Fantastic Factories: The Art in Kickstarter #3
With any game design, before making a big change, you have to understand what the problems are that you are solving. My process is to find what's fun about the game and design everything else around it in support of that fun.
Editors note: Fantastic Factories is on Kickstarter until June 29th, 2018. It's already nearly at 500% of its initial funding goal after only the first few days, so if you are curious then go check out the campaign. The interview below is with Joseph Z Chen the designer and artist on this project (co-designed with Justin Faulkner) who was kind enough to drop by to tell me more about it all.
Hello Joseph, thanks for taking the time to speak to us. Firstly, could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I live in Seattle and have lived in this area for my whole life. I've always been a gamer at heart, although not a big tabletop gamer until right after college. During that time I really got into some of the classic gateway games like Settlers of Catan, Dominion, and 7 Wonders. I had a couple of really competitive roommates and we would play the same games over and over again. Just to give you an idea of how dedicated we were, sometimes we would set up Catan and discuss what the optimal placement of all the starting settlements were for half an hour. Once we agreed, we would reset the board and do it all over again.
Eventually, a group of us decided that we wanted to make a board game, combining the mechanics of some of our favorite games. My particular design took off, and I kept working on it week after week with the help of others. At one point I decided I was tired of staring at blank cards so I started making placeholder art, which turned out pretty good. My only prior experience with art was dabbling in graphic design in high school, but with the help of my wife and other graphic design mentors, I was able to create the art for Fantastic Factories!
Like many game designers, I work as a software engineer for my day job.
So, can you describe your Kickstarter game to us and what makes it interesting?
In Fantastic Factories, players race to build the most efficient set of factories. You must carefully manage your blueprints, train your workers, and manufacture as many goods as possible in order to achieve industrial dominance! It's a dice-placement engine-building game. It's all about trying to find the best combinations of factories and figuring out the puzzle of where and how to place all your workers.
There are a few unique aspects to the game. Much of the game is played with players taking their turns simultaneously, which cuts down heavily on player down time. The game also has a lot of interesting options and different strategies. Often in games with dice, a larger roll is better. However in Fantastic Factories, every roll has its advantage in the right situation so the game is less about depending on hitting certain rolls and more about how you can leverage those rolls to your advantage. A huge feature of the game is the many ways you can manipulate the dice rolls in your favor, so each turn is a satisfying puzzle of how to alter and assign your workers.
I also think the art and overall aesthetic is really quite fantastic! So many games are fantasy or space themed and use serious and monotonous colors. I wanted to make a game with bright colorful art. I aimed for simplicity and elegance throughout the art, graphic design, and game design. Together, I think it makes the whole package stand out and feel approachable.
How long have you been working on this game? What made you launch the campaign now?
My team and I have been working on Fantastic Factories for about 2 and half years at this point. It's been a slow and steady process with a lot of playtesting. I would say that under normal circumstances, it wouldn't need as much time as it has had, but we underwent a couple major redesigns to really nail down and tighten up the gameplay. One of those redesigns came after we won a regional game design competition (NW LUCI Award) that was judged by industry experts. At the time we felt the design was complete and while we did win, they had plenty of constructive criticisms for us. This challenged us to do better and revisit parts of the design. After the redesign, it meant a whole new round of playtesting. It really is a labor of love.
Over those 2 and a half years it was a continuous iterative process of design, playtest, prepare for a convention, and then starting all over again with all the new feedback. All the while, working on the art and graphic design as well. Things take a little longer when you have to split your time between game design, art, and community building. Oh, and my wife and I had our first kid in the middle of it all that!
I'd like to say we had some grand plan with the timing of the campaign launch, but really we just gave the game as much time and love as we felt was necessary. Once we felt the game design was complete and the majority of the art was complete, we set a date a few months away in order to prepare review copies, figure out manufacturing/logistics, and plan our Kickstarter campaign.
Having taken the game through a few redesigns what are some of the biggest changes you've implemented? What do you think you've learned from this feedback loop creative process?
With any game design, before making a big change, you have to understand what the problems are that you are solving. My process is to find what's fun about the game and design everything else around it in support of that fun. With that in mind, it's unsurprising to see that the soul of the game has remained consistent and largely unchanged since the very beginning. For Fantastic Factories, that core fun comes from two angles -- discovering cool combinations of factories that work well together and solving the puzzle of where to place all your dice to maximize your output.
One problem I had was the way buildings were built. Building a blueprint used to require two matching dice. This was problematic for a number of reasons. While rolling a pair of matching dice with 4 dice is a likely 72% chance, there is still a decent chance you won't roll a pair for a couple turns, which really can set you behind. For a while, I used a single die double build cost solution, but it was clunky and complex to explain. Another issue I ran into was that using half your dice to build a factory is quite costly, and newer players often were building cards they didn't need just for the sake of building.
This is where things get a little interesting. In a neat and ideal world, you solve each problem with some design solution. Or even better, you solve all your problems with a single design solution. In this case, I ended up with a solution that greatly simplified a number of mechanics and solved a series of problems but had a dramatic cascading effect that touched almost every part of the game.
I ended up changing the way building cards worked. I introduced four new tool symbols. Each blueprint would have one of these tool symbols. Building no longer required any dice but instead required that you discard another card with the same matching symbol. This created a card-as-a-resource mechanic that really helps players sift through the deck finding the engine pieces they need and also providing an outlet for cards they don't want to build. This also created more tension in the marketplace draft since there would be multiple reasons why players would want a particular card.
However, this created a gaping hole with the basic actions where you used to use dice to build, the choices when using the basic actions were no longer interesting. My co-designer, Justin, solved that problem by introducing a matching bonus, which ended up being a very satisfying mechanic. The use of the extra dice and the matching bonus ended up infusing the game with a lot more resources so all the cards had to be rebalanced. These game systems did not exist in a vacuum so for each design change we made, it would affect another part of the game, which would then need further patching or adjustment. It was a lot of work, but in the end every change made to fix an unintended side effect left the overall game design even better.
Before we made all these changes, I had developed this somewhat irrational fear of making big changes. Sometimes we get attached to a particular design and grow accustomed to the shortcomings and flaws of that design. Making big changes is exhausting and time consuming, and can entail throwing away a lot of previous work. However, I've learned that great design can often require dramatic changes and that we shouldn't be afraid to pursue those changes if it will make your game better. I only wish I had made that leap earlier. I think being willing to make that kind of leap requires a receptive ear and a great community of people around you who are willing to point out the flaws within your game. That's why I think having a co-designer is so important. They are there to keep you accountable and honest.
As you've stated, you didn't necessarily have much experience in the artwork department before beginning this project. How do you think this shaped your choices when creating the aesthetic and how has guidance from others helped bring the game to where it is today?
My lack of experience with creating art has definitely influenced the aesthetic direction of Fantastic Factories very heavily. I've always been somewhat interested in visual design, and I'd like to think that I know what good visual design looks like when I see it, but actually creating the art is a whole different beast. The largest source of inspiration from early on was Tim Moore, a graphic designer and illustrator who I worked with at my day job. His illustrative style is very clean, colorful, and minimalistic. When I saw how strong of a visual impact he was able to make with such simple shapes, I felt inspired to imitate it.
Ultimately, the illustrations in Fantastic Factories do not require much technical ability. The secret lies in the simplicity, consistency in style, and a little creativity. I have picked up a few skills here and there from Tim, my wife, and online tutorials, but for the most part, all the shapes are quite basic. There's actually a lot of vector factory art out there, and I studied a number of those examples to develop my own style. As a engineer, I started deconstructing the characteristics of the factories I was illustrating. I defined rules and developed a certain visual vocabulary. For example, smokestacks are always red. Buildings in the backdrop have a gradient shadow. Most buildings have these particular ornamental decorative bits. The color palette is limited, which forced me to keep things simple. As I created more art, I developed a richer and deeper visual vocabulary to use within the world of Fantastic Factories. Sometimes I would go back to older pieces of art and add in those elements.
In a way, I took my limitations as an artist and used it as a strength to create a colorful, minimalistic, and creative feel to Fantastic Factories.
In terms of your playtesting, how did feedback guide your graphic design choices in terms of iconography and positioning?
The iconography and positioning/layout of the cards has always been on the forefront of my mind when designing Fantastic Factories. The goal has always been to make an approachable and intuitive game so before I made the card layout, I studied the design of a bunch of different games. I even wrote a blog post about it. Some of the ideas are very basic but some people don't give it enough thought. The trickier thing about Fantastic Factories is that cards exist both in hand and on the table. Designing a layout that is effective for both requires some consideration.
For the most part, playtesting has gone well in terms of the iconography and card layout. Occasionally I've received feedback about the size of the icons, which is challenging because a lot of times the usability of a card is at odds with the aesthetic and artwork of the card. Striking that balance is important. The key thing when playtesting for iconography and card layout is that players won't always identify the issue. Instead, you have to observe when players are either having trouble interpreting a card or are simply missing important details. The root issue may or may not be the iconography and/or layout.
For example, I've received a lot of feedback that new players don't hire the contractors. At first I chalked that up to unfamiliarity with the cards, but now I realize that all the text on the card can be intimidating. I'm now playing around with using some new iconography on the contractor cards. Icons are less intimidating and can be identified more easily once learned but do require learning so there's a tricky balance there as well.
The game has always had color blindness in mind as well. Every element of the game that is functionally colored also has a visual indicate either with a shape or text to distinguish between elements. The only exception is the dice. The dice colors are player colored and don't interact with any other player dice so they provide only aesthetic appeal. I've had a few colorblind players play the game with no issue. I also have a nifty phone app that I can use to analyze the color palette, which has been very helpful.
What advice would you give to anyone looking to launch a Kickstarter game?
Do your research. Immerse yourself in the community. Build connections. Support each other. Don't go into it for the money because this is an industry of passionate people and being anything else will become apparent. Don't ignore feedback from others, especially if you hear it multiple times from multiple sources.
Honestly, you could fill volumes and volumes with all the Kickstarter advice that's out there. It's endless and can be intimidating. But if you're having fun doing it and connecting with people you otherwise wouldn't have met then it becomes second nature to be a giant knowledge sponge for Kickstarter advice.
The few places I would start are Stonemaier Games blog, James Mathe's blog, Tabletop Kickstarter Facebook groups, and Twitter.
Are there any artists and designers in the community whose work that you are inspired by?
Yes! So many. Beth Sobel (Viticulture, Herbaceous, and tons more) is an inspiration. Herbaceous is so gorgeous. My vector art style was inspired by Tim Moore, who isn't a tabletop game artist but is still a talented illustrator. I also love Kwanchai Moriya's colorful style (Flip Ships) and J. L. Meyer (Fox in the Forest). I'm not sure if I could ever do what they do but I love the bright refreshing look they bring to tabletop games!
As for designers, I'm mostly inspired by local designers who are somehow able to pump out such great designs with very functional and elegant graphic design. Shawn Stankewich, Randy Flynn, Dawson Cowals, and Chris Glein just to name a few.
What are you currently reading, listening to or looking at to fuel your work?
Sometimes I'll put on a board game podcast or a tabletop youtube variety show but when I really want to concentrate I usually work in silence. When I'm not actually doing art, I try to soak in everything I can. I subscribe to more podcasts than I can handle and constantly browse Twitter and Facebook for the latest tabletop news and advice. Some of the podcasts and youtube videos that have been helpful include Ludology, Board Game Design Lab, Breaking Into Board Games, and Daniel Solis' video tutorials.
Finally, if we’d like to see more of you and your work, where can we find you?
I don't have a site specifically for my art, but you can visit www.fantasticfactories.com to find out more about Fantastic Factories. You can also find me on social media:
Twitter: @fanfactories
Facebook: fantasticfactories
Instagram: fantastic.factories
Medusa Dollmaker: Art in Board Games #38
I was so pleased to be able to work with such a diverse brief because diversity REPRESENTS. The idea was to include several characters with some cultural-anatomical features. Latin people, Asian people, Arab people, white people, gender fluid or/and androgynous people/trans people, curvy people, gay people. I think this is the right direction to work in. Visibility matters.
Editors note: For full transparency, I was sent an advanced copy of High Society by Osprey Games prior to this interview, due to my Instagram account. However, I had already contacted and arranged an interview with Medusa Dollmaker by this point as her art was something special. The Osprey Games edition of High Society will be available from 31st May.
Hi Medusa Dollmaker, thanks for joining me! For our readers who aren't aware of your work could you tell us a bit about yourself and what you do?
Hello readers! I'm Medusa Dollmaker (Asuncion Macian Ruiz) an artist and countryside woman from Spain. I'm specialized in vintage and retro styles like art nouveau and work in both traditional and digital media. I'm working hard to, hopefully, buy with my husband our own country house this year. We love to live in the countryside with our cat daughters.
You describe yourself as self-taught, so when did you get started and how did you get to the distinct style we see today?
I was heavily influenced by animation movies, museum artbooks, "Fallas" from Valencia (artistic buildings that we burn out every year) and Spanish art (porcelain painting, filigrees, baroque and gothic styles, architecture, renaissance, art nouveau). Also, religious images were an inspiration in my art, since Spain has a long religious tradition. As I grew up, I learned other international styles which influenced me in my work. My style is a mixture of influences.
You have recently worked on the Osprey Games release High Society. Can you tell us more about that project?
It was one of the most pleasant clients I ever had, in one of the most amazing projects I've worked on. They contacted me for quotes and such, and we started to work together. I thought this project was perfect for me, because I'm specialized in art nouveau, so I was really excited! Osprey were so easy to work with. They gave lots of inspiration maps, detailed briefings and such. Like dream clients.
It's wonderful to hear when a client makes is easy to work with. What are some of the most common mistakes you think clients make when working with an artist and how can these be avoided?
It's pretty common for us artists and clients to make mistakes. Some of them are ok, but some mistakes that should be avoided by clients are: being disrespectful, giving very little time to complete the commision, or telling the artist that it's way too expensive for their work.
Also, especially when you're a woman, if a client tries to hit on you or patronizes you. Or when they try to contact you by phone every day while you're also living or working on other's clients commision. That is kinda horrible.
What do you think it is about the art nouveau style that has inspired you so much?
I think art nouveau appeals to me so much (and has so many followers) because it connects allegories, nature and botanical motifs and elegance. The result is a very interesting composition with strong, expressive lines and washed off colors that shout VINTAGE with every stroke. Art Nouveau is the definition of elegance, and being able to translate the art nouveau style across so many topics is very interesting.
Increasing representation and diversity in board game art is an area many are passionate about. This game does a good job of achieving this, so when it came to illustrating the characters what choices were made when it came to diversity and how did you decide on the look and feel of those depicted?
Yeah, Osprey did a good job planning this. They definitely wrote all the details in the brief for me to work on them. I was so pleased to be able to work with such a diverse brief because diversity REPRESENTS. The idea was to include several characters with some cultural-anatomical features. Latin people, Asian people, Arab people, white people, gender fluid or/and androgynous people/trans people, curvy people, gay people. I think this is the right direction to work in. Visibility matters.
Generally speaking how much time goes into each card illustration in the game and could you talk us through your process for creating a piece? Do you start with sketches or dive straight in?
They definitely allowed my creativity to flow, working with them was a pleasure. There were not many big changes, but reasonable suggestions and stuff that definitely improved the quality of the cards.
I always start with some sketches and then the talking starts working from those sketches so adjustments can be made. Sketching, fleshing out the details, studying references and the briefing, and that definitely is so time-consuming but it's part of the work. After that initial big step comes the inking phase. I send regular ink previews so any new changes and adjustments can be made over the ink. Once that's approved, I start coloring the artwork.
I usually spend between 1- 2 weeks to a month with every illustration, depending on things like; how busy my commission schedule is, how detailed the illustrations are or how many changes the client asks for.
For this project I started very slow but as I got closer to the deadline, I managed to work almost 1 card a day. I must say that this required a lot of focus and little sleep time but it was done and Osprey were so kind once they received the results. This commission redefined a lot my timings, and I learned a lot so I'm now a bit faster.
What advice would you give to anyone wanting to work as an artist?
Be patient, be humble, work hard and be respectful but take no shit from anybody. There's no compensation without hard work. Don't procrastinate, that definitely will not pay your bills. Before judging others work, improve yours, focus on what you may achieve if you focus that energy into building a career. Bear in mind that almost 90% of the time the customer will ask for adjustments on the commision you're working on. If that pisses you, don't answer the phone, emails, whatever (better to chat through email) immediately and take your time to calm and think about it.
Also: if you want to succeed, you need to work not only in your art skills. Sadly, you may need to work on your taxes, to advertise your work, to build a following, some networking, and take care of your social media. It's very romantic the concept of gallery discovers an artist and sells their paintings, but you may die waiting for this to happen. So drag your ass to work, know your tools, know your goals and the media, know the platforms and sell your art.
What are you currently reading, listening to or looking at to fuel your work?
I'm always reading an art book in order to improve my work along with my regular readings. Mucha and Klimt are always in my bedside table. The music that really fuels my work is indie, folk, indie folk, some metal and rock and ambient and/or OSTs. I get a lot of inspiration from art documentaries, about painters, ceramics, ornaments, etc. Vintage botanical art is an inspiration, as well as my much-treasured engraving books. I'm a sucker for amazing photography so I watch a lot of Bollywood movies and period movies, like Pride and Prejudice.
Do you have any current projects underway, or coming up that you’d like (or are able) to tell us about?
Well, there's some movie leggins coming on, more witch stuff, long commisioned projects and new licensed work and a lot of pending personal work which I'm so eager to put my hands on.
Finally, if we’d like to see more of you and your work, where can we find you?
You can definitely find me on Instagram almost daily and join me on Facebook.
If you want to see my work, check my portfolio and online shops head to: medusathedollmaker.com/
(All images supplied by Medusa Dollmaker)
Victoria Ying: Art in Board Games #37
Although we were using a lot of fantasy tropes, I always found it odd how so much of fantasy was so white. It made sense in Tolkien's days, but being persons of color ourselves we felt like why not create a world where our heroes could be from other backgrounds?
Editors note: This week I'm joined by the supremely talented Victoria Ying, artist on board game; Bargain Quest. The game successfully funded on Kickstarter back in 2017 and is for sale directly through the official website and local game stores.
Hello Victoria, thanks for taking the time to speak to us. Firstly, could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I’m an artist and illustrator from the LA area. I was born and raised here and graduated from Art Center college of design. I knew I wanted to be a professional artist from when I was in High School and had fallen in love with comic books. I realized that people were actually paid to make them and I became hyper-focused and went for it.
The internet was just beginning to be a ‘thing’ and I found a lot of art forums and Oekaki’s that really helped me grow as an artist. Oekaki was a web-based art program that anyone could access and you could create and share work. You could install the java on any website so I joined one that belonged to an artist I admired. It was a great community for an aspiring artist. I got critique and got to interact with lots of artists all over the world through these forums.
After college, I was accepted into the Disney Feature Animation training program and was lucky enough to work on films such as Tangled, Wreck it Ralph, Big Hero 6, Frozen and Moana.
So how did you first get involved in making board games?
My brother is a game designer, he and I worked together on a few other collaborative projects before. Bargain Quest was his first independent game project and he asked me to do the art. I was also embarking on my own independent art career and thought it would be fun to collaborate on a large scale project like this!
So where did you start when coming up with the ideas for the look of Bargain Quest?
When my brother approached me with the theme and concept for the game I was excited by it and immediately started doing my research. Our game’s visuals rely a lot on tropes from fantasy, so I got to dig deep into my love of things like Lord of the Rings and Zelda.
I had to find a way to make the artwork appealing but also manageable with my time. I experimented with techniques for rendering for a while before finally landing on something that worked for the scale. I also wanted the characters and worlds to feel familiar, but different enough to hold your interest. We had a lot of heroes in this game, which was a challenge, but Jon and I worked together to make sure that we had a diverse range of bodies and skin tones.
Could you tell us more about your thoughts when designing the heroes of Bargain Quest?
Diversity was really important to the look of the game. Although we were using a lot of fantasy tropes, I always found it odd how so much of fantasy was so white. It made sense in Tolkien's days, but being persons of color ourselves we felt like why not create a world where our heroes could be from other backgrounds? It also helped to create variety in the types of clothing and weapons. We were able to draw from more culturally diverse and fascinating histories rather than the traditional fantasy settings. One of the best responses we get is from young people who are just entering nerd culture. A lot of them don't see themselves in the media they consume and they are really excited to see our cast!
Was there any particular inspiration behind the artwork in Bargain Quest?
Visually, we were inspired by JRPGs and their versions of western fantasy worlds. My favorite was Final Fantasy 9, where I tried to emulate their appealing shapes for the shops. FF9 has a really appealing style to their shops. The shapes were bubbly, but not toon town levels of whimsy. Still, I wanted to capture a fantasy world that didn't take itself 100% seriously.
Thinking back, what were some of the most challenging aspects of this project?
The sheer volume of art was a huge hurdle. As a card game we had so many assets to create that it sometimes felt really overwhelming. It makes sense why so many of the games you see in stores have multiple artists on them!
The Game Boards were the most difficult. It was a challenge to create a space that could fit the cards as they had to be displayed but to still get personality and a feel for perspective. I had my brother, the game designer, draw me a template for how he wanted the game pieces to work on the board, from there, I did a few concepts that I felt could work. It was a very collaborative back and forth process and the work involved was hugely rewarding.
With so much art to create how did you stay organised and on schedule?
I was working on a lot of other projects at the time so it was really important that we have very strict deadlines. I had to make it as much a part of my work as any other client work going on at the time. I also did have help, my brother did a lot of the item cards which was a huge portion of the work.
Do you have any advice for the game creators out there reading this?
I was glad to be able to have a collaborator who I worked well with and I feel that if you are going to partner with someone, you both need to know each other well and respect each other's work. The fact that we are family made it easy to balance because we knew that we had to maintain a long-term relationship and not a short-term one just for this project.
Another thing I want to tell creators is that even if you have a small budget, please pay your artists. I had many friends who I was able to convince to make art for us on the Kickstarter for the special rewards, but I made sure that we paid them. Any project with money making potential should pay all of its contributors!
What are you currently reading, listening to or looking at to fuel your work?
I’m a HUGE reader, I love Science Fiction and Fantasy. Right now I’m reading “A Gentleman’s guide to Vice and Virtue” and I just finished Roxane Gay’s memoir “Hunger.”
What advice would you give to anyone wanting to work in the board game industry?
Keep working on your art, the milage is going to get you there! Challenge yourself, try to do work that is complex and can tell stories.
Do you have any current projects underway, or coming up that you’d like (or are able) to tell us about?
I'm working on my own original Middle Grade Graphic Novel and another Middle Grade Graphic Novel for a well known property.
Finally, if we’d like to see more of you and your work, where can we find you?
My website is http://www.victoriaying.com and I can be found on twitter and Instagram
Bargain Quest is available via the games website: http://www.bargainquestgame.com/
(All images copyright of Victoria Ying)
Jonathan Ying, Game Designer: "We also got a whole bunch of guest artists to do a lot of cool artwork for the game's expansion as well".
In the below 8 images you can see work from Yuko Ota, Brian Kesinger, Kyle Ferrin, Kelsey Liggett, Cory Loftis, Gino Whitehall, Tessa Stone and Nicholas Kole. There are even more over here with information on the artists plus links with how to find their work.
Jesse Gillespie: Art in Board Games #36
I look back on the work from those years and it seems like every brush stroke and ink spatter holds some little story of personal struggle, tragedy, or triumph. I chose to inject humor and lightness into when my day was painfully absent of it, or some little bit of cartoony pathos and sadness when that's what I needed to vent at the moment. They're just weird little cartoon cards, but there's a lot of my heart in them.
Editors Note: Just for a bit of context before we get going, in this interview with Jesse we'll be focusing on games within the Hand of Fate series. These are card games where you are working your way through randomised dungeons before fighting a big boss and the gameplay uses customisable decks.
They first started life as video games, with the original in landing in 2015 and a sequel in 2017. This led to a tabletop version which was funded last year on Kickstarter, breaking the Australian Kickstarter records for fastest fundraising ever.
As the Kickstarter copies are shipping in the next month or so, now seemed like a great time to find out more. Retail copies will be available in the second half of the year.
Hi Jesse, thanks for joining me! For our readers who aren't aware of your work could you tell us a bit about yourself and what you do?
Hello! Thanks so much for having me on the site! I'm a freelance illustrator and have lived in rural Minnesota (USA) for most of my life. Minnesota is about 50/50 winter-summer; it likes to trick you with lots of mini-springs and mini-winters. We're on about our seventh psych-out right now and most of us are near-homicidal. Winter is great for all the things I like to do: reading, music, drawing, playing games and watching movies. Nerds like me gain a lot of hibernation weight around this time of year, but my D&D bard is fit as a fiddle.
Though it's fun to call myself a "freelance illustrator", art-job-wise I've been almost solely connected to the 'Hand of Fate' fleet of products for the last few years, and have felt so incredibly fortunate to have found that place. Or rather, that Defiant Development found ME and have stuck with me this long. Before that, life took me all over the place career-wise and passion-wise, but never with art as a primary profession. I've always been a serial "try-er": fascinated with life and dabbling in everything from woodcraft to music to religious philosophy to art, but never really producing much of note in any of those areas while most of my energy went into holding down "real jobs" to support a family. My first love in life is learning; first about people, then about everything else. That gets processed into many different modes of creative output which only become an external reality if you're driven. I've always struggled with being driven.
You're currently working on Hand of Fate: Ordeals, a deck-building card game which was a big hit on Kickstarter last year. Before we get to that, you were also the artist on the original videogame (Hand of Fate). So what do you remember from your time working on that project and how did you get involved?
I spent my whole life struggling to muster up the motivation to "get serious" about a career in creating graphic novels with little success until I found myself on a very quiet night shift position which allowed hours of "just-do-anything-to-stay-awake" time. I had time to draw more, but procrastination and laziness was still such a demonic force in my life I finally decided I needed more accountability to be regular about building my skills as an illustrator and storyteller. So, in addition to beginning to intentionally network more with the comic community in Minneapolis/St. Paul, I started an accountability blog. I didn't know who'd see it other than my spouse and a few friends, but the night shift gets very lonely and at the time the internet seemed like a place full of connection-making possibility. So I just started drawing and posting, drawing and posting, and developing a large-scale graphic novel concept. One of these posts came up in an image search by some folks in Australia developing indie games for mobile: Defiant Development.
I got an email from them asking if they could use a little brushwork sketch I'd posted as a loading screen for their first large-scale mobile RPG: 'Heroes Call'. This was one of the most exciting moments in my life. I ended up doing several more images for each levels loading screen, and that was it. My work was so niche that I doubted I'd find another game gig like it. To my surprise, a year after Heroes Call was published they contacted me again, asking if I'd be able to replicate a medieval engraving style of illustration for a deck of faux-tarot storytelling cards they were building a new game around called "Hand of Fate". It was going to be another mobile game at first, but as the project grew in scope it moved to PC and console development, which was exciting to say the least. (Seeing screenshots with my art in Game Informer, opposite a splash-page of the Legend of Zelda, was also one of the most exciting moments of my life.) When Hand of Fate was released in 2015 it was VERY pleasantly successful and Defiant moved directly on to a sequel. 'Hand of Fate 2' was released at the end of 2017 and has been rocking hard ever since; we're piling on new DLCs with tons more content every month. Both professional review sites and customer feedback have been amazingly rewarding and encouraging; we're all so psyched!
As far as memories of my time working on both games go, I was in the role of "freelance artist", and as such was on the other side of the planet from all the action. There's an attitude of impersonal, professional detachment you need to slip into when connecting with the commercial world, which is a very ungainly and awkward thing for me to do under normal circumstances, but when the studio you're contracting with is filled to the brim with diverse, intelligent, passionate creatives who seem to cultivate a vibrant, highly interactive and bonding work environment, it's difficult, to say the least, to remain a silent, professional partner on the other side of the planet. With Hand of Fate being my first large-scale freelance gig, it was both exciting and frustrating to have what to me was a dream job, but what was to the studio just another freelancer overseas. However, especially as the second game developed, my interactions with the studio became more... interactive, and we've become a lot closer as a team of individuals. 2017 was a really nice year (though to this day I've still only met about 4 people of the thousands who've actually played our game)!
As the first game wrapped up and we began work on the sequel I was suddenly going through an indescribably nightmarish divorce, and there were a few points where I completely lost my ability to work, through severe depression and stress that were unlike anything I'd ever experienced before. There were a couple of crisis points where Defiant nearly had to let me go for lack of output, which crushed my spirit further since that activity was one of the few bright places in my life for a long time. But bless the Aussie hearts of Morgan Jaffit and friends: they stuck with me and were amazingly generous in those crisis moments, though rightfully frustrated with my inability to keep work and home separate. We pushed through and eventually, the skies began to clear. I look back on the work from those years and it seems like every brush stroke and ink spatter holds some little story of personal struggle, tragedy, or triumph. My art director at Defiant, Shawn Eustace, allowed me a ton of freedom in interpreting story card requests, and unbeknownst to him there are cards I chose to inject humor and lightness into when my day was painfully absent of it, or some little bit of cartoony pathos and sadness when that's what I needed to vent at the moment. They're just weird little cartoon cards, but there's a lot of my heart in them.
We've talked about the videogames, could you tell us more about how did you get involved in Hand of Fate: Ordeals, the tabletop game?
*deep breath* ...SOOOO, in the middle of development on Hand of Fate 2, early 2017, some friends of Defiant's in the Kickstarter board-game biz (Allen & Alistair of Rule & Make, and game designer Michael McIntyre) started working with them to develop 'Ordeals': an attempt to mirror the unique cross-genre style of the video game in a table-top system. At first Rule & Make were just repurposing a bunch of my art assets from HoF1, with a gorgeous color treatment and supplemental art by their art director Ian O'Toole. But as the game started SMASHING through Kickstarter stretch goals (it broke records for fastest Australian Kickstarter) and the project became insanely complex (and brilliant), I was actually asked to come in and divide up some of the card art jobs with Ian. I kept with my comfortable old black & white HoF work on my side of things, but I eventually was also asked to develop box art, bonus player mats and other little odds and ends. That the game looks so atmospheric and sumptuous, though, is all due to Ian's amazing graphic design work. I've learned a LOT working with him, Allen and Michael. It's felt like a real "level-up" life moment.
That's the beauty of collaboration, getting to share your experiences and grow as individuals because of it. So what do you think are some of the key lessons you've learned?
As a creative-type it's hard to submit to editing, but I've learned to appreciate and trust the suggestions of skillful art directors with an overarching vision. It helps you see with unfamiliar perspectives, which isn't just a good thing for business but a core piece of being an effective human being. As I've been trusted with a lot of creative freedom, I want to be able to trust back, and it's always rewarding to do so with a good team. Another great thing about collaboration is how others' skills can completely transform your art in ways you never imagined. On the video games the 3D and FX work of people like Emma Koch, Chris Webb and Dan Treble (https://www.artstation.com/artwork/L0Jol) added stunning visuals that I could never have created on my own, and make me look a lot cooler than I really am. Working with Ian O'Toole has taught me a lot about the cohesive board game visuals and the subtleties of color use and texture. Before becoming a part of both teams I'd never imagined that kind of collaboration, and the growing quality of my own output owes a lot to my teammates' gifts, direction and encouragement. As I look to the future, I only know that I can't predict what unknown knowledge I'll gain, but I know I'm looking forward to it.
How has working on this project differed from your previous work and are there any aspects of it that have challenged or surprised you?
The main difference in working on Ordeals after the video games has been in thinking in new card shapes. I've always enjoyed the challenge of conceptualizing dozens upon dozens of storytelling requests to fit into a rigid, vertical, rectangular shape. My Ordeal cards have been even narrower, so it's an even squishier challenge. After so much work in that 'card' mode, working on the box art has been awesome: so much space, and it's mostly character portraits, which are a blast! Because of the easy shift from video game cards to board game cards, there's been little that's been "surprising", though I will say that working with Michael 'Barantas' McIntyre has made for some well-needed lolz. Oh! For one of the Kickstarter goals I got to design bonus player mats for the cards to go on! That was super fun and totally unexpected. They went through a few iterations, and though the final designs are great I love these experimental ones, too!
When you're approaching a new piece of art, say for example the box art for Hand of Fate, where do you start? Could you talk us through your process a little?
The boxes (main and expansion) are actually kind of a fluke since Ian had already designed it based on more of a cobble-together reworked video game portraits/environments with a few new faces added, mostly modeled on 3D assets. The skill cards have a more 'storytelling' approach, though. Some of the skill cards are recycled from HoF2 art, but I've done many original cards as well.
- For those I first refer to our grand card spreadsheet, looking up the skill name and its effect, such as "Night's Kiss (after your Strike Bonus, destroy a minion with 3 power or less)".
- The name implies a nighttime sneak attack, so immediately I think of sneaky ninjas and assassins and stuff. The skill card art is very narrow, so then I consider how the concept of an assassin can be worked vertically.
- Since an assassination requires the assassin and their victim, I begin sketching out ways they could both fit. Then the prettiness comes in. When I'm working on hand of Fate stuff, trying to find ways to work in pretty, medieval-y decorative details is of prime consideration. Right away I realize that "...If the assassin is only hinted at, I can focus on the victim's back for backstabbing, which allows for the designing of a pretty chair! Perfect!" Also, a fun, curly chair and some nice courtly garb for the victim makes the addition of a dark, menacing sting of death from the rafters contrast nicely. I also make sure the darkness of the victim's body makes the chair stand out, and the bright negative space above the victim makes the shadowy knifeyness stand out. Black and white are fun.
- Speaking of prettiness, landscapes are fun to play with in this style. Ordeals cards are so narrow it's tough, but I look forward to any chance to make mountains or foliage. For every card there's a good amount of "how do I make sure to keep a rustic, medieval feel?" Ordeals cards are my loosest, most comic style work since I want these usable skills to have a lot of energy and action behind their visuals. They still need to feel like Hand of Fate though, so I'm always digging into medieval documents and illustrations to keep my brain fresh in the era feel.
- Before I get too detailed I do the final sketch on a template sheet with five other card sketches. I work fairly small, which both forces a bold woodcut style and helps the final inks retain a bleedy crustiness, further helping the old-fashioned look.
- With a full sheet of sketches done, I get inking. I sketch in blue pencil, since you can tell Photoshop to just get rid of it after scanning it all back in. So much nicer than erasing. Sometimes, if I'm feeling rushed, I'll sketch and/or ink digitally, but I much prefer doing it all traditionally.
- Ink ink ink ink ink. I use brushes. A Pentel Pocket Brush Pen for thick stuff; smaller natural brushes for details. Finish it off with little faux printing blemishes (just dots with a pen). Scan, clean up digitally, and send to Australia!
- Sometimes revisions are necessary because I totally misinterpreted the whole thrust of the card and drew something crazy. Then I have to draw a new one, while Mike makes up a whole new skill because he liked the crazy one. (okay, that only sort of happened once...)
How has playtesting your art influenced what you create? What lessons have you learned and is there anything, in particular, you're more mindful of now?
To date, I've unfortunately never actually sat down and playtested Ordeals, being so far away, both in distance and time zone, from the devs. I'm obviously communicating with them regularly, learning about the game through their discussions, and I've watched gameplay videos and read forum discussions with other players suggesting strategy and tweaks. But I'm a very hands-on learner; it's difficult to get a real feel for the game from a distance.
I understand its basic concepts and actions a bit, but Rule & Make only just recently finalized the physical rulebook itself! All I really know is that I'm very pleased with the presentation of the art I've submitted. Like the video games, I tried to add some humor and playfulness to what could otherwise be a very dry presentation, and I feel fortunate for how much freedom they allowed me in interpreting the "visual explanation" of simple things like 'lunging' or 'striving'.
I love how the bonus player mats offer a choice of atmosphere for each player with the originals, and just the other day the complete box design was revealed which features some of my illustrations in really awesome, surprising ways. That's been a fun aspect of collaboration with the other folks: just throwing lots of assets out there and seeing them pop up in unexpected places.
That's a lesson, definitely: As I mentioned earlier, you never know what awesome stuff another creative person can do with your own creativity. And I guess "don't be afraid to poke your nose around and ask what more you can help with". Allen and the others at Rule & Make have allowed me to worm into lots of fun aspects of Ordeals work after just letting them know I was open to it.
As for the video games, I've been really pleased with the way the cards accentuate the division between the "card world" and the "real world" in-game. There have been some moments after I find out how the cards are used which have made me go, "Oh, I wish I would have chosen a more serious/funny route, or more/less detail," etc-- there's a communication-point as a distant illustrator where you just have to cross your fingers and hope it'll work for the best. But I have very few regrets; it's all worked to create a unique little micro-world nestled within the 3D action that I'm really proud of, especially in the sequel. So many fun little stories and characters that only exist in the cards, and are the result of just brilliant conceptualizing from the development team. There really is no other video game like it and I feel so blessed to get to be the conduit through which those specific concepts reach the player. I draw each piece just hoping that there's a player out there who connects with something in the cards in a way that really enhances their immersion in the game world (video and board) and makes its memory that much fonder and warmer after they put the controller down or the box away.
What are you currently reading, listening to or looking at to fuel your work?
So much! My current bathroom/bedtime literature is the third book in the "Lightbringer Trilogy" by Brent Weeks. The first book is called "The Black Prism" and had me enjoying fantasy more than I have in years. It's about color magic, and has a very "fantasy Green Lantern" feel to it. I love the way the magic is handled in it, and it hits high marks for me on just about everything: world, plot, characters, writing style (serious plot, light writing). Great atmosphere for Hand of Fate inspiration.
While I draw I like to listen to mood-enhancing, atmospheric music (or even those cheesy "sounds of nature" albums). Movie scores can be great, like Daft Punk's Tron: Legacy OST, both Blade Runners, Cliff Martinez' scores (Drive, Solaris); I love moody electronica. Recently played artists include School of Seven Bells, Mazzy Star/Hope Sandoval, Royksopp, Washed Out, Radiohead, Sebastien Tellier, C418's Minecraft OST's, Björk, Joni Mitchell, Cocteau Twins... It's all over the place. Music is a huge constant in my life and an important part of my background. Oh, I almost forgot to mention this amazingly awesome podcast I discovered a few months ago: Mysterious Universe!!! It's an Australian show about anything and everything paranormal and it is THE BEST. I've drawn many hours away with Sasquatch sightings and Ayahuasca trips in the background. SO GREAT.
As I mentioned before, I regularly peruse old medieval illustrations and illumination for capturing that wonky old middle ages feel, and I can't recommend enough checking out medieval engravers, painters and illustrators for ANYONE who's interested in just how transcendental pen and ink can be. I'll gush about Bruegel the Elder, Gustave Dore, Hieronymus Bosch, and the Book of Kells to anyone who'll listen. Golden Age storybook illustrators like William Morris, Kay Nielsen, John Bauer, Arthur Rackham and Ivan Bilibin have been hugely influential on my sensibilities. But I'm also your average comic nerd and you can always catch me geeking out to Neon Genesis Evangelion, Battle Angel Alita, Excalibur comics, and anything Aliens or Godzilla. SHIN GOJIRA. Shin Gojira is the best thing ever.
My favorite board game, hands-down, is 'Caverna'. I built a custom wooden case for it in an outpouring of pure geek love. I've also made multiple homebrew wooden copies of 'The A-Maze-Ing Labyrinth', which I consider a classic treasure. 'Arkham Horror' is right up there, too (massive Lovecraft superfan). I love co-op games; the least competitive gamer ever (ever since that fateful Monopoly board-flipping all those years ago...)
Do you have any current projects underway, or coming up that you’d like (or are able) to tell us about?
Well, DLC work on Hand of Fate continues at a steady pace, which is fantastically awesome. Privately, I love designing 'dream' board games and have never actually brought any past the concept phase, but my amazing wife and I have just begun a really serious attempt at putting one together that I'm really excited to shop around to whoever might be interested in it. Nothing like Ordeals. Way more dancing.
I've got a comic book iron in the fire with a friend here in the US that I hope will see the light of day before 2018 is through. But outside of Defiant work, the future's looking pretty open for concrete commercial stuff. (This is me exaggeratedly winking at anyone reading this as I hawk my wares...)
Finally, if we’d like to see more of you and your work, where can we find you?
gladladart.com! That's my basic business page, but if you really want to dig in I vomit just about everything I draw into my DeviantArt gallery and there's all kinds of crazy stuff in there. I'm on Twitter and Instagram. All that's on the 'gladladart' site too.
With all that said, I just want to thank you so much for this opportunity. It's my first-ever interview with anyone in the gaming world and it was really fun to do! It's an honor to be on your site!
Ben Bauchau: Art in Board Games #35
I took my passion for drawing to another level by practicing daily and trying to develop a workflow and an identity in my work. Now that my personal work is more defined, I realize how that has an impact on the possible opportunities that are more in line with what I love to draw.
Editors Note: This week I've been joined by a brand new illustrator to the board game industry. So new in fact, the game he's working on, Until Daylight isn't even out yet!
This game will be the second release from Flyos Games, after KIWETIN which I covered on the site last year, so go check that out after reading this.
Hi Ben, thanks for joining me! For our readers who aren't aware of your work could you tell us a bit about yourself and what you do?
Hey! I come from Brussels, Belgium and I work as a freelance illustrator, primarily for animation and video-games, but also anything related to illustration that I find exciting. I love comics and Japanese woodprints, and I have a dog named Akira.
Your work spans quite a number of fields, from animation to video game pre-production, has this experience changed how you approach each new project and what have you learned along the way?
It took me a lot of time before I realized I simply wanted to be an illustrator, so as a student I went for a bachelor in 2d animation and then a masters in 3d animation. I soon realized I didn't want to work on a technical level in these types of productions, but the studies helped me understand the industry and the pre-production aspect of these productions which I found exciting.
After that I started working as a 2d artist and concept artist for animation and video games. I wouldn't say these projects have changed my approach but they have taught me a lot. You'll often have to be able to produce many different things in a short amount of time, usually have to follow art direction and be able to stick to visual guidelines.
Since my last year of studies, I took my passion for drawing to another level by practicing daily and trying to develop a workflow and an identity in my work. This led me to all kinds of illustration jobs but at first lots of them were not really related to what I do as an illustrator. Now that my personal work is more defined, I realize how that has an impact on the possible opportunities that are more in line with what I love to draw. That's what happened with Flyos!
So before we go on could you tell us a bit more about the identity you have tried to develop in your style and what has influenced your work?
I always loved ink drawings, and I wanted to put some distance between my personal style and digital painting. My illustrations have slowly become an inbetween, ink linework on paper and digital colouring with Photoshop. I've recently started working on these colours with my girlfriend actually, so she is becoming an important part of the colour process, and has done a lot for Until Daylight.
In today's world there is too much inspiration. It's an amazing thing and I feel like I'm unconsciously inspired by what I see everyday, but I do have some artists I'll always go back to such as Moebius, Otomo, Miyazaki, Brüno, Schiele, Audubon, Frazetta. Also, Japanese woodprints are the thing I'm the most attracted to. There's a mystery to these pieces that instantly draws me to them, and I love the stylised characters and their movement.
You're currently working with Flyos Games on a new game called 'Until Daylight'. What can you tell us about the game and how did you get involved?
Flyos reached out at the end of 2017, telling me they liked my behance profile a lot and asking if I'd be interested in a board game project they thought would fit my profile perfectly. I was very impressed by their first game KIWETIN and the art of it (editor: you can read my interview with the artist and designer of KIWETIN over here), and I’d wanted to work on a board game for some time but hadn't had the opportunity, so this is was very exciting for me. We quickly got along and came to an agreement soon enough after they briefed me on the game.
The production of Until Daylight started in January and I am now almost done with the artwork. Basically, the game consists of a team of people gathering for the night and having to survive hordes of zombies. You'll be able to find, use or exchange objects, combine others in order to defend yourself, help or even betray your partners. The zombie hordes will be filled with zombies, brutes and a few bosses, but also raiders that will fight you with weapons, and survivors you'll have to try and save.
With Until Daylight, how much of the game's aesthetic came from your own personal style and how much was down to visual guidelines?
Flyos asked me to work on this project based on my own recent illustrations. There were some guidelines but more in a sense that I had to follow some logical aspects of the gameplay and the script. Other than that I've had the opportunity to put a lot of my vision into the game. There has been a lot of back and forth with Gary's thoughts and mine, then seeing what comes out of it, which is a really cool way to work.
An example would be when Gary gave me a brief saying one character would be the Tank, a strong and big woman, who can hold her ground and is more defensive than aggressive, I then sketched what the brief inspired in me, whilst keeping some freedom. He mentioned this character would also look nice with a shield, and since she was supposed to be super strong, I came up with the idea of her holding a car door. After this initial sketch was done we talked again seeing what should change. He did like the idea of the car door but had doubts on the haircut. So I tweaked the sketch a bit more to find something we could both agree on, had one or two more chats, and then went ahead and make the inked version.
When illustrating the characters of a Zombie game, what emotions or atmosphere are you trying to convey with the art and how?
Flyos Games wanted to have a game that's in between fun and horror. I had to come up with some "average but odd" zombies and some more badass bosses. I didn't really use a method to create the zombies. I’d simply just start drawing based on my mood and would google "Grandma" or whatever word related to the zombie I was working on to keep some real elements to them.
What aspects of this work challenged you most? Was there any part of this job that surprised you?
The most challenging part was to try and not repeat myself in the postures. I tried to keep it as organic as possible. I had sketched down a few rough ideas beforehand and compared these in order to develop a few starting designs that would be different. After that I would keep in mind the designs I had already done to avoid repeating myself too much but I would simply take a piece of paper and sketch new designs in a more random and free way. I guess some might look a bit similar but all in all it was a real personal challenge to diverse the poses and it was a great exercise actually!
What have you learned about board games and the industry since starting the project? Do you play any games yourself?
I'd say I am a casual board gamer if that's a thing! I love board games but I don't play that often. I was aware of most of the popular games out there before working on Until Daylight but since I started I've been taking much more interest in games and their art. Most of the games I knew about were in a very clean painterly style that I love but from which my style isn't quite close. In that vein, games such as Clank, 7 Wonders or Jamaica have really caught my eye. I've discovered other games that have really unique and amazing art such as Rising Sun and Sky Traders. I'll definitely get more into board games and there are some that I can't wait to try out!
Once you complete your work on Until Daylight do you have any other projects you're working on or ideas you're excited to throw yourself into?
As a freelancer, I try to manage my time between client work and personal projects I want to develop. There are a lot of projects I want to dig into but never have the time so in the next weeks I'll try and put up a presentation file to pitch a comic book project I've had for a few years and I'm trying to get funds for from an organisation here in Brussels that helps comic book artists. So fingers crossed for that!
If you could go back in time what advice would you give to yourself or anyone else looking to work professionally in art?
Do more. I haven't taken the shortest road to get to what I wanted and I'm not even there yet but I think you have to do (whatever you do) as much as you can. I wouldn't say I was lazy a few years ago but I wish I did draw more every day at an earlier stage in my life. I believe it's by doing and doing again that you can really get better AND make things happen.
Finally, if we’d like to see more of you and your work, where can we find you?
You can check out my website but you can also see my stuff and follow some of the process every now and then on my Instagram.
(All images supplied by Ben Bauchau, 2018)
Until Daylight will be released by Flyos Games later in 2018, until then you can read about KIWETIN another Flyos release covered by my site last year.
Anthony Coffey & Jesse Labbe: Art in Board Games #34
I have been into tabletop games since I could remember. Fireball Island was a pin in my childhood timeline. Soon after that, Hero Quest began to open my eyes to all the possibilities that you could create with a game; the worlds that could be designed and all the adventures to be had exploring them. With such a love for illustrations, games just felt like the natural next step.
Editors Note: This week I'm talking to not one, but two artists from indie publisher Certifiable Studios. Their names are Anthony Coffey and Jesse Labbe and after spotting their amazing work on the Kickstarter game 'Who Goes There?' I got in touch to find out more.
Hi Anthony/Jesse, thanks for joining me! For our readers who aren't aware of your work could you tell us a bit about yourself and what you do?
Anthony: Hey Ross, I'm an 2D/3D artist and game designer. I moved here (Ridgeland, Mississippi), from Dallas, when I was brought on to Certifiable Studios. I work on anything from game mechanics, illustrations, and 3D modeling; to animation, rules, or graphic design layout. The team is small, so we all tend to wear a lot of hats around here. It sounds redundant, but free time is usually spent doing more drawing or working on concepts for future projects.
Jesse: Well I would wear as many hats as Anthony does but I have a funny shaped head, so I am pretty particular about what I put on it. It's mainly because of that I don't do any 3D molding or animation (again only because of my misshaped head not because I don't know how). But I do, however, do a lot of illustrations as well as game mechanics.
You work together at an indie publisher Certifiable Studios, so before we get to the games can you tell us more about how the studio was set up, what your goals are and how the team got together?
Anthony: I'll defer to Jesse since this one is more for him. haha
Jesse: Well at first, I wanted to make a hat company, but then Rick (also at Certifiable) reminded me about my deformed head...so I thought what else can we do? GAMES! Let's make some games! Actually, I have been into tabletop games since I could remember. Fireball Island was a pin in my childhood timeline. Soon after that, Hero Quest began to open my eyes to all the possibilities that you could create with a game; the worlds that could be designed and all the adventures to be had exploring them. With such a love for illustrations, games just felt like the natural next step.
I worked on a couple of games under the roof of other companies and learned a lot of Do's and Don'ts. I had an idea for a game called "Ash to Bone", but wasn't ready to hand it over to someone else. I partnered up with Rick More (the brains of the studio) and Tah-Dah...Certifiable was born. We wanted to start small before going into "Ash to Bone" because it was a larger project, so we came up with "Endangered Orphans". That was received on Kickstarter better than I would have ever imagined. Next came "Who Goes There?" followed by "Stuffed". Now we are finally back to where we started....about to start production on "Ash to Bone".
The studios first release Endangered Orphans of Condyle Cove was successfully Kickstarted back in 2016. What can you remember about that project and what lessons did you take away from it moving forwards?
Jesse: Wow, where to begin? If there was a checklist of all the things not to do, we would have checked "yes" to each thing on the list. We seemed to do everything wrong for that (our first) Kickstarter. We had nothing about the game on BGG (Board Game Geek). We did a cold launch having never mentioned anything about the game to anyone. We didn't have even one video showing a play through. We didn't have the rules posted. We had no stretch goals prepared and we were constantly telling everyone that this is an awful (as in mean theme) game! But, we were really lucky and had some amazing backers come aboard during that campaign. It was because of them we were able to do what we did with the success of that game. We had so much fun during that campaign. We even received a ton of gifts from the backers, which I have since learned was unusual. Dozens of bags of coffee, t-shirts, toys, whiskey, letters, hats, cookies, flowers, stuffed animals and a lot of pants (it's a long story). Wow, gotta love our backers!
Anthony: During this Kickstarter project, I was helping from Dallas. Jesse asked if I could sculpt the pawns for a game they had on Kickstarter which is how my part in "Endangered Orphans" started. By the time I came to work at the studio full time, "Endangered Orphans" was already in the final stages and being sent to the factory for production and I helped set up print files for the production assets for the game. I had learned a lot about the process from the short amount of time I was working with Panda (our production facility we used on EO). I have also had a small amount of experience working with factories in China from a previous job, so that helped me hit the ground running when I started here.
Who Goes There? was a massive success on Kickstarter last year, were you surprised and why do you think it did so well?
Anthony: I think we were all surprised with how well the campaign did. We all had high hopes, but I don't think any of them were that high. I think part of the success of Who Goes There? is definitely owed to the success of Endangered Orphans as well as the dedicated backers it brought. We also try to be very responsive and transparent when dealing with our backers and I think the level of communication and honesty adds to that. With Who Goes There? we knew where we wanted the game to end up in terms of quality, so we set our stretch goals accordingly. There are always things that come up during a campaign, but for the most part we tried to have the campaign and unlocks planned.
Jesse: I would have been ecstatic if we would have just done as well as we did for Orphans, but when we started shooting past it, I was definitely on cloud nine!
I think we were prepared for the stretch goals this time. We didn't want to just start throwing too many random things at the end of the campaign because we were hitting goals. We had the game the way we believed it should be, so once we hit all of the Stretch goals...it was time to just have some fun with the campaign.
When it came to the artwork for Who Goes There? what were your initial ideas and aims in terms of its look and feel?
Anthony: I don't think there was a master vision when we were trying to find the style. There were a few things we did like that we would try to gravitate towards. For example, we both love the style used in Disney's Atlantis. There was constant talk of trying to inject even a small amount of that into the characters. At the end of the day, our goal was to choose a direction and style that we both enjoy, and we both enjoy stylized characters vs. realistic renderings or photos. The final look for the game is definitely different but it is heavily based on the initial concepts.
Jesse: As Anthony said, we are both fans of the look Mike Mignola's contributed to Atlantis: The Lost Empire. I am not a huge fan of typical comic style art (your basic realistic looking characters) so I thought that Mignola captured the perfect combination of realism and fun with his characters...I wanted that! I think Anthony did a fantastic job of taking what we loved about that and still making it our own.
You've mentioned this long cycle to bring us to the upcoming game 'Ash and Bone', so could you paint a picture of this world for us? What is it and what will it look like?
Jesse: "Ash to Bone" is a long time coming. A lot of ideas come and go depending on their ability to hold a level of excitement. If I'm excited about a game for the first week and come week two I'm no longer excited about it...it's hard to keep pushing through with the project. But the ideas that continue to hold that little spark are the ones that get the most love and attention. Ash to Bone is one of those projects.
It is still in the works, and as with all projects, nothing is really locked down until it is off to the manufacturers. So it's hard to really say too much about the world or game itself because that could all change, but where it started (and where it is currently) is a two player co-op game where players defend the town of Ash from being overrun by an army of undead bone soldiers. Each of the two heroines has their own special abilities and fighting style, but when they work together, their attacks become more devastating against the enemy.
Could you talk us through the process of creating a piece of art for your games?
Anthony: Hmmm...this one is tough to answer. It varies for each different piece. Sometimes a random sketch will inspire an entire story and sometimes certain pieces are created to fill parts that were already figured out. Normally, we are sketching all the time, because it's just something we enjoy doing. If we happen to find a character we like, then we will develop that character a little more each time we sit down to sketch. Some pieces reach the finish line quicker than others. I think it just comes down to how clear the vision is in your head. Sometimes you may have to search a little more for it.There are usually specific stages to our pieces depending on what medium we are using (traditional vs. digital). Typically they all start with a thumbnail or rough sketch. Once the piece is sketched out then it will be cleaned up/inked. Lastly, it will go through the coloring stage. This process will vary slightly on each piece. It just depends on the mood we are in that day. haha. Designing a character can take anywhere from a couple hours or as long as a week. There are numerous factors that can impact the time it takes. Usually, you try to go into it with a game plan, but it's a flexible process.
Jesse: Well it seems Anthony pretty much nailed it. The process is a simple one. If we need a picture of a knife for a card, we sketch out a design for the knife. We clean up the sketch, color it and then place it on the card. It's pretty hard to pinpoint a time for character creation. It depends on the character for how much time it will take to complete it. Larger and more detailed characters will obviously take more time than the simpler ones. It's all about baby steps! haha
What would you say is your favorite part of illustration and has this changed the longer you've been an artist?
Anthony: I definitely enjoy each part of the process for different reasons, but if I had to choose, I guess I would say my favorite part is inking. It's usually the more relaxing part of the process for me. Almost all the tougher design decisions regarding the composition and drawing have already been made in the rough stages. Now I just turn on some music and start refining the drawing while I ink. Like most things, it can change from drawing to drawing.
Usually, there isn't any one element that drives the creative process. There are a lot of things that can spark an idea: a really cool drawing from an artist you follow, something in a movie, or a scene from a book. It's difficult to try and put it into words. Sometimes it just comes out of nowhere and you get that creative itch.
Jesse: Well, I guess it depends on the illustration compared to what else is on the to-do list. Some illustrations are more enjoyable than others, while some parts of working on a game are more enjoyable than others. When I'm working on character design and world creation I really enjoy the illustration aspect because I am most comfortable with that part but sometimes working on the actual mechanics of the game is enjoyable as well. The problem-solving part can be very satisfying.
What advice would you give to anyone wanting to work as an artist?
Anthony: It's like any other job. You have to practice and study to keep growing. Practice the fundamentals and study other artists that inspire you. Put your artwork out there through social media or a personal website. Build a portfolio or a body of work that employers can see and then go apply for jobs you want. There isn't really a magic solution. If you put in the time and effort to ensure you learn and grow as an artist, then it will pay off at some point. But you can't just draw one night a week. If you really want it, then you need to dedicate yourself to it. Most importantly, just be patient. This stuff doesn't happen overnight.
Jesse: If you can’t be better than the other guy...be more motivated. Draw every single day. Do the things that aren't necessarily fun but will make you better. Take the time to learn your trade, don't just go through the motions. And did I mention to draw every day?
What are you currently reading, listening to or looking at to fuel your work?
Anthony: I like to find a lot of inspiration from other artists on Instagram. Looking at artists I admire is always a great way to get the creative juices flowing. Some of my favorite artist to follow are Derek Laufman, Skottie Young, Sean Galloway, Eric Canete, and Jon Sommariva. Those are just a few. The list goes on and on. I like to watch movies for inspiration. A good movie (no matter how many times I've seen it) will always help inspire ideas or just put me in the mood to draw.
Jesse: My number one go-to has to be the artistic watering hole I like to call Instagram. I have a great bookmarked selection of eye candy by other illustrators that will immediately get my pencil to the paper. The list is the same as Coffey's as far as artists go, so let's talk about tunes! My music list changes weekly depending on my mood and what I am working on. My playlist includes the classics, lots of composers, and when I am feeling up and on the move with my characters, I turn to some French tunes... Sexion D'Assaut, ZAZ and Ariane Moffatt.
Do you have any current projects underway, or coming up that you’d like (or are able) to tell us about?
Jesse: We're always working on something. We take breaks from working on what we need to and work on what we want to. A lot of times, they are one in the same. A couple of flowing ideas we have on paper include: Ash to Bone, D6, Distasternauts, Booty Snatchers and Cops and Robbers.
Finally, if we’d like to see more of you and your work, where can we find you?
Anthony: Instagram and Facebook are the best places to follow us.
Jesse: As for my art, Instagram is pretty much the go-to. For what we're up to Certifiable Studio on Facebook.
(All images supplied by Anthony and Jesse, 2018)
Nick Nazzaro: Art in Board Games #33
The first thing I showed the rest of the team were different color palettes that were very limited, for directions we could go in. Having a limited amount of colors was very important in establishing the style as unique and recognizable. The hope was it would be eye-catching and different enough to warrant a further look...
EDITORS NOTE: Nick and Lay Waste Games will have a stand at PAX East (booth TT51) from 5th-8th April where you'll be able to buy some cool stuff including stickers and pinny arcade pins Nick designed.
Hi Nick, thanks for joining me! For our readers who aren't aware of your work could you tell us a bit about yourself and what you do?
Thanks for having me, Ross! I'm an illustrator based in Los Angeles working in TV animation. Right now I'm at Starburns Industries working on a show for HBO called Animals. I've also done lots of work for magazines, motion graphic firms, and various types of merchandise. Basically I just draw all day long.
Could you tell us a bit more about your development as an artist? Where did you start out and how do you think this broad experience has helped shape how you work?
I came from a family of artists so I started drawing very early on. I think every birthday involved me getting crayons or sharpies up until I moved out as an adult. I went to an arts high school in Boston, and eventually an art college. It was just always the plan to do it professionally, full time.
One of my earliest gigs was illustrating a weekly column in a local Boston newspaper, called DigBoston. I drew some dicks, butts, and a lot of other vulgar stuff you'd find in an indie paper. It was great and I learned a ton by having to report in to an art director a few times a week. After that I started illustrating more for magazines, doing some gallery shows, and trying to make a name for myself by entering competitions. I finished school in the fall of 2013 and started working on Dragoon art in the spring of 2014. Been busy ever since!
Now I'm working at an animation studio in LA while still doing freelance whenever I get a chance. You do learn a lot from all these various industries and I'm fortunate that I've gotten to be involved in so many cool projects. Working in animation has forced me to be a lot more efficient in how I use photoshop, for sure. Working in motion graphics for Buck Design reinforced a lot of my editorial illustrator roots. Working in games was incredibly rewarding and I've learned a lot about mass production and printing of art assets. I could honestly probably write a book about all the skills I've picked up while working after being done with school.
You are a co-founder of Lay Waste Games, so how did that come about and what were your goals when you set up the publisher?
My personal origin story is a little different than the rest of the founders behind Lay Waste Games. The rest of the team is two brothers and their childhood best friend, and they were setting out to make a single game happen, pretty much. They found me to do the art for the game, eventually, and after it being way more work than anyone expected, I wound up as co-founder when we made the LLC. The original goal was to make Dragoon a reality but that was such an instant success for us, our goals have evolved. Now we want to make a lot of games for the foreseeable future.
What can you remember about Dragoon and how did you need to change your style to suit the format of board games?
That's a good question. You always have to change what you're doing a little to make it fit into the constraints of actually printing something. That's really a big part of the fun and challenge of making anything on this scale, though. The 3D pieces might have looked different if we weren't worried about sharp angles ripping the mold apart. The map could maybe be even more colorful if we weren't limited to using 6 colors for cost reasons. When things are printed small, you can only manage so much detail. All those constraints helped me figure our creative solutions that in the end looked really sharp, I think.
Remembering when you first got the spec for the artwork, how has this final version shifted from that original brief? How did you take those initial ideas and turn them into what we see today?
It changed a pretty fair amount. It even changed during the Kickstarter campaign itself. We were making more money than we anticipated and that led to us splurging a little on fancier components. Some pretty generic and boring pieces ended up becoming custom sculpted pieces instead. When I first started doing the art, the rules weren't quite 100%, so some of those changes required new art to be made. It was a very fluid project but we had a strong idea of where we wanted to take the game visually, very early on. The theme was always set in stone. Some card names changed, lots of rule changes, but the style didn't waver.
What mood and tone were you trying to trigger in the player if any? Why those colours and why that visual style?
We started with a game about dragons, some pretty high fantasy concepts, and decided visually the game shouldn't look like other fantasy games. We wanted it to stand out and gain attention. The first thing I showed the rest of the team were different color palettes that were very limited, for directions we could go in. Having a limited amount of colors was very important in establishing the style as unique and recognizable. The hope was it would be eye-catching and different enough to warrant a further look. If enough people thought it looked interesting, they'd want to learn more, eventually play it, and then tell their friends about. So far it's been working out.
Did you research other art or games in helping guide that clearly fantasy, yet unique art style?
Not intentionally. I didn't go out and look up a lot of games, movies, and fantasy related things because everyone knows exactly what those look like already. I just knew we had to look different than the first three things you think of when someone says dragons or fantasy game. A lot of the art you'd think of is older, very rendered, muted colors, with a lot of careful attention to detail. Moving in the opposite direction, we went with a bold and limited color palette and simplified, stylized shapes. Kept it very geometric and angular with very little use of rounded or natural lines. Right away this gave us a pretty distinct look that I was hoping would set us apart from other fantasy games.
Your latest game is Human Era, how do you think your work on Dragoon shaped your choices for this project and how were you looking to stand out with this game?
I think the first thing we wanted was to go with a different look than Dragoon and to avoid reusing that distinct style. We didn't have such a strong direction to turn with Human Era as we only wanted to avoid looking like Dragoon. Time travel or social deduction games don't have a specific look the same way fantasy games do so there was an abundance of options. We explored many more styles with Human Era and ultimately settled on a style that is much more similar to what my personal work looks like.
You've said that as a team it's now your goal to make games for the foreseeable future, so what's next for Lay Waste Games?
The immediate future includes fulfillment of Human Era, which I'm very excited about. We are publishing someone else's design for the first time, a sweet little game by Matt Fantastic and Alex Cutler. We're hard at work on our next game, codenamed Pyramid Project, which is always the most fun time to be a game developer. So far we really enjoy shifting genres and styles on a game by game basis, and Pyramid Project is no different. It will be unlike Dragoon in some really fresh ways. Dragoon had some mass appeal in how easy it was to pick up, and how forgiving it was if you were playing for the first time. Pyramid Project will be geared more towards real tabletop enthusiasts with a lot of gaming experience. The soonest anyone will be able to play it is at PAX East.
What else can you tell us about Pyramid Project? Do you have a clear indication of its visual style yet and what should we expect?
I can tell you it'll look good for sure. Components wise, it's looking like it has a lot of similarities to Dragoon. Map style board potentially, with a bunch of unique 3D pieces, potentially. Everything is really TBD still, because of how early in development it is, but it's always exciting to be at this stage of a project and figuring out the visual path it'll take.
What are you currently reading, listening to or looking at to fuel your work?
I feed off the other artists I'm immediately surrounded by every day. They're really inspiring and skilled individuals that I'm very fortunate to be working with. I spend quite a bit of time checking out work online on Instagram mostly. A little Twitter. I haven't read a book in a decade though. One day I hope that changes but I really only have time for so many things outside of being productive and books just don't fit, unfortunately.
Do you have any current projects underway, or coming up that you’d like (or are able) to tell us about?
Please watch season 3 of Animals on HBO! Seasons 1 and 2 are only 10 episodes each and they're very funny. Season 3 will be the best yet, for sure though. I've been working on season 3 as a colorist and background painter for about 5 months now. Very much looking forward to showing off all the cool things I painted for the show once it airs later this year. Working in tv animation has been a dream though. Couldn't be much more fun. Every other project outside of Lay Waste Games is still currently a secret, unfortunately.
Finally, if we’d like to see more of you and your work, where can we find you?
You can visit my website at www.NickNazzaro.com or follow me on Instagram or Twitter @TheNazzaro. If you want to find me in person, I'll be in Los Angeles for the foreseeable future, as well as PAX East, GenCon, PAX Unplugged, and probably some other upcoming cons as well.
(All images provided by Nick Nazzaro, 2018).
Katie O'Neill: Art in Board Games #32
I think there's so much to learn from traditional methods arts and crafts, and other things such as making and growing food. They can take a lot longer, but the products are so beautiful and there's so much more intention and engagement with the process.
Editors note: The Tea Dragon Society card game is still in production with Renegade Game Studios (due Q2 2018), as such there is no finalized art from it in this interview. There are some process images later in the article, however, the vast majority of art on show is from the graphic novel this game is based on or Katie's portfolio.
Hi Katie, thanks for joining me! For our readers who aren't aware of your work could you tell us a bit about yourself and what you do?
I'm an illustrator (mainly making graphic novels for kids), living in a small city in New Zealand. It's a pretty inspiring country to be an artist in! As an artist, I'm self-taught and posted my work online as webcomics for several years while I worked part-time as a copywriter. One day my editor emailed me and asked if I'd like to work with Oni Press, and it basically kept snowballing until I reached the point I'm at now, drawing for a living! I'm also an avid gardener, hiker and general nature enthusiast. And of course, I love tea.
You describe yourself as a self-taught, so when you were starting out how did you develop yourself as an artist and what illustrators or works inspired you?
Thankfully I grew up just as art communities on the internet were starting to flourish, so as a teenager I had access to a lot of digital artists to look up to as examples, and a number of them made tutorials that helped me grow and understand the software I was using better. Nowadays I probably use very few of the actual techniques that I learned then, but gaining that initial confidence to work digitally and intuit drawing software was extremely valuable.
Your beautiful graphic novel 'The Tea Dragon Society' is being turned into a card game, so could you tell us more about the graphic novel itself? How did you first come up with the idea and what is it all about?
The Tea Dragon Society came from a very simple idea I had, cute pet dragons that grow tea leaves on their horns, which ended up growing and growing as people showed a ton of interest in the idea. Eventually, I had enough to craft a little story about the characters who look after them, in this case, a blacksmith named Greta, a shy mystical girl named Minette, and the bonded owners of a tea shop, Hesekiel, and Erik. The tea dragons are extremely fussy (as players will discover when playing the card game!) so there is a danger of losing the art of caring for them, and of brewing the tea. The book is about appreciating traditional crafts and finding new meaning and value in them.
You say the story is really about appreciating traditional crafts, so what draws you to this message and are there any ways you think we should be doing this in general?
I think there's so much to learn from traditional methods arts and crafts, and other things such as making and growing food. They can take a lot longer, but the products are so beautiful and there's so much more intention and engagement with the process. I think it's important to keep knowledge of old crafts alive for their own sake, but they're also beneficial for the practitioner, encouraging patience and mindfulness. There are so many ways, and I think one of the best ones is to join a local group where you can learn from those with more experience.
So as I mentioned previously your graphic novel is being turned into a card game. How did that happen?
I'm super lucky in that Oni Press has really amazing connections with merch and board game developers, so all I've had to do is supply the artwork! Oni Press came to me about the idea and I was definitely aboard, and also completely into leaving it all to the professionals. The developers (Renegade Game Studios) captured the atmosphere of the book so perfectly, the first time I playtested it, even with simple mock-up cards, I knew it was just right. After the gameplay essentials were worked out, I was given a list of art assets to create and we took some from the book as well, to help it tie into the story.
When choosing the art from the book what were the main things you were trying to convey?
Mostly it was just done based on the relevance to each card so that players could get an idea of how that card might function in the Tea Dragons world. So for example, we have cards to do with grooming and taking care of the Tea Dragons, so we were able to pull art from the book from scenes where Greta is learning how to take care of them.
Was the process of producing the new assets for the game different from the way you'd usually create art?
It was a little different in that I had to convey ideas in just one panel, rather than having many! But other than that it was the same. For example, things like a grumpy Tea Dragon would normally have context in a book, but instead it was an interesting challenge to draw a character that not only looked grumpy, but had enough visual info to make it more interesting and vivid.
What advice would you give to anyone wanting to work as an artist?
Figure out what kind of artist you want to be first- maybe you'd love to work fulltime in a studio, or maybe you're just interested in telling your own stories and don't mind working another job to support yourself. Determining what really makes you happy about art is really important. It's also okay to change your mind too! Just as long as you're being honest with yourself about whether you're happy or not.
What are you currently reading, listening to or looking at to fuel your work?
I'm really into gouache paintings at the moment, especially impressionist or abstract work. I've never been much of an abstract person before, but the older I get the more I appreciate it.
Do you have any current projects underway, or coming up that you’d like (or are able) to tell us about?
I'm mostly working on graphic novels, and I have a new one coming out later this year called Aquicorn Cove. I also have plenty more stories about the Tea Dragons world that I would love to share someday!
Finally, if we’d like to see more of you and your work, where can we find you?
The best place would be my twitter! I'm strangelykatie on there. Or if you're interested in a portfolio, my site is ktoneill.com.
The Tea Dragon Society Card Game is due Q2 2018, you can find out more and pre-order a copy on the Renegade Game Studios website.
(All images copyright of Katie O'Neill, 2018)