Worldbuilding: Crocodile Isle

Process

After making thumbnails, I would narrow down concepts and develop them to sketches for presentation, selecting a few for value and color mockups. After receiving feedback, I would revise my work to a clean stage, continuing to make changes as requested. After the world was visually developed in terms of tools, buildings, and characters, I went on to create my final image (pictured above).

Concept

Crocodile Isle - A crew is shipwrecked on a mysterious undiscovered island uninhabited by human life somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean. The island's terrain is some combination of the Louisiana Bayou and a tropical island typical of the Caribbean with some fantastical elements. The island has its threats to the crew: it's overrun with crocodiles! They also discover a marooned ancient Viking longship near a burial ground, along with a sketchbook/journal with drawings of mythological undead Viking warriors called Draugr ... essentially Norse Zombies. Are the Draugr real? Are they on the island? After several weeks stranded on the island, the crew realize that they may never be rescued. They must build a new life and a new world for themselves to survive and thrive using anything salvageable from their boat, the Viking longship, anything they brought on board, and what the land and water can offer.