What is low poly art? A Complete Guide in 2024
Game Development
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May 10, 2023
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4 min read
Table of Contents
Low poly art is one of the basic game design and game art in the development process of 3D animation. There are two polygonal models in the game design and development, i.e., low poly and high poly models. It stands in contrast to the high poly game modeling.
Low poly art stands for low polygon art that entails creating less number of polygon meshes to create game animations, game art, and other game props. They are low-resolution 3D objects that can be used for basic game art. If you are looking for minimalist design art, low-resolution art, i.e. low polygonal objects, can be leveraged.
History of Low Poly Art
Low poly art is a digital art style characterized by using a limited number of polygons to create a simplified 3D model. The style has its roots in the early days of 3D computer graphics, but it was in the 1990s that low poly art became a popular style in video games.
In the early days of 3D graphics, computers were not powerful enough to render complex 3D models in real time. As a result, game developers had to find creative ways to create 3D graphics that were simple enough to be rendered quickly. One of these techniques was to use low polygon counts to create 3D models that were simple but still recognizable.
Low poly art began to gain popularity in the 1990s with the rise of 3D video games. Games like Super Mario 64, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and GoldenEye 007 used low poly graphics to create immersive 3D environments that could be rendered in real-time on consoles like the Nintendo 64.
As technology improved, low poly art fell out of favour as game developers could create more complex 3D models. However, low poly art has become popular in recent years, particularly in indie games and mobile apps. The style has also become popular in graphic design and animation.
Low poly art is appreciated today for its simplicity, charm, and retro aesthetic. It continues to inspire artists and designers and remains an important part of the history of 3D computer graphics.