Game Art Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield Game Art facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. What in "Yahtzee" is a large straight? → 5 Numbers In A Row
2. A 'radial menu' in game UI primarily offers players which advantage? → Quick, equidistant access to multiple options arranged in a circle around a focal point
3. What is the primary advantage of using a modular environment approach in game production? → Faster level iteration by reusing a smaller set of assets
4. What tool is most commonly used in the games industry to paint PBR textures directly on 3D models? → Substance 3D Painter
5. What is video game pixel art? → A unique type of art created for video games.
6. The primary design purpose of an inventory grid layout in game UI is to accomplish which goal? → Organize collected items in a structured spatial layout for efficient visual management
7. What information does the 'metallic map' store in a PBR workflow? → Whether a surface area is metallic (white) or non-metallic (black)
8. What does PBR stand for in game art texturing? → Physically Based Rendering
9. What does the game "Outburst" have as a subtitle? → The Game Of Verbal Explosions
10. What is the name of the free pixel art program that was released in 1996? → GrafX2
11. What game use pawns? → Parcheesi
12. What is a 'texture atlas' in game development? → A single texture image that contains multiple individual textures packed together
13. In game modeling, what is a 'modular kit'? → A set of pre-built reusable mesh pieces designed to snap together
14. What does an 'ambient occlusion (AO) map' store in a game texture set? → Soft shadowing in crevices and contact areas to add depth
15. What does 'value study' mean in concept art? → A monochrome sketch that establishes light, shadow, and form before color is added
16. What is UV unwrapping in game art? → Flattening a 3D mesh's surface into a 2D layout so textures can be applied correctly
17. Which of the following is NOT a requirement for becoming a game art designer? → Board game skills
18. What is the primary purpose of creating game art? → To help the artist define the genre of the project
19. How many pieces of art can some artists produce for video games? → More than one hundred
20. How long can players spend staring at a game piece? → up to four hours
21. In game UI design, what is 'diegetic' UI? → UI that exists within the game world as an in-game object
22. What board game has a safety zone, forces you to go backwards when four is drawn, and allows you to divide a move of seven? → Sorry
23. Which of the following is NOT a lesson in the book? → There is no one-size-fits-all master game design document.
24. In a PBR metallic-roughness workflow, what does a roughness value of 0 represent? → A perfectly smooth, mirror-like surface
25. What is a 'height map' used for in game texturing pipelines? → Encoding surface elevation detail to drive parallax or displacement effects
26. What is the purpose of a 'cage mesh' during normal map baking? → To control ray projection direction and distance during baking
27. Which game is a well-known example of diegetic health representation, displaying damage on the player character's suit rather than a separate health bar? → Dead Space
28. Which of the following is true about video game box art? → Some of the best artwork in video game box art was created by well-known artists.
29. Which of the following is true about the evolution of board game artwork? → The artwork for board games has evolved over the past two decades.
30. What is the significance of 'UV seam placement' in game texturing? → Poorly placed seams cause visible texture stretching or breaks visible during gameplay