The Reef - Voyagers of Nera
These are early sketches establishing the visual direction for the Reef. The goal was to create a biome that contrasted strongly with The Embrace, featuring bolder silhouettes, richer ocean motifs(coral growths), and a pastel color palette to give it a distinct identity. It was a really challenging biome to develop, and due to tight timelines, much of the original scope had to be trimmed. I ended up stepping in to complete the majority of the art pass across the entire biome myself.
Another big shoutout to my art team for running with me to get this across the finish line, it was a massive group effort! There were a lot of things we all wanted to improve about it but I'm proud of what we made together and how quickly we were able to stand it up.
https://www.artstation.com/waterproofjedi
https://www.kyleyoungblom.com/
https://www.artstation.com/dardostudios
Initial key sketch to establish the overall tone and direction for the biome.
Thematic sketches and callouts to establish the biome's identity.
Prop sheet consisting of different ideas for resources and decorative props to give the biome it's identity.
Example callout sheet using both environment sketches and prop callouts to give high level direction.
In-game capture of the final Reef biome. I wound up doing a lot of the art passes and set dressing myself!