Artwork Style Brief
This brief helps designers define their board game's visual style.
- What it is
- A 10-page questionnaire (version 0.1, 2023) that captures the visual style you want for your game.
- Who it's for
- Creators about to commission artwork, from us or from any artist.
- What's inside
- Four sections: genre and mood, aesthetic, level of detail and finish, and examples of art you like and dislike.
- How to use it
- Fill it in before your first conversation with the artist. In the industry this document is called an art brief.
Read the text version of this document
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WU HEROTIME
ARTWORK STYLE BRIEF
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So, you need some art?! You’ve created a game, fantastic! Now you’ll be needing some gorgeous art to bring it to life... On the following pages you’ll find questions that will help an artist to understand your vision. By giving as much information as possible now it will help ensure the art that is created brings your game to life exactly as you’d imagined!
Artwork Style Brief
Version 0.1 - 2023
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A quick overview before we dive in. 1
Genre and mood p3 What’s the overall ‘vibe’ of the game? The feeling you wish to evoke with the art; the look and feel as a whole? Genre often guides the mood, but not necessarily; for example, you might have a game about demons, but played for laughs, in which case ‘dark and scary’ might not be the look you’re going for!
Aesthetic p4-5 Painterly and dynamic like film concept art, or flat and colorful? Elegant and minimal, or anarchic and in-your-face?! In this section we’ll cover the fundamental style you’d like for your game.
Detail p6-7 The level of detail and ‘finish’ you’d like the art to have. Should the art be polished like the work of old masters; or be looser, more impressionistic and flowing?
Show some examples! p8 A great way to communicate your vision to an artist is to show examples that you like and dislike!
Artwork Style Brief
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Genre and mood Which genre does your game best fit into? If you’re unsure, click the headings for more information and some game examples.
General category Party game
Strategy game
Family game
Eurogame
Card game
Wargame
Game mechanics Abstract
Dungeon Crawler
Area Control
Engine Builder
Campaign / Legacy
Roll-and-move
Deckbuilder
Roll-and-write
Deck Construction
Social Deduction
Dexterity
Storytelling
Drafting
Worker Placement
Artwork Style Brief
Is your game a ‘classic’ example of games within the genre you’ve selected? Yes. Why fix it, if it isn’t broken?! No. I want to shake up genre conventions!
If ‘No’, what makes your game unique?
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Aesthetic Choose the images that best convey the ‘look and feel’ you’d like.
Artwork Style Brief
Remember: the more you choose, the less focused an artist’s understanding will be!
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Aesthetic Can you summarise your vision for the game’s art in a few sentences?
Can you do it in 3 WORDS?!
Examples...
Artwork Style Brief
COLOURFUL
SCI FI
NATURE
PUGS
DARK
REALISTIC
CARTOON
CINEMATIC
PAINTERLY
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Detail An important note about art and the time it can take! Games come in all kinds of styles and art is totally subjective. But the level of detail and ‘finish’ required makes a huge difference in the time required and, consequently, the cost involved.
Note: On the next page is a rough gauge to gain understanding of your expectations. But keep in mind...
THERE ARE 3 WAYS TO WORK, BUT YOU CAN ONLY PICK 2 OF THEM!
GOOD
CHEAP
FAST
GOOD AND CHEAP WON’T BE FAST FAST AND GOOD WON’T BE CHEAP CHEAP AND FAST WON’T BE GOOD
Artwork Style Brief
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Detail Select one of the images that best fits the level of detail you’d like.
Loose
Refined
Cinematic
Polished
The lines are sketchy and loose, detail is minimal, but it is still great to look at and dynamically conveys the theme.
Illustrative with a more refined line and bold rendering. Think of comics and graphic novels!
A classic style for a lot of modern games, with realistic rendering but a painterly, artistic finish.
Every detail is crisp, lighting realistic and linework and brushstrokes almost imperceptible. Slick!
Artwork Style Brief
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Show some examples! Provide some links to things you like and dislike, and feel free to explain why! This is so cool!
Artwork Style Brief
Please... just... no.
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Got a question?
Contact our Manufacturing Team manufacture@herotimel.com
SILZ > ~~
Multi-Language Support
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