From Sketch to In-Game
Behind every character you meet and location you explore in LOVE & MAGIC: SPELLFYRE lies an involved artistic process to make the world come to life. Building the world you see in-game takes a close collaboration and structured process between our team and our talented art vendors.
In this post, we’ll walk you through our art pipeline from initial art request to animation. We'll also share some of the perspectives of our artists to show how their passion goes into every asset in the game.
Art Request
The art in SPELLFYRE actually doesn’t start with the art team at all! The narrative team keeps a running list of the assets they may need while they're brainstorming the story. Then, they discuss that list with our producer and art director to determine which assets are most important, and creative solutions to make sure we stay within budget.
Once the list of assets is finalized, the art producer creates a detailed brief for our art vendors, outlining not only practical needs (resolution, format, etc.) but also the emotional goals. Do we want a character to feel intimidating or approachable? Should a location feel warm and friendly, or dangerous and spooky?
The request is where we define everything an artist may need for inspiration. Pose references, game lore, and mood descriptions ensure that even before an artist starts to sketch, they understand the context the art will exist within.
Sketch Phase
The sketch phase is all about exploring composition, silhouette, and storytelling. The artists experiment with different poses and angles, giving multiple directions to react to before committing to a final look.
This phase is also where our collaboration shines the most. The sketches can come together quickly, so we can iterate on many ideas in a short amount of time. At the end of this phase, the piece may still look rough, but the vision is locked.
“I really hope players will love my characters and enjoy uncovering their stories as much as I enjoyed bringing them to life through their design.”
Color Phase
In the next phase, artists experiment with the color palette and lighting, defining the mood and emotion of the scene.
It's also when details of the world and outfits start to come into place. Often at this stage, an artist may use existing art as a base (like Talyn’s character asset above) and place it roughly into the scene to see what needs to change.
The goal is to lock in all major elements before going into the final render. By the end of this stage, the tone and vibe of the piece should be locked, and it also serves as the last chance to catch any major issues.
“The balance between warmth and danger [in SPELLFYRE] stood out. It’s not just a beautiful world — it has secrets, tension, and atmosphere, which made it feel alive to us while drawing.”
Render Phase
Now that all the high-level elements are locked in, the final stage adds all the remaining details and polish that makes the art come alive.
Artists refine the line work, apply texture, and layer in lighting effects that offer more depth and realism. Folds in fabric, glints in metal, and shades of black in shadows are all carefully painted to ake the art ready for the game.
This final render brings the quality of the art to a level that’s ready for players to see.
“I’m obsessed with the final environment artwork — the colors and magical atmosphere are so fascinating. I had so much fun painting it, and I’m pretty sure players are gonna love it too.”
Animation
For most of our assets, the process has one more crucial step: animation.
While we have some pieces with big, involved animations, all of our characters and backgrounds are animated. Subtle movements like hair shifting in the wind, leaves floating by, or a crystal pulsing with energy are crucial for immersing players in our world.
Our animators carefully animate every layer in Spine 2D, bringing motion to our beautiful art for stunning results.
“We paid a lot of attention to consistency between animated and static assets, so everything felt like one seamless experience.”
Collaboration is the Key
Thanks to the incredible collaboration with our art vendors, each character, outfit, environment, and animation establishes and supports the romance, adventure, and mystery at the heart of LOVE & MAGIC: SPELLFYRE.
We’re excited to continue sharing more of this world as it comes together, and we can't wait for players to be able to see it for themselves.
“The most exciting part is knowing our art is helping tell a story where players will feel both love and adventure. Being part of that emotional journey is very rewarding.”