Key Art Direction
COMPANY OF HEROES 3Concept + Visual Development // Creative Direction // Outsource Art Production Management
As the lead marketing artist at Relic, I played a multifaceted role in several key art projects. Collaborating closely with the game art director, brand colleagues, and external agencies, I both produced and provided art direction for a number of marketing key art pieces.
The core goal for each project was to produce eye-catching artwork that would attract, create interest and set the tone, providing a clear glimpse into the games core themes, theater and factions. Given the sensitivity of the genre, the central challenge was ensuring the characters were depicted historically, whilst avoiding any political symbolism. This was achieved through thorough research and reference materials.
My core responsibilities included creating initial concept sketches and mood boards that provided the key details for the production team outlining the composition, essential elements, tone, mood, in-game assets and historical reference imagery. Throughout the project lifecycle, I provided art direction, managed and distilled stakeholder feedback, and maintained oversight of the projects from inception to completion, ensuring the final art not only met project goals, but was also delivered on time and met quality standards. Additionally, I was tasked with adapting the artwork and generating variations to strengthen marketing efforts.
North Africa Key Art // The creation of the key art for the announce of the new theater and playable faction posed a particular challenge. The team wanted to showcase the new playable Deutsches Afrikakorps without centralizing them or positioning them as heroes. I was tasked with coming up with a visual solution to this challenge that would serve as the foundation for the final key art. After working closely with the game art director and brand manager we settled on a composition that showcased two opposing fronts. My role extended to providing clear and concise art direction to the production artists for the duration of the project. Paired with a vibrant colour palette to highlight the North African theater, this artwork was an eye-catching and exciting addition to the brand materials.
Expansion Key Art // The main objective for this key art was to create a piece that highlighted the new battle groups introduced in the expansion, showcasing a story imbued with a gritty and cinematic atmosphere. I was assigned the responsibility of devising a visual solution that would form the basis of the final key art. The piece drew inspiration from WWII photography and depictions of war in cinema. The primary challenges faced during this project was adhering to budget limitations, tight deadlines, and the requirement to showcase both factions in an authentic scene. My role extended to creating the logo, and adaptations for various platforms.
Re-worked Italy & Anniversary Key Arts // As the one-year anniversary of the release approached, the game's art direction underwent a transformation, shifting from a vivid palette to a darker and grungier aesthetic. Collaborating closely with the game art director, I undertook the task of revising a previous piece, reworking the elements, compositing, editing and recoloring it to align with the new aesthetic. As a supplementary piece, the black and white Anniversary art was created as an homage to the franchise's legacy key artworks, evoking a much darker and grittier mood. These artworks played a pivotal role in promoting the game changes, instilling the community with a renewed sense of confidence in the game's future direction.
