This post needs your feedback! My prototype of the game Dive works nicely and we’re working to create a pretty one. The game revolves around taking a deep breath and diving down to collect underwater treasures. I’ve finally drafted up my second item, the Big Momma Pearl.
I’ve been using the tools I already have – Corel Painter Essentials 5and a Wacom Bamboodrawing tablet. Corel Painter is an art program which simulates brushes (and other tools) and different kinds of paints.
I’m still learning how to use it, but have enjoyed it so far. I painted(?) the bucket first and will show an earlier draft of it here so that you can see some of the progression.
Prototype BucketEarly Bucket
The writing and numbers are just placeholders at the moment. It’s early days, but I want to settle on a style for the game’s art before too long. There are 52 cards to design, after all!
Whilst working on the bucket, all of the techniques used were ones that could be done with real life art. I absolutely love the light effects on the final bucket! I tried to add some depth by ‘burning‘ to make it darker and ‘dodging‘ to make it lighter. There are a few small details too, such as a grainy sand effect.
Early on, I lightened the background. This watery, blue background will most likely be on each item card.
By the time I’d got half way through my second card, the Big Momma Pearl, I had been enjoying messing around with a pattern of working. I would dump a few colours of paint onto the canvas in the general shapes I needed, then would use a tool called the Impressionist Blender Jitter which gave some nice texture and brought in some extras colours.
Prototype Big Momma PearlEarly Big Momma Pearl
This item has a very different feel to the Bucket – darker and quite a bit busier. The Big Momma is one of the deepest items to collect and, as such, doesn’t have the same lighting effects as the Bucket. There are more rocks deeper in this water, and more wild plants.
I found this picture difficult to draw, but I think mostly because I had the option of putting in so many different plants and rocks. I wouldn’t be able to name many of the plants (yet!) but there are such a great variety of interesting plants that live underwater!
I’d love to hear your thoughts on my art so far. Bear in mind that the writing is mostly there to give an idea of what it could look like – I’m mostly interested in your thoughts on the graphics.
Is this the kind of art you would enjoy to see when snorkelling into the depths for treasure?
7 thoughts on “The Bucket and the Big Momma Pearl”
I love the style, looking forward to you having settled on a font to really gain the full picture. Think you’re doing a fab job!
Dude these are awesome! Really love the style and colour pallet =) maybe add something that defines the named item a bit more, so it stands out from it’s surrounding slightly.
Is this a purely card based game or do you plan on having a playing board?
Thanks Dan! I’m glad you like it. The Big Momma is quite busy but will look into maybe giving a slight highlight around the background behind it or something. The game uses cards and custom dice – the board is your table!
I love the style, looking forward to you having settled on a font to really gain the full picture. Think you’re doing a fab job!
Thanks Amy! I agree about the font! I’ll have to have a good trawl through http://www.dafont.com
Dude these are awesome! Really love the style and colour pallet =) maybe add something that defines the named item a bit more, so it stands out from it’s surrounding slightly.
Is this a purely card based game or do you plan on having a playing board?
Thanks Dan! I’m glad you like it. The Big Momma is quite busy but will look into maybe giving a slight highlight around the background behind it or something. The game uses cards and custom dice – the board is your table!
Love these, James! I’m working on a biblical version of 7 Wonders called 7 Churches…
Nice! Is it based on the 7 Churches mentioned in Revelation..? Interesting!