Game art has truly evolved since those ugly game covers from the NES era. (I'm looking at you, Megaman! Yes, I went there.) Artist's are now specialized in creating art specifically for games and creating some truly memorable pieces that transcend the industry. Here are 5 masters in that filed that every artist and video game fan needs to be aware of:

Andy Park

This guy is responsible for all those epic pieces where Kratos from God Of War is driving his blades deep into the guts of many a mythical creatures. His work could easily be confused with a 3d rendering, yet it still has that painterly quality that just can't be replicated with any 3D program alone. He's been in the industry for about 14 years and has provided some of the most memorable concept and art pieces that gaming has seen.

See more: Andy Park Art

Joe Mad

Comic artist Joe Madureira stepped into the gaming scene creating concepts for a game called Dragonkind. Though the project was eventually cancelled, Joe Mad's work for that game still got around and it sure was great. He was also the Creative Director for Darksiders. His iconic style resonated throughout that entire game and it was better for it. He is frequently sought after by video game companies to create covers and he is currently working on Warhammer 40K which is looking pretty fantastic.

See more: Joe Mad Fan (Unofficial Site)

James Hawkins

You might know of a little game called Gears of War. Yeah, you've heard of it? I bet you love the great character, creature, weapons and vehicle design in there. If you do, blame it on James Hawkins. While the characters and weapons themselves are really impressive, what steals the show is the incredible creature design in Gears of War. Details just ooze out of every piece of concept art. Everything down to the little nuts and bolts on the back of the Reaver's armor is beautifully rendered.

See more: James Hawkins on Concept Art.org (Unofficial Site)

Yoji Shinkawa

Yoji cannot be left out of this list. His style is both as unique and memorable as it's gonna get. One look at his Metal Gear pieces and you will instantly fall in love. He's been creating character, environmental and mechanical concepts for Konami for years, most notably the Metal Gear Series and the Zone of Enders. He uses pen and ink (with a little help from a computer)to bring every piece to life which gives them a very dynamic quality, even when it's just a character standing in place. Everything just seems to radiate off the page and draws you in so deep that you won't miss rest of the detail that he has placed there for you to find.

See more: Jaded Network Gallery (Unofficial Site)

Craig Mullins

Mullins is an amazing artist in general. He has done matte paintings and illustrations for the movies like Matrix Revolutions, Apollo 13, and Armageddon to name a few, but he truly shines in the video games industry. You've seen his work in classics like Halo 1 and 2, Bioshock 2, Assassins Creed: Brotherhood, Fallout 3 and the great Mass Effect 2. His art is nothing short of amazing and has inspired many many of todays great artist's. A veteran in the field and still very much an active contributor. Each piece brings with it a great sense of space. He creates depth like no other and has a nice stylistic texture to his pieces. Craig Mullins is a true master.

See more: Goodbrush.com

Have a favorite that you feel should be on this list? Let us know in the comments below.

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