When I had got an idea of the kind of game I wanted to make I searched online for some artists whose art evoke a similar kind of mood as the one I wanted.
Tim Burton
I was already imagining a hint of Tim Burton’s style when drawing my initial designs, especially the spindly lines and big, haunted-looking eyes. I don’t want to stray too close to his style though as it’s very recognizable. I will try to make sure my character designs are unique by imbuing my existing art style with influences of these artists.
Gekidan Inu Curry
A Japanese design and animation company. I really like the cutout style and how the faces are simplified stylistically. The textures and use of black and white are interesting too. It’s quite a quirky style and I think I could use some aspects of it in my designs, but I would like to keep the characters more expressive and relatable which I think is missing somewhat in this style. It’s kinda surreal and a bit creepy.
John Atkinson Grimshaw
I found his art when researching old and abandoned estates on pinterest. I love how he portrays moonlight and creates really atmospheric night scenes with light and silhouette. I’d like to use some of the colour palettes as inspiration for backgrounds for my game. His pieces have quite a creepy and unsettling atmosphere and are quite Gothic which suits my ideas well. The houses are usually the focus of his paintings are interesting and moody portrayals of grand country houses.
Emily Clay Games Design 