The work on the upcoming title continues apace... One could even say that it’s in full swing! Today, we’d like to tell you how the artwork and illustrations for The Life and Suffering of Prince Jerian are made, as well as share a few comments and sketches from behind the scene. So, is everyone ready? Then let’s go! The Life and Suffering of Prince Jerian isn’t just a game, but a real epic that will transport you to the world of the Blessed Arknian Empire. As its crown prince, you will experience many ups and downs, storm the heights of power, untangle — or perhaps even weave — a web of intrigue, and make the toughest of choices. The game’s visual elements play a key role in all this, since without them, it’d really difficult to convey all the necessary emotions and atmosphere. Making art involves more than just drawing pictures and importing them into your project. This is an entire multiple-stage creative process, where every stroke can add or possess its own meaning. And while we have a common algorithm that all illustrations must go through, each one requires a unique approach. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45120422/5444f3b84dcad12ab97c6a2a9488755dd0d9550b.png[/img] [i][b]Prince Jerian[/b][/i] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45120422/e3092360025dcc456042ad41b941a3298f0e83d9.gif[/img] Let’s take our main character, Prince Jerian himself, for example. When we first started working on the protagonist’s design, the process was pretty straightforward and went through all the typical stages, from general outlines to more detailed variations. As the development progressed, finalizing Jerian’s artwork became easier, since we have reached the point where the whole team knew what the prince should look like. For us, Jerian has become a simple or — as we say it, — "clear" character: everyone understands how to depict him, be it as a little boy, a loyal student of Cornelius, or a confident and imposing ruler. Therefore, in the case of Jerian, who’s become the symbol of the entire game, we no longer have to go through the trouble of approving every little sketch. In the video above, the image is not finalized, since it’s missing a background. We decided against having characters pose on a blank backdrop, so the illustration will, of course, need to be completed. The image shall be sent to background artists, which is a separate stage of the artwork creation process. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45120422/5444f3b84dcad12ab97c6a2a9488755dd0d9550b.png[/img] [i][b]Scepter of the Tempests[/b][/i] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45120422/a76d5af1300c812a4d3e28aa56627ed292f2d85b.gif[/img] The illustrations in this video are a different case: such images accompany certain in-game events. This particular picture is about power — we plan to use it in those scenes where the hero manifests his right to rule. As you can see, the image was based on a pre-existing illustration, so the process of working on it turned out to be quite unusual. First thing first, we decided to create a 3D model of the scepter. After all, one has to be thorough when making an artifact of such magnitude — every detail must be just right. Because of that, we’ve spent a long time discussing what the Tempest scepter should look like and fiddling around with the model. In the end, we settled on the traditional symbol of the Twins, an encircled cross, as well as the image of the Tempest dragon entwined around it. Using the finished model, we then began to draw an image of Jerian making a gesture with that very same item. In the video, you can follow our artist as they prepare the final illustration based on the scepter’s 3D model, aiming to convey all the symbolism of the hero’s supreme authority. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45120422/5444f3b84dcad12ab97c6a2a9488755dd0d9550b.png[/img] [i][b]Multiple-figure Composition[/b][/i] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45120422/df75a2b350b7e673f185892364e79d370af325e1.gif[/img] Now we come to complex, multipart illustrations. This image, which will be used during intermediate, in-between chapters scenes that we call "interludes," introduces you to a whole group of characters that await the player in-game: Emil, Martha, Ferdinand, and Cornelius — some of the first people the young prince can meet, with all of them destined to play an important role in his future life. Little Jerian runs towards them from the palace. Work on such an illustration begins with planning its composition. Considering that interludes take up two pages in the game’s book at once, and that its fold runs down the middle, we first discussed character placements, outlining a basic composition with bold strokes. Then, we moved onto sketches and drafts, and only afterwards began to add details to the image. Just one such picture can take several days to finish: there are numerous characters, and every little thing needs to be taken into account when drawing them. It’s important to not only work out the characters’ appearance, but also their personality traits and place in the game world’s history, so every one may pose their own challenges. For example, we had to repeatedly redraw Martha’s face, in particular — the details around her mouth. On the other hand, we were able to convey the atmosphere that reigns inside the palace on the first try. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45120422/5444f3b84dcad12ab97c6a2a9488755dd0d9550b.png[/img] [i][b]Conclusion[/b][/i] With this article, we’ve really only scratched the surface of how the game’s visuals are made and how illustrations are used to set the tone for our "game book." Feel free to ask if you have any questions! We’d also love to hear what else you want to learn from future posts. Our developers are always happy to talk about their craft and may even be willing to share a number of previously unrevealed secrets. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45120422/7e50789beee201a216ccb9a92d732526549956a6.png[/img] Join us on social media to participate in hot discussions, ask questions of interest, and stay up-to-date with future developments: [url=https://discord.com/invite/aFbHRvwxC8]Discord[/url] [url=https://x.com/SirBrante]X[/url]