Conclusion

This project took me approximately five months to complete. Throughout the process, I encountered various technical and design challenges, many of which are common struggles for environment artists early in their careers, such as retopologizing, baking, and Unreal scene setup. However, the end result was highly rewarding. This experience served as a valuable opportunity to iterate on design, strengthen my technical skill set, and refine my artistic vision. It also provided me with deep insights into delivering game-ready assets from concept to execution, as well as crafting cinematic storytelling using lighting and post-processing techniques in Unreal Engine.

That said, there are areas where I believe this project could have been more polished. First, the concept design, maintaining a cohesive design language across all assets is crucial. For example, what distinctive details or shapes make this environment unique? Second, dedicating more time to iterating on composition within the Engine editor at an early stage would have helped shape the environment from both a cinematic and level design perspective. No design is perfect without continuous practice and refinement.

For beginner artists, I suggest thinking holistically when creating your environments. Start by defining the narrative, what story does the environment tell? Then, consider how the structure and visual design of each asset reinforce that narrative and serve a functional purpose within the space. It’s essential to understand that each stage of production is interconnected, forming smaller components of a larger design principle. However, don’t be intimidated by the workload, allow yourself room for experimentation and mistakes. Growth comes naturally through iterations, and every challenge presents an opportunity to refine your skills.

Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to my mentor, Steven Zhu, and concept artist, Leona Liao, for their feedback on both the technical and design aspects of this project. Their immediate and insightful guidance throughout my weekly progress significantly streamlined my learning process.

I am also grateful to 80 Level for the opportunity to share my project breakdown in this interview. With that in mind, I look forward to embracing future opportunities with excitement and enthusiasm.

Lutong He, 3D Environment Artist

Interview conducted by Gloria Levine