Photoshop
Lina Sidorova explains the techniques that she used to create a dramatic promo piece for fantasy video game Dragon Nest
Photobashing is a technique used to create images from photographs, before rendering them into a single, cohesive piece. This process enables an artist to quickly assemble an illustration from different elements of photographs without having to draw them from scratch, and can be a useful method when you’re seeking to develop a particular style.
To help you get a head start with photobashing, in this tutorial I’ll analyse the creation of a piece of promo art that I made for the game Dragon Nest. The commission set out for me was to make a dynamic promotional design in a realistic style, and using as much detail as was workable. The style of Dragon Nest itself is quite interesting, using chibi and cartoon-styled locations, and scenes with dramatic lighting that depict epic battles.
The art was to be used for printing on large banners at Gamescom and other gaming conventions, as well as posters at various game events, on advertising assets, and so on. As a result, the composition had to be readable both with the dragon on its own, and with the addition of hero characters and text elements.
For images to be used in this way, both the quality and detail of the picture, and the composition, are important. It should be possible to place characters, logos and other necessary branding onto the image, or alternatively remove elements completely, while still being able to retain the quality. So, let’s jump in and get photobashing!
1 Work out your composition with initial sketches
Any illustration or promotional art begins with sketches. At this stage I had to consider versions that would look good both with and without the addition of human figures in the composition. Ultimately, I chose the bottom-middle sketch above and proceeded to plan my next steps. I thought it would be a good idea to accentuate the dragon’s mouth and make it the focal point with colour and light.
2 Begin photobashing
In addition to spreading out the colour on the blocks, you can now start to photobash. I used a photo for drawing the tongue and then painted over it, while for the muzzle I took a photo of crocodile skin and then added in the spines. I also planned to place puddles with reflections on the ground to create dynamic diagonal stripes and contrasting materials. After this, I began to overlay the photos on the dragon’s body and tweaked anatomy such as the eyes and neck.
3 Keep a close eye on your volumes
I tried to choose photos with the correct volume t
