The first step of being an artist is consuming art. If you want to design games, you have to play games. You have to read games. You even have to, heaven's forefend, talk about games.
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Being an artist is a mindset; I've machined metal chips as a tool maker that were stunningly beautiful;they were then swept into a bin and sent away to be smelted. So much art is ephemeral beyond belief.
Oh no! Please tell me you kept a few of these stunningly beautiful chips! They do the soul so much good. ❤️ Any beauty is worth appreciating for however long.
Yeah disagree, I won a poerty award in my 20s despite not reading a poetry book since I was like 8. I was praised on my creative writing and when they asked what books I read I said I couldn’t read novels, I played videogames instead.
I've been doing week-long artist spotlights on my page and I am focusing on Goya this week. I was not familiar before I decided to do this.
So...yeah I've been learning a lot. Consume more art. Art history is so important because it documents the realness of the time where journalism fails.
I can't fathom going about it any other way. All forms of art are kinds of craft, and craft is something you improve at by practice, observation, and discussion.
I've played through the entire series in couch co-op with my spouse. Agreed, absolutely phenomenal design. We played the first one fresh on the heels of playing Nine Parchments, which was also lovely.
That’s exactly what I’m doing! Any other couch co-op games that you suggest are welcome. My recent favorites are Untitled Goose Game, It Takes Two, and Sackboy: A Big Adventure.
I started making games thirteen years ago, decided I needed to learn more about games, and have proceeded to never finish a project in the intervening decade and a half, but this year that ends! I'm going to get something to the point that I can release that playable draft.
In order to create art, you HAVE to expand your horizons.
Explore media you wouldn't normally consider, take in experiences, good and bad, that can shape your view of the world and advance it as well.
One of the saddest things I saw re: this was a discord channel where they endlessly talked about their game & designs- when polled, most all said they didn’t play with others, mainly ‘cause they couldn’t agree on rules….
Also, work on the stuff that you don't like. Consume and work to understand why you don't like certain genres, styles, etc. It's one thing to have a gut reaction, it's another to understand and outgrow that reaction.
Also, you have to do all these things with other kinds of art too.
Read books, watch movies, listen to music, play video games, go outside and experience the beauty of the ineffable, talk to people, whatever works for you.
If all you experience is one kind of thing, you'll just remix it.
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Find inspiration where you will.
So...yeah I've been learning a lot. Consume more art. Art history is so important because it documents the realness of the time where journalism fails.
your art comes out as a distillation of your general life experience, not only the medium you intend to create.
Explore media you wouldn't normally consider, take in experiences, good and bad, that can shape your view of the world and advance it as well.
Read books, watch movies, listen to music, play video games, go outside and experience the beauty of the ineffable, talk to people, whatever works for you.
If all you experience is one kind of thing, you'll just remix it.
It all goes on the compost pile from which wonders spring.
Anyway, muting the thread now that its over the threshold.