Update #3 – Town Concepts

Update #3 – Town Concepts

How do you draw a place that doesn’t exist? Well, it’s not exactly easy, but these 5 steps can point you in the right direction:

1. Read and interpret the script or imagine a story.
2. Research and gather references of places that resemble the story’s setting.
3. Study and analyze what defines those environments.
4. Create sketches and thumbnails to capture your ideas using values to simplify decisions.
5. Design environments based on key story events. Add details that enrich the narrative.

Here’s how I applied these steps:

Step 1: Read

Scott Gray described the town as:

"It’s a fairytale style 1800s era Swiss village, quant, rustic, homemade- think Hobbiton as well. Cozy houses, thatched roofs, no sign of modern society, i.e. cars, electricity, etc. Instead, there’s a hint of magical realism….All the children in town learn at an early age that long ago their village was a barren wasteland, rocky, dry, with no life or color. But then the magical Lumen crystal rose out of the ground, and transformed the land into a paradise.”

Step 2: Research

I gathered references in PureRef — stylized landscapes, Swiss villages, fairy tale architecture, and ancient trees.

Step 3: Studies

I drew studies of traditional Swiss houses to familiarize myself with the aesthetic.

Step 4: Sketches and Thumbnails

Once I became familiar with the town's architecture, I created a small image to capture the entire environment. This helped me visualize many ideas I had in mind and address the story’s duality — a barren, lifeless desert that, thanks to the crystal, becomes illuminated and lush with vegetation.

After establishing the town's look, I wanted to explore the crystal’s appearance further. In the story, it’s described as emerging from the ground, but I wasn’t sure how. I imagined it glowing underground, causing ancient seeds to germinate. As the plants grow, the crystal is pushed to the surface, becoming embedded within them.

With this concept in mind, I explored different plant designs, focusing on blending the crystal and nature.

After a feedback session with my team, we concluded that the plants weren’t strong enough to hold the crystal. It would be more striking if the crystal were embedded in the bark of an ancient tree.

To gain more flexibility and expressive freedom, I switched to traditional media.

From the sketches I created, my favorite was the idea of a majestic, ancient tree, full of movement and vitality.

Step 5: Designing for the Story

I refined the concept in Photoshop, illustrating Max climbing the tree. She’s alone, with the village in the background and barren desert mountains beyond. A dirt path leads to the tree, enclosed by a fence that Max crosses.

 To define the scene’s colors, I explored various palettes aiming to create a warm, nostalgic atmosphere — a moment of connection between Max and the magical crystal tree. Choosing a palette was tough, so I ran an Instagram poll. Scene 2’s colors won, evoking warmth and nostalgia.

Final Thoughts

That’s the latest on the town’s development! Stay tuned for more updates soon. And remember — sometimes, it’s all about following the steps, staring at the horizon, and pushing through, even when it feels like you're trying to solve a puzzle without the picture!