Game Art Principles

Visual design thinking for games - style selection, asset pipelines, and art direction.

1. Art Style Selection

Decision Tree

What feeling should the game evoke?
│
├── Nostalgic / Retro
│   ├── Limited palette? → Pixel Art
│   └── Hand-drawn feel? → Vector / Flash style
│
├── Realistic / Immersive
│   ├── High budget? → PBR 3D
│   └── Stylized realism? → Hand-painted textures
│
├── Approachable / Casual
│   ├── Clean shapes? → Flat / Minimalist
│   └── Soft feel? → Gradient / Soft shadows
│
└── Unique / Experimental
    └── Define custom style guide

Style Comparison Matrix

2. Asset Pipeline Decisions

2D Pipeline

3D Pipeline

3. Color Theory Decisions

Palette Selection

Color Principles

• Hierarchy: Important elements should pop
• Consistency: Same object = same color family
• Context: Colors read differently on backgrounds
• Accessibility: Don't rely only on color

4. Animation Principles

The 12 Principles (Applied to Games)

Frame Count Guidelines

5. Resolution & Scale Decisions

2D Resolution by Platform

Consistency Rule

Choose a base unit and stick to it:

• Pixel art: Work at 1x, scale up (never down)
• HD art: Define DPI, maintain ratio
• 3D: 1 unit = 1 meter (industry standard)

6. Asset Organization

Naming Convention

[type]_[object]_[variant]_[state].[ext]

Examples:
spr_player_idle_01.png
tex_stone_wall_normal.png
mesh_tree_oak_lod2.fbx

Folder Structure Principle

assets/
├── characters/
│   ├── player/
│   └── enemies/
├── environment/
│   ├── props/
│   └── tiles/
├── ui/
├── effects/
└── audio/

7. Anti-Patterns

Remember: Art serves gameplay. If it doesn't help the player, it's decoration.