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Culture
Sunday Comics: Hit Me, Dealer.
Welcome to your Sunday read of the week’s best in web comics. Make sure to click on the expand button in the bottom right to enlarge each comic. Awkward Zombie by Katie Tiedrich published Oct. 22.—Read more of Awkward Zombie Nerf NOW!! by Josué Pereira published Oct. 24.—Read more of Nerf NOW!! Penny Arcade by…
By Owen Good Published October 28, 2012 -
Culture
Forget Wallpaper, This Art Deserves a Good Frame and a Spot on Your Wall
It’s all just so…beautiful. Where most game artists have a palette that starts at “violent” and ends at “dark”, Theo Prins’ work here has a warmth and colour to it that’s as refreshing as it is a pleasure to look at. Theo works at Guild Wars 2 developers ArenaNet, on whose site you can read…
By Luke Plunkett Published October 26, 2012 -
CultureTotal Recall
One Child’s Dream Day Inside Nintendo’s Japanese Headquarters
Nintendo is notoriously guarded when it comes to corporate visits. While companies like Namco Bandai and Sony are only too happy to throw open their studio doors to the press, getting inside Nintendo’s Kyoto headquarters when you don’t work there is almost impossible Oh, unless you’re Gareth Bailey, a British kid who in 1994 won…
By Luke Plunkett Published October 25, 2012 -
Culture
XCOM Could Have Let The Aliens Win
Did you like that XCOM art we posted yesterday? Well, one of the artists behind it was Piero Macgowan, and tonight we’re going to taking a closer look at his work. Mexican-born Macgowan works at Civilization and (duh) XCOM studio Firaxis as a Senior Concept Artist, which means in addition to the alien-fighting pics you’ll…
By Luke Plunkett Published October 25, 2012 -
CultureTotal Recall
Capturing the Coolness of California Arcades in the Early 80s
Between 1981 and 1982, renowned photographer Ira Nowinski hiked all over the Bay Area, taking hundreds of photos of arcades. In all, he snapped around 700 images, and in awesome news for retro gaming fans many of them are now available for viewing, courtesy of their acquisition by Stanford University’s library (and Edge). Once you’re…
By Luke Plunkett Published October 24, 2012 -
Culture
Get a First Look at XCOM’s Fantastic Concept Art
While a few pieces were shown here and there in the lead-up to the game’s release, what you’re about to see is a collection of mostly never-before-seen concept art from the production of one of the year’s surprise hits. Drawing in works from all over the place, from mood-setting paintings to gun designs to ideas…
By Luke Plunkett Published October 23, 2012 -
Culture
This is Orange 5, Standing By
Atey Ghailan is another of the talented team at Atomhawk Design, a British studio made up of a ton of former games industry artists. If you like what you see here, you can check out Atey’s blog or CA.org page for more. (thanks ConceptArtWorld!) To see the larger pics in all their glory (or, if…
By Luke Plunkett Published October 23, 2012 -
Culture
What Dishonored’s Corvo Looked Like Before He Got That Fancy Mask
As you’d know if you were reading Fine Art last week, Dishonored was originally intended to be a game set in 17th century London, rather than the whalepunk fictional universe it ended up creating for itself. The decision to switch settings wasn’t made instantly; there had been time for some art to be drawn up…
By Luke Plunkett Published October 21, 2012 -
Culture
The Week in Games: Meadow of Honor: Warfarmer
What is this week’s biggest release? Is it Forza Horizon or Street Fighter X Tekken on the Vita? Is it The Unfinished Swan or Skylanders Giants? Is it Medal of Honor: Warfighter?. Or is it the game that feeds a land, raises a hard-working generation, and bestows upon a nation the greatness it needs to…
By Owen Good Published October 21, 2012 -
Culture
Sunday Comics: You Can’t Look It Up on GameFAQs, Either
Welcome to your Sunday read of the week’s best in web comics. Make sure to click on the expand button in the bottom right to enlarge each comic. Penny Arcade by Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik published Sept. 15.—Read more of Penny Arcade Awkward Zombie by Katie Tiedrich published Sept. 15.—Read more of Awkward Zombie…
By Owen Good Published October 21, 2012 -
Culture
Dishonored’s Art Director Talks Inspiration, Cut Levels
I know, we’ve looked at Dishonored once already here on Fine Art, but today is a little different, because we not only have some images from quite literally the game’s drawing board stage, but also some commentary on them from Sebastien Mitton, Arkane’s art director. Did you know, for example, that the game’s “Tallboy” units…
By Luke Plunkett Published October 18, 2012 -
CultureIs Dear Esther Still Poignant During a Speed Run? Let’s Watch and Find Out.
Indie sensation Dear Esther won lots of praise for its distinctive feel and moody narrative when it came out earlier this year. Even though it’s short, The Chinese Room’s experimental title is the kind of experience you take your time with so that the mournful vibe and lushly drawn virtual world can seep into your…
By Evan Narcisse Published October 18, 2012 -
Culture
Tsk Tsk Tsk, And I Bet He Wasn’t Even Insured
Edvige Faini is an Italian artist with so many skills, and noted employers, that it’s tough to know where to start. Having recently been at social games developer Dreamfire Games, Faini now works at Hollywood production house The Aaron Sims Company, where she’s providing art for some of 2013 (and beyond’s) biggest movies. She’s also…
By Luke Plunkett Published October 18, 2012 -
Culture
The Making of an Assassin
Alexandre Troufanov is employed at Ubisoft Montreal, where he works as a character modeller, which means he actually builds some of the people who inhabit the world of Assassin’s Creed You’ll see some examples of this in the gallery below, spanning the last three games in the series (not including the latest entry, the upcoming…
By Luke Plunkett Published October 17, 2012 -
Culture
Truly ‘Adult’ Video Games
A funny thing happened at a showcase for new PlayStation games last week. A rep for Sony was showing me the PS3’s slick new online store, flicked through some of the new classifications for games on the store, each of which has a number next to them indicating how many games fit that category and……
By Stephen Totilo Published October 16, 2012 -
Culture
In the Future, Lady Robots Will Ride Regular Robots
Xiao Biao “Bill” Xuis, aka rd7, is an artist currently working at Redsteam, a concept art studio in Shanghai. His speciality? Awesome images of sci-fi settings, mechs and people wearing highly impractical body armour. If you like the stuff you see in the gallery below, you should check out more on rd7’s CGHub page, or…
By Luke Plunkett Published October 16, 2012 -
Culture
What Dr. Horrible Can Teach Nerds (And Everyone Else) About Love
Does anyone represent the trials and tribulations of the modern day nerd quite as much as Dr. Horrible? He wants what we all want: to build a fairer, more just and equitable society. To be recognized and valued for his gifts and contributions to the world at large. To get through the day without being…
by Harris O'Malley Published October 15, 2012 -
Culture
These Kentucky Fried Chicken Flavored Potato Chips Look Finger-Licking Good
Starting on October 25 and for a limited time only, KFC Japan is launching a new flavor of fried chicken called “uma shio shouga chicken” (旨塩生姜チキン) or “savory salt ginger chicken”. According to Tokyo Walker, KFC worked with Japanese snack maker Calbee to bring this flavor to potato chips—also for a limited time only. This…
By Brian Ashcraft Published October 15, 2012