How to use 3D to create epic game art

09 Apr 2026, 08:00 by https://www.creativebloq.com/author/connor-sheehan · Creative Bloq

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For this official art reveal from [upcoming Japanese dark fantasy-inspired cosmic horror game] Kaidan, I started with a 3D mock-up. Generic elements like the trees and rocks were pulled from asset stores, but anything that required a specific design was built by hand for full control.

Some asset store meshes can be insanely heavy on the computer! Once I was happy with the composition, I made subtle adjustments to the colour balance, contrast and value in the compositor or in Photoshop (see our guides to the best digital art software and the best places to get free game assets).

When it comes to the paintover, I always work from large, sweeping changes first and only move into the finer details once the big picture is locked in. If you can, keep the refinement and detail most concentrated at your focal points. Let the periphery parts of the composition be a bit rougher – it helps guide the viewer’s eye!

01. 3D mock-up

Unless I am purposefully creating a loose exploratory sketch, I prefer to mock up my paintings inside a 3D scene (see our guide to the best 3D modelling software).

The beauty of this approach is that everything stays malleable throughout the entire development process, and it slots naturally into game, film and animation pipelines.

02. Composition, lighting and colour

With the scene in place, I focus on composing and lighting the shot. Working in 3D means I can generate variations in almost no time, which is genuinely one of the most enjoyable parts of the process. That said, it’s easy to get lost in the options.

03. Painting over

The great thing about having a 3D base is that you can never truly destroy it, so don’t be precious about the paintover. Sometimes, the best move is to lay down heavy, broad strokes that completely obliterate the underlying detail, then slowly paint back in using the render as a guide.

This article originally appeared in ImagineFX. Subscribe to ImagineFX to never miss an issue. Print and digital subscriptions are available.

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