Chapter 4: Research Packets

Created by Sarah Choi (prompt writer using ChatGPT)

Research Packets for Creature Concept Artists

Glossary, Biome Notes & Consultant Credits in Reference, Research & Visual Libraries

When you’re designing creatures for a game or film, it’s easy to think of reference as a private collection of images and sketches. But on productions—especially anything bigger than a solo indie—you’re rarely working alone. Designers, concept artists, modelers, riggers, animators, writers, sound designers, marketing artists, and sometimes scientists or cultural consultants all touch the same creatures.

A research packet is how you turn your individual study into a shared, reusable knowledge bundle. Instead of each person doing their own scattered Googling, you create a curated, ethically sourced, well‑labeled packet that everyone can lean on. This keeps the world internally consistent, speeds up production, and respects the real people and places that inform your fictional ecosystems.

In this article, we’ll explore how creature concept artists—both on the concepting side (early exploration, ideation, pitches) and the production side (final designs, orthos, callouts, handoff)—can build robust research packets centered on:

  • A clear, project‑specific glossary.
  • Thorough and readable biome notes.
  • Transparent consultant credits and ethics.

We’ll also weave in field sketching, museum work, scans, and reference ethics so your packets are not just informative, but responsible.

1. What Is a Research Packet?

A research packet is a structured collection of information that supports a creature or creature family. It typically includes:

  • Overview – What the creature is, what role it plays, how important it is.
  • Glossary – Key terms used in the design, rigging, animation, and narrative.
  • Biome notes – The environment(s) the creature lives in and how that shapes its anatomy and behavior.
  • Visual reference boards – Skeletons, skins, gaits, materials, patterns, greebles.
  • Field & museum notes – Observations from real‑world sketching and study.
  • Scan references – Any 3D scans, photogrammetry, or technical assets being used.
  • Consultant credits – Acknowledgment of scientists, cultural experts, and other contributors.
  • Ethics & restrictions – Notes on sensitive content, licenses, and what not to do.

Think of it as a mini art bible chapter focused on a specific creature or related group. For a large project, you might have:

  • One high‑level packet per biome.
  • Smaller sub‑packets per creature family within that biome.

2. Why Research Packets Matter

2.1 For Concept‑Side Creature Artists

Research packets help you:

  • Pitch more convincingly – You can show that a creature is grounded in real ecology, not just “cool shapes.”
  • Iterate faster – Instead of re‑researching each new variant, you pull from the same packet.
  • Communicate clearly – Glossaries and diagrams remove ambiguity when talking to art directors, writers, and other departments.

2.2 For Production‑Side Creature Artists

They help you:

  • Keep designs consistent across orthos, LODs, skins, and evolutions.
  • Align with riggers and animators on anatomical logic and motion.
  • Provide clear documentation for outsourcing partners and downstream teams.

On top of all that, research packets become part of the studio’s long‑term visual library. A biome packet you build for one project may inform future IP, DLC, or a sequel.

3. The Glossary: Shared Language for Creatures & Worlds

A glossary sounds dry, but it’s one of the most powerful tools you can include. Without a shared vocabulary, communication becomes fuzzy.

3.1 What to Put in a Creature Glossary

Your glossary should define terms that are:

  • Biological – e.g., “digitigrade,” “plantigrade,” “brachiation,” “osteoderm,” “nuchal crest.”
  • Biome‑specific – e.g., “estuary,” “alpine treeline,” “brackish,” “thermocline,” “canopy layer.”
  • Anatomical shorthand for your project – e.g., “spear‑limb,” “vent fans,” “lateral sensory line,” if you’ve invented specific structures.
  • Pipeline terms – e.g., “hero rig,” “game res,” “LOD0–2,” “groom cards,” “blendshape cluster.”

Each entry doesn’t need to be a textbook paragraph. A single, clear sentence plus an image callout can be enough:

  • Digitigrade: “Walking on the toes, with the heel raised (like a dog or cat). In our game, most predators use digitigrade hind limbs.”
  • Osteoderm: “Bony plate embedded in the skin (like a crocodile’s back). Used on the armor ridge of the marsh drake.”

3.2 How a Glossary Supports Both Sides

For concept artists:

  • It lets you write design notes that are compact but precise. Instead of “make the back more armor‑y,” you can say “emphasize the osteoderm plates along the dorsal ridge.”

For production artists:

  • It makes callouts and rig notes easier to parse for people joining later or from other departments. A rigger may not know what “dewlap” means, but the glossary page can show it.

3.3 Field Sketching & Museum Terms

As you sketch in the field or at museums:

  • Notice recurring structures and behaviors.
  • Note unfamiliar terms from signage or guidebooks (e.g., “urostyle” in frogs, “patagium” in flying squirrels).
  • Add these to your glossary, especially if they relate to your creatures.

Over time, your project glossary becomes a bridge between scientific language and your team’s internal shorthand.

4. Biome Notes: Where Your Creatures Live and Why It Matters

Biome notes explain where a creature exists and how the environment shapes its design. They anchor your creatures to a believable ecosystem.

4.1 Core Components of Biome Notes

A biome section in your research packet might include:

  • Biome overview – Short description of the environment (e.g., “foggy temperate rainforest,” “deep pelagic zone,” “acidic bog”).
  • Climate & cycles – Temperature ranges, rainfall, seasons, day/night cycles, tides.
  • Terrain & structures – Tree types, rock formations, coral reefs, cave systems, dunes.
  • Key resources & pressures – Food sources, predators, disease, shelter, competition.
  • Reference species – Real‑world animals and plants that inform your creature designs.

For each creature, include a short subsection:

  • Niche – Predator/prey, scavenger, grazer, filter feeder, etc.
  • Adaptations – Specific traits that respond to biome conditions (webbed feet for mud, reflective eyes for low light, armor for heavy competition).
  • Interaction – How the creature interacts with other species or biomes (migration, symbiosis, territorial behavior).

4.2 Field Sketching Biomes

Even if you can’t visit the exact biome you’re designing, you can sketch analogs:

  • Local parks, forests, rivers, coasts, and marshes can teach you about layering, clutter, and visibility.
  • Sketch tree silhouettes, ground clutter, water clarity, and fog or dust behavior.
  • Take notes on sound, smell, and movement—these guide creature behavior and foley.

Those observations feed into your biome notes:

  • “Ground is thick with fallen branches; large quadrupeds must lift feet high to avoid tripping.”
  • “Canopy blocks most light; eyes of local fauna tend to be large; many ambush predators.”

4.3 Museum and Scan Biome References

Museums often have dioramas showing reconstructed biomes:

  • Sketch how plants, terrain, and animals are layered in depth.
  • Note color palettes, light direction, and typical environmental props (logs, nests, burrows, coral heads).

If your studio uses scans:

  • Photogrammetry of rock walls, forest floors, coral structures, or tree trunks can appear in your packet as surface reality for the biome.
  • Label what each scan is for: “coral boulder scale reference,” “forest floor clutter density reference.”

These notes help both concept and production artists avoid designing creatures that clash with their environment (e.g., delicate glass wings in sandstorm biomes unless that’s the point).

5. Consultant Credits: Working with Experts Ethically

More and more teams are bringing in scientists, cultural experts, and other consultants to make their worlds richer and more respectful. Your research packet is where you:

  • Acknowledge those experts.
  • Capture key insights they shared.
  • Clarify constraints, requests, and red lines.

5.1 Types of Consultants for Creature Work

You might work with:

  • Biologists / ecologists / zoologists – For anatomy, behavior, food webs, conservation issues.
  • Paleontologists – For fossil lineages and speculative reconstructions.
  • Cultural consultants – When creatures are inspired by real‑world myths, folklore, or symbolic animals from specific cultures.
  • Indigenous knowledge holders – When drawing from traditional ecological knowledge or sacred narratives.

5.2 Recording Consultant Input

In the research packet, include:

  • Summary of meetings / notes – “Dr. X recommended these specific adaptations for a swamp predator.”
  • Design implications – “Avoid depicting this species as mindless evil; it is a key pollinator in the ecosystem.”
  • Constraints / red lines – e.g., “Do not mix this sacred animal with demonic imagery,” or “Avoid using this extinct species as comic relief.”

This ensures that:

  • Concept artists use consultant input as a launchpad for design.
  • Production artists maintain respect in details (markings, behaviors, naming, promotional framing).

5.3 Credit & Visibility

Even if consultants are not front‑and‑center in marketing, your packets should:

  • List their names, roles, and areas of expertise.
  • Link to their books, articles, or institutional pages where appropriate.

This matters ethically and also practically: when new questions arise, the team knows who to talk to.

6. Building a Research Packet: A Practical Structure

Here’s a practical way to structure a creature research packet that serves both concept and production.

6.1 Suggested Sections

  1. Cover Page
    • Creature or family name.
    • Biome(s).
    • Importance (hero, common, background, boss).
    • Short logline.
  2. Overview & Role
    • One or two paragraphs describing what the creature is, what it does in the world, and what it should feel like to players or viewers.
  3. Glossary
    • Key terms used in the packet, with short definitions and small diagrams or photos.
  4. Biome Notes
    • Biome description and key environment factors.
    • How those factors inform this creature’s adaptations.
  5. Anatomy & Behavior Notes
    • Skeleton, muscles, skin coverings, special organs.
    • Gaits, hunting or foraging behavior, social structure.
  6. Visual Reference Boards
    • Taxonomy boards (skeletons, skins, gaits).
    • Moodboards for materials, patterns, greebles.
    • Photo/diagram studies, proportion grids, orthographic overlays.
  7. Field Sketches & Museum Studies
    • Selected sketches with notes: what was learned, why it matters.
    • Photos of skeletons or dioramas (within institutional rules), annotated for your project.
  8. Scans & Technical Assets
    • List of 3D scans, photogrammetry, or technical resources used for reference, with usage notes and licenses.
  9. Consultant Credits & Ethics
    • Experts involved, key feedback points, and any content restrictions.
    • Notes on animal welfare, cultural sensitivity, and respectful storytelling.
  10. Usage Guidelines
  • “Do” and “Don’t” lists for designs: what must remain consistent, what can vary.
  • Notes for marketing and licensing teams (e.g., “Avoid gore with this species in children’s materials”).

6.2 Scale Appropriately

Not every project needs a 40‑page packet. For a small indie, this may be a 4–8 page PDF. For a AAA open world, you might have dozens of packets across biomes and species.

The goal is not volume; it’s clarity and reusability.

7. Field Sketching & Museums Inside the Packet

Your fieldwork and museum visits often produce messy sketchbook pages and phone photos. The research packet is where you curate and translate them.

7.1 From Sketchbook to Packet

  1. Select the most informative sketches (not necessarily the prettiest).
  2. Scan or photograph them clearly.
  3. Annotate directly on the images: arrows, labels, short notes about what you learned.
  4. Contextualize: “This hoof structure informed how our desert grazer handles rocks,” or “This vulture wing posture inspired our sky scavenger’s idle pose.”

7.2 Ethical Representation of Real Animals

When your designs are based on real endangered or mistreated animals, your packet can:

  • Acknowledge their status: “Inspired by vultures, which are under threat in X region due to poisoning.”
  • Suggest sensitive use: avoid framing such animals only as horrifying monsters.

This doesn’t mean your fantasy creatures must be moral lessons, but it keeps your team aware of real‑world context.

8. Scans, Licensing, and Asset Ethics

Scans and digital assets can be powerful reference—but also come with responsibilities.

8.1 Internal vs External Assets

In your packet, clearly mark:

  • Internal scans: Created or licensed by your studio for specific projects. Note limitations like “Project use only” or “Studio‑wide library.”
  • External scans: Public museum models, academic datasets, commercial asset packs.

For each asset, include:

  • Source, date, and any license terms.
  • Whether it can be used in marketing, tutorials, or only internally.

8.2 Avoiding Over‑Dependence

Scans are reference, not answers.

  • Encourage artists to study scans (diagram overlays, proportion grids) rather than just kitbash them into designs.
  • Remind teams that final creatures should be distinct designs, even if they are grounded in scan‑derived anatomy.

The packet is a good place to spell this out explicitly so everyone understands expectations and avoids uncredited reuse.

9. Using Research Packets in Day‑to‑Day Work

9.1 For Concept‑Side Creature Artists

You can use packets to:

  • Onboard quickly to a new biome or faction. Reading one packet gives you enough to start sketching.
  • Pitch variations: when you propose new subspecies or mutations, you can tie them directly back to the existing biome notes and glossary.
  • Collaborate with narrative: referencing shared terms and ecological notes keeps story and visuals aligned.

9.2 For Production‑Side Creature Artists

Packets become:

  • A single source of truth for orthos and callouts.
  • A reference when modeling, rigging, and animation debates come up (“Do we keep this tail shape? Does this gait fit the biome?”).
  • Documentation for outsourcing partners or late‑joining team members who need context fast.

9.3 For Cross‑Discipline Teams

Research packets also help:

  • Sound & music – by describing biome acoustics and creature vocalizations.
  • FX & tech art – by outlining environmental phenomena (mists, spores, bio‑luminescence) that interact with creatures.
  • Marketing & community – by highlighting what’s unique and respectful about the worldbuilding, and who contributed to it.

10. Ethics as a Core Feature, Not an Afterthought

The “ethics” part of research packets isn’t just a disclaimer page at the back.

10.1 Ethical Reference & Attribution

Build habits into your packet:

  • Always record the source for images, scans, and quotes.
  • Flag any sensitive references (sacred animals, endangered species, culturally charged mythic beings).
  • Note when particular images or resources cannot be used beyond internal ideation.

10.2 Respectful Storytelling

When creatures draw heavily from real cultures or ecosystems:

  • Record consultant feedback about harmful tropes to avoid.
  • Capture positive directions: how to represent relationships with the land, animals, or spirits respectfully.

This way, ethics inform daily decisions: costume tweaks, narrative beats, marketing visuals—not just a one‑time review.

11. Building Research Packets as a Habit

You don’t have to build huge packets from day one. Start small and grow them as the project evolves.

11.1 Lightweight Packet for a Single Creature

For a single creature (especially in personal work), a packet might be:

  • 1–2 pages of biome notes and glossary.
  • 2–3 pages of visual boards and diagram studies.
  • 1 page of ethics/credits if you drew heavily from a specific community or expert.

Even this is enough to:

  • Make your artbook or portfolio piece feel more professional.
  • Give future‑you a clear map when you revisit the world.

11.2 Scaling Up for Teams

On a bigger project:

  • Make packets part of your standard workflow for major creatures and biomes.
  • Establish shared templates so each packet feels familiar.
  • Assign someone (an art lead, a lore lead, or a dedicated researcher) to maintain and update them.

11.3 Archiving Into a Visual Library

After a project ships—or even mid‑production—you can:

  • Extract reusable biome and glossary sections into a studio‑wide reference library.
  • Use them to onboard new hires, train juniors, or prepare talks and educational content.

This turns each project into a stepping stone for the next.

12. Bringing It All Together

Research packets transform creature concept art from isolated sketches into coherent, sharable worldbuilding. By combining:

  • Glossaries that lock down shared language.
  • Biome notes that explain how environment shapes form and behavior.
  • Consultant credits and ethical guidance that ground your work in real expertise and respect.

—and by weaving in field sketching, museum study, scan analysis, and careful citation—you create resources that serve both:

  • Concept‑side artists, who need inspiration with clear boundaries and hooks.
  • Production‑side artists, who need stable, documented logic and reference.

The next time you’re about to dive into creature exploration, ask:

What packet would future‑me and my teammates wish already existed?
What glossary terms, biome truths, and expert voices would make this creature family stronger and more respectful?

If you start building that packet—one page at a time—you’re not just designing creatures. You’re constructing a living reference ecosystem that will keep your worlds richer, clearer, and more sustainable for everyone who works in them.