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GAME MAKER'S SKETCHBOOK

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The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS), iam8bit, and fortyseven (47) communications are excited to announce that submissions have opened for its 4th edition of the Game Maker’s Sketchbook, which promotes and honors a broad spectrum of art by specific artists in video games.

The arts showcase will collect submissions in the categories of Storyboard, Environment Art, Character Art, Iconography, Curiosities, and Impact. Submissions will be open from February 11 to April 9, 2025. The selections will be announced in June 2025 and showcased at the 2025 Summer Game Fest.

El Paso, Elsewhere
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AWARD CATEGORIES

CHARACTER ART

Explorations, 2D compositions and/or 3D modeling focusing on any elements that go into designing the visual elements of character. Illustrations often include components central to character action/interaction within a game – model sheets, expression, physical movement, wardrobe and styling, etc

ENVIRONMENT ART

All the visuals that encompass the world that characters inhabit, including 3D and 2D art that functions as the basis for constructing a physical game world, including landscapes, architecture, planets, vessels and other set pieces.

IMPACT

An iconic, singular image that captures the game’s visual language, character and/or narrative, including, but not limited to, key art or concept art.

ICONOGRAPHY

Graphic design and iconographic elements meant to engross the player in the identity of the game world, including but not limited to UI, HUDs, dialogue trees and boxes, inventory, primary brand logo or in-game fictional logos, custom typography, symbology and repeated visual elements intended to function as signifiers.

STORY BOARD

Illustrations, diagrams and/or drawn sequences used to visualize a cutscene, narrative, or gameplay scene; demonstrating the flow of animation and scene direction. This can apply to either a game or trailer.

CURIOSITIES

This is the category for anything that doesn’t quite qualify for the other more succinctly focused categories, including but not limited to, props, schematics, technical diagrams, and other trinkets not clearly defined as environment or character art.

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