Beastly Design

This was perhaps, not what you were expecting to see for November... I remember that November's Post was intended to be all about Freed Souls; my latest illustration which was (and will be) a commentary on the situation now faced by many out of work concept artists from Krome Studios. Being a huge fan of telling stories (the right way) without compromising quality for the sake of 'just geting it out there', I'd like to do it justice. Rather than rush it and ruin it (which is something else we can talk about later) I must with all humility ask for your patience while I get this one right. Kindest thanks to everyone :)

In these few short weeks I have been truly the busiest I have ever been in my entire career... There is so much to do, so much to prepare for, and so many opportunities to grab hold of and explore all that truly makes me happy. For the first time in a very long time I am really the master of my own destiny, and this was indeed the major theme and inspiration for Freed Souls... but we'll get to that ;) There has been much change in the air with me and for reasons that I'll make clear very soon, my time has been short; for I have been focussing on other more compelling ventures...

For now I hope that you'll enjoy these preliminary creature designs that I have prepared as they offer a small window into part of what I'm currently doing with my time, and they are part of a larger plan. Freed Souls is well on it's way...

Banded Striker

People ask me alot: "Why do you focus on drawing Creatures? Why the fixation?" It's true that from a very tender age I was absolutely drawn to animals, both real and imagined... indeed they were for many years my only real friends. I'd honestly have to say that creating them is a very primal and instinctual thing for me to do, they just come to me and it's a simple affair to explain my facination with them: I can trust what they'll do. I could say there is a purity to them and a wonderful simplicity in their nature that I'd long to have. I could go on to say that there's a sense of virtue within every beast in the Animal kingdom, and they have instincts and ways that one can pretty much bank on...

I could say that by contrast we Humans can be highly unpredictable most of the time, and that the factors that motivate us to behave are so varied and numerous as to keep us guessing... and more often than not, confused as to our actual purpose here. You can trust a Lion to be hungry at certain times of the day and act accordingly, but we are different beasts entirely... On the visual front there is such an aspirational majesty to the Creatures of the Earth, both in their great design and in their purpose that I cannot go past drawing from it. Yet it is from the fabric of their very nature (to eat only when hungry, to take only what is needed, to preserve what remains for the future) that I draw my greatest inspiration. They have taught me an aweful lot about myself...

The most potent thing about Humanity though is; we get to choose our own 'nature'. We get to govern our own behavior and we have that freedom to choose the impact we have; for good or ill. 'Tis the greatest natural ability we can exercise; so choose well, and keep on slammin :)


The Bow-Horned Sail Strider

A Vahgeist Bull

Horned Woodsman




The Bloated Smoulder-Face




Bark-Skinned Leaf Beast




The Plumed Hunter

Listen to the Soul: remember always what is most important, and never compromise on it. Defend that like a Savage.....

J S Pullen

Sneak Peak at November's Posting

'Freed Souls': Creature and Environment Illustration WIP

I have not been idle in my time away from the workplace; in fact... this is the busiest I've been in some time now. Yet for the first time in a long time, I feel I'm actually getting somewhere, and moving in the direction that feels right for me. I've felt in this time it is important to just keep moving, improving and doing.... attempting new things and choosing to back myself on every challenge no matter what I'm trying for, or who I'm presenting myself and my work to. You just have to keep on 'doing'; know your value, back yourself... and with the right attitude and at the right time, a strong opportunity will present itself. So acknowledging that Life is a journey, I plan to keep on powering on...

What you see here is a small Work in Progress sample of my next illustrated piece planned for the November posting. I'll talk more about it then, but I can say it is a tribute to those I've worked closely with and a supportive commentary on what we have faced as a concept art group. I hope you'll join me in November to see the finished work. So until then, (and long afterwards) keep on 'doing'. Keep on moving towards what you want... and keep on powering on.

Listen to the Soul: remember always what is most important, and never compromise on it. Defend that like a Savage.....

J S Pullen

From The Dragon's Vault...Something for the Fans

'Steam' the Iron-Clad Locomotive Boss and The Conductor from Munitions Forge...

Steam Boss plan views for modeling reference...
Sometimes things just resonate with us. Whether its a movie or a book, or as is increasingly becoming more common place; a video game.... sometimes somethings just grab us and stick in our minds. It becomes a powerful influence, an experience we must have time and again and one that regardles of how old or dated it becomes will always hold a significant place in our psyche. Holding onto a piece of that 'something special' is an amazing thing, as whatever it is can have a profound and everlasting effect that puts wheels in motion and can set us on the paths that our lives may take for years to come.... but actually being a part of its' creation is something entirely unique again.

I posted not that long ago, but it seems to me that there is quite a large body of people for whom the world of Spyro the Dragon holds a great deal of significance. I myself am an epic fan of Dragons, and for Spyro I tried to re-inject that ancient and weathered majesty for the Guardians, and get Spyro dragons walking on four legs again! When the franchise came to Krome Studios Spyro was in need of a style makeover and so I did my best to ensure that everything that was loved about the old Purple Dragon of Legend remained intact, while along with Bruno Rime and fellow concept artists Ron Marc, Rod Wong, Mark Hansen and Danh Nhan we sought to rejuvenate the franchise with contemporary style and heart.

I did not in a million years expect the reception that Spyro, Sparx, the Dragon Guardians and the Spyro visual style would get from such a diverse range of people... but it has certainly lit a welcomed fire in this old soul :) So, this post is for the Fans; those hard core and devoted souls who craft websites, make avatars and create simply amazing fan art in the Spyro space. This is for you guys. With humility and gratitude I thank you. Helping to create something that means so much to so many is all an artist could ever hope for. I deeply hope you enjoy this little offering...

Kind regards,

J S Pulen

The Steam Boss' caboose...

The Caboose was very much part of the Steam Boss' character; it housed Cynder's minions to taunt Spyro on his high speed rail chase in TLOS: A New Beginning and acted as armour to be damaged and stripped away. Steam was the only machine type Boss designed for this title.

Steam Boss Caboose plan views for modeling purposes...

'Dreadwing' creature: Themed for the Munitions Forge world...

These sinister agents of Cynder were a blast to draw and theme for every environment type. We had strong elemental themes that served to influence every design, right down to materials, so drawing became an almost unconscious thing for me. When I first designed this beasty I called it the 'Dreadwing' as a working name, but the name just stuck right through to the printing of this title's hand manual.

'Dreadwing' creature: Themed for the Dante's Freezer world...

'Dreadwing' creature: Themed for the Tall Plains world...

Dreadwing plan view for modeling purposes...

Tier 2 Cynder Leader Class: Themed for Dante's Freezer...

Hands down these jibbering Baboon-like minions were the most fun to create, as the theming posibilities were endless. My only lamentation was we had but four theme types to work to, and if scope had allowed there was so much more I wanted to do with these guys. These minions added a comedic vineer to what could have become (if allowed) a very dark game. I went with a Mongolian touch for these snow bound bruisers...

Tier 3 Cynder Commander Class: Themed for Dante's Freezer...

With these types of mainstay foe consistency was key; in their theming and materials across all world types and also in their sense of scale across the three enemy tier types. To keep scale cohesion between the three enemy sizes, I made sure that the feet, hands and eyes generally remained the same scale, regardless of tier size. This really facilitated a cohesive look. Having items of armour stay the same scale on both the big and small guys reinforced their scale also... see the bear's paw on both Leader and Commander for an example of this.

Kane the Atlawa warrior champion from Tall Plains...

A somewhat Mayan influence seemed appropriate for the proud and independent character of Kane. What began as a four legged Lama, resulted in the image you see here. Our character animators referred to him as 'that chicken-lama' whenever Kane was mentioned. I created a back story and mythos for Kane, but it was never used in the story.

Luggs: An Atlawa warrior...

This unfortunate creature had the dubious honour of being 'lugged' off by one of Cynder's Tall Plains Dreadwings... and didn't feature strongly in the title despite a fair ammount of time being spent on both the design and his character model. Aptly named for his role, Luggs was a pleasure to draw nonetheless...

There are many more concept art pieces relating to character, props and environment from both TLOS: A New Beginning and TLOS: The Eternal Night that I will share in coming months, but I hope you have liked what you've seen here so far. (For other Spyro related works see the art of Ron Marc, Rod Wong, Mark Hansen and Danh Nhan.)

Very different things from me next post ;)

Listen to the Soul: Remember always what is most important and never compromise on it. Defend that like a Savage.....

J S Pullen

Character Illustration and Design: The Scarecrow

The Scarecrow: with Feudal Japanese styling

I do try to tell a story in every design, and I'm always looking for real world hooks and historical connections to support my design choices wherever I can. I thoroughly enjoy the research and reference gathering phase as its my chance to really get inside the space I'm creating for and produce something different, something with heart... for me it all starts at the grass roots reference phase. As part of a Concept Art workshop while with Krome Studios, my fellow concept artists and I came up with the challenge to re-imagine the traditional characters from Frank Baum's Wizard of Oz by overlaying a Feudal Japanese thematic styling. As a child I was raised on this kind of whimsical and highly imaginative narrative and so took to the task eagerly.

I chose to re-design the Scarecrow as I felt I best identified with him as I like to think, and talk, and talk about thinking... and for me the pairing of such a character with the romantic and evocative visual theme of Feudal Japan proved too tempting for me to leave alone. I felt the Scarecrow had a kindly, inquisitive and disarming nature and also saw him as a somewhat piteous creature; created for a purpose that was beyond his demeanor... to frighten and dissuade, and in this regard I felt he was very much like a broken thing.

The Scarecrow: with Feudal Japanese styling (Rear View)

Imagery of the Samurai sprang to mind, but I thought it best to avoid my first obvious conclusion. Immediately Kabuki Theater entered my mind, as the Scarecrow was quite a dramatic and theatrical creature. His link to the land as an agricultural device appealed, so I resolved to make him more of an enchanted object rather than a freestanding character. As I researched origins of scarecrows I stumbled upon a Japanese legend that spoke of a creature known as Kuebiko; a scarecrow that could not walk but had immeasurable knowledge of the world. For me this was all too convenient so I went down this path to create my painted, straw packed fellow.

Having him permanently bound to his pole presented an interesting opportunity for both a unique design structure as well as animation. Originally I had his arms free of the pole apparatus but later tied them to it, as I felt this character had more important features to capitalise on than his arms. So I tied them and had the sleeves without stuffing so as to create a draped look to his arms. His hands however were very important to me... the hands of a gardener I imagined, and these could slide along the pole and gesture as they needed to.

How something moves always appeals to me and having an animation background I try to provide evidence of this in every design. To get around I imagined the Scarecrow would hop like a po-go stick, and spin about... creating this guy was an absolute pleasure and I had hoped that Krome would explore this idea of a re-imagined Wizard of Oz given that the world of Oz is coming to grace the silver screen in the near future.

Design wise the most important element of the scarecrow however was what he stood for; intellect... and more to the point his pursuit of it throughout the story. I wanted to represent the quality he was questing for as a tangible thing, and the scroll case that adorns his hat did the trick I feel. It's closed at first, obscured from his view, but when unrolled and revealed, the Kanji character for Wisdom is displayed. For me this was the unique story aspect that I wanted to inject into the design... representative of that moment in the story when the Wizard hands the Scarecrow his diploma and tells him, "it was with you all along." I truly identify with that. It reminds me of our own struggles as people and that sometimes, like the Scarecrow, we need to leave what is familiar behind and quest to find what we already possess.... if only to realise its full value.

We can be powerful creatures when we so choose to be.....when we look inside ourselves and conquer self doubt and realise that we already have the wisdom within ourselves to overcome and be all we can be; for others, for ourselves... and for our Dreams. On the work front there have been difficult obstacles that have arisen underfoot, and for many of my friends, myself included, the way has been rough. However, the message I would send to those of us that have been forced to look elsewhere for work is this: Remember what you have inside. 'Know your value.' A good friend once told me that.

Remember why you do what you do, and who you do it for. Do not let self doubt and fear make a nest in your spirit, and know that you have what it takes to find what you seek if you choose to never give up. Where there is an end, there is always a beginning and with that comes new opportunity. To my friends out there; don't give up, always keep trying for the works of your hands and the notions of your minds are truly born of talent. You have so much value, never lose sight of that, and the creative gift you have can lead down pathways previously thought inaccessible... so what would you really like to do with it? Be all you can be :)

Listen to the Soul; remember always what is most important, and never compromise on it. Defend that like a Savage.....

J S Pullen

Character Design: Reinforcing Consistency of Style.

Sparx the Dragonfly: Spyro's companion re-imagined

Sparx facial and emotional expression

As previously mentioned in July, for me I can say that consistency is a key virtue in art, as well as the quality of the ideas you present as an artist. Sure diversity is a desirable quality of course, as is the ability to adapt to varied art styles for project needs, but that said having a consistency of style, and also in message really defines you as an artist... and on many levels as a Human being. It becomes our calling card, our claim to fame or that one thing that others associate us with. It's all part of our identity and reputation building.

Something that intrigues me in the modern gaming industry is a focussed and uncompromising push towards 'realism' or what is regarded as 'photo-realism'. Indeed in dealing with those outside the creative field (and even with some from within it) I have seen many instances in which a higher value has been placed on art where the style gravitates towards achieving photo-realism. For these individuals that judge the work, there is an uninformed assumption at play that decrees that because a work looks realistic, there must be a higher rigour involved... a higher ability; that the work is more deserving of praise and compliment than a heavily stylsed piece. This is simply not true.

I honestly say to those that judge (and with much respect to my Realist friends out there) that there is a great deal of craft and rigour in creating a style independent of the world around you from thin air; in creating values and rules for that style and in maintaining it through consistency. That in itself takes discipline informed by understanding... and this I feel deserves our respect. To those that would judge, I implore them to look deeper and seek an understanding that there is much to be gained by having a look that is stylised, taylored and unique... for a memorable look beyond what we come to expect can mean the difference between whether the audience remembers your product, your Vision... or not.

Cynder Soldier: Tier 1 enemy type

Cynder Leader: Tier 2 enemy type

Cynder Commander: Tier 3 enemy type

For certain there is much energy involved in crafting any artwork, regardless of the style. Innovation of thought, understanding of the subject matter and exploring possibilities. What I would say is that a stylized approach demands that the artist create something that is less informed by the environment around him/her, and more pulled from the reserves of their inspired imagination. Having the ability to stylize and create a fresh take is a valuable skill. For me it reinforces that you can exercise the mind and the eye to create something different and unexpected, and discipline the hand to maintain the style. Artists of the stylized persuasion... I salute you, and those that would judge... I implore you to see the potent value inherent in this powerful art form.

On the Spyro: A New Beginning project consistency of style was paramount as I attempted along with fellow concept artists Bruno Rime, Ron Marc, Roderick Wong and Mark Hansen to rejuvenate the Spyro franchise and give it a fresh face. Settling on robust shapes, strong silhouette and a weighted 'spiral curve' that would later become an iconic Spyro signifier, I believe we were successful in doing so... and may I add I personally had the best fun of my career. There was a great deal of freedom to explore the new world of Spyro visually, (for which I thank our publisher liasons Chris and Mike from Vivendi Universal) and consistency of style, form and colour palette was something we monitored closely.

Every creature had rules and conventions dictated by the environs from which they came. The three tiers we split enemy types into all related to eachother... each tier an evolution of the last. I'll leave you to judge for yourselves...

Frogweed: Tier 1 local enemy type

Obsidian Beetle: Tier 1 local enemy type

Magma Worm: Tier 2 local enemy type

To concept artists of the stylised craft, I say simply: there is strength and value in the work you do... it is a stout gift... and moreover it is the quality of your ideas rather than the rigour of the render that helps to shape innovative visions. You rock. Never let anyone tell you any different.

Listen to the Soul: remember always what is most important, and never compromise on it. Defend that like a Savage.....

J S Pullen

Character Design and Illustration: 'The Legend Of Spyro' Projects.

For me consistency has always played an important role in any of my image creation. Indeed, like reputation, consistency is one of those fundamental building blocks that contribute to the construction of an artist's identity; for having a style all of your own is a valuable and rewarding thing. Consistency of style choice, consistency of tone and value, and perhaps most importantly... consistency of message, help define us as artists, and in many ways as Human Beings.

On the 'Legend Of Spyro' projects the task was to visually reinvent the franchise. For me it was about coming up with something that resonated with the modern audience of the time (2006) whilst not alienating the established Spryo the Dragon fan~base. There was an arm in the development that insisted at turns that I push Spyro into a much darker, more 'edgier' (and even terrifying) visual space, but in trying to respect the brand and its audience I think I found a middle ground that satisfied. There is enough darkness in the world... why on earth would I seek to add to it? You can judge for yourself...

(Please note that while the Logo and all conceptual artwork presented here was designed and drawn by myself, it does remain the property of Vivendi Universal.)

Spyro: The Purple~Dragon of Prophesy...

Ignitus: The Fire~Dragon Guardian and Spyro's mentor...

Volteer: The Elecricity~Dragon Guardian...

Terrador: The Earth~Dragon Guardian...

Cyril: The Ice~Dragon Guardian... (A collaboration with the artist Ron Marc.)

Listen to the Soul: remember always what is most important, and never compromise on it. Defend that like a Savage.....

J S Pullen