A concept artist is someone who generates original ideas and communicates them visually. They must create the style and feel for characters, environments and objects. This can be in the form of fantasy worlds and characters which could never exist, or perhaps architecture and design which can potentially be created for real. Concept art can be very expressive and abstract, not just realistic. The approach used is whichever the artist feels most suitable to get the idea across and the intended feel and style for the artwork.

The concept artist is incredibly important, because it is their pre-production work which impacts the whole project. As idea creators they express the vision in its truest form, before passing it on to the designers (or other production members, depending on project) that develop it and provide a final product. It is important for there to be strong communication between all people involved to ensure the original vision is not lost in translation.

It is also important for the concept artist to have a strong understanding of the type of area they are undertaking. For example, an architectural concept artist must have a strong understanding of architecture, construction and the laws of physics and science. You cannot create a believable vehicle concept without some technical and mechanical understanding, even in science fiction. Within fantasy you must still contain verisimilitude.

The medium used by the concept artist is varied, though typically in this generation it would seem that computer software is the standard. This can be using a tablet pen and software such as Adobe Photoshop or Coral Painter to produce digital paintings. The artwork can also be created using 3D software for a potentially more realistic and arguably less expressive approach. Often both techniques are combined for maximum effect.

During pre-production the concept artist often works closely with the Art Director or Development Producer, who will provide a general guideline for the intended feel of the final product. They will have their artwork reviewed and discussed by the director or producer and changes will be made where necessary. It is not uncommon for the concept artist to also take the role as a designer to develop the ideas further.

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The description above is only from what I know and understand as a student, not from experience in the field. If you are a concept artist and would like to contribute or disagree with something, please feel free to leave a comment below!

Some sites worth checking out:

Forums/Communities

conceptart.org
cghub.com
cgsociety.org

Art Collectives

gorillaartfare.com
conceptartworld.com
chemicalbank.org