Unit 13 – Assignment 2Harley Jones 12c

This report will introduce graphical styles, the colour theory and how it relates to graphical styles in games.

Graphic styles and themes

There are four main graphic styles used in video games, these are:

1. Photorealism

2. Abstract

3. Cel-Shaded

4. Exaggeration

Photorealism

Photorealism is an art style which is based on using cameras and photographs to gather visual information and then from this creating a painting that appears to be photographic.

In games this is used to make the graphics as realistic as possible for the gamer to make the feel of the game more real. Games that use this particular style are mostly action and shooter games to make the experience more realistic. These are games such as Crysis 3, Call of Duty franchise, Grand theft Auto franchise.

Abstract

Abstract art uses a visual language of form, color and line to create a composition.

This style is mainly used for puzzle games.

Cel-Shaded

Cel shading is a type of non-photorealistic rendering designed to make 3-D computer graphics appear to be flat.

Cel-shading is often used to mimic the style of a comic book or cartoon. This will make it more playful for the gamer and will know that it isn’t to be taken seriously.

Games that use this graphic style are often games like: The Simpsons game, Crackdown and Borderlands.

Exaggeration

This type of graphic style is highly exaggerated. In these games the people are made to look much bigger than they would in the real world, In a lot of cases the muscles that a person has are usually Exaggerated to make the character appear stronger and more leader like. In other cases Hair of the characters can be really exaggerated, examples of these are Manga games.

Games that use this style are games such as Dragonball-Z, Final Fantasy and Gears of War.

Color theory

Primary Colors

Primary colors are red, blue and yellow. These three colors are the most basic colors on the color wheel. They cannot be made from any other colors but all other colors on the color wheel are made from them. They are commonly used together to attract attention, such as children’s products.

Secondary Colors

Secondary colors are green, orange and purple. They are formed by mixing equal amounts of the two primary colors that are beside them on the color wheel. For example, green is made from mixing blue and yellow. They can be used together to create a nicely balanced color scheme.

Tertiary Colors

Tertiary colors are blue-green, yellow-green, yellow-orange, red-orange, red-purple and blue-purple. They are formed by mixing a primary color and a secondary color together. For example, blue-green is made from mixing blue and green. Tertiary colors help create a wider color palette.

Color theory is color mixing and the visual effects of specific color combination. There are also definitions of colors based on the color wheel: primary color, secondary color and tertiary color.

Color perception

Color perception is the ability of an organism or machine to identify objects based on the wavelengths of the light they reflect, emit and transmit. Colors can be measured and quantified in various different ways. Different people see the same illuminated object or light source in different ways.

Effect of color

The color circle can be divided into warm and cool colors. Warm colors are vivid and energetic, and tend to advance in space. Cool colors give an impression of calm, and create a soothing impression. White, black and gray are considered to be neutral. Tints, Shades, and Tones are terms often used incorrectly, although they describe fairly simple color concepts. If a color is made lighter by adding white, the result is called a tint. If black is added, the darker version is called a shade. And if gray is added, the result is a different tone.