Dev Spotlight: The Prop Art of Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora By Matthew Grover

Matt Grover builds the details that make the world feel real, crafting props that feel believable, functional and grounded within the story. Here’s what he had to say about his work as a Prop Artist on Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora:

“I worked on Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, both on the first release of the game, and on the From the Ashes expansion. My role on the prop art team was to build props that fit into both the world of Pandora and the RDA organization, it’s imposing, hard mechanical vehicles and buildings striking a brutal contrast with Pandora’s lush environment.

As a Prop Artist, I think carefully about making things look believable and functional so that they fit right into the world that is being created. Normally things start with a basic grey block-out model that is the right shape and scale. This model can be placed in one or more locations as necessary and allows the designers and level artists to progress their work with developing gameplay and building the spaces while I start to make the prop look how it should.

Getting my hands on the prop and starting the journey from that grey model to a finished asset is an exciting part of the journey of bringing it to life. I look at the style guides that define the key look and identity of the project and think about how the prop might be constructed if you were to build it in real life, considering materials, how it was made and how it will be used. What environment will it sit in and what effect has that environment and the people who use it had on the item? Are we talking about a small bowl that the Na’vi have hand crafted or a large mechanical RDA structure? I also look at many references as I go, and I draw on an interest in photography which gets me to think about light and form and the physical properties of surfaces. Concept artists develop a look for key areas and parts of the game. This is invaluable as it means the vision of the directors can be served and a cohesive art style developed.

It is very rewarding to see finished work in the game and players enjoying the experience. Working on Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora has been a time in my career I will always look back on with fond memories.”