Animal Crossing

The Art Of Fe

 

by Max

How does nature boost your imagination, productivity and creativity?
For me personally, it is where I recharge my imagination. I live on an island with a forest and the ocean right next to me, so I spend quite a lot of time surrounded by nature. Looking out over the ocean helps clear my mind, so I can think up new ideas.


 It may sound silly, but the ocean has a quality that connects everything through distance and time. I look at the same dark waves as someone who lived a thousand years ago, waves that always change but always remain the same.





The forest however, has quite a different effect on me. It's as if the forest is indoors and the ocean is outdoors. The ocean is terrific, if you need to collect your thoughts by yourself. The forest is great for meetings and discussions with others – ha ha!

Where do you start when developing fantastical creatures?
If I know what a character or creature is supposed to do, we try to come up with a look that conveys characteristics and abilities. In Fe, we had this idea of Nordic creatures but with the dial turned up to eleven.



Sometimes I’ll sketch out ideas directly in 3D, as it can be difficult achieving a creatures’ look and feel when interpreting 2D for 3D.

What sources of inspiration helped developed their unique art style?
The character of Fe was mostly the work of my colleague, the fantastic illustrator and Concept Artist Stina Rahm, who also made many of Fe’s other creature designs.



 We knew that we wanted a chiselled, highly stylized 3D look and that in itself shaped the designs to a certain degree. Old expressionistic paintings also inspired us due to their use of brushstrokes, to breathe life into simple surfaces.