Environment Research

Moodboard

Moodboard for ‘Environments’: https://pin.it/gwoqxhg654dtmg
Moodboard for ‘Mushroom Environment’: https://pin.it/6aCBDFG
Moodboard for ‘Colour’: https://pin.it/6PoKJ3G

Before the game’s environment was decided upon, I decided to make a moodboard for rainforest environments since the game is set in the rainforest.

After a team meeting, in which we decided to create the swamp level as it accommodated the mushroom environments from Ala’s moodboard that we all were particularly drawn to. We found them to be the most interesting in terms of design, colour and art style.

After choosing to opt for a mushroom environment, I decided to create a moodboard for ‘mushroom environments’ in order to more specifically research the game’s environment. I also made a small moodboard researching different colour palettes to see which would be the most suit the game’s environment. Some palettes I explored were warm tones, cool tones, pastel tones and bright tones. I found the warmer tones to be particularly suitable for the game as they lend themselves to the concept of a ‘mushroom forest’, which would consist of many greens and browns.

Shown below are the mushroom environments we were particularly interested in. The one we chose to use as the basis for the environment is the one on the left. It had better colour variation and we thought the animals would look better there as opposed to the one on the right.

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After some research, I found the artist who drew the mushroom environments – Anna Lepeshkina. They were concept pieces for a platformer game she had worked on.

Artist Research

Anna Lepeshkina’s ‘Personal Project Design’ – https://www.artstation.com/artwork/rg5Rm

Anna Lepeshkina’s ‘Personal Project’ Environmental Concept Artworks:

Sketching

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As a method of style research, I decided to roughly paint the chosen mushroom environment (on the right) using the original (on the left) as a reference. I did not do a sketch layer first and instead, began the process by painting the piece using the original as colour reference. I painted the piece beginning with the bottom layer and worked upwards. The painting took me an hour to finish.

During the process, I found that Lepeshkina’s concept pieces were done in quite a rough, unpolished manner. For our project scope, I thought it would be best we use a more polished version of Lepeshkina’s art style as opposed to copying her style.

Designing

After a few team meetings, where the quests were initially discussed and decided upon, I decided to roughly design and sketch out a part of the mushroom environment whilst keeping in mind one of the quests – I chose the snake quest. This was done in order to practice designing for a specific purpose.

Before I began sketching, I chose to create a small moodboard to use as reference during the process. Shown below is the moodboard.

Moodboard:

Firstly, I roughly mapped out the different elements I wanted to incorporate – different types of mushrooms, a luminescent mushroom, a tree, different background layers and where the snake should reside. Shown below is the rough sketch.

Next, using the moodboard, I made a mini colour palette so that I could colour pick the shades I want with ease. Doing so also gave me an idea as to what colours I should use in the piece. Shown below is the colour palette I made.

Finally, I began painting the environment. Shown below is the painting.

I found the glowing mushrooms especially interesting and decided to experiment with incorporating one as we had discussed possibly including an underground/darker section in the mushroom environment. We had also discussed having different layers make up the environment to make for a more visually intriguing and dynamic game world. As a result, I decided to play around with incorporating foregrounds/layers in my sketch. I also drew a tree to mark the place the snake was supposed to be residing in as originally, the snake was supposed to be sleeping by a tree.

Furthermore, I explored different types of mushrooms by sketching out two different kinds – one glowing and one non-luminescent. They also varied in shape and appeared in different manners – one resides by itself whilst one appears in a cluster of mushrooms that vary in height.

I never finished the piece as it was supposed to just be a sketch so I decided to stop working on it after one drawing session.