Crunchy bits from the trenches!!!

Submitted by Jude Godin on Fri, 2009-10-30 15:13

I suppose I have always been an artist.  But referring to oneself as an artist is not unlike referring to oneself as a writer.  

 

You're attending a cocktail party and attempting to mix.

 

"I'm a writer!" you tell her with pride.  And she looks at you, stuggling not to roll her eyes, "Oh?  What have you written?"

 

And it is then at that point in the evening when you'd better be able to produce a hardbound copy of your fourth book right then and there along with the movie rights agreement you just signed, or she and anyone else for that matter will dismiss you and your so-called artistic career on the spot.

 

Because everyone is a writer, an artist, and a director... at a cocktail party.

 

I think we all get that example, and that was totally me before Electronic Arts took a chance, and allowed me into their amazing culture and game development environment almost 10 years ago now.  I am fortunate enough to be able to pursue my art as my career, which is a rare and wonderful thing. I am currently working on the 'World Team' of NFS World Online, based in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. 

 

Raised on the Disney Animation of the 60's and 70's, and then mind blown on the edgy art publications of the 80's like 'Heavy Metal', EPIC, and ZZ Top album covers, I entered into this self taught course of illustration.  First re-creating, and then ultimately finding my own style - sitting before the giant art table of my teens, surrounded by my personal art gods; Mobius, Syd Mead, Frazetta, and Jamie Hewlett.  Yes, Jamie was a huge influence on me - Tank Girl for Female President!

 

So today, as an environment artist working on the Need For Speed series, I wanted to share a bit about myself, and my art... and open a coversation that I hope will continue, about how we create our worlds, and what kind of artists make them - The care and passion that goes into their creation.  I hope you enjoy what I have to share.

 

To try and keep things interesting here at work, I am part of a group that runs 'SpeedPainting' sessions.  The art is digital, often created solely in Photoshop, and needs to be created in roughly an hour.. (we are supposed to be making games after all).  It's something to keep those participating exercising the wild and unbound side of their imaginations.. here are a few of my latest entries as well as some random concept art unrelated to any EA project - purely person explorations.  

 

Little Timmy dug too deep.. and has found something odd...

 

Rat encounters Malgrin the Giant as he runs through the backyard shrubbery

 

 

And lastly, I couldn't help but show how all those Heavy Metal magazine and Tank Girl comics connect to the NFS World Online game environment.  Although the examples above don't show it, most of my free-time sketches have very strong female characters - Sexy, but never vulnerable.  This kind:

 

Which is why my co-workers felt I would enjoy upgrading the old Rocket Girl Diner sign that is in our game.  I did.. and here is how she turned out.. hope you like, and I hope you enjoyed this little bit of insight into this environment artist's background.  

 

Until next time! 

 

 

 

 

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