Concept Art vs Illustration

Concept art is designing shit. Illustration is making shit looks good.

>>3076439
>>3076442
Oh god...

No.


>Illustration

STORY

>concept art

IDEA.

>>3076442
This.

Also they're both very competitive, but of course it depends a bit on what you focus on. I reckon that becoming a prop concept designer would be a lot less competitive than character design. If you're looking for a less competitive area in the design field, you should probably try going with UI.

>>3076439
CONCEPT ART CONSISTS OF MOSTLY INANIMATE OBJECTS.

ILLUSTRATION IS MORE OF A MOMENT IN TIME. VERY VERY DETAILED AND EXPLAINED CLEARLY.

>>3076439
concept art doesn't require as much 'correctness' fundamentally speaking nor detail. It's about being functional for it's purpose and looking good/cool. Concept artists are naturally expected to create alot more work because of this.

Illustration however requires you to have really good fundamental understanding. Especially when it comes to composition. An illustrators work usually takes more time and consideration.

It's like quantity vs quality.

A concept artist is showing you one or a few ideas while an illustrator is telling you an entire story with his work.

One might ask a concept artist to draw his interpretation of a character or weapon or vehicle, exploring how it might by making several different versions of it

While one might ask an illustrator to draw them a scene in which A young hero saves a damsel in distress wearing a sacred neclace which she retreived from the lair of a terrifying beast.

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>>3076445
> STORY

That's so much bullshit.
Please enlighten me on what's the story on pic related. (could give a thousand other examples)

>>3076455
An illustration can look visually pleasing but fail to communicate a narrative. dipshit.

>>3076458
this
It might be 'good artwork'
but it's a poor illustration.

That is more of a pinup...an abstract one.

>>3076439
The proper definition doesn't matter to ic. The endgame here is competing for patreon bucks & eFame. Illustration=fanart or smut, Concept art = muh personal project, aka artbook for a product that doesn't exist.

>>3076453
OP here...
Is it possible to have a steady career as an illustrator?

If I'm not mistaken, some companies will hire in-house concept artist who will work year-round.

Do companies hire in-house illustrators as well? Or are illustrators only hired on a project by project basis?

>>3076458
>>3076461
Doesn't matter. The image I linked has 1k likes in Artstation and I'm sure the creator is in no shortage of work that may be similar to this. Story can look very nice, but it is NOT a requirement. Period.

>>3076455
ARE YOU RETARDED?

IT'S SYMBOLIC YOU THICK DUMB FUCK.

>>3076463
Well most of the work I've done as an illustrator hasn't been for companies but for individuals I've met through networking. My experience so far has been mostly project to project but yours might end up being different..

Although as general advice, I would recommend that you try to be a bit more multi-talented and not limit yourself to only be an illustrator.

>>3076463
FUCK NO, STEADY CAREER MY ASSHOLE.

YOU'RE LUCKY IF YOU GET A GIG MAN. JUST ENJOY YOUR TALENTS... IF YOU EVER GET GOOD AT EM...

>>3076469
Ok, thanks!

>>3076469
What else do you do?

>>3076466
>1k likes
So what......?
>it's not a requirement for an illustration to have a story.
Yeah... whatever you say, anon.

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>>3076468
So is this also symbolic?
Your mom should've considered anal sex. Or maybe she did and you're the result.

>>3076471
Ok, thanks for your insight.

I'm sorry about your asshole. Hope it gets better.

>>3076473
GET A REAL JOB, AND PRACTICE ART ON THE SIDE IS WHAT HE'S SAYING.>>3076469
>>3076473


UNLESS YOU'RE MENTALLY RETARDED, YEA JUST DO ONE THING, GOVERNMENT WILL DO THE REST.

>>3076469
>>3076474
I would also like to know, if you don't mind telling us.

>>3076463
>Is it possible to have a steady career as an illustrator?
>If I'm not mistaken, some companies will hire in-house concept artist who will work year-round.
>Do companies hire in-house illustrators as well? Or are illustrators only hired on a project by project basis?

Illustration for games that require a lot of 2d art assets are handled like a spreadsheet of itemized art required with a producer or art director managing outside talent. The in-house art director might also be an illustrator that is required to generate art themselves, do paintovers or fixes of other peoples work. Very rare to keep an in-house illustrator but it's possible.

Concept artist might be asked to move from concept design after pre-pro to paintovers or asset creation in production...u, texturing, 2D assets/graphic design or illustration a game might have ala some poster in the fiction/splashscreens. Depending on how lean the team is you might be doing marketing art, cutting together trailers, retouching screenshots... anything art. Also depending on how indie you are you might not even be getting paid, HAH. On AAA there might be outside talent hired to do pitch or prepro or temps, contract work.

>>3076477
>>3076479

NO THAT'S A PORTRAIT U STUPID FUCKING RETARD LMFAO...

HAHAHAHA

>>3076476
So what he gets work and recognition as a successful illustrator. Doesn't matter if you personally only likes paintings with story, it's not universally true so don't claim it as such. Illustration does not require a story although I like it as well myself.

>>3076445
yea pretty much this.

>>3076485
> Portrait
> Illustration
> Different things
End yourself.

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>>3076463
Typically on a project-by-project basis. You are usually dubbed a freelance illustrator, and classified as a contractor.

I keep telling people here that they should focus on getting commissioned for illustration work by businesses and companies, rather than personal private commissions. People here tend to think that "commissions" means these private personal commissions that pay terribly.

Doing freelance illustration for businesses can absolutely be a steady career, and here's why: You get a bunch of repeat work. Here's what happens - you do well on your first project and you start getting occasional repeat work or referrals. This is you getting work by doing absolutely nothing, and it definitely snowballs. If you have 10 different clients who love you and are regularly shoot you projects, then you have an absolutely steady, full time career.

I highly, highly recommend it. It's incredibly hard to get your first few commercial clients, but once you do, it's largely smooth sailing from there.

>>3076474
Aside from Book illustrations?
Wall Murals
Traditional Oil paintings (mostly portraiture)
Porn Commissions
Graphic Design
Logo Design

>>3076439
illustration is even more competitive.

you have to be fucking amazing. i hear a lot of artists get hired in their mid 30's 40's...they just happily did what they love and what ever happens...

>>3076494
yes end yourself. you're confused. it's okay anon.

you obviously don't know the difference between these three.

>>3076498
Is there a reason for illustration being more competitive than concept art?

>you have to be fucking amazing
I've heard many people say similar things about the concept art industry.

>>3076439
Concept art is supposed to be about figuring out what something looks like, and communicating that to other people. To do this effectively you can end up doing things that are detrimental to illustration. And vice versa.

So for example for a concept you will often draw something from slightly above, in a 3/4 view, with overhead lighting. This gives a good view of what the thing looks like. But it is really fucking boring for an illustration. You'd probably want to explore more interesting camera angles and moody lighting if you were going to illustrate a scene with a character. For an illustration you might also want a more action packed pose with limbs crossing over the torso or even the face. This obscures part of the character from view and would not be as good for a concept. If you just take your 3/4 character concept and try to plop a background behind it and throw some fancy brush strokes around, then you end up with something that isn't really good at doing anything.

In illustration it can be good to hint at things, be a little impressionistic or obscure things with shadow. It creates mood and atmosphere, drama. It doesn't show someone what exactly a thing looks like very well though, so it is detrimental for a concept piece.

Fancy brushwork looks nice, but takes time. Maybe you can get away with it in illustration, but in concept art with so many iterations and discarded drawings that are needed with a quick turn around time, fiddling with artistic flourishes isn't logical.

Pros don't like to show their true concept work all that much because it often isn't very flattering. They will dress up their concepts or show mostly images with more of an illustration slant. So greenhorns can get confused and can end up with a portfolio that doesn't really function well as a concept portfolio or an illustration portfolio.

>>3076504

yes.

>>3076498
Competition is pointless to think about anyways, every artist out there work along side each other.

>>3076507
wtf?

stfu idiot. it's survival of the fittest in this industry. artists fade away all the time, new guy was better. leave it to the art directors/coordinator

>>3076487
successful illustrator=/=good illustrator
He's probably good at marketing himself and good at making pleasing images but by definition he isn't a good illustrator if the majority of his work is like what you showed us.

The story element is essential to an illustration. Otherwise it's just a glorified pinup.

No one is saying that your favourite artist is bad anon we're just saying he might have mislabelled himself...
>Artistic illiteracy is a real thing people

>>3076514
> The story element is essential to an illustration. Otherwise it's just a glorified pinup.
Says who? You? It's fine to have personal definitions. Like if you don't consider paintings without a story "true illustrations". I personally like stories as well. Just don't try to pretend your personal definition is universal, because it's not.

illustration
noun
a picture illustrating a book, newspaper, etc.

illustration is for a moment in time.

concpet art is A concept. how obvious can i make it for you.

CONCEPT. Just look up the definition.

>>3076522
look i'm not gonna sit here wasting my time typing you to death. It's the truth and you can just ignore it if you want. I don't care.

>>3076524
That's too confusing when you consider conceptual art is a thing and the how vague the word concept is and can mean emotional response. Illustration also can demonstrate concepts.

>>3076526
Not that guy, but it's not the truth.

As a full time illustrator myself, I've done hundreds illustrations that are nothing more than simple, stale, boring portraits. A portrait is an illustration, and it doesn't have to have a story. I've done countless illustrations that are nothing more than being decoration for a larger project.

These things don't have stories. They're just ideas people have that need illustrating, so they hire an illustrator.

>>3076529
yeah but we're talking what is industry accepted definitions. If you go to a company that needs an illustrator but you're the type of "illustrator" that "demonstrates concepts" or "responds emotionally", you're gonna have a hard time.

>>3076537
well isn't it true that some illustrations require you to show some sort of story to them where compare to concept art that is never asked for?

I might have been mistaken but that's the point i'm trying to get across anyway.

>>3076529
i'm not going to bait anymore. you're either trolling or straight up retarded.

>this thread
Illustration - Visually representing elements in a way that communicates a narrative, however large or small.

Design - Visually representing elements in a way that communicates a possible idea to be used as a solution to a problem.


Need to clothe your figure in your illustration? Well do some designs to help figure out that problem!

The quick rule:
If you're drawing for the sake of finding an answer, you're designing.
If you're drawing for the sake of representing a meaning, you're illustrating.

>>3076552
>this thread
is more like everyone has their own definition of both, but it somehow works in the end for every one despite that.

>>3076552
what if you're designing an illustration?

>>3076557
ASIAN DETECTED.

>>3076567
CHING CHONG BING BONG SUCKY SUCKY MY SCHLONG

>>3076573
lol yeoopp.

>>3076573
asians genetically cannot have shlongs, unless they where strap on's. their dicks are pretty much as small as their eye sight.

ME no no!

>>3076543
Well sure thing. That's totally reasonable that SOME illustrations need to show story of some sort.
It's just that you said
>The story element is essential to an illustration
which made it seem like you were claiming it's essential to all illustrations.

More importantly, is doing either of them fun? In the end your talent is just being used to make someone else's vision reality. Wouldn't it be more fun to use your talent to paint your own vision?

>>3076600
Why even bring this up you stupid mother fucker? This isn't the kind of thread for that.

>>3076601
Don't talk to me ever again.

>>3076439
They're actually the same thing. However some time ago a few pretentious fags came up with the term concept art for work that was really only difficult in subject matter

>>3076601
lol...

which brings us to the point. why work for peanuts when you can just eat them.

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>>3076615

this is why people think you're a faggot

>>3076455
This girl is some sort of prototype aquatic cyborg/android. She's discovers in the ocean that mans tampering is fucking shit up, this conflicts her.
>I'm guessing.

>>3076615
>Reply
They're not the same thing. They overlap, but not the same thing at all.

Concept art is loose, rough, and only intended to help a game dev, movie maker, or animator create a finished piece. The only other times people will see it is "Art of [ ]" books. It's thinking and exploring on paper.

Illustration covers a broad range of work, but it's for the most part finished work intended for publication of some sort, be it book covers, magazine covers, food packaging, kid's books, editorial, and a whole slew of other industries and uses. Key here is "finished work, that people will see"

Don't go around calling people "pretentious faggots", when you're an ignorant faggot, faggot.

>>3076463
>Is it possible to have a steady career as an illustrator?
Of course it is. I've been working as one for decades. The opportunities aren'y as widespread as when I started, but tons of illustrators still make a living at it.
Go here, and see:
https://www.societyillustrators.org/

And yes, it's $500 a year, in dues. Pro's can afford it.

>>3076483
That's the game industry, there's a whole big world outside of game design, that hires artists for illustration. Book companies. Record companies (Both will have inhouse artists, the bigger they are) Food companies hire packaging artists, to create the labels of the stuff you buy. People get hired for technical illustration, merchandising design, toy design, editorial work, there are hundreds of industries that hire illustrators - and pay well.

>>3076498
You don't have to be fucking amazing. You're creating artificial roadblocks, probably because you're too scared to try. I heard shit like that all the time in school, from the people who weren't gonna make it. I was taking jobs while in school.

>>3076600
Starting out, your vision won't pay rent, or buy groceries.

>>3076835
seeing as i usually spout this same message on this board, i'm well aware. It's just obvious to assume this guy wants to into fantasy/scifi.

Merchandising design and toy design are DESIGN not illustration fyi.

>>3076502
I'm not the guy you're fighting but I agree with him. You're being ridiculous...

Just to confirm because I'm not even sure.

CONCEPT ART:
- Not fully finished pieces for commercial use
- More sketch-type pieces
- Quantity over quality for the most part
- Requires speed

ILLUSTRATION:
- Always completed pieces to 100%
- Less quantity of work due to above but more quality
- Requires great composition above all(?)

I mean it all depends on the level but a high level concept artist and illustrator can exchange position without worries.

>>3076439

Concept art is a more design based field, you study real life inner workins to come up with realistic, or life-inspired designs that look nice and functional. Illustration is more about selling story based ideas, or abstract concepts with more emphasis on making it look pretty, poster like.
That's my interpretation of it, anyway.

>>3076439
concept art is expendable and part of a pipeline for a bigger product

illustration is its own end product

>>3078276
This is accurate and probably the best answer for the uninitiated.

Watching these other struggle definitions in the thread are painful.

If you are looking for validation for your work just go illustration, the work/reward is more straight forward and immediate. It's not a bad place to cut your teeth.

Or go production. just work on the product and ship it. That means creating assets, but it's not devoid of design work, character & environment artists are designers in their own right and do have input..plus what gets shipped is your work.

Everyone here is obsessed with pre-production concept art because they think its where the real CREATIVE work comes from...but the hard pill to swallow, even if you're good enough to be a concept artist/designer it might be years before something you made gets out the door as a recognizable design of yours (things change), or even greenlit. You might also have a hard time getting your NDA work available to show especially if project was never developed. Pitch after project gets binned and canceled. Unless you love the process over everything, it might not be for you.

>>3078370
don't forget that a huge part of the "concept art" you get to see or buy in artbooks is actually promo art

>>3077567
>https://www.societyillustrators.org/
>Quantity over quality for the most part

Yall shoud stop saying that. The fact that the work is not well polished doesn't mean it's not quality stuff (you can have a quality design).

>>3076445
his simplistic statement isn't the complete picture, but it's more accurate than what you've said here. concept art can be about story, and a lot of it is. So no.

>>3078751
It's of lower quality because it's not polished.