Marketing Images
I have always been interested in creating messages through images. Over the years I have concepted a variety of marketing images for the games I’ve been involved with, from the box cover of the original Tomb Raider game (in europe at least) to the magazine covers for Tomb Raider Anniversary.
Presented here are some of my sketches along with the hi-res artwork they turned into (along with a few that never made it.)
The way I try to approach making images is generally through body language. It’s incredible how much you can communicate through pose and it always shocks me how few game characters are posed in a way that communicates anything specific.
I had nothing to do with the finished renders other than the concept sketches shown they were the work of many talented artists from Crystal Dynamics and other outsource partners..
Left click to zoom in on an image, right click to download.
Presented here are some of my sketches along with the hi-res artwork they turned into (along with a few that never made it.)
The way I try to approach making images is generally through body language. It’s incredible how much you can communicate through pose and it always shocks me how few game characters are posed in a way that communicates anything specific.
I had nothing to do with the finished renders other than the concept sketches shown they were the work of many talented artists from Crystal Dynamics and other outsource partners..
Left click to zoom in on an image, right click to download.
With this image I wanted to express Lara's comfort while adventuring.
For her, climbing is not much different than walking, so I was trying to capture a moment when she was at ease; a casual glance down during a long climb.
I didn’t have an exact idea in mind for the background, just that she should seem high up. When I saw the waterfall and the rainbow effect, I was really happy.
For her, climbing is not much different than walking, so I was trying to capture a moment when she was at ease; a casual glance down during a long climb.
I didn’t have an exact idea in mind for the background, just that she should seem high up. When I saw the waterfall and the rainbow effect, I was really happy.
Shooting poses can get a bit boring after the hundredth one. I made a few sketches of Lara jumping and firing before settling on this one.
This is one of the images I worked up in colour, which you can see here.
Generally I don't bother rendering my sketches, since I don't consider myself much of a painter, but this time I went for it!
Check out that explosion. BOOM!
This is one of the images I worked up in colour, which you can see here.
Generally I don't bother rendering my sketches, since I don't consider myself much of a painter, but this time I went for it!
Check out that explosion. BOOM!
Crocodiles wait for their prey. They lay perfectly still until something gets close enough and then they burst into action, grab their victim and drag them underwater. What I was trying to get across here was a role reversal; the idea that as these crocodiles move towards Lara from behind, she is waiting for just the moment to snap into action and take them out.
People were keen to show off Lara's new abilities in Tomb Raider Legend and I proposed this image of her swinging in an arc, kicking off a pillar and shooting at the same time. This is another image I worked up in colour here (excuse the rubbish painting quality.)
People were concerned that Lara should not be kicking down pillars, for realism and conservation reasons.
Still, people liked the pose and it ended up being used against another waterfall. My only gripe is that the pose doesn't look right without the contact of her foot against something, but there you go.
People were concerned that Lara should not be kicking down pillars, for realism and conservation reasons.
Still, people liked the pose and it ended up being used against another waterfall. My only gripe is that the pose doesn't look right without the contact of her foot against something, but there you go.
I rendered this one up in colour before presenting it, probably because I was unhappy with it as a sketch and needed to convince myself it would all work out in the end. Obviously it didn't.
In retrospect I should have ditched it and gone back to the drawing board but I didn't.
Overall I think it's the weakest piece here, too cluttered and confused.
In retrospect I should have ditched it and gone back to the drawing board but I didn't.
Overall I think it's the weakest piece here, too cluttered and confused.
Speaking of images that aren't working, click on the image to the left to go to a gallery of marketing sketches I made that didn't make the cut. I always think that it's almost as instructional to look at the failures as the winners. Some of the following images are just no good, others are just not for selling a game. Have a look if you are interested.
