ABSTRACT
Now it’s time to talk technology, but very briefl y. You will eventually need to learn a good deal about the technical side of computer art to make the various decisions that technology will present to you, but a brief orientation of technology is all you need to start painting textures. I could have gotten away without including this chapter at all and instead launched directly into painting textures, but I believe that this small bit of information is critical to your long-term success as a texture artist. Learning to “button-click” from a tutorial might get you good results, but it won’t give you the tools to eventually attack your own unique problems when you’re asked to create a texture that will be used in a certain genre, platform, and so on. Understanding why textures are constructed the way they are, and why there are certain limits and restrictions placed on the game artist, will help you avoid a lot of wasted time. Later, as you are exposed to more information, complexity, and unique development situations, you will more easily assimilate that information and be able to use it more creatively.
