Embedded Files
echoes is a program where small teams create games inspired by the lived experiences of community leaders within the broader Rochester area.
Hush
Hush
A game inspired by The Iron Curtain by Gail Hosking and October Crisis by Paulette Swartzfager. Play as a curious child in the 1960s, one too young to know the events going on around them. Your parents won't let on what's really going on, and they want you to be distracted with your toys and games. Slowly learn what your parents are scared of while you play, and piece together exactly what they aren't telling you.
I joined Hush's team about halfway through production to help finish some 2D assets. Key art, main character sprites, and empty backgrounds had already been completed, so it was my job to identify the key stylistic aspects and create props that suited the game's tone.
Key art by Mary Ann Jacob
Player sprite by Robert Tello
The two biggest stylistic traits that I felt set Hush's art apart were:
Rounded edges, which create a “childish” feeling
Warm and rich colors
Minimal shading
Inspiration from 1960s furniture
With these factors in mind, I started creating items to populate the child's house.
The mom sprite was inspired by 1960s fashion. Adults in the game are only shown from the waist up in order to make the player feel small. I tried to reuse some of the player character's colors in her design. Similarly, the fridge was inspired by 1960s fridges. I hoped the magnets would add a personal feeling.
Though I initially made concept art for the teddy bear atop a couch, it ended up on a bed in the final game.
Other miscellaneous sprites I was in charge of:
Room for Growth
Room for Growth
Room for Growth is a game project currently in development about taking care of a plant which will always die no matter what you do. The game's core concept was inspired by the feeling of frustration and futility that can sometimes arise from trying to make a big change in a community. While the previous game I worked on for echoes, the aforementioned Hush, already had a predefined style, I took on the role of concept artist this time around.
Room for Growth's initial mood board
With some initial visual inspiration in mind, the next step of the research phase was to find an art style which would suit our project. Though Room for Growth is ultimately about failing to take care of a plant, leaving them feeling frustrated, we wanted to bury the lede. This meant that the art style should contrast with that feeling of exasperation - it should be misleadingly cutesy and cozy (initially, anyways). Our team looked at pastel pixel art styles like Merrigo’s, illustrative styles with vibrant colors like the work of Ayako Ozaki, but ultimately fell in love with the style of Em Kessler’s illustration work. The simple yet expressive nature of the illustrations, the slightly geometric feel of figures and landscapes, the color and lighting work — it perfectly suited the vibe we were aiming for. With these traits in mind, I got to work.
Thumbnails
Thumbnails
The team knew they wanted a view of a plant dead center on a windowsill, but the question was how close to get to said sill.
Initial Concepts
Initial Concepts
Round 2 (After Revisions)
Round 2 (After Revisions)
Tried to create a warmer atmosphere with simpler shapes.
The plant was also supposed to day after several in-game days had passed. The environment would gradually get more ominous as the days dragged on. These were color tests for the final day.
Round 3 (Final Revisions)
Round 3 (Final Revisions)
Simplified shapes even further and aimed for a cleaner look. Kept texture, but toned it down.
Room for Growth is still in development, so it’s fairly likely that the final art you see for the game will still be different from what I’m showing off in this post. Ultimately, the point of concept art is to help create an identity for the game and guide future artists down the right path.
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