SUCCEED IN FILM ART
Stephan Martinière on what it takes to work in the film industry
What makes a good concept? A good concept can do many things depending on what that concept is. The requirements for an environment might be very different from a vehicle or a costume. As a concept artist I try first to understand the narrative intent of the concept; what it needs to convey.
Do you approach a weapon vehicle, or environment concept in different ways? Each concept needs to convey different things or solve specific problems, but there’s always a narrative behind them. An environment tends to require more thinking. There is the composition, the mood, lighting and the design. Sometimes there are multiple narratives in one single shot, which make it more challenging. A ship is more direct but still needs to have all the proper elements to feel right and fit the story.
What are the fundamentals of being a concept artist?
For any aspiring concept artists it’s important to understand that concept art is not just about doing cool art. It’s a demanding job that requires solid art foundation and skills to solve visual problems or offer solutions. It’s also doing a lot of research to stay relevant and come up with unique and compelling ideas, and to understand that many of these ideas will not be used. It’s not about the most beautiful art piece, but more about efficient ways to convey an idea quickly with rough sketches, photo bash and quick 3D.