Concept / concept art

concept art

Artwork that visualizes characters, places, or atmosphere for design development

Visual development artwork used to explore a design direction before production.

A phrase to start with

Specifies artwork for preproduction visual design.

Appearance and effects

Direction for form, material, light, and space is gathered in one image.

Visual traits

  • Visual development
  • Atmosphere exploration

Expected changes

  • Direction for form or environment is more likely to be shown

Five examples

1 — Medium-sized dog
Open image ↗
2 — Cat
Open image ↗
3 — Teenage boy
Open image ↗
4 — Unoccupied interior
Open image ↗
5 — Valley with a river and mountain ranges
Open image ↗

Meaning and scope

Definition

Artwork used before production to explore and share the appearance of characters, places, environments, or atmosphere. It does not determine a particular work, brand, art style, or medium.

In more detail

A single image can communicate direction for form, material, light, and space. Narrative, subject, and art-style details are separate choices.

Includes

  • Preproduction visual design exploration

Excludes

  • An internal data classification name
  • A particular work or brand
  • A finished advertisement or product image

What this does not imply

  • A particular work, brand, art style, or medium

Variability

The explored subject and finish detail can be adjusted separately.

Usage and adjustments

Usage

  • Specify only the visual-development purpose

Distinguish similar expressions

  • Specify work or brand names separately

Typical uses

  • Explore an environment direction

Possible failure modes

  • The purpose shifts into a finished advertisement

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From the same theme

Items linked through explicit membership in the same theme.