Creating Promo Art: The Process | Hyperclass Ark

Hi guys! Our artist, Philip Bell, discussed the stages involved in creating promotional artwork for the project. So, let's get started without delay!

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- The development pipelines for splash and key-art are often similar across different studios. While industry-wide standards are followed globally, individual artists have their own preferences, tips, and tricks. Today, I would like to showcase the work we have done within our studio.

For this particular key-art, we had a clear concept, a predefined color scheme, and a vision of how it should look. The primary objective of this image is advertisement, as it will be used as a widescreen pre-order banner with overlaid text. We used this as our starting point when crafting the initial sketch.

Here is the first iteration:

We were able to create this iteration in less than an hour. Our goal was to present the main character, a demoness, in a striking way at the center of the canvas, accompanied by her weapon, with a backdrop of smoke and fire. We aimed to create something simple yet lively and dynamic, without relying on complex poses. To achieve a sense of dynamism, we incorporated compositional elements in the background, such as the swirling smoke in an S-shaped pattern.

The lower part of our artwork, particularly the legs, may appear static and monumental, as it will contain a significant amount of textual information. We intentionally kept it simple to ensure that the text remains unobstructed.

After further refining the sketch and positioning the approved graphic design and text elements, we noticed that the character's arms and weapons were too close to the text. As a result, we made adjustments to their position.

Here is the updated sketch:

With these modifications, the main focal points have been shifted upward, creating more available space that we can utilize effectively. Additionally, we have successfully incorporated a second character into the illustration, enhancing the overall appeal of this key art.

During the initial stages and up until the halfway point, we work with a smaller resolution of approximately 2000 px of the canvas size. Although it is still a sketch at this stage, serving as the foundation for further work, all the elements have been constructed and organized. We can now proceed to the next stage, which involves the development of the image through the initial rendering process:

This iteration met our expectations, and we proceeded with its development. However, we felt the need for more focal points and accents. It is crucial for an advertising image to capture users' interest when they look at the splash screen. To address this, we added an illuminated sunny area behind the second character's head, intensifying the city's illumination in the background, and a brighter dramatic light from above for the main character.

We have also begun the rendering stage of the image. We move to the render stage only when we are satisfied with all the compositional elements in the illustration. Our focus was on refining the clothing, faces, and materials, adding halftones, and creating a softer overall effect. Additionally, we enhanced the contrast to make the main character stand out more distinctly from the background.

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Moving to the final stage, we are now focusing on color correction and achieving a finer balance of contrasts. This meticulous process involves manually comparing and adjusting different elements to ensure the illustration as a whole looks spectacular. We eliminate any excessive yellowness and enhance the visual effects. Please take a look at the progress comparison before and after the color balancing:

During the final stage, we slice and prepare the file. Here's the progress we've made:

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Thank you for accompanying us on this creative journey. If you're interested in having us create something extraordinary for you, please don't hesitate to reach out. We're eager to discuss further possibilities.

Philip.

https://www.hyperclassark.com/