1. Task - Artistic Styles – Jordan Smith (Illustrations usually found on Google images)
Photorealism
Definition: Photorealism is an artistic style in which an artist attempts to create a painting so precise
and exactly accurate that, on first glance, it can be mistaken for a photograph. Many artists could do
such a good job that even on second and third glance their works could be mistaken for actual
photographs.
The people working on photorealism are working on it because it’s the way forward, its progress.
You couldn't have your Windwakers without dynamic shadows/lighting and depth of field/motion
blur post processing effects, technology that was not designed for Windwaker, or artistically
expressive games, but for photorealism and photorealistic games.
Cel Shading
Definition: Cel shading (often misspelled as 'cell shading') or toon shading is a type of non-
photorealistic rendering and an illumination model designed to make computer graphics appear to be
hand-drawn. Cel-shading is often used to mimic the style of a comic book or cartoon. It is somewhat
recent, appearing from around the beginning of the twenty-first century. In addition to computer
graphics, it most commonly turns up in video games. However, the result of cel-shading has a very
simplistic feel like that of hand-drawn animation. The name comes from cels (short for celluloid), the
clear sheets of acetate which are painted on for use in traditional 2D animation, such as Disney
classics.
Cel-shading, sometimes misspelled as 'cell shading', is an animation technique in which three-
dimensional objects are rendered to appear two-dimensional, as if hand-drawn in the same manner as
a cartoon or comic book. However, just because an image maintains this appearance or has a sharp
outline, this does not necessarily mean it has been cel-shaded. The difference lies in the methods of
lighting which have been employed, using a limited number of colour shades depending on depth of
view and calculating values for each individual pixel accordingly.The first video game to feature this
style was Doctor Hauzer for the 3DO in 1994. However, it was in 2000 that the style first gained
prominence, with the release of Fear Effect for the PlayStation and especially Jet Set Radio for the
Dreamcast.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cel_shadinghttp://atheism.about.com/library/glossary/aestheti
cs/bldef_photorealism.htm

2. Abstraction
Definition: Abstraction is a process by which concepts are derived from the usage and classification
of literal concepts, first principles, or other methods. "An abstraction" is the product of this process –
a concept that acts as a super-categorical noun for all subordinate concepts, and connects any related
concepts as a group, field, or category.
Abstractions may be formed by reducing the information content of a concept or an observable
phenomenon, typically to retain only information which is relevant for a particular purpose. For
example, abstracting a leather soccer ball to the more general idea of a ball retains only the
information on general ball attributes and behaviour, eliminating the other characteristics of that
particular ball.
Abstraction in video games
All games are abstract because they create a simpler, fairer and more empowering world than reality.
However the degree to which the frame of the game is visible to the player can vary wildly. Some
games may look and feel realistic or fantastical, while others are naked. This quality is called
abstraction. Good examples are old Arcade games like Pac-Man and Pong etc.
Exaggeration
Several video games elicit childlike and playful experiences that involve exaggerated movements and
expressions. Various exaggerated features such as character movements, expressions and actions, provide
viewers and players senses of comedy, possibility and nostalgia.Video games such as Wario Ware and Ray-man
Raving Rabbids exemplify cute caricatures with exaggerated expressions and actions and engage players’
participation and movements. For example, the rabbits in Rayman Raving Rabbids all possess abnormally large
mouths with two big front teeth and also exhibit childlike expressions of naivety and mischievousness. When
the player character is in direct or indirect physical contact with the rabbits, they scream in an adorable way that
produces giggles and laughter in users and viewers. These sound effects and movements encourage players
tocontinue their actions that induce these sounds. Not only the expressions, but also the actions that are asked of
the players to act on the characters are also exaggerated. http://blog.ocad.ca/wordpress/digf6b08-fw2011-
01/2012/02/121/http://www.whatgamesare.com/abstraction.html