Translating the impression of the shape into a visual: Daigo Tanaka's concept art

Concept art is essential for creating the worldview and image of movies, games, anime, and other works. It plays an important role in clarifying the direction of the entire project by visualizing ideas that are difficult to convey through text or words alone. Daigo Tanaka, who joined the company in 2022 and works as a concept artist, talks about his thoughts on concept art and his production policies.

Concept art to guide the content direction

-First, please tell us about the work that you usually do.

In addition to creating concept art, I am also in charge of creating environment art, which visualizes the background and surrounding environment. In a previous game project, I also designed the machines and equipment that appeared in the game. It was a difficult task dealing with many objects, but I feel that I was able to improve my 3DCG skills.

- From here on, I would like to delve deeper into the work of a concept artist. First, please tell us about the job and role of a concept artist.

Concept art is divided into various categories such as environment art and character design, but the one thing that remains consistent is "visualizing the ideas that form the basis of the work or content." It involves taking the director's ideas and putting them into visual form. The direction of the work is often decided from there, so I think it is an essential job in the early stages of production.

- I imagine it's not easy to turn thoughts and ideas into visuals. What do you particularly value in the production process?

I think the most important thing is to thoroughly exchange opinions and eliminate any discrepancies. On top of that, if I have an idea of my own, I try to proactively propose it. In order to make better proposals, I broaden my horizons through daily study, such as reading up on materials, visiting artist submission sites, and watching tutorials by overseas concept artists.

- When creating concept art, are there any points that you pay attention to or put effort into?

"Shape language," right? Simply put, shape language is the psychological impression that a shape gives. For example, many people get the impression that a triangle is "aggressive," while curves and circles give the impression of "gentleness" or "softness." By incorporating the idea of shape language into concept art, I aim to be able to intuitively convey the world view and atmosphere of the work.

Shapes can be combined in an infinite number of ways, so I continue to explore them daily using Photoshop's shape tools, asking myself, "What kind of impression will it give if I combine this shape with that other shape?" When I come up with an interesting shape, I keep it in storage and incorporate it into projects or my own work as needed.

Original work "Unknown Planet" series

- I would like to ask you about your independent productions, which you are actively working on. What kind of works are you creating?

I like science fiction, so I often create works that incorporate science fiction elements. The "Unknown Planet" series was born from my desire to depict the culture of aliens on an unknown planet.

The production process was as follows: first, I solidified the story and ideas, then I made a rough draft, then I created it in 3D and added to it in Photoshop. At first, I was unsure whether to proceed in 2D or 3D, but in actual projects, speed is often required to come up with ideas, so I started to work more in 3D to make the process more efficient.

-What is the concept and story behind this series?

The story begins with the protagonist, who lands on an unknown planet in a spaceship, finding an eye-like relic. This relic is connected to a chain that stretches from the sky, and when you follow the chain, it becomes clear that it is the remains of a large ruin in the heavens. That's the image I had in mind when I drew it. I tried to make a single game, so there are more detailed settings than that.

I was also conscious of shape language when creating this series. For example, I included square motifs in the ruins that give the impression of "strictness" and "justice," but I also incorporated undulating curves here and there. By doing so, I thought that people would be able to feel a slightly different atmosphere that they have never seen in real ruins. I feel that I was able to intentionally incorporate the impression created by the combination of shapes into my work.

Taking on new challenges and expanding our vision for the future

-Finally, please tell us about your future prospects.

Of course, I want to grow as a concept artist, but I also want to try my hand at various fields. Currently, I am trying to import the concept art I created into a game engine and turn it into a video. I believe that if I can increase the number of things I can do, I will be able to broaden the scope of my expression even further.