Exploration Stage,
Exploration concept art is artwork that is done internally in a company that is quick sketches to explore and experiment with different techniques to get the artwork that best fits the project at hand. For exploration character concept art, it will be very basic sketches to get a understanding on what the character will look like and from there other aspects will fit into place etc... the voice of the character and the clothes they will wear.
Initial Character Concept Art - Crash Bandicoot,
This is an example of exploration character concept art for the very popular game named, Crash Bandicoot. As you can see the person who drew this was experimenting on how the character will look from all angles.
This is another example of exploration character art for the same game, Crash Bandicoot. This is another character that will appear in the game and the person who drew these have explored different looks for this character.
Exploration - Object Art,
Same as the character art, the object art will consist of different sketches until they get the drawing they are happy with using for the desired project. These could consist of the following objects weapons (Guns, Swords, Handheld Weapons like a bat or pan), objects on a table (Lamps, Plates, Cutlery) and other such objects.
Initial Object Concept Art - Final Fantasy VII Melee Weapons,
This is some concept art for some melee weapons from the popular game, Final Fantasy VII. As you can see there are multiple drawing that could be using in the project at hand, Final Fantasy.
In this picture there are 6 different drawings for weapons in the popular game Borderlands 2. These weapons vary in category from a sniper rifle and shotguns.
Exploration - Environmental Art,
This form of concept art is to establish the setting where everything in the project will be based e.g. The woods, A castle, Church, School, Field and many other places. The setting of the game is very important as everything else will fall into place when this is chosen. For example the character will wear different clothes depending where they are based. If the setting is based in a cave they may have wet clothes or if the setting is based in a mansion then the character may wear a fancy suit.
This is a picture a person had drawn to get so a initial setting for the character and where the story can be based. It kinda looks like it is based in the past in a country like Italy. From that you can give the character their clothes and in this picture they look like an explorer.
Approval Stage,
The approval stage is to show all your partners and publisher a detailed version of the character(s) that will be in your game/project. If the people you are showing this too don't agree with/like you designs they will deny the greenlight and make you change the certain issue then they will give you the greenlight then the next stage can begin.
Character Concept Art to Present to a Publisher,
This is artwork is from the popular game Destiny that has been through the initial stage and has moved onto the approval stage. This means that the artists have chosen the best looking sketch and worked of that to create a character that is coloured to represent what the character will look like when it is completed.
Object Concept Art to Present to a Publisher,
Just like the Character art this has gone through the initial stage and is finished and ready to be approved.
Object Concept Art to Present to a Publisher,
Just like the Character art this has gone through the initial stage and is finished and ready to be approved.
This is different designs for weapons that will be shown to the publishers to hopefully get permission to use these designs in the final project.
Environmental Concept Art to Present to a Publisher,
Environmental Concept Art to Present to a Publisher,
The environmental concept art that will be going for approval from the publishers will have to be a rather detailed version of the environments/setting that the project will be in. If approved it can be worked on and fully completed ready for the next stage.
Promotion Stage,
Promotion Character Art,
Promotion Stage,
Promotion Character Art,
The purpose of the promotion in terms of the character art is to generate hype in the public and to give them something to look at and instantly understand what game/product the character is from.
As you can see the image is a very detailed and includes the name of the game/name of the character that you can see on the image (Titan).
Promotion Object Art,
Promotion Object Art,
Promotion for the object art works in the same way as the character art as it lets the public know and speculate on what the rest of the objects will look like in the game.
Promotion Environmental Art,
The same way as the object art giving a picture like this to the public will generate hype and make people talk about the game and once again speculate about what the general environment will look like.