Happy happy Hallowe'en!

First look at my working game, with a special Hallowe'en scene (that won't actually be in it)!

Video can be watched on Youtube, too.

Have a safe and happy Hallowe'en!

More of my game's art can be seen here.

-- Julia
Portfolio site

16 Colours of Light

Click image to enlarge and see gorgeous pixeltude.

I love the classic 16-colour EGA palette. I don't know why, but making teeny checkerboard patterns out of two of the colours (aka dithering) to make a third colour gives me just about the tamest thrill imaginable.

I'm planning on having day/night cycles in my game. At first, I thought there'd be one "day" version and one "night" version of each background, but I got carried away playing with all the colourful little pixels and here are a bunch of attempts at creating different lighting conditions using EGA.

If this was boring ol' 256 colour VGA or whatever else the kids are using nowadays, all I'd do to make a scene lighter or darker would be to slap a transparent layer of that colour on top and call it a day. YAWN. Or maybe edit the actual light source if this was one of those terrifying 3D games.

I'm much happier picking away with my digital cross-stitching :P.

-- Julia

Here's my other game art.

Portfolio site

Cutaway buildings

Click to see image in all its pixelly glory

After blogging about some possible ways to show building interiors, the fine folks in the Sierra Gamers Facebook Group offered some great suggestions including doing a cutaway showing a bit of the exterior along with the interior, indicating doorways.

I'm glad to be sharing this work with people. The feedback's been wonderful and super motivating!

Click to see image in all its pixelly glory 

Click to see image in all its pixelly glory

-- Julia
Portfolio site

In the woods

Click image to enlarge

After doing 47 of these game background things, I think I'm getting the hang of them! I've been busy digi-painting happy little trees hither and thither, "sprucing" up some of my exteriors :).

For instance, here's how one of my forest backgrounds was looking:

Click image to enlarge

I didn't really have any ideas on how to fill expanse of green; the lady looked like she was on a green-screened set! At first the distant trees were grey-blue to show depth, but a wall of grey-blue trees might look impassable. And boring. And really, really far away - which doesn't work with their current sizes.

Anyway, that's a lot of bother to say... I'm getting better at making these EGA background things! And I'm still working on my game! Soon I'll be moving on to creating more characters so my protagonist will have some friends to keep her company :).

Bonus forest background!

Click image to enlarge

-- Julia

Portfolio site

Boathouse

Click image to see as intended!

I'm nearly finished all the background art for my game, woo hoo! I've done 42 or so of these things and only  have a few left to go. I haven't been posting them all because I want there to be a few surprises when the game comes out!

It's only when I started doing these backgrounds that I realized there are limitations to this format that need to be addressed. For instance, with this background the characters will be walking behind it to get from the left side to the right, which means they'll be hidden from sight as they move behind the boathouse. I'm going to need to create an alternate view where the boathouse is ghosted out so the player doesn't lose track of their character! And I can't really set the boathouse farther back because the river's got to be right by the boathouse and characters can't walk on water...

Anyway, rest assured I'm still hard at work on this project. Once the backgrounds are done it'll be on to character design! Full steam ahead!

-- Julia
Portfolio site

Spring is coming?

Click image to enlarge.

Snow, snow, snow. Here's hoping things turn around soon.

In anticipation of that: Here's a nice, Spring-like game background for you! Complete with a nesting box, bird feeder, shed, water pump, and veggie patch! (From left to right: Tomatoes, lettuce, turnips, swiss chard, carrots, squash)

As I'm making these backgrounds I'm coming up with puzzle and plot ideas. I have a very vague outline for the story, but it's funny how creating the setting in turn creates ideas for everything else. Just by adding the nesting box, I thought of some story stuff and a puzzle or two :).

Here's the other game art I've made.

Hope you like it!

-- Julia
Portfolio site

Character views and Games room

Here are some views of my game's protagonist! I've done some walk cycles but they look kinda funny when not actually moving about in a background. I really enjoy working with a limited number of pixels and colours. Elements like the buckle on her belt and the little dots on her shoes and her scarf go a long way in showing movement and relative position. Reminds me of how Mario ended up with a moustache, cap, and overalls for the same reasons.

I'm very much inspired by Laura Bow and Colonel's Bequest but I wanted to make sure my protagonist didn't resemble Laura Bow too closely. That was a little tough because I wanted a plucky red-haired heroine wearing blue clothes :P.

Here's Laura Bow, for comparision:

 And here's the games room, which of course has a billiard table prominently featured. Because Clue.

I've finished the house's interiors (25 rooms!) and linked them all together in AGS (Adventure Game Studio) complete with walkable and walk-behind areas. Because I've finished the walk cycles, my little protagonist can now wander about the house -- Play some billiards, brew some tea, take a bath, gnaw on a Jordan almond...

Here's a link to the rest of the rooms I've posted. 

-- Julia
Portfolio site

Come into my parlour

Click image to see as intended!

The parlour was considered the best room of the house, where the finest furniture, art, etc. would be presented. This is because it was the room one would take visitors. It was considered a luxury to have a room solely for entertaining, as a few hundred years ago most folks lived in houses that were only one or two rooms. Wikipedia has a great entry that delves into this in more detail!

So naturally, my parlour is decorated with a plush settee, an elegant carpet, gilt wallpaper, a Tiffany floor lamp, a bronze Art Nouveau figurine, and one of my favourite Lawren Harris oil paintings. On the table we've got an exquisite crystal vase with a matching candy dish (containing Jordan Almonds. I saw Jordan almonds being sold in the craft section of Wal-mart alongside glitter and fabric paint, not the grocery section, which is everything you need to know about Jordan Almonds. They have a fascinating history, I might do an illustration about them!).

I like how fussy this room turned out. I'm thinking Harry Potter's Dolores Umbrage would've loved it! Maybe I should add some decorative plates with kittens on :P.

Here's the oil painting I've converted into pixelly glory:

The bronze figurine I used as a reference:

-- Julia
Portfolio site

CUFF Documentary Film Festival Poster

Click image to see as intended!

Here's something a little bit different. A combination of the art I'm doing for my computer game and my freelance illustration gig -- For the Calgary Underground Film Festival Documentary Film Festival!

The sixteen colours I used form the classic EGA palette:

Detail interior shot (click the image to enlarge):

I managed to squeeze in one of my favourite posters, the lovely "Le Chat Noir" by Théophile Alexandre Steinlen:

Sketch!

This was the first time I've used this technique for illustration. What do you think? :D

-- Julia
Portfolio site

Cozy little bar

Click to enlarge and see how it's supposed to look!

What better way to wind down after dinner but with some brandy and a nice cigar? I actually have no idea as I've had neither, but I've read plenty of books!

I wanted to do an Art Deco style bar, as I imagine Margot the maple syrup heiress would want to have the latest and most fashionable furnishings. She's the reason a lot of the rooms have framed Art Nouveau posters. Trying to class up a rustic lodge!

I feel like this room is overwhelmingly red so I may change up some of the colours. Maybe make the red door green. I keep telling myself I'll revisit all the other rooms I've done so far to spruce 'em up -- Trying not to linger forever tinkering with each and every pixel :P.

Speaking of posters, here's the one I chose for this room:

This week I've done this bar-type room (lounge?), a powder room, and I'm currently working on the parlour. I'm not posting everything because I want there to still be a sense of discovery when people play my game!

To see the other rooms and game art I've posted click here!

-- Julia
Portfolio site

Wood-panelled Dining Room

Click image to enlarge.

Now that I'm finished the upper level of my mysterious lodge, I'm working on the main level. It's hard to resist the urge to include all the rooms that are on a standard Clue board :P. I mean, I've already got a conservatory, kitchen, dining room, and study done, and I'm currently working on a games room / billiard room. Should I just succumb to this desire and do the library, lounge, and hall?

I haven't been posting all the rooms I've done (although here's what I've posted so far) because I want there to be new places for people to see when they play my game!

-- Julia
Portfolio site

Renovated Conservatory

Click the image to see as intended and not moire'd weirdness!

After I drew up a floor plan for my mystery house, I realized the conservatory as I had it wasn't going to work. I flipped the room around and redid the whole thing. Kept the comfy couch, side table, garbage can, and lamp. Waste not want not -- Furniture isn't cheap!

I'm happy I was able to do a contrasting-tile floor for the conservatory. A childhood of staring at my sister's Clue board game taught me that conservatories have tiled floors. 

I'm also pleased do to some moodier lighting. I might dial up the moodiness in some of the other rooms. Gives a nice, eerie ambience :). 

The old conservatory:

I enjoy the "Le Chat Noir" poster. Hopefully I can squeeze it into another room! It's hard to stop tinkering with all the rooms and improve them as I get better at this type of art. Onwards and upwards!

-- Julia

Portfolio site

Two new rooms. Introducing wallpaper!

The art for my adventure game is going full steam ahead. Here's a tea room / book nook I did! I looked it up and they indeed had hot plates in the early-ish 1900s :P.

When I was back in Toronto I was marvelling at the wallpaper in my parents' house. They first put it up when they moved into that house almost forty years ago and I've loved it for as long as I can remember. Not many people use wallpaper any more and I think that's a shame! This inspired me to add wallpaper to some of the rooms I've been creating. 

And here's the poster in the tea room I reproduced with glorious pixels. I get a real kick out of doing that!

Check out this fairly garish bathroom I've done. Again, another Art Nouveau poster on the wall:

 

The hair was pretty challenging...

-- Julia

Portfolio site

A lady's shoe in fourteen pixels

Here's a lovely walk-in closet to accompany the boudoir I made! Everything's a work in progress but it feels really good to be slowly developing the entire house. The first rooms took ages to create but I think I'm finally getting a handle on the process.

The matching boudoir:

Today I found out about an awesome artist who's been using Microsoft Paint to create works of art. Hal Lasko is 97 years old and used to be a graphic designer (he specialized in creating letterforms by hand). He's long been retired but still uses his discerning eye to produce terrifically pixellicious work. His family showed him how to use Paint a few years ago but he really took to it! The program's ability to magnify segments of an image for him to work on help tremendously because his vision is failing. Here's a video of this inspiring fellow!

-- Julia
Portfolio site

B n' B: Boudoir and Bathroom

Click image to enlarge

Here's the latest room I've created for my old-school adventure game! I'm pretty proud of the old-timey toilet. I feel like this room could use a few extra touches but I'm not sure what...

Click image to enlarge

A fixed up boudoir (click here to see the original). Improved the chair in the corner and made the room smaller because I kinda felt it was too large to be cozy. 

And here's the gorgeous Toulouse-Lautrec poster I snuck into the boudoir for an extra French detail :P.

I finally got around to drawing up a plan for this house so I know where to stick doors and windows. My next room is going to be an upstairs hallway. The challenge is to make it non-boring, and not so deep that the character's unchanging scale will look weird. Lots of considerations!

Here's a link to the stuff on my blogged tagged "digital" for my game.

-- Julia
Portfolio site

Two new rooms for my adventure game

 Slow and steady wins the race! Here's a fun boudoir. I'm trying to labour over these less because I really start obsessing over every little pixel. Is there enough pink in this one? I've always loved dressing screens. So very chic.

And here's a sun-filled conservatory. I managed to squeeze in one of my favourite posters: "Le Chat Noir". Most of the cottage will look rustic and older and kinda dark, but the conservatory is a newer addition where a few herbs and plants are grown and where there's some nice light and warmth.

This is the first really decent room I did. The kitchen is definitely from an older part of the cottage, particularly the ice box and the antique stove.

This was my first attempt at a room. I like the lighting and shadows, but I'm not crazy about the colours or the drawing. Continual improvement!

I think the next room I do will be a large living room that scrolls across two screens (if that's possible). Either that or a bedroom because I haven't tried that yet. Maybe a study!

-- Julia
Portfolio site

Two more EGA portraits and some adjustments

Click image to enlarge

Did up two more Colonel's Bequest-style portraits today! Also added more shading to the ones I already had. The shading helps define the shapes a bit more. Still not 100% set on any of these -- Work in progress :). 

The first three characters are pretty standard, but the next two sort of hint at the setting of my game. I want to do a "cozy" type murder mystery and set it in a lodge in the Canadian woods! That's why one of the rooms I created has a rustic look:

Click image to enlarge

I have a notebook where I've been jotting down story ideas and character stuff. I have a vague idea of how I want it all to play out. It's just a matter of setting the time aside to do it!

Here's the other old school game stuff I've done. 

-- Julia

Portfolio site

Old school EGA character portraits

Click to enlarge

More work in progress for my AGS old-school style adventure game! This time I've started on on character portraits. Most likely the protagonist will be front-view and all the other characters will be three-quarter view. I will be making some male portraits too, of course! 

I've been working too sporadically on this game -- Gotta set aside some time each week to dedicate to this, or else it'll never get done :P.

-- Julia

Portfolio site

A Room Painted Sixteen Colours

    (Click image to see in non-anti-aliased glory!)

Still working ever so slowly on my AGS adventure game! This is the second room I've done so far. I think I'm getting better and faster at creating these the more practice I get. I gotta say, I majorly love doing these, I think I'll do a bedroom next! Here's a link to the first room I did.

Here are those classic sixteen EGA colours:

I wonder if this interest is in any way related to my passion for LEGO -- blocky bright colours that approximate/abstract real life. Speaking if which, I got sent this amazing link to a beta site LEGO has put online that allows people to design and post sets that anyone can vote on and support; if LEGO sees that the set has enough votes (10,000) they consider making it! How cool is that? There is a killer "Shaun of the Dead"-themed set that is getting quite a bit of attention, to the point that Simon Pegg (one of the brains behind the movie) mentioned it on his most recent Conan appearance! 

I'm starting to do the concept work for my next "A Circus Mind" illustration and I'm going to try my darnedest to somehow incorporate my love of pixelly art into it. The piece is for a poem about Andy Warhol so the digital art concept totally works. There's a video on YouTube that shows him digi-painting a portrait of Debbie Harry using an Amiga with Debbie Harry actually there, and they televised it! I'm also hoping the illustration ends up looking good on a t-shirt so I can put it up for sale on my Society6 store -- I think Warhol would've approved :P.

My Sixteen Favourite Colours

Here's my first try at the EGA-look! Stuff is kind of giant compared to the character :O. Click the image to see it in all its blocky majesty!

I'm a pretty big computer game geek. Not newer games, but the games that happened in the sweet ol' days of EGA and VGA. Old school Sierra and LucasArts adventure games are a major inspiration of mine. I have a particular love for EGA, which was a glorious sixteen colour palette. The sixteen colours you see above were all those companies needed to create some of my favourite computer game art of all time: Colonel's Bequest, Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire, Monkey Island 1, King's Quest 3 and 4... The Colonel's Bequest particularly had some of the loveliest pixel-painting of any of those adventure games.

Every time I watch Youtuber hercrabbiness's Let's Play of Colonel's Bequest I get so psyched to create a game like that. With a utility called Adventure Game Studio, this wouldn't be an impossible dream!

My silkscreen work has always been somewhat influenced by those computer games I enjoyed as a kid. I love sharp lines (anti-aliased blurriness makes me angry!), limited colour palettes, and the technique of using coloured half-tone screens to create intermediate colours.

Here's my other digital stuff, but my love for EGA is so great that I think I'll be redoing the character stuff I did in VGA with EGA!