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- Jul 28, 2021
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Warcraft 3 Classic HD
PREFACE
In this longread I will try to break down what I learned over time when I tried to create icons, using my own work on "Upgrades" as an example. Before and during the creative process I really took my time and effort to take into account many, at first glance, hidden aspects in order to perform as best as possible in the Icon Contest #21, and not in vain, because I took first place. Before this set of icons, I made 2 sets on the same topic that helped me improve my observation together with drawing skills. Thus, the analysis that I will do on my icons can help others to pay attention to the visual specificity of the icons on the theme of upgrades in Warcraft 3.
Case
My main approach is to create warcraft-y icons: after all, icons stay within the framework of the visual universe of Warcraft with reference to the style of the game, as they are an integral part of the gameplay. I'm convinced that all the emphasis shouldn't be placed on the drawing technique, which would mean the artists' willingness to invest more in the detail of the drawing rather than in its spirit, surroundings and visual correspondence to the style of the game. I don't just draw to show off with beautiful pictures, but try to remember that icons are an important part of the interface with all its peculiarities and we, as artists, can significantly complement it and benefit the community.
Exterior Elements and Conditions
Here I compare the external visual aspects of my icons, assessing the degree of progression of individual details, because we are talking about upgrades.
Visual differentiation by color for clarity:
White - common (basic state)
Green - uncommon (improved state)
Blue - rare (highly improved state)
Orange - legendary (radically improved state)
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T1 |
T2 |
T3 |
T4 |
| Simple chitin | Gold-decorated chitin | Gold-decorated chitin with patterns | Gold-decorated chitin with patterns and a gem |
| Regular size | More size, less icon space | More size, less icon space | More size, less icon space |
| No glow | Unique glow | High tier vanilla glow | High tier unique glow |
| Closed wing casing | Open wing casing | More open wing casing | Fully open wing casing |
| Regular legs | Regular legs | Improved legs | Improved legs |
| Regular mandibles | Improved mandibles | Bigger improved mandibles | Bigger improved mandigles and a horn |
| Worker | Soldier | Vizier | Spiderlord |
Schematic develompent of size:
Resume. With every tier the beetles receive consistent, logical and visually tangible upgrades: improvements in anatomical parts and glow, growth in size and status, echancement in decorations.
Look at these icons and notice how the addition of precious material is used to increase the value/status of an object through luxury:
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Besides ornating, I was talking about gilding. Adding gold is by far the simplest (especially for caster upgrades, as they only need 2 icons) and easy-to-understand way to convey the dynamics of an object's development. You can also note that gold in icons is most often represented in yellow-orange-brown tones.
Artistic and Technical Note Based on Visual Style
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Criteria
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Extended explanation and examples
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Case
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Verdict
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| Perpective, tilt and volume | Upgrades, be it armor, weaponry or caster upgrades, as well as many other vanilla icons, are represented as items drawn in tilted perspective: This drawing technique allows to convey a realistic effect of depth: you can more reliably depict the space, volume and dimensions of any object. Drawing a "flat" subject is much easlier but it will also be less dramatic and, of course, less Warcraft style. So draw your conclusions! |
| Matches in-game materials |
| Outlines, shading and reflections | Most of the icons contain quite visible outlines and a bit blurry shadows: This manner of depiction makes it possible to more strongly express the essence of the object, while the object itself looks less realistic (after all, in reality there are no contours). Scales, bolts or runes - a soft but noticeable outline is a proper tool that helps highlight the details and make the idea of objects more visible on such a small canvas. As for reflections, they are also usually soft and not too shiny, even on metal: Exceptions are gems and other "glitters" (like gold or glass), as they are more stylized: |
| Mostly matches in-game materials |
| Detalization and stylization | Basically, the details are subject to stylization, i.e. the most expressive part of the object is brought to the foreground and emphasized. At the same time, these parts are slightly enlarged, thickened, compared to what they are in reality, for example, the thickness of the axe handle, the size of the teeth, or the variegated frame of the arrow: Taking as a basis such aspects, together with those above in the table, you can get closer to the "cartoonish" style of Warcraft. |
| Mostly matches in-game materials |
| Coloring and glowing | Usually the colors are bright and contrasting, sometimes even flashy, which fits well with the overall "emotion" of the game: Please note: that not only the space behind and around the object is illuminated, but sometimes in some places the glow falls on the object itself. The glow also is mostly drawn and not created through filters, so it looks quite ragged and contrasty. Smoothness and gradual disappearance of the glow - are not about Warcraft icons. Three is a really good number for upgrade schemes. Within this scheme no glow can turn into a dim glow of cold tones into a denser bright red-orange glow. This way, with every step, your next glow will always be stronger: But don't be afraid to experiment with colors and trust your feelings. You can try different color tones with brightness and thicken your glows with each tier to make them look more and more powerful. In the end, even this can happen: |
| Mostly matches in-game materials |
| Sharpness and noise | Icons often have a certain sharpness (especially outside the game), a certain "sandiness"; they ripple a little and don't look very smooth: Maybe it's all about the old quality, or maybe it's about making them look sharper in the game, because... quality is a little lost after import. In any case, the slightly increased noise and sharpness bring us closer to vanilla icons. So, before posting icons, I advise you to increase the sharpness (even if the icon looks top-notch) and see how your icon looks in the game compared to the vanilla ones. |
| Matches in-game materials |
Resume. The stylistic features of the game, expressed in icons, were respected to a greater extent.
Creative Approach
The creativity of the icons lies in a fairly obvious and consistent change in the shape of the main object and its transformation (crawling - flying). The linking of details to the lore is actively used (wings that resemble a spiderweb; carapace patterns; the shape of legs and mandibles; colors; status). The icons can also have a few upgrade purposes.
Glowing and Other Observations
Not all icons have a glow, even by levels:
Some icons have a specific glow, sometimes the same color:
In some icons the shape of the main object changes greatly:
But in others this is not the case, and here you can also see an untypical glow order:
Sometimes "evil" upgrades can have a purple glow, and the final form can show a red-orange glow:
Shorter upgrade schemes usually have their glows in cold tones before a red-orange:
Due to the uniqueness of some types of glow (for example, Naga's), I took the liberty of using green, which suited the main object perfectly, while in other cases I tried to imitate original ideas:
If we analyze all the cases of vanilla icons on the topic of glow improvements, then in most cases the following scheme of three icons is formed: no glow - glow in cold tones - bright glow in warm tones. This scheme can help you better fit into the original visual style, which allows players to better perceive the progression of objects due to the inherent associations in the game, even if the objects themselves are not greatly changed.
FINAL WORD
P.S. I'm not a professional artist, so I may be wrong in terms and definitions. This longread is an outpouring of my personal observations and perception, but I sincerely hope you find it useful and interesting to read!
Regards,
Villagerino.
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