Table of Contents – Prop Design – Sarah Clarity Studios

Table of Contents: Prop Design

Created by Sarah Choi (prompt writer using ChatGPT)

Prop Design for Video Games

Table of Contents

Written for aspiring artists, indie studio artists, and AAA professionals. Each unit is scaffolded with clear projects for Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced / Expert.

Part I — Orientation & Foundations

Unit 1 — The Prop Concept Artist

Sub-units: Roles across indie / AAA, deliverables, collaboration map
- Ch.1: What prop concept art solves (readability, interaction, story)
- Ch.2: Deliverable types (silhouettes, orthos / turnarounds, exploded views, callouts, paintovers, skins)
- Ch.3: Reading briefs & asking the right questions (user, context, faction, tech level)
- Ch.4: Production constraints 101 (metrics, camera reads, platform limits)

Unit 2 — Design Fundamentals for Props

Sub-units: Proportion, perspective, silhouette
- Ch.1: Measuring & proportion systems for handheld / tabletop / large props
- Ch.2: Perspective for cylinders & interfaces (ellipses, dials, screens)
- Ch.3: Silhouette, gesture & class readability
- Ch.4: Shape language ↔ function (friendly, utilitarian, ceremonial, dangerous)

Unit 3 — Function & Interaction 101 (Depiction Only)

Sub-units: Affordances, states, motion cues
- Ch.1: Affordances & grips (how it’s held, pushed, turned)
- Ch.2: State changes & feedback (open / closed, on / off, safe / armed) — color / shape / light
- Ch.3: Kinematic hints (hinges, sliders, ratchets) for believable motion
- Ch.4: Safety devices & warnings as diegetic UI (no bypass guidance)

Unit 4 — Reference, Research & Visual Libraries

Sub-units: Fieldwork, collections, research ethics
- Ch.1: Building a genre-specific prop library (domestic, industrial, sci‑fi, fantasy, historical)
- Ch.2: Moodboards that direct style, not copy (materials, graphics, ornament)
- Ch.3: Photo & diagram studies (orthographic overlays, part labels)
- Ch.4: Research packets (taxonomy, specs, language / typography refs)

Unit 5 — Prop Worldbuilding & Economy

Sub-units: Manufacturing, materials, faction identity, environment fit
- Ch.1: Tech level & manufacturing constraints (casting, sheet metal, 3D print, handcraft)
- Ch.2: Supply chains & maintenance (spares, repairs, consumables)
- Ch.3: Factions & branding (insignia, motifs, language)
- Ch.4: Biome / climate adaptation (dust / snow / rain; heat / cold; waterproofing)

Part II — Prop Taxonomy & Categories

Unit 6 — Everyday & Environmental Props

Sub-units: Household, office, street dressing
- Ch.1: Domestic sets (kitchen, bath, living) — clusters & use wear
- Ch.2: Office & studio — desks, lamps, organizers, peripherals
- Ch.3: Street / market dressing — stalls, kiosks, benches, trash / recycling
- Ch.4: “Lived‑in” storytelling without visual noise

Unit 7 — Furniture & Fixtures

Sub-units: Seating, tables, storage, architectural attachments
- Ch.1: Chairs / stools / benches — ergonomics & joinery reads
- Ch.2: Tables / counters — frames, tops, feet & wobble control
- Ch.3: Storage — cabinets, wardrobes, lockers, drawers & latches
- Ch.4: Fixtures — handles, knobs, rails, switches, outlets

Unit 8 — Containers & Carry Systems

Sub-units: Crates, cases, bottles, packs
- Ch.1: Box & crate families (wood, plastic, metal) — ribs & stacking logic
- Ch.2: Bottles / jars / cans — closures, seals, pressure cues
- Ch.3: Soft goods — backpacks, slings, pouches, straps & hardware
- Ch.4: Security / ID — locks, tags, seals (depiction only)

Unit 9 — Tools & Kits

Sub-units: Hand tools, power tools, measuring
- Ch.1: Hand tools — grips, leverage, edge protection
- Ch.2: Power tools — vents, guards, battery packs & cables
- Ch.3: Measuring & marking — rulers, calipers, lasers, levels
- Ch.4: Field kits & roll‑ups — layout logic

Unit 10 — Crafting & Resource Props

Sub-units: Raw materials, benches, stations
- Ch.1: Ingots, beams, sheets, fabrics, reagents
- Ch.2: Workbenches & vises — clamping & debris control
- Ch.3: Storage systems — bins, racks, shadow boards
- Ch.4: Upgrade benches & game economy hooks

Unit 11 — Tech & Devices

Sub-units: Comms, sensors, wearables
- Ch.1: Phones, tablets, terminals — bezels, ports, thermal logic
- Ch.2: Radios & scanners — antenna language & indicators
- Ch.3: Wearables — watches, HUDs, exo‑accessories
- Ch.4: Smart home / ship devices — status lights & pairing

Unit 12 — Medical & Scientific

Sub-units: Medkits, lab gear, field equipment
- Ch.1: Sterility, seals & tamper evidence
- Ch.2: Instruments & disposables — trays & count control
- Ch.3: Diagnostics — screens, readouts, color codes
- Ch.4: Emergency props — AEDs, stretchers, rescue packs

Unit 13 — Food, Packaging & Marketplace

Sub-units: Produce, prepared, packaged
- Ch.1: Food shapes, moisture, translucency cues
- Ch.2: Containers & wraps — lids, clamshells, vac‑seals
- Ch.3: Branding & nutrition icon systems (locale aware)
- Ch.4: Market layouts & stall ecosystems

Unit 14 — Natural & Organic Props

Sub-units: Flora, fauna, fossils
- Ch.1: Plant bundles, roots, cuttings & display stands
- Ch.2: Bones, skulls, antlers — porosity & fracture patterns
- Ch.3: Shells, corals, minerals — growth logic & polish
- Ch.4: Specimen jars & preservation cues

Unit 15 — Books, Documents & Signage

Sub-units: Books, files, posters, wayfinding
- Ch.1: Book spines, bindings & aging
- Ch.2: Paper stacks, clips, folders & tabs
- Ch.3: Posters & placards — adhesives, lamination, mounts
- Ch.4: Signs & wayfinding — pictograms, hierarchy, lighting

Unit 16 — Cultural, Ritual & Entertainment Props

Sub-units: Instruments, toys, ceremonial objects
- Ch.1: Musical instruments — strings, wind, percussion shape logic
- Ch.2: Toys & games — bright reads & safety cues
- Ch.3: Ritual objects — symbolism & materials (cultural respect)
- Ch.4: Sports & performance props — durability reads

Unit 17 — Transport‑Adjacent Props

Sub-units: Fuel, maintenance, travel
- Ch.1: Fuel cans, funnels, chargers, adapters
- Ch.2: Jacks, chocks, straps, tie‑downs
- Ch.3: Luggage & cases — wheels, handles, locks
- Ch.4: Roadside / shipboard kits — triangles, flares (depiction)

Unit 18 — Security & Access Systems (Depiction)

Sub-units: Locks, keys, ID, cams
- Ch.1: Mechanical locks & keys — anatomy cues only
- Ch.2: Keycards, fobs & biometrics — status / readability
- Ch.3: Cameras / sensors — lenses, IR windows, housings
- Ch.4: Safes & access panels — hinges, bolts, seals (no bypass)

Unit 19 — Hazardous & Industrial Props

Sub-units: Barrels, valves, gauges, PPE
- Ch.1: Drum types & bungs — UN markings & hazard labels
- Ch.2: Pipes & valves — flanges, unions, bleed points
- Ch.3: Gauges & meters — needles, LED bars, glass
- Ch.4: PPE — helmets, masks, gloves, suits

Unit 20 — Magic, Arcane & Ritual Tech

Sub-units: Artifacts, foci, catalysts
- Ch.1: Material alchemy — glass, crystal, bone, metal
- Ch.2: Sigils, inlays & light language
- Ch.3: Energy reservoirs & cooldown logic
- Ch.4: Avoiding trope soup — fresh motifs

Unit 21 — Sci‑Fi Prop Families

Sub-units: Power, drones, fabricators, scanners
- Ch.1: Cells & canisters — charge states & interlocks
- Ch.2: Drones & bots — docking, charging, stowage
- Ch.3: Fabricators & printers — bays, build volumes, hoods
- Ch.4: Scanners & analyzers — antennas, displays, readout logic

Unit 22 — Post‑Apocalyptic Salvage & Kitbash

Sub-units: Repair, reuse, bricolage
- Ch.1: Fasteners & straps — visible hardware language
- Ch.2: Patches & plates — rivets, welds, stitches
- Ch.3: Mixed material palettes — “found” color
- Ch.4: Plausible failures & field fixes

Part III — Systems & Details

Unit 23 — Materials & Surface Language

Sub-units: Wood, metal, plastic, glass, ceramic, fabric, rubber
- Ch.1: Coatings & finishes (matte / gloss, anodize, paint, glaze)
- Ch.2: Wear patterns (edges, oils, stains, chips, scorch, dust)
- Ch.3: Translucency, transparency & subsurface cues
- Ch.4: Conveying mass, temperature & history

Unit 24 — Mechanisms & Moving Parts (Depiction)

Sub-units: Hinges, latches, springs, gears
- Ch.1: Motion ranges & stops; detents & clicks
- Ch.2: Sequencing for animation (open/close, latch / unlatch)
- Ch.3: Tolerances & fits — gaps, gaskets, seals
- Ch.4: Maintenance access & field‑service reads (visual only)

Unit 25 — Ergonomics & Human Factors

Sub-units: Anthropometrics, grip geometry, accessibility
- Ch.1: Handles, knobs, grips — textures & profiles
- Ch.2: Reach envelopes & sight lines
- Ch.3: Left / right / disabled variants & cultural conventions
- Ch.4: Wearables & comfort systems

Unit 26 — Modular Systems & Families

Sub-units: Sets, size ranges, attachment points
- Ch.1: Family planning (S / M / L, economy / premium)
- Ch.2: Connectors, rails & sockets — visual standards
- Ch.3: Variant logic & trim levels
- Ch.4: Documentation that downstream teams love

Unit 27 — Graphics Integration

Sub-units: Labels, decals, icons, typography
- Ch.1: Information hierarchy & legibility
- Ch.2: Localization & number systems
- Ch.3: Hazard & compliance pictograms
- Ch.4: Brand systems, livery & wayfinding

Unit 28 — States, Interactivity & Feedback

Sub-units: On / off, open / closed, damaged, crafted
- Ch.1: Readable state changes (color, light, geometry)
- Ch.2: Interaction prompts & diegetic UI
- Ch.3: VFX & audio hooks (beeps, glows, steam)
- Ch.4: Inventory icons & rarity tiers

Unit 29 — Scale, Measurement & Callouts

Sub-units: Dimensions, standards, reference
- Ch.1: Common sizes & measurement conventions
- Ch.2: Scale references (hands, coins, rulers)
- Ch.3: Exploded views & notation systems
- Ch.4: Checklists & review gates

Unit 30 — Wear, Weathering & Storytelling Micro‑Details

Sub-units: Repairs, stickers, stitching, provenance
- Ch.1: Repairs & improvised fixes — glues, tapes, stitches
- Ch.2: Ownership & provenance — labels, signatures, trophies
- Ch.3: Dirt maps, drip logic & gravity cues
- Ch.4: Age passes across a set

Part IV — Genres & Style Systems

Unit 31 — Style Systems: Stylized ↔ Realistic for Props

Sub-units: Shape, edge, value, palette rules
- Ch.1: Proportion caricature & simplification
- Ch.2: Material reduction & “toon PBR” heuristics
- Ch.3: Harmonizing across teams & outsourcing
- Ch.4: Style drift — diagnosis and correction

Unit 32 — Genre Toolkits

Sub-units: Fantasy, Sci‑Fi (hard / soft), Cyberpunk, Historical, Post‑Apocalyptic, Whimsical
- Ch.1: Design logic & references per genre
- Ch.2: Gameplay readability & class silhouettes
- Ch.3: Tech props & world hooks
- Ch.4: Crossing genres without losing coherence

Unit 33 — Faction Identity, Branding & Ornament

Sub-units: Icons, motifs, inlays, colorways
- Ch.1: Visual dialects across cultures/eras
- Ch.2: Markings for team / role readability
- Ch.3: Personalization vs production consistency
- Ch.4: Manufacturing variance & “trim levels”

Unit 34 — Hero, Legendary & Puzzle Props

Sub-units: Signature items as narrative anchors
- Ch.1: Lore mechanics & unique affordances
- Ch.2: Puzzles & multi‑state transformations
- Ch.3: Setpiece choreography & camera language
- Ch.4: Balancing spectacle with readability

Part V — Production & Collaboration

Unit 35 — From Brief to Package: The Prop Concept Pipeline

Sub-units: Ideation → iteration → finals → handoff
- Ch.1: Silhouette banks & clustering matrices
- Ch.2: Proportion passes & A / B / C iteration (30% deltas)
- Ch.3: Orthos / turnarounds, exploded views & callout sheets
- Ch.4: Final packages: what to include and label for 3D / rigging / UI / VFX / audio

Unit 36 — 2D / 3D Hybrid Methods for Props

Sub-units: Blockouts, scans, kitbashing, photobash ethics
- Ch.1: Speed blockouts & overpaints
- Ch.2: Scan / kitbash libraries & CAD pitfalls
- Ch.3: Lighting renders for paintover & material IDs
- Ch.4: Damage states & variant automation

Unit 37 — Partnering with Level Design, Systems, UI, VFX & Audio

Sub-units: Metrics, motion, interaction
- Ch.1: Placement metrics & pick‑up radii
- Ch.2: Interaction & crafting loops — clarity beats
- Ch.3: VFX / audio hooks (glints, glows, beeps, steam)
- Ch.4: UI & accessibility (icons, color‑blind safe, subtitles)

Unit 38 — Readability Across Cameras & Distances

Sub-units: FPP, TPP, isometric, VR/AR, marketing
- Ch.1: Camera‑specific silhouette & material treatment
- Ch.2: Color coding & hazard language under motion blur
- Ch.3: LOD thinking baked into concepts
- Ch.4: Inventory & key art angles

Unit 39 — Optimization, Modularity & Reuse

Sub-units: Prefabs, kits, LOD thinking
- Ch.1: Modular sets & “breakup” logic
- Ch.2: Reuse patterns without visual noise
- Ch.3: Texture / material budgets & atlases
- Ch.4: Documentation that downstream teams love

Unit 40 — Prop Sets & Ecosystems

Sub-units: Interior / exterior dressing at scale
- Ch.1: Set blueprints & density control
- Ch.2: Theme packs & faction variants
- Ch.3: Clutter vs clarity — rules of thumb
- Ch.4: Seasonal & event packs

Part VI — Advanced Practice & Professional Growth

Unit 41 — Advanced Narrative Prop Design

Sub-units: Time layers, culture & “voice”
- Ch.1: Before / after storytelling (repairs, heirlooms)
- Ch.2: Micro‑clues: inscriptions, labels, trophies
- Ch.3: Boss / hero prop setpieces
- Ch.4: Subtext & symbolism without cliché

Unit 42 — Case Studies & Reverse‑Engineering

Sub-units: Shipped games & museum studies
- Ch.1: AAA pipeline constraints — what changed the art
- Ch.2: Indie ingenuity — scope vs vision
- Ch.3: Museum reverse‑studies & material forensics
- Ch.4: Art test walkthroughs & rubric alignment

Unit 43 — Portfolio, Careers & Ethics

Sub-units: Targeted portfolios, communication, contracts
- Ch.1: Sequencing a portfolio for recruiter flow
- Ch.2: Writing callouts & case notes that show thinking
- Ch.3: Collaboration skills, feedback loops, leadership
- Ch.4: Ethics of reference, dual‑use tech & cultural respect

Unit 44 — Sustainable Workflow & Creative Health

Sub-units: Time, energy & lifelong practice
- Ch.1: Sprinting your personal projects
- Ch.2: Study plans (daily / weekly / monthly)
- Ch.3: Preventing burnout & building momentum
- Ch.4: Communities, mentorship & teaching