, display and print it for Your own personal use. Commercial use is prohibited.
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025120332148
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025120332148
Tiivistelmä
The 3D character creation, like the whole 3D game production, is a complex process where artistic principles and technical skills intersect. Unlike a purely technical approach to 3D modelling, effective game character design requires careful use of artistic principles. It is needed to ensure that characters are not only visually appealing, but also clearly readable in the gameplay.
This thesis explores the application of principles of art in the creation of 3D characters for games with primary focus on readability. The research explores how principles of art, such as silhouette, shape language, proportions, positive and negative space, unity, variety, balance, movement, rhythm, emphasis, colour theory, contrast, composition, and visual hierarchy, can be systematically applied to the 3D character production pipeline, from blocking to rendering.
The study utilises three qualitative methods: visual analysis, thematic analysis, and practice-based case study. The visual analysis method is used to research existing 3D game character, focusing on how artistic principles are utilised in their design. The thematic analysis of interviews with professional 3D character artists identifies the challenges and methodology of applying principles of art during the 3D character production. The case study demonstrates the practical application of findings in the creation of 3D character based on pre-existing concept art.
The findings of this research show that artistic principles, adapted to 3D and applied at each stage of the production pipeline with consideration of technical constraints, are fundamental to creating readable and recognisable 3D game characters. The result of this research underlines the importance of visual development and testing with iterative approach and provides a non-universal systematic artistic approach to 3D game character creation.
This thesis explores the application of principles of art in the creation of 3D characters for games with primary focus on readability. The research explores how principles of art, such as silhouette, shape language, proportions, positive and negative space, unity, variety, balance, movement, rhythm, emphasis, colour theory, contrast, composition, and visual hierarchy, can be systematically applied to the 3D character production pipeline, from blocking to rendering.
The study utilises three qualitative methods: visual analysis, thematic analysis, and practice-based case study. The visual analysis method is used to research existing 3D game character, focusing on how artistic principles are utilised in their design. The thematic analysis of interviews with professional 3D character artists identifies the challenges and methodology of applying principles of art during the 3D character production. The case study demonstrates the practical application of findings in the creation of 3D character based on pre-existing concept art.
The findings of this research show that artistic principles, adapted to 3D and applied at each stage of the production pipeline with consideration of technical constraints, are fundamental to creating readable and recognisable 3D game characters. The result of this research underlines the importance of visual development and testing with iterative approach and provides a non-universal systematic artistic approach to 3D game character creation.