Another example can be Zbrush and it’s amazing dynamesh feature which allows you to retopologize and unify geometry with a single click but when the mesh is very dense it’s better to use voxelization in 3D Coat and go from there. You will get a much better resolution of your mesh in a shorter time span.

As for terrain art I prefer to use World Machine, as it’s accessible and relatively easy to learn. It has lots of super helpful user generated scripts to choose from – including powerful coloring macros which will turn your base terrain into beautifully textured rocky peaks, cliffs, and grassy valleys. If you are interested in creating landscapes for VFX or concept art, you may also want to check out Terragen and Vue. These have much more robust visual development capabilities, as you can create whole eco systems and weather effects along with the terrain.

Do you need a lot of programming experience to work with Unreal Engine 4 and to do environmental design for games? I know some people would really like to do something in this field but they think they won’t be able to work with UE because of programming issues.

You need literally zero programming experience to do environment art in UE4. With all the improvements and support from Epic Games, the pipeline for creating environments is easier than ever for newcomers.

Even if you are after triggering events in your environments, creating the dynamic time of day or weather systems, you can use Blueprints which serve as visual scripting that do not require C++ knowledge.

Assets for Unreal Engine 4

I think that free game and content examples that are available at Unreal Engine 4 Marketplace for free, provide a lot of variety and possibilities.

If you are thinking about level artist career path (building environments with existing models), you will find more than enough free resources in UE4’s library to build a strong portfolio that will land you a job in the industry.

And by the way, Yoeri’s Modular Rocks And Caves package is now live at the Marketplace! He’s the guy who helped me with the assets for Gwendeith.

Inspiration

While browsing through various art references, I stumbled upon Albert Bierstadt’s work and paintings from other old masters of Hudson River School. I was simply struck by the composition, details, and romantic atmosphere that these artists were able to capture. That was a starting point for my stormy landscapes.