Ranko Prozo - Senior Environment Artist Q&A

In this very special Q&A article we’re joined by Ranko Prozo as we pick his brains on all things stylized! From working at studios such as Fireaxis, Riot Games and Blizzard to creating incredible tribute pieces to series like Final Fantasy, Metal Slug and Dragon Quest, Ranko is a master of stylized art. We dive into his sculpting and texturing techniques, creating scenes with an isometric viewpoint, how to push your skills and improve your portfolio and much more!

Intro

Hello! My name is Ranko Prozo. I am originally from Bosnia but currently live in the United States. I am a senior environment artist and I have been working in the games industry for over 15 years. I worked on smaller independent projects and large AAA games with some really talented teams over the years. My personal projects are mostly stylized such as modern takes on some of my favourite childhood games like JRPGs and classic side scrollers.

How does working on isometric scenes change your composition?

My goal when deciding the composition of an isometric scene comes down to one main thing: readability. Many developers say that the camera of your game dictates the genre of project and here it is no different. The camera is one of the most important factors in determining art direction. When it is farther away you want your shapes and details to be larger. When the camera is closer then focus on intricate details and more delicate shapes. First I determine the distance from which the scene will be viewed so I can make several concrete choices on how to sculpt the models. Secondly, I choose a single focal point in the composition to which all the shape language leads. Most of the assets have to fit into very precise geometric boundaries and that makes it difficult to create organic compositions. I rely on lighting to add  more natural shape language to the often grid-like layouts. For example, the Final Fantasy Tactics Piece (see below) had a very rigid structure to match the feel and gameplay of the original but I worked to give it a more natural appearance. To do so, I used the original base geometry as a starting point but then chipped into the forms for less rigidity. Below is a brief breakdown of this strategy.

Would you be able to explain your use of colour and how it helps the scene and mood?

I use colour to enhance the energy between shapes and draw the viewer's eye to important parts of the piece. This isn't limited to the saturation level of the light sources but also the colour variety in individual elements of the materials. This adds subtle variation details that aren't too distracting in the overall composition. I love the drama created when I contrast between saturated light overtop and less saturated surfaces. In my Xenogears piece below I tried to focus attention towards the window (which is the brightest spot), then towards the floor (the most saturated) and finally towards the painting using some simple contrast adjustments within the materials.

How can lighting influence the feeling and mood of a scene?

I use shadow angle and length to dictate the time of day for the scene.. The composition of shadows is the most important aspect of lighting an isometric scene. Isometric camera angles tend to flatten detail. This is especially true if you are working without perspective so it helps to have your shadows placed to bring out the 3D form. Below is an example of all the basic steps I use to light an isometric environment and a more traditional camera shot.

Would you be able to share some of your sculpting process for the Bilgewater Fan Art and League Tribute: Shurima?

I focus on three main things when sculpting: scale, placement of detail, and how the lighting will react on the surfaces. The key is to add detail to each asset without making it overworked. To achieve this effect I place decorative elements towards the edges of a form and position them to guide the eye towards the clean centre portion of the form. I do not overly focus on the type of surface it will be at first; wood, stone, etc. I ensure that each shape looks interesting regardless of the type of surface. Once I have achieved the desired forms, I add elements to specifically identify the type of material such as liquid, hard, or soft. In addition I make some simple tiling materials that add additional surface definition on top of my sculpts like wood grain, etc. I block out most of my assets in 3ds Max before I sculpt on them to retain scale and level of detail.

What is your texturing process for these pieces?

I create all my materials in Painter and ZBrush. I use a lot of traditional painting techniques applied to a modern PBR workflow. Starting with real world accurate values, I then adjust them as needed depending on the lighting setup. Generally, I tend to texture and light at the same time since the two are mutually dependent. The colour of the lights determine how far I can push colour in the materials and vice versa. I add a lot of colour variation, contrast adjustment, and gradients in my base materials because it creates a painterly feel. The extent of these additions depends on the use of the assets. For example, if you are making a crate that needs to be rotated in any direction then you cannot add a top down gradient. In this case you need to figure out other creative ways to inject some extra colour. Colour variation and contrast adjustments between shapes adds detail to the scene without clutter. Gradients help your shapes pop off each other and add depth to your forms in the final composition. Here are some base colour examples where you can see how far the colour variants between shapes can be pushed and still look somewhat grounded to reality.

What are some of the considerations that need to be made when making assets for an isometric view as compared to the 3rd and 1st person views in other games?

You can make things with real world scale and perspective in mind but it can result in your compositions appearing flat if you are working with an orthographic camera. It also depends on the focal depth of your camera. I always question several aspects when making my assets. Are my shapes tapered so that more detail is seen on vertical surfaces? Is the level of detail exaggerated enough so that it doesn't feel too flat once it is lit? Do my flat surfaces have enough specular information in them to look interesting? Does the composition of my assets highlight the detail from above or obstruct it? There are unique work arounds for each of these aspects but they generally do not come up when creating content for games in the first or third person. The first image below is a sample cheat sheet I make for each project. These particular points tend to apply to most Isometric style games but there are unique ones depending on the art direction of the game. The other example shows how the statues can be tilted and skewed to look correct in game versus their original sculpts.

When creating stylized assets what are you focusing on when looking at reference? 

I always look at real world reference as a starting point for an overall impression of what the assets and scene are trying to convey. Then I decide on the important aspects of the individual elements, such as sharp versus rounded rocks. These decisions influence the focal points for the sculpts where I intend to make each individual element look as natural as possible. It is a delicate balance between what is the most recognizable aspect of this type of object and the detail of the surfaces. I want crisp shapes even though blobby or blurry shapes are more common in nature. This maintains an intentionality for the detail on the sculpts.

When working with a team what do you find the most helpful traits for Junior to Mid-Level Artists?

It is imperative that each artist understands their strengths and their current limitations and communicates them to their team. It makes it easier to assign work and help them grow when they understand their aptitudes and weaknesses. In the long term, such self knowledge helps to integrate them easier in a team work environment. The balance between confidence in your own work and the ability to give and receive feedback is important. This can be one of the hardest things to achieve and only increases in importance when working as a part of a larger team. Also, pay attention to every artist, especially those with less experience than you, you have only knowledge to gain.

As a Senior Environment Artist, can you talk about some of the key skills you look for and wish you had trained when you were starting out? 

Initially, I relied too much on detail in my work. I focused on making ornate assets. Then I believed that skill could only be demonstrated through complexity. Many times I focused on aspects of my work that did not meet the needs of the type of game under construction, which ended up confusing the artistic goals.  As I worked on a wider variety of games that demanded significant changes in art direction, I realized that the opposite is really true. To make something simple that looks great is actually much harder.

What do you look for when you view an Environment Artists portfolio?

I look for clues in the portfolio that help me understand your thought process and why you made certain decisions. Are those choices easily replicable for game-wide consistency? Is the artist aware of the different elements of design and how they come together to improve their work within the specific constraints of the game? For example, do their shapes work in tandem with the details and does the level of detail work for the scene you are making? Any one of these aspects can be picked apart separately and a lack of intentionality marks the work of junior artists.

How do you see the role of Environment Artist changing in the next few years?

I think roles are becoming more specialized as projects balloon to epic sizes. When I started out in the industry, I worked on small projects with no more than 3 environment artists per project. Many times it was just me, which was a great experience because it forced me to learn all aspects of game art creation. I prefer the flexibility to fulfil many roles because it keeps me interested and prevents me from doing the same thing over and over. In the future, I would like to learn more procedural workflows in creating stylized hand sculpted artwork.

How do you keep improving and growing as an artist while working full-time?

I work on a lot of personal projects in my spare time. I try to make time for them, much like time on tasks with my paid job.  I schedule at least a few hours every week to work on these projects, otherwise I am never able to complete them. I use the limitations of my paid work and Artstation as a motivator to get better in other areas. I focus on media that is really nostalgic to me which makes me want to finish personal projects. To prevent burn out I take time away from games and 3d art to spend time in nature with my kids and spouse.

What tips do you have for newly graduated/Junior Environment Artists trying to land their first job in the industry, or even getting their first interview?

Move to an area where there is a lot of game development activity. Know the names and games of at least three studios in your destination locale. Focus on a certain style you like working with and make sure the game company has a project with that art direction. Stay engaged in online communities because it is important to maintain contacts. Remember that there are a lot of elements other than the quality of your work that determine whether you get hired or not. Always remember that you have no power over the way these decisions end up. Working in games is stressful and studios put a lot of pressure on artists to perform in a way that may be counterintuitive to how creative art is actually produced.

Do you have any key presentation tips to make a portfolio shine and stand out?

Make sure there is some consistent narrative or skill you want to show across your portfolio. Explain to the viewer the artistic choices you made. Also the amount of finished pieces you show versus WIP shots says a lot about your ability to focus on your work. It also reveals your ability to see a project through to completion. It is not necessary to present a ton of work, just a few pieces that really highlight your strengths.

Is there any part of your career you would like to highlight in particular?

My work on Heroes of the Storm. Working at Blizzard was one of the more formative art experiences of my career. Getting to work alongside some of the most talented artists in the industry really helped me to understand my own limits and potential as a 3D Artist.

Where are you still looking to grow as an artist? What new techniques or topics interest you?

So many things! I want to apply a lot of the things I learned into more realistic works as well. Also developing more procedural workflows that help speed up my workflow are some of my future goals.

Where do you find inspiration?

Mostly the media I have enjoyed when I was younger, nostalgia is a powerful motivator. Also traveling and spending time with my family.

Where do you seek feedback?

I prefer to make a piece of art and then get feedback in retrospect. This enables me to create a strategy for future projects. I am not overly concerned about each piece looking perfect because I know that is unattainable. Instead, I focus on steady progress, piece by piece, to keep me engaged. I've also gotten to the point in my art career where I don't get too personally attached to my work. This makes it easy to make changes as they are needed. It helps to have a community of artists you respect who give you honest feedback.

Any additional tips or advice you would like to share with our readers?

Honestly, the best thing I can say is to keep making art. It's really easy to get discouraged when looking at all this amazing work on the internet every day. What people lack most of the time when looking at others' portfolios is the context of how those people got there. Most of the time you only see finished projects and it's really hard to see the amount of practice and work that went into one person's work. If you don't think you can measure up with the best ,that's okay, do what you can and grow one project at a time. My favourite thing is to look at old projects and see how much better I've gotten over the years. I still have tons to learn and will most likely never match the work of my favourite artists but since I can isolate aspects I've improved upon that make me want to get better in other areas.

What can we be on the lookout for from you in the future?

I am currently working on an unannounced project at Firaxis Games. I am also part of the Final Fantasy IX Memoria Project as the lead prop artist. If you like my style of work you will hopefully love what we are making. I will be making a lot more classic game tributes in the future as well please keep an eye on my Artstation for more personal work. Thank you.

Outro

Thank you to Kem and the team for inviting me to write this article and share my work and I want to thank my spouse Rebecca for always supporting me and editing my writing.