Plant Combat

My first idea for combat was to have Leah control plants. After working on it a little while I realized I hate this idea. It does not fit too well in a dream environment and it feels too complicated. I'm going to go for visually simpler idea.

WIP dream bedroom piece

I want this project to have really vivid colors with a sort of whimsical feel to the animals and the plants. For this piece I want to establish the colors and who they will interact with each other as well as the abundance of fauna and flora. It should give off a dreamlike feel, which is what I want for the project as a whole: A mix of the mundane and the fantastic.

Here are some more WIP shots. I decided to build upon a picture I started a year ago that was just Leah and the bed with the purple light. I added in the turquoise and greens to accent the purple. I want the turquoise to represent a change. Something for the player to understand is out of the ordinary and would draw their attention.

The concept for my game

I wanted to draw my own concept for a game. My goal is to find a nice middle ground between eastern and western art and design. I look to put my own spin on designs I like but feel have either been over or under used. What's become generic and what never gets fleshed out enough.

Since I'm only doing concept art I picked some games that I want to use a framework upon which I will design my concepts mechanics around. Just to get an idea of what i'm imagining I want the social aspects and character development of something like the persona RPG's. They have the freedom to pursue lengthy relationships with the people around you and place it in a more modern setting. I imagine the combat to be more akin to Kingdom Hearts where you control one main character but each world may have a character who fights along side you.

Here are some of my notes on the basic concept and possible plot lines. This will become more fleshed out as I go.

Synopsis Ideas:

1. Family moves to new town and learns townspeople have control over dreams / some use it for evil and kill to protect their secret / use the dreams to subdue evil

2. Girl learns she can enter other peoples dreams/ dreams are corrupted or tainted and solves peoples problems in dreams/ confronts those behind dream corruption


Leah moves to a small town. Leah learns she can enter other townspeople’s dreams at night. The peoples dreams have become tainted and effect their real lives. Leah discovers she can help get rid of what taints peoples dreams. Some townspeople have the ability to control and live in dreams and essentially have a second life without sleep. (I guess it’s like that new show awake) Some of them use it to live out fantasies and relax, others to be more productive. A few have ulterior motives that may be the cause of the towns corruption.

Story Ideas:

1. Ability to jump into others mind/conscience.
2. See their true self (maybe)
3. Influence them - fight to correct what corrupts their dreams
4. Each person has their own world

Designs for Lexi

I wanted to draw my take on a cat girl. She and her sidekick/weapon Boris the bear make an interesting combo to me. I wanted her to really stand apart both with her silhouette and her fighting style. I want her character to be the outdoors type. One who can live without technology and be happiest among nature. 

These are some costume designs for Lexi. In her dream state she's a cat girl.  I wanted a carefree animalistic  look to her. She also has a bear pelt. His name right now is Boris. I want him to be a living character who acts as her sidekick and her weapon for combat.

Here are some more designs. Different types of ears and headpieces. I've decided against any headgear  as it clutters up her design too much. Boris the bear can lift her and walk with his front legs as well as attack with his claws. I want him to give her an interesting silhouette. Something that makes her and him instantly recognizable from a distance. 

Some expressions for Lexi. Very upbeat and animated movements. Less realistic and a little more exaggerated to fit her bubbly personality.

Some sketches for her real life counterpart.

Early ideas.

Even more. Still thinking about having some flannel but might use that for another character.

Color comps. I went with the red and orange. Bright colors that fit her sunny personality. 

Some early sketches of Boris and the foot claw boots Lexi wears.

Color concept W.I.P.

A concept from when I wanted the town to be very sunny and maybe by the ocean. I've changed the environment to be more cold and oppressive now so I don't think i'll finish this. 

A little bit farther along.

Started adding some details and figuring out how to render the flowers. I really should of blocked in my values first since I had trouble adding in all the dark tones. I started off too light and ended up making it harder on myself. Maybe start grey-scale next time.

Various Leah pieces and ideas

A quick pose idea with Leah and Lexi that uses the silver and  purple theme.

I might want Leah to be a little messy and her room should indicate that, plus it allows for more  interesting  environment quirks. A character trait that's visible in her environments.

Another idea that with mermaids. I would love to fit mermaids in here. 

A possible weapon pose. Fists for up close  fast combat. An agile  weapon.

I want her combat abilities to be visible with each type of armor. When battling in a dream state her weapons and armor are transformable. They are made of a living organic material that can change to fit her situation, she is in a dream and possesses the ability to take advantage of the freedom being unbound to reality allows.
I want to have a well rounded arsenal for her. from up close melee with fists and swords to long range projectiles and maybe a few surprises. More on that to come. 

Concepts for the main character, Leah

I want Leah to be kind of a tomboy, someone who would feel comfortable  getting involved in a conflict if she had to. Not the strongest not the weakest, a balanced character that the player could identify with in terms of being the most neutral from the outset of the story. The gateway protagonist, you unravel the plot as she does.  

I like the bottom left the most. Silver and purple will be my overall color theme. It's simple and  identifiable.  I'm not sure about the pants yet. I want her to stand out so the colors need to be mostly unique to her.

Character ideas

Environment ideas from project I'm working on

Some mood thumbs. I want a cold oppressive town to  contrast with the more fantasy  environments  of the dream  worlds.

An Art Deco building. 

Hand Castle. My favorite idea so far. All the architecture will be made from hands. I want a very organic living feel to offset the rigid stone feeling you usually get from castles.

Some town ideas. I want a lot of buildings that are built into cliffs with overgrown  vegetation around them. A very mountain village feel with a hint of fantasy. 

Some more town sketches.

Some house ideas.

More house ideas.

More houses in a forest like environment.

Works in progress from photoshop

Here are some pieces that are incomplete. Just some ideas that I've fleshed out over time and would like to continue working on. I've also given up on trying to align these pictures in rows. >:(