At West Studio, even the most formidable creative challenges don't faze us. We're always ready to join the .... DOWNTOWN
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INTRO
BRING IT ON. Ready for a new creative journey? It’s dangerous to go alone. Summon the help of a few mighty art warriors to refine your masterpiece. Whether in need of an army or a lone hero with a specialized skill set, West Studio stands ready to aid you in your quest with artwork that heightens your storytelling. For the last ten years, we’ve created inspiring visuals for entertainment’s most illustrious creatives - and we can’t wait to do the same for you. Armed with experienced leadership and a tailored, scalable approach, we help vanquish your design foes with our skill, passion and precision. There are no divine forces or enchanted spells at work here: just a strong understanding of your project and a worldwide network of creative talent to ensure we’ll emerge victorious. At West Studio, even the most formidable creative challenges don’t faze us. We’re always ready to join the fight with inspired designs to bring your ideas to life.
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ART DIRECTION
ENVIRONMENTS
Creating unique visual MOs with exploration and style development.
Creating compelling landscapes of brave, new worlds.
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CHARACTERS
VEHICLES
Designing casts of characters with personality and depth.
Dreaming up rides that range from realistic to outlandish.
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STORYBOARDING
KEY ART
Plot your action with dynamic frames that leap off the page.
Visualizing key moments in all their cinematic glory.
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3D MODELING
M AT T E PA I N T I N G
Highly rendered 3D models to ensure designs are defined from every angle.
Making epic shots possible with stunning, lifelike backdrops.
WORK & PROCESS
WORK & PROCESS
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What is the color of joy? Or the form language of strength? The visual elements of your project help tell your story long before the narrative begins. That’s why it’s critical to choose a visual direction that hits all the right notes. Like a conductor guiding an orchestra, West Studio brings together talent, creativity and leadership to craft unique visual identities. We take time to understand the soul of your project, then harness the right mix of talent to express it through form, color, lighting and technique. Guided by strong creative vision and a wellspring of inspiration, West Studio delivers inspired art direction to act as a natural extension of your story.
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W I L L A N D A ST R I D The end result of the exploration: finished character concepts for Will Mackenzie and Astrid Greenwood.
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ART DIRECTION
01 To further define the look of TLD, West Studio began with an exploration of rendering styles for the main protagonist, Will Mackenzie.
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02 A quick costume exploration assesses the right graphic read for each character.
After The Long Dark’s successful run in Steam Early Access, developer Hinterland Games turned its attention to creating narrative elements for the game’s highlyanticipated Story Mode.
03 Orthographics defined body shapes, proportions and other details to help inform further production work
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Taking cues from the vibrant, yet austere art direction of Hinterland’s Art Director Hokyo Lim, West Studio populated the game’s minimalist wilderness with memorable characters, set pieces, and wildlife that expanded the world of TLD while staying true to its sparse, open-world sandbox roots.
Environment concepts for a whaling station and lighthouse were also created to help ensure further cohesion.
05 Bucks, deer, rabbits and crows were also given the simple, yet striking visual treatment to help round things out.
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2018 EXAGGERATED PROPORTIONS | REALISTIC MATERIALS
CELL SHADED | PAINTED FILL WITH SUBTLE LINE WORK
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LOOSE BRUSHSTROKES | WATERCOLOR
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ART DIRECTION
CREATURE QUEST For Creature Quest developer VC Mobile, a memorable visual direction was paramount to help rise above the noise of an oversaturated mobile game market. After landing on a charming, all-ages look, West Studio created an efficient production pipeline that included a
STORYBOOK | FINE ART
01 Notes on exaggerating character poses helped artists find a strong, dynamic silhouette quickly.
02 Guardrails around shape language kept designs from feeling too aggressive or too youthful.
concise style guide and tailored art team geared towards the creative vision of the project.
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The end result was a rich, yet unified cast of 500+ characters created in just over a year, along with maps, icons and more.
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Sliding scale charts also helped define the optimal balance between realistic and “cartoony”.
Inspirational images were sourced across several art styles to help find a distinct, ownable art direction.
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WORK & PROCESS
WORK & PROCESS
POLYGON | VECTOR ART
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Selected Creature Quest Parallax Backgrounds (from L to R: Swamp, Outdoor Snow, and Grasslands)
A small selection of the hundreds of icons created for Creature Quest
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Final Breath Area Map
Exploration sketches (Top) and final illustration (Bottom) for the Abomination Juggernaut
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02 ENVIRONMENTS There’s always more to a West Studio environment than meets the eye. Our development process starts with a collaborative storytelling exploration of the world at large. We then build on that creative framework, layering in extensive, research-driven details and surprising touches to create a vivid new place for your story to thrive. Driven by your ideas, West Studio environments lay the foundation for a wealth of stories hidden just below the surface.
ST Y X AMAZON GAME STUDIOS’ BREAKAWAY
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01 For the lively sci-fi/western world of The Arcslinger, West Studio gave classic Old West structures a new spin with exaggerated proportions and silhouettes to keep things fun and playful.
02 Color harmonizes with organic and architectural elements in this concept to build the overall mood and aesthetic.
03 Isometric drawings provide a clear view of proportions and scale, giving modelers a useful asset to build from.
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WORK & PROCESS
G R I G O R I S TAT I O N I N T E R I O R
FUSE
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WORK & PROCESS
RO M A N CO LOSS EU M MICROSOFT HOLOTOUR
D O W N TO W N PA R I S STEEL BATTALION: HEAVY ARMOR
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03 CHARACTERS With characters, every design decision is an opportunity to tell his or her backstory. West Studio finds compelling ways to convey a character’s disposition, inventing fresh, imaginative details that hint at a more complex mystique. Whether it’s a wry smile, menacing pose, or bold choice of attire, West Studio closely considers the every visual cue to create rich characters with moxie.
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C H A RACT E R D ES I G N S CREATURE QUEST
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TOP
BOTTOM
S U I T S K E TC H E S
SUIT DESIGNS
SOMNIA
SOMNIA
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WORK & PROCESS
A K I VA C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T S SOMNIA
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B R A I N I A C H E A D G E A R C O N C E P TS INJUSTICE 2
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AT R O C I T U S TO R S O G E A R C O N C E P TS INJUSTICE 2
G R E E N A R R O W G A U N T L E T G E A R C O N C E P TS
W O N D E R W O M A N H E A D G E A R C O N C E P TS
INJUSTICE 2
INJUSTICE 2
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WORK & PROCESS
04 VEHICLES Mechanical designs often take an insular approach, frequently lacking a sound balance of industrial design and innovative flair that sets great vehicles apart. At West Studio, we consider hard surface designs to hold equal capacity for expression. Free from the rules of anatomy, our vehicle designs fuse logical, research-driven believability with a dash of imagination, giving viewers a broader sense of your unique fictional world and the technological advancements its societies have made.
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J A B B A’ S L A N D YA C H T ILM STAR WARS ART DEPARTMENT CHALLENGE
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MEDIUM ROCKET ARTILLERY VEHICLE
A N T I -A I RC RA F T V E H I C L E
COMMAND & CONQUER
COMMAND & CONQUER
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WORK & PROCESS
HALLOWEEN EVENT ART
Z O M B I E G U N S H I P S U R V I VA L
S T O
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05 STORYBOARDS Few assets help convey your narrative better than a storyboard. As a key production element, effective storyboards function as your visual backbone, carrying your ideas closer to the screen by strategizing pacing, planning camera movements, and identifying impactful, iconic moments. West Studio artfully echoes the energy of your script, translating the rhythm and flow of your words into poignant sequences that serve as a critical reference throughout production.
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MAKE HISTORY COMMERCIAL STORYBOARDS 03
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ASSASSIN’S CREED UNITY
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Dynamic storyboards visualize how players experience the action as the assassins do, giving the production team a clear understanding of how these breathtaking acrobatics play out on-screen.
Click HERE to watch the commercial. 01 Players sit in their respective living room chairs, their characters ready to strike at their command. 02 Players are taken for a ride as their chosen assassin leaps off the ledge. 03 Assassins converge on their target as a unit with their players in tow to steer the fate of the French Revolution. 04 Hell rains down on the French Officer as the assassins execute a synchronized attack.
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The Assassin’s Creed Unity “Make History” commercial sees players stepping into the action alongside their characters, conveying the thrill and excitement of fighting in the French Revolution firsthand.
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MAKE HISTORY KEY ART
ASSASSIN’S CREED UNITY
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NIKE LEBRON 11 COMMERCIAL TUNNEL For Nike’s Lebron 11 commercial, West Studio focuses the spotlight squarely on the product with quick, 360-degree rotational camera movements to show off the details that matter most.
Click HERE to watch the commercial.
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WORK & PROCESS
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KEY ART Whether created in the early stages or in the thick of production, key art often serves as crucial inspiration to visualize climactic story moments. To create these epic images, a mastery of character, location, lighting and composition must come together to drive home the drama. Through expert manipulation of each visual ingredient, West Studio captures the grandeur of these pivotal scenes with wow-worthy key art that’s sure to excite and delight.
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D RAG O N G L I D E RS K EY A RT DREAMWORKS ANIMATION ZONE AT MOTIONGATE DUBAI
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T H E AT R I C A L P O ST E R C O M P S MOANA
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WORK & PROCESS
KEY ART REFRESH
S TA R C R A F T I I
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02 While this reference image was ultimately less useful in helping create our scene, it did inspire us with its powerful and iconic tone.
CAMBRAI
H O W W E C R E AT E A M O M E N T
D E F I N E T H E PU R P OS E O F T H E I M AG E A N D W H O W I L L R E F E R E N C E I T
M A K E I T S P E C I F I C , B E L I E VA B L E A N D W E L L- U N D E R S T O O D
A crucial early step in our process, we begin by establishing how our client plans to use the artwork. This allows us to make design choices that ensure the piece is useful to the production. In this scenario, our client is a director of a World War I miniseries looking to depict the drama and chaos a soldier experiences while fighting in the trenches.
Once the initial composition is locked down, we research secondary elements that lend believability to the scene and help tell the overall story. A number of ingredients uncovered by our research found a place in the final piece, including details of the trench’s construction, location and the type of uniforms worn by the soldiers.
F I N D A C O M P O S I T I O N TO A D D R ES S T H E N E E D
S TAY I N S P I R E D
Our visual design skills kick in as we begin to craft a composition. Reference images (at right) help inspire and guide the historical accuracy of the piece, but it’s our storytelling expertise that finds a scene capable of showcasing drama while also informing our client’s production goals.
One of the byproducts of our research is that we become more informed about why things looks a certain way, or how different man-made elements are designed. These tertiary details often find their way into our images, providing unexpected inspiration that makes for a more compelling image in the end.
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This image of a British tank during WWI embodied the audacious spirit we wanted to emulate. It also provided valuable reference for the tank’s construction and the uniforms of its surrounding troops.
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Our high-end, design-focused models ensure a seamless transition to final product by clearly defining details from every angle, creating absolute clarity between vis dev and production teams.
STA G THE HUNTING PARTY
WORK & PROCESS
WORK & PROCESS
West Studio’s 3D modeling services complement and enhance the 2D visual development process, fully realizing the design work of previous stages with complete accuracy and precision.
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L I N K I N PA R K
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A L BU M COV E R A N D D I SC A RT
LION
MERMAID
THE HUNTING PARTY
THE HUNTING PARTY
THE HUNTING PARTY
2018
BABY DRAGON
D RAG O West Studio deftly showcases the vivid features of this Baby Dragon by wielding the refined sculpting capabilities of ZBrush. Despite its incredibly small scale, even the finer details in its bodily defense mechanisms are brought to life with the highest fidelity.
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WORK & PROCESS
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Matte painting gives teams a way to realize entire fantasy worlds and stunning locales with great efficiency. Capable of being implemented directly into the final product, the West Studio approach to matte paintings combines painstaking research with inspired elements to create awe-inspiring vistas that feel familiar, yet fresh and unexpected.
LAUNCH COMPLEX CIVILIZATION: BEYOND EARTH
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08 M AT T E PA I N T I N G
2018
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M E D I E VA L D U S K
THE REALM
2018
S I D M E I E R ’ S C I V I L I Z AT I O N B E Y O N D E A R T H PA N O R A M I C S K Y- D O M E In Sid Meier’s Civilization: Beyond Earth, the planet has been deemed uninhabitable due to the catastrophic effects of The Great Mistake. During the game’s opening cinematic The Chosen, the lucky few selected for resettlement are rushed from their homes as they prepare for their final exodus from Earth. Tasked with imagining the future state of Earth’s ravaged atmosphere, West Studio researched climate change effects in the present day and incorporated elements into the stunning panoramic backdrops seen in The Chosen.
Click HERE to watch the commercial.
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BEYOND E ARTH
D E PA R T U R E
M AT T E PA I N T I N G
M AT T E PA I N T I N G
THANK YOU. It is West Studio’s goal to develop game changing visuals and groundbreaking ideas that open new doors to creative possibility. As we continue to leave our mark on the expanding entertainment space, we hope to collaborate with like-minded partners who share our passion for exceptional imagery.
[email protected] weststudio.com
THE TEAM
TYLER WEST
NICOLE WEST
JENNIFER HERNANDEZ
WILLIAM WU
VERONICA CASTILLO
C E O / C R E AT I V E D I R E C T O R
C FO
BUS I N ESS D EV E LO P M E N T
A R T D I R ECTO R
P ROJ ECT M A N AG E R
After working at studios such as EA, NCsoft and Ubisoft, Tyler recognized an opportunity to improve the system. Drawing from his experience in the trenches as a Concept Artist, he co-founded West Studio in 2008 with a vision of providing a better approach to visual development. Nine years later, Tyler’s blend of management savvy and creative prowess have allowed the studio to flourish. These days, he oversees the work on each project to ensure the quality is exceptional while managing the overall growth of the studio.
As co-founder, Nicole’s strengths in project and resource management give West Studio a solid bedrock of fiscal structure and stability. Her understanding of the industry - culled from experiences at Dreamworks, EA and others - helped form the vision for West Studio. Today, her leadership continues to steer the company’s long-term strategies. In her spare time, Nicole is also a dedicated yoga practitioner and connoisseur of tea and books.
Technically, Jen functions in a sales and marketing role, but she prefers to see herself as a client advocate who works hand-in-hand with clients to support their growth.
Despite his relative youth, Will is a veteran Art Director with
Veronica is an integral part of West Studio’s day-to-day
experience at companies such as Ubisoft and NetEase (a leading game developer and publisher in China).
operations, and supports all areas of production.
Her main responsibility is to find partners who can benefit from West Studio’s services. She listens to each client’s needs and desires, then finds a path to achieving those goals. She also helps define marketing strategies to amplify the
His ability to craft thoughtful, sophisticated imagery is admirable, but equally impressive is his ability to lead teams. Will’s reliability and knack for communication keeps clients keyed in at every step, ensuring their desires are represented
West Studio message.
in the work.
Jen is equal parts jock and geek and is rarely seen repeating the same outfit twice.
Will is also an insanely skilled Counter Strike: GO player and holds the secret to keeping white shoes white.
Her main function is to oversee timely project deliveries and manage our roster of artists, She also keeps her eyes peeled for new talent and juggles duties as office administrator. She also moonlights as IT support when Tyler inexplicably breaks his computer. In her off hours, you might find her sipping cocktails at the local tiki bar or strolling down Main Street at Disneyland.
Tyler is a coffee junkie who knows the best spots in town for caffeine. C O N TA C T
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[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected] 