Wednesday, November 1, 2023

Evo Gaming Podcast #183 – Talking About The Art of Art Management

art management in game development, how to lead a game art team, art direction podcast, Simon Loche interview, game development leadership, Evo Gaming podcast
Evo Gaming #183 – The Art of Art Management

I recently had the opportunity to join the Evo Gaming Podcast (Episode #183) to talk about a subject that's both incredibly close to my day-to-day and often overlooked in the wider conversation about game development: art management.

In this episode, titled "The Art of Art Management," we discussed what it really means to lead, structure, and support an art team in a production environment. From balancing creative vision with technical realities to building team culture, reviewing work, and communicating across departments, we explored how much goes into making a game beyond just the art itself.

It was a real pleasure to share thoughts on topics like:

  • The transition from artist to art director

  • How to give and receive feedback without crushing creativity

  • The importance of clarity and consistency in communication

  • Managing time, morale, and momentum on long projects

A big thank-you to the Evo Gaming crew for having me on. If you’re an artist, art lead, or just curious about the inner workings of visual development in games, I think you’ll find something useful in the conversation.

🎧 Listen here: Evo Gaming Podcast #183 – The Art of Art Management

#GameArt #ArtDirection #ArtManagement #GameDevelopment #EvoGamingPodcast #SimonLocheArt


Tuesday, October 3, 2023

Painting Process!

A timelapse capturing the learning journey throughout the painting process of this study based on Mark Tennant's artwork, created using Infinite Painter on iPad Pro.

Gained invaluable insights and knowledge along the way!

You can also follow me on Youtube for more painting and drawing processes!



 

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Join me there for behind-the-scenes moments, daily inspiration, and more. Let's connect on Instagram too! Find me at instagram.com/simonlocheart.
See you there! 👋😄



Wednesday, September 20, 2023

Infinite Painter - Gouache Portrait from Photo Reference

 


Trying to mimic gouache in Infinite Painter

Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Charcoal Study After Mark Tennant

 

This is a recent study I did based on a charcoal drawing by Mark Tennant, an artist whose work I’ve long admired for its boldness, clarity, and emotional restraint.


Tennant’s drawings often walk a fine line between precision and suggestion. He knows exactly what to leave out, and that’s one of the reasons his work is so compelling. In doing this study, I wanted to focus less on copying and more on understanding the choices behind the marks, the way he defines form with such minimal input, and how much atmosphere he builds through restraint.


Working in charcoal always brings a different rhythm to the process. It forces you to think in masses, not lines. You shape light and shadow more than you draw outlines, and in that sense, it’s a great way to reset your thinking if you’ve been too caught up in detail.


This study wasn’t about polishing or rendering. It was about absorbing something from the language of Tennant’s drawing and letting it influence my own. A valuable exercise and one I’ll definitely come back to.

Thursday, July 20, 2023

Reflecting on History and the Present: Women in Art and Concept Design

women in art history, female artists in art history, overlooked women artists, women painters, feminist art history, celebrating women in art, art history blog, women artists stories

As artists, we often draw inspiration from the past, from the masters, the movements, and the milestones that shaped the way we see and create. But one aspect of art history that deserves more visibility is the profound contribution of women artists whose stories have too often been overlooked, dismissed, or buried under the names of their male counterparts.

Throughout history, women have made extraordinary contributions to the visual arts, often against immense cultural and institutional resistance. From Artemisia Gentileschi, who painted with power and boldness in the male-dominated world of Baroque painting, to Berthe Morisot, one of the founding figures of Impressionism, or even Camille Claudel and her inspiring sculptural work, women have shaped the narrative of art even when they were not always allowed to sign it.

Many women had to work under male aliases, were denied entry to academies, or had their work attributed to others. Still, they created in private studios, in quiet corners of their homes, and, when they could, on the walls of institutions that rarely recognized them. Their persistence is not only a testament to individual talent but also to the power of art to endure beyond barriers.

Reflecting on their stories invites us to look at the history of art with a fuller perspective, one that includes the nuanced, complex, and deeply human experiences of women artists throughout time. It’s also a reminder for us today: whose voices are we amplifying? Whose work are we remembering, collecting, and celebrating?

In recognizing and sharing these stories, we don’t just correct the record, we enrich the narrative of what art has been and what it can become. And as artists, educators, or simply art lovers, we have a part to play in that.

Claire Wendling
Art from Claire Wendling

Today, we are fortunate to see many extraordinary women thriving in the field of concept art, bringing unique perspectives and visual storytelling to the entertainment industry. 

Artists like Claire Hummel, known for her historical character designs, Karla Ortiz for her powerful and emotionally resonant character and narrative work, and Claire Wendling, a former comic book artist whose expressive and fluid drawing style continues to inspire artists worldwide, are just a few leading examples.

Others, such as Angela Sung, known for her distinctive approach to environment design and color, and Lauren D. Austin, whose work across games and visual development has set a high standard for mood, composition, and storytelling, continue to raise the bar for what is possible in visual development.

These women are not only pushing boundaries with their work, but they are also actively shaping the next generation of artists through mentorship, visibility, and education.

Angela Sung
Art from Angela Sung

More posts to come, highlighting individual women artists, their journeys, and their work, both past and present.

#WomenInArt #ConceptArt #FemaleConceptArtists #ArtHistory #FemaleArtists #RepresentationMatters #ArtEducation #ArtemisiaGentileschi #BertheMorisot #ArtBlog #VisualStorytelling #HiddenVoices #ArtNarratives #ArtWorld #InspiringArtists #SimonLocheArt

Tuesday, June 20, 2023

Digital Landscape – Lanzarote Study with Infinite Painter


This digital landscape was painted after a trip to Lanzarote, one of the most visually striking places I’ve visited. The island’s unique volcanic terrain, muted color palette, and wide open spaces make it an inspiring subject for quick studies.


I used Infinite Painter for this piece, working on a simplified interpretation of the landscape rather than a detailed rendering. The app’s brush engine allowed me to focus on blocking in large shapes, soft transitions, and the contrast between rocky textures and open sky.


As with most of my digital studies, the goal wasn’t to recreate the scene exactly, but to capture the atmosphere and structure of the place with a limited set of tools and gestures.


This was painted in 2023, and it still reminds me how rewarding it can be to revisit locations through simplified visual notes. A good reminder that not every piece needs to be polished, sometimes, clarity comes from restraint.

Wednesday, May 10, 2023

Quick Digital Portrait - Infinite Painter


This one was quickly made, but I like the emotion coming out of it. 

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