Creating a Fortiche-Inspired Environment in Unreal Engine 5

Abstract

This master thesis explores Studio Fortiche's unique graphic art style and attempts to experimentally build a scene inside Unreal Engine5 achieving a fortiche-inspired visual look by analyzing the digital techniques used in their latest production Arcane: League of Legends (2021). Specifically, analyzing how the studio was able to blend 2D and 3D in such a coherent way together, resulting in this very unique visual look. My research points out that Arcane, despite appearing to be a 3D animated film, has more in common with traditional hand-drawn animated films from the past, adopting some modern camera and animation techniques found in newer 3D movie productions. To evaluate the resemblance of my final UE5 scene with the picked reference from the show, I conducted an online survey. In conclusion, the likeness of the scene was overall good with room for improvement. Partly because my art skill saren’t on the same professional level as an artist working at Studio Fortiche, but also a noticeable discrepancy in environment lighting due Unreal Engine being an engine focusing on realistic rendering and therefore being limited in how much materials and lighting support a stylized look like Fortiche.