1. Unit 13 – Assignment 2
Harley Jones 12c
Graphic styles and themes
This report will introduce graphical styles, the colour theory
and how it relates to graphical styles in games.
There are four main graphic styles used in video games, these are:
1. Photorealism
2. Abstract
3. Cel-Shaded
4. Exaggeration
2. 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.
3. Abstract
Abstract art uses a visual language of form, color and line to create a
composition.
This style is mainly used for puzzle games.
4. Cel-Shaded
Celshadingis a type of non-photorealistic rendering designed to make 3D 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.
5. 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.
6. Color theory
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.
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.
7.
8. 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.
9. 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.
