Odic Obyect

Flea on the Sparkplug

2011-05-29T04:21:00.000-07:00

きょうスエーデンのふるいいげんつきクラブにロゴとえをつくりました。
Today I made a logo and illustration for a old moped club in Sweden.

My answer at Quora: Is there a taxonomy of names of videogame art / graphical styles?

2011-05-27T21:09:00.000-07:00

これをつくりますとどうりゅうとビデオゲームのアートをはなしています。
A section of the palette I draw from when discussing video game art and styles with my peers.

Schoolbus

2011-05-21T02:08:00.000-07:00

REV 510

2011-05-20T01:31:00.000-07:00

まえにスエーデンにすんで、わたしのともだちといっしょにたくさんプロジェクトをしました。ステファンペテリニはいいまんがのライターです。このプロジェクトのなまえはレブ５１０でした。まんがかゲームでしたがおわりませんでした。でも、これをはたらくのはとてもたのしかったです。

Before, when I was living back home in Sweden I worked on many projects together with my friend Stefan Petrini, who is a great comic book writer. This project was called Rev 510. It was either going to be a comic or a game, it was never finished but it was very fun working on it.

これはストリでした。
This was the story.

The 80's never ended. Neither did the cold war and Russia was winning. Instead of Mickey and Donald there was Drutten and Jena. Microsoft was named Mikrosha. The world was culturally corrupted by shallow ideals, drugs and the stock market. In the midst of all this a group of young and brave hackers emerged to dethrone the decadent establishment and find a better way. The stylish couriering cracking crew REV 510.

It had a lot of whimsical elements and touchstones it it. Flying turtle scooters, Puma disc system and Reebook Pump shoes, MC Hammer pants, snake-boards, Sinclair C5's, text-TV propaganda, Rock Lords, wrist-calculators, obscure video game system references, McGyver, Nattsudd etc.
The game was going a bit similar to Earthbound in that you were rolling with your crew, exploring and researching the world and managing everybody. When it came to action the game were going to have a fusion-system similar to しんめがみてんせい (Shin Megami Tensei), but instead of demons you would be fusing different programming languages instead. I always wanted to see this being made on the old crummy handheld Gamate so I made the game mock-up for it.

てのうえにて

2011-05-18T22:02:00.000-07:00

しせつのプロジェクトです。
Picture for a private project.

The Big Bringback.

2011-05-18T21:51:00.000-07:00

もうひとつわたしのふるいいまんがです。
One more old comic of mine.

Dreamworks

2011-05-18T19:31:00.001-07:00

おととしわたしはドリームヲークスのゲームメガマインドをはたらきました。たのしいスーパヒロのえいがはりっきゃくでした。Wiiでこれははやいいプロジェクトのはまるでよろこばしかったです。ここにFlickrのセットがあります。

Two years ago I worked on a Dreamworks game, MegaMind, based on a funny super hero movie. This fast project for the Wii was quite delightful. Here is the Flickr set.

Over there, sudden haunt.

2011-05-16T23:22:00.000-07:00

Warhammer

2011-05-16T22:34:00.000-07:00

わたしはまちまちなゲームをはたらきました。なかにはそうかいとたのしかったですがなかにもうっとうしくてこわかったです。ヲーハッマー４０ケイはわたしのもってもこわいいゲームですから、このブログにえがあまりありません。でも、まだみんなえをみて、わたしのFlickrのセットへいってください。

I've worked on various games. Some uplifting and funny ones but also some gloomy and scary ones. Since Warhammer 40k is my scariest one there aren't that many pictures on my blog. But if you still want to see them all please go to my Flickr set.

Tumble, absence and sensual porcelain

2011-05-16T15:30:00.000-07:00

Sci-fi

2011-05-15T22:18:00.001-07:00

まえにわたしはこのSFゲームをはたらきいて、おなまえはSoloでした。さいしょはやいい２Dアックションゲームでしたでも、はたらきいていたら、MMORPGまでかえました。たくさんかっこいいメックとテクデサイインがあって、おもしろいいゲームプレイプランがありました。これはよかったですがさいしゅうてきおわりませんでした。ここにFlickrのセットがあります。

I worked on this sci-fi game called Solo before. It started out as a fast 2D-action game but while working on it changed into an MMORPG. It had a lot of cool mech and technology in it, it also had an interesting gameplay design. It was good but it was never finished in the end. Here is the Flickr set.

Smelt lair, quality time and mossman.

2011-05-15T04:50:00.000-07:00

Train drama

2011-05-14T21:04:00.000-07:00

まえにわたしはまんがアチストとイッルステレターをはたらきました。このごろときどきこのえもします。でも、これはふるいいまんがです。おかしそうですから、ひだりのてでかきました。

Before I used to work as comic artist and illustrator. Nowadays sometimes I make these kind of images too. But this is an old comic. It looks strange because I drew it with my left hand.

Exits, home soil and Northman raves

2011-05-14T19:51:00.000-07:00

たんごをいりません。

No need for words.

Belgian influence

2011-05-14T04:34:00.000-07:00

なんねんかまえスエーデンにすんで、ゲームをつくって、3マスケテーでした。Alexandre Dumasのゆめいなほんはりっきゃくでしたでも、ゲームはもっとかんたんから、わたしたちはこどもにこれをつくりたいでした。たくさんふるいいフランスとベルギーのまんがはけんきゅをしました。よかったから、わたしのようしょうにこのまんがをよくよみました。まんがはジョーハんとペッレウイン、スピロー、ティンティン、ジョーハン、ロッタトとジョッコ、ガストーンとアストリシでした。3マスケテーはパソコンにゲームはきいて、あとでWiiWareにきました。ここにFlickrセットがあります。

Some years ago I lived in Sweden and worked on a game called The 3 Musketeers. It was based on the famous book of Alexandre Dumas but much simplified as we wanted to make the game for children. I did a lot of research of French and Belgian comics. That was great because I read these kind of comics often when I was young. Comics like Johan och Pellevin, Spirou, Tintin, Johan, Lotta & Jocko, Gaston and Asterix. The 3 Musketeers came out on PC and on WiiWare later. Here is the Flickr set.

Photography

2011-05-13T21:08:00.001-07:00

わたしのおじいさんはいいしゃしんかでした。うちにフォートーラッブがあってから、かれはほんとにしんこくでしたよ。ちちもしゃしんをとるのはじょうずです。でも、わたしはじょうずじゃりません。おもしろいいなにかをみて、たまにしゃしんをとります。

My grandfather was a good photographer. He was serious about it, he had a photo-lab at home. My father is also skilled photographer but I'm not so good at it. Occasionally, if I see something interesting I might take a photo.

The Village

2011-05-13T18:23:00.000-07:00

ときどきゲームクリエーターにはじゃっかんのすうきなゲームをはたらきって、ぜんぜんゲームをかたずけません。でも、これはゲームぎょうかいから、しょうがない。
なんねんかまえわたしはゲームをはたらきました。こどもにかわいいゲームでした。おなまえはヴィッリシェーですした。ソシャールゲームをなりましたすが、これはまえにFacebookとみんあSNSでした。すこしアニマルクロッシンはひとしでした。あなたのアバターはがいじんがいって、ジップシがいって、ちさいいむらにきました。こどもにべつなぶんかとべつなみんぞくをおしえました。ふたつこのわずかなえがあります。

Sometimes game creators work on some unfortunate games than never gets finished. Thats just the game industry so no use to stressing out over it.
Some years ago I worked on a game like that, it was cute game for children titled The Village. It was a social game before Facebook and all SNS's. It was similar to Animal Crossing. Your avatar was a foreigner, a Gypsy, who comes to a small village. It was going to teach children about different cultures and people. These 2 pictures are the only ones I have left.

MMORPG

2011-05-12T04:33:00.000-07:00

いぜんじゃっかんのねんはMMORPGをつくりました。PCでフューリでした。それはファンタシとはやいいアックションゲームでした。きょうもわたしのパソコンをそうじして、わたしのフューリアートをみつけて、ほとんどわすれました。このゲームをつくって、ほんとにおもしくてたのしかったです。ここにFlickrのセットがあります。

Some years ago I worked on a MMORPG. A fantasy and fast action game for PC called Fury. I was cleaning up my computer today too and found my old art for the game, which I almost had forgot about. It was really interesting and enjoyable to work on this game. Here is Flickr set.

Sayonara Australia

2011-05-08T16:59:00.000-07:00

あとたくさんんえんオストラーリアにすんで、にほんにいきます。あそこになぜならあたらしくておもしろいいしごとがあります。ソシアール、スマホのゲームをつくります。

After many years living in Australia I'm going to Japan. Because I have a new and exciting job there. I'm going to make social and smart phone games.

Fridge cleaning

2011-05-07T18:27:00.000-07:00

わたしのパソコンをそうじしました。これはふるいいプロジェクトのローゴとグラフィックデサインです。
I've been cleaning up my computer. These are some logos and graphic design from old projects.

Byleipt

2011-05-07T05:10:00.000-07:00

すこしどようびのグラフィックデサインです。
A little Saturday graphic design.

紅線 - Red String

2011-04-23T22:40:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about social relationships in games lately. How they can be conveyed, whether they are shallow or deep, and how to make them truly mean something.
MMO's, virtual worlds, online pvp, synchronous and asynchronous SNS games all handle relationships differently. Often in the games they are tapping into the mankind's oldest occupations; hunting or gathering. You are either shooting opponents to protect and gain wins to your clan or you are collecting loot to bring home to your tribe/house. The relationships are integrated with the action and the action is integrated with the relationship. But rarely are they the one and the same. Whereas in the real world creating, building and maintaining relationships is all about action.

I made a concept ( flickr gallery here ) where relationships are both the action and the goal. A social game, virtual world, and friendship/dating network rolled into one.
Based on 紅線, a Chinese belief of the red string of fate. Women and men have an invisible red string around their ankles that are making them soul mates. It is pulling them together regardless distance, time or situation.

Different colored strings is also an good way to map out connections. Regardless of language or culture, strings makes a graph that everybody can understand.
Cross-culture interactions and universal language is also something I find very interesting. So for the interface I've tried to rely on icons and visuals rather then letters. Big, clean and bold graphics. As for the art direction I wanted to make something that could work in Asia, US, Europe and South America. Something cute, positive and a little bit different.

By crosschecking between the different SNS's the players are engaged in the game could present their compatibility. It would draw from common interests, group affiliations, activity and other data the players are showing. Additionally they game would have the player choose whether he/she are looking for some fun friends or something a bit more serious. Blue strings are for friends and potential new ones, pink strings are for potential partners and red strings are for perfect matches.

Self-expression is an important component in social games so I designed a simple avatar customizing system. As for the wardrobe I was thinking about a similar game world/real world model that Hermes-Otto is doing with their Musterbrand. Buy an item digitally and get the opportunity to buy it physically as well. It gives the purchase more meaning and blurs the line between the digital and physical world. But instead of basing the virtual goods on game properties and licenses it would be based on real brands and designers. Items from G-Star, We, OrangeBear, Nümph, Deep Style, Rick Owens and Taishi Nobukuni etc.

The lofty idea is whether you play on Mobage, Facebook or RenRen you should be able to find each other. Maybe you your next best friend or future wife/husband is on the other side of the planet? The string is pulling you together.

ぼくのこころ

2011-04-09T02:37:00.000-07:00

わたしのカノジョにえをかきました。
A painting for my girlfriend.

Avatar customizing

2011-04-02T18:51:00.000-07:00

このごろたくさんけいたいとSNSのゲームをして、GREEとMobageとアメバピッグをみました。そこにかわいいアバターのカスタマイスをします。たのしかったです！わたしのデサインはアバターのカスタマイスをつくりたいでした。
たぶんわたしのキャラクタはすこしきみゅうですか。でも、これはつくって、ほんとにすきでした。

These days I'm playing a lot of mobile and SNS games. I've been looking at GREE, Mobage and Ameba Pico. There you customize cute avatars. It is a whole lot of fun. I wanted to design my own avatars and customizing-system.
Perhaps my characters look a bit strange, but I really enjoyed making them.

Mission briefing

2011-02-26T18:12:00.000-08:00

Aikona Games asked me to help them out with their cinematics and UI for the mission briefing in Sky Hereos. That involved designing an castle interior, character designs, various facial expressions and setting up how the dialogue would be presented and flow. I wanted to maintain the same simple yet stylish and crisp look of the concept I did for them previously. This way it will look good and easy to read no matter the platform, iPad, 3DS or PC. As for the dialogue I went with the colour highlight formula that Nintendo established many years ago.

Sky Heroes

2011-01-08T03:12:00.000-08:00

My fellow countrymen at Aikona Games asked me to make a concept for their new game, Sky Heroes. I found the world they had created for it appealing so I wanted capture that feeling in a clean and vivid image with some anime-like qualities.

Prism

2010-12-12T00:36:00.000-08:00

From time to time I update my portfolio and with that my CV and business card. 2010 was an eventful year in which I met a lot of new interesting people from around the world. Self-promotion is an art form that everybody practice whether they are aware of it or not. It is the whole package. From your social network profile, blog, portfolio, business card, desktop background during presentations, mail signature to your body language and eye contact when you meet face to face. Everything adds to how people look at you. I'm far from an expert in the area but I like to take a crack at it every now and then.

A couple of weeks before a trip to Japan I made a new design for my business card. I labeled the design Prism. Minimalistic, enigmatic and elegant. But rather than just being visually stimulating I wanted to add another quality to it; tactility. Surfaces and groves on different levels of depth. The geometrical grid would generate an interesting texture to touch.

After some research of laser cutting machines I found an interesting design firm in Miami called b-type design that seemed to able to do what I wanted. I handed b-type design the Illustrator files and let them work their magic. It turned out exactly as I wanted.

While I were at it I also designed a background for the iPad.

Turja

2010-11-07T04:30:00.000-08:00

The second character for Naud.

Fugl

2010-10-05T04:58:00.000-07:00

The first character design for the Naud project.

Naud

2010-09-26T04:05:00.000-07:00

The logo for my new project.

Lille Valle - sculpture

2010-08-15T02:26:00.000-07:00

Before I even started working on the painting of Forsvik and the Legend of Lille Valle I wanted to do a sculpture of him.

I just had to get the research, design and painting done first.
It all started with this sketch. I got all the metrics I needed from this one.

Then on to a simple and flexible armature, designed with molding/casting in mind.

First pass blocking.

Second pass blocking.

Finished sculpture.

Here is the Flickr Collection.

Forsvik and the Legend of Lille Valle

2010-07-11T03:57:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time there was a little village in the forest that was hard to find. No roads or signs led to it. Only the driftwood knew the way. Steeped by lakes and rivers the little village was called Forsvik. The people of Forsvik were all children of the river. The Water Strider taught them manners. The Beaver taught them their craft. The fiddler taught them their music. The made many things. Famous for an everlasting iron bridge, a magical powder, a legendary steam boat and other mysterious contraptions. Their work was highly sought after throughout the kingdom. Even the king of Mantle himself wanted their goods. But to reach Forsvik remained a problem. The king sent men of all trades to the forest to find a path to the village. Woodsmen, hunters, map makers, rune readers and star gazers. None was ever heard from again. Frustrated the king sent men of all trades along the rivers to find the shore of the village. Seamen, fishermen, ferrymen, chart readers and kresniks. None was ever heard from again. Crestfallen the king was about to give up when a man by the name Baltzar von Platen came with a suggestion. It was a bold idea with a high prize to pay but the king was desperate. 22 years and 58.000 men's hard work later Baltzar von Platen had built a safe passage to the village. The passage was to be known as Göta Kanal. At long last Forsvik was within the kingdom's reach.

By this time there was a little dwarf in the village. His name was Lille Valle and he played the violin. Never before had such great beauty come from someone so small and ugly. His music moved Boulder-Giants to tears, dry wells to overflow and calmed the heart of the wild beast. Spellbound by his music Baltzar von Platen escorted Lille Valle to the capital where he would play for the king and his court. The concert that followed would go down in history as the time when the Northern Lights took the shape of five maidens. They swooped down to the land, kissed the lips of the little dwarf and then danced their way back up into the sky until out of sight of the weeping people. The performance was of such celestial beauty that lives of all men was fulfilled and they could happily embrace death. Baltzar von Platen did so that night. Afterward the king had Lille Valle living in the castle and playing for the court every day. But the rich life of the royals did not impress the little dwarf. He knew only one life and that was back in Forsvik. So one early morning he packed his belongings and left the castle. When the king found out that Lille Valle was missing he was furious. The dwarf couldn't have gotten far on his short legs so the king sent out his Soil-Scouts all over the capital to find him and bring him back. The king was right that Lille Valle had not gotten far, on foot, but by wings he was already halfway to another country. Just outside the castle gate the little dwarf had run into some friendly creatures. Lille Valle was after all known to both men and beasts. And the beasts this morning happened to be a flock of civil geese just about to return to their homeland. They urged him to come with them. He was entertained by the idea of a little detour on his way back to Forsvik and jumped up on the goose named Jalden.

A vain man was putting stilts in his daughter's shoes. He had her wear neck-shaped hats. When she was sleeping he had her dreams visited by three old hags pulling her hair. No matter what he did his daughter remained petite. In fact she was not petite at all. She was a dwarf. Just like the strange little man who entered their court one day. He bowed deeply and started playing the violin. When she heard his music and he saw her beautiful eyes love struck them. His name was Lille Valle and her name was Frann. Her father was was also under the soothing musical influence but still not pleased with what was happening to his daughter. As he was about to disrupt the concert with his now somewhat dulled senses Lille Valle grabbed Frann by the waist and fled the mansion. First shocked and then enraged by the little violinist's fearless and sudden move Franns father, who just happened to be the Lord of Strata, sent terrible tremors after the fleeing dwarfs. The ground quaked under their feet and started to crumble. Then it so happened a swarm of moths was released from their earthly hollows. They saw Lille Valle and his bride in distress and came to their side. Once again Lille Valle received unexpected aid from the beast kingdom. The friendly moths carried the dwarfs on their backs through the hollows towards the subterranean kingdom Äatal HÅyÅk.

With both the King of Mantle and Lord of Strata in hot pursuit above the little dwarves deiced to stay in Äatal HÅyÅk for a while. After all they were love-struck and in no rush to get back. The kingdom of Äatal HÅyÅk was a vast mineral reef and a safe haven for exiles and other beings in moral or dimensional flux. A mellow place that allowed even the shadows to have shadows. Even here Lille Valle was well known and the mayor of Äatal HÅyÅk was honored to have such a fine visitor. The mayor arranged a splendid room for Lille Valle and Frann in the finest inn of the capital. The inn was carved out of a enormous rauk of solid obsidian, reflections of shiny animals danced over its black surface as they swam in stone above. From their balcony Lille Valle and Frann could see Coral-Wolves roam the distant steppes and Katta-Falkons soar the rocky skies. It was magnificent. The little dwarves fell even deeper in love and all was fine. Lille Valle soon started playing his violin at the inn and his concerts became the highlight of Äatal HÅyÅk, completely filling the seats every nights. Some of the audience had to swap in and out of existence as they had to share the same space. Deep in the bellows of the mineral reef, where the ocean have it's second surface, an ancient turbulent mass had finally fallen to sleep. Protozo, the father-navel, had heard, if ever so vaguely, Lille Valles music from the mineral lands and taken it as a lullaby. Finally, after an eternity of insomnia and spasms it was embraced by deep slumber. A pleasant sigh was released across the reef. This was a prosperous time for Äatal HÅyÅk and it's residents. Happiness and music was all around and the capital glittered as the populated mineral rivers coated the animals with a new luminous shine. A love-child of Lille Valle and Frann was declared by the vagabond doctor known as the The Invisible Turk as he removed his stethoscope from Franns belly. A celebration was held for five days and 14 nights. As time went on and Franns belly got bigger thoughts of Forsvik came to Lille Valles mind again. While the vast reefs and halls of Äatal HÅyÅk was of near celestial beauty it still couldn't be compared to tall trees and subtle splendor of Forsvik. He wanted the child to be born and raised back in his village. As the little dwarfs prepared for their journey Lille Valle stopped playing at the inn. This caused a great sorrow across the mineral lands and also caused a great terror to awaken beneath them. The precious sleep of Protozo had been interrupted by the lack of it's soothing lullabies. Confused, furious and rabid the father-navel hurled itself against the foundation of space with such might that those with undefined characteristics ceased to exist. A terrible pain was inflicted on everything present. Buildings collapsed, roads were torn apart, hanging mineral-clusters swooped down by a disturbing and rapid growth before rushing against the mountains and shatter in million pieces, the mineral rivers melted to sticky globulian streams. Animals and beings were crushed, consumed by the minerals or fell towards the ghastly bellows below. Lille Valle ran out of the inn holding Frann close. They made it out of the inn just before it fell and grow into an shape not meant for human eyes to witness. Beings where running and screaming everywhere. Just as they where crossing a narrow street a sudden rift in the ground tore them apart. Lille Valle had barely come to his senses again when the ground crumbled and he fell into a hidden and wild globulian stream below. The sticky fluid clinged to his clothes and pulled him further down as he tried to swim against the stream towards Frann. He screamed her name and fought the stream with all his strength, accidentally swallowing some of the awful orange liquid. A mineral-cluster high above Frann started jitter and pop as it was about to expand. Having heard Lille Valles voice The Invisible Turk saw Frann standing helpless and ran towards her. The last thing Lille Valle saw before being pulled down was The Invisible Turk trying to shield Frann with his lean body from the minerals. They were both engulfed by them before they all crashed together into the mountainside. Shattering them into small glittering shards tumbling down the abyss.

By sheer luck or a twisted destiny a little dwarf washed ashore in Forsvik one early morning. He was found by a craftsman going to work. The people of Forsvik could not believe their eyes. It was Lille Valle, their long lost little fantastic dwarf. By the state of his condition they could tell he had been through something horrible. They tended his wounds and repaired his violin. He remained unconscious for four weeks. When he woke up the first thing he did was staring into the ceiling for three hours with an empty, lifeless look in his eyes. His caretakers understood that though his injuries had almost healed he carried yet deeper and more severe wounds in his heart. For the next three hours he stared onto his newly repaired and shining violin which rested on a chair close to the bed. His eyes were grim. Later that day he walked down the stairs, limping into the kitchen where his caretakers were having dinner. They had prepared a seat and plate at the table for him and they would have urged him to come join them but his mere presence called for unsettling silence. Lille Valle just stood there in the dark, clothes hanging as if they tried to get away from him. A dead opaque shark-like haze in his eyes glinted in the candlelight. A feral silhouette, hat in one hand and the violin in the other. With a sudden strange and jerky string of moves that frightened the children at the table he placed the hat on his head, turned around and walked out of the house.

The people of Forsvik were saddened to find their little dwarf to be broken. They made careful quiet wishes in their hearts that he would pick up the violin again and play all his sorrow away. But Lille Vallle was not the same anymore. Just as he once were struck by love he was now struck by grief. A grief that had sucked out his marrow and replaced it with a gray, cold and heavy liquid, keeping him low to the ground on all four. With what little human reasoning he had left in him he was able to find the culprit for all his suffering. It was himself. It was his music. It was his curse. It had taken Frann and their baby away. Sickened by himself he lunged towards a shed, grabbed an axe and cut off all his fingers on the right hand. Now he could never play the violin again. He filled his violin with blood and the gray marrow that seeped out him and hurled it into the canal. It sank like a stone. He remained on the iron bridge above cursing and howling like a wounded dog. Travelers and timber-men that used the canal were frightened by his appearance. The people of Forsvik was devastated by the sad fate of their little dwarf but could not have him blocking the canal. They gently removed him from the bridge to a house not far away but in his frantic attempts to return to the canal he only ended up hurting himself. They soon found out that he didn't need to be on the bridge, he just needed to be near the canal. They placed him in a little room under the iron bridge. That way nobody had to see his horrendous figure. But nobody could avoid hearing his chilling cries from within the canal walls.

Time moved on and muffled the cries. People forgot. Forgot about Lille Valle. Forgot about Forsvik. The little village in the forest that was hard to find. No roads or signs led to it. Only the driftwood knew the way.

This is the village I'm from.
If you ever find yourself in Forsvik please enjoy the scenery, have an ice cream, go to the theater or visit the museum. But when standing at the canal, near the old iron bridge, then hold your breath and listening very very closely. Perhaps you will hear the sad cries of Lille Valle?

Space opera

2010-03-08T03:16:00.000-08:00

During the end of 2008 I was introduced to a project of a friend of mine. Daniel Kingdom, an talented game designer and writer showed me some personal projects of his. No matter what discipline, as one creative mind to another it can be incredibly refreshing and exciting to get a glimpse into different work methods and project structures. Needless to say, reading some of Daniel's work left me stunned. So much so that a collaboration was formed on the spot. If I ever do get involved in personal projects of others, for me to really invest my spare time, I need to believe in it and feel that I can contribute something to it.

The project Daniel presented to me was the outlines for a space opera he had written some years ago. I saw potential in it and was also motivated by my lack of experience in this genre. It is not my place to say much more about the content of this project as it is Daniel's creation and I don't want to ruin any plans he might have for it in the future. If you are interested in knowing more about it you should contact Daniel yourself.
However, I would like to show the artwork I did for it and reflect briefly on my involvement. Call it a post-mortem or call it closure, I felt it called for some final thoughts.

With Daniel being such a formidable writer he had put a lot of research into the project so I could hit the ground running. I love doing fundamental project research myself but with all this already done I could jump into visual research and exploration immediately. Daniel's material was great to work with because it was specific yet suggestive at the same time which enabled me to inject a lot of my own ideas.

The way I usually operates is 70% research and 30% creation. Curiosity drives everything. From the books next to the bed, to the sound-books in the iPod, to the lines and shapes by the pen. Every project has its own path. A first gentle nudge in the general direction that seems and feels right is all that it takes. The initial intent can let go of the controls as the journey begins. This way I enjoy the unpredictable nature of where the inspiration comes from. Like in a travelers diary, every note, every sketch, thereof has a sense of discovery and excitement. While the finished artwork is the culmination of the project as a whole and comes with the joy and satisfaction that any completions brings , the journey leading up to the apex is still the real treasure.

2009 proved to be an eventful year. I dropped in and out of this project during week nights and weekends on a semi-monthly basis. 2010 is looking good so far, I just finished my part of this project. It has been an absolute labor of love.

Here is the flickr set.

Ember

2009-12-12T20:49:00.000-08:00

Some old friends of mine have just released a game called Emberwind and they asked me to make a piece of art for them to put on their website. The only requirements they gave me was to make it somewhat inspired by the game, or at least reference it somehow. This was what I saw.

Game Reflections - Qualia

2009-11-23T01:30:00.000-08:00

Can you translate a private experience into public language? How do you describe the way a thing seems to you to someone? Can you share your conscious experience with another person? Some say it is impossible because it's indescribable and only if we could remove natural language completely, bypass it via mental/neuron bridges from person to person, we should be able to share qualia. As far as neuro science and doctrine might have come today it seems to be a while before man will be able to implement anything like this. So what happens when you're explaining a personal experience to someone? Whether you use speech, writing, signs or any other natural language, there are fundamental elements of your experience that are bound to be omitted, untouched and untold, hence not giving your audience the full experience of your experience. It doesn't matter how eloquent you are, you're simply not equipped with the capacity to pass on your intrinsic perception, humans are communicatively and mentally crippled by default. Things will be lost in translation but new unexpected elements will be gained in the residuum. The audience's own qualia and awareness will interpret your message and put a new cultural coating on it. By this unpredictable defect of communication the audience might become even more invested in and attached to you are saying. It is a gamble, being personal in the public space as you will inevitably win some and loose some. But if you take that risk then the ones that you win, especially by happy accidents like these can be individuals that you touch very deeply. And moving your audience in a profound way even if your initial message has been somewhat lost, skewed or reinterpreted, is the highest accomplishment of any art form.

Majoras Mask - The most bizarre and personal entry in the Zelda series to date. Steeped in melancholy, Japanese Honne/Tatemae tradition and the acceptance and preparation for death. Video games, where the premises and subjects tend to be simple and in back and white this was indisputably heavy and gray. Majoras Mask was something of an Trojan horse, by wearing one of the most beloved brand names in the industry and riding high on the road Ocarina of Time had paved out before it, gamers who simply expected more of the same where in for a surprise. A cold shower for some or a welcome visit to a fresh and exotic onsen to others. It was breaking the mold. It was breaking conventions. This time around the world was ambivalent and strange and the very time itself was your greatest opponent. 3 days until the world ends. It gave a serious and anxious tone to the game, a sense of urgency, it made you weigh the importance of your actions. The 3 day cycle and a Groundhog Day rewind time-mechanic was an incentive for you to get to know and interact with the characters throughout the world. You stood by their side and helped them deal with life during these final days. This social focus together the fundamental mask mechanic was an interesting reflection on relationships and the roles people plays. The quest through this alternate Hyrule called Termina felt private yet grand in its own peculiar way. The classic Zelda formula was deconstructed, it felt distilled through the mind one person rather than playing it safe and sticking to the path that had been laid out before it. Perhaps a risky move by Eiji Aonuma, the game director, but by being honest to his vision the gamers was taken on a very different, memorable and engaging experience.

Death Note - Not a game but an anime based on the manga series of Tsugumi Oba. What could have been your ordinary suspenseful cat-and-mouse thriller gets offseted by an overarching supernatural component and becomes an intense depiction of a human mind deceiving itself in believing it has ascended to a higher being and thereof having the rights to act accordingly. It is an disturbing journey but not necessarily for the controversial themes, acts and events that unfold but for how they are set in motion initially. Evil actions in society are carried out by innocent playfulness and curiosity of a juvenile mind residing in the private atmosphere of a child's room in a warm and happy family home. By being placed inside the young individual's personal space you get a exclusive and intimate look on his/hers most secret desires and actions. It starts out with a test which soon grows out of proportion thanks to that the inexperienced and self-absorbed mind is proved right in its faulty logic. As the ego is growing so does the evil radius, and so does your insight of it's warped motifs and reasoning to a point where you almost is sharing it out of shameful fascination and sympathy.

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor - As a game in the MegaTen series it has the usual trappings; troubled teens, it takes place in Japan, demon fusing, moral choices, Jack Frost and it is tough as nails. The series expect you knowing this going in. In these days when many games is trying to appeal to a wider audience by lowering the difficulty, streamlining and simplifying the controls, interface and the overall experience, it can be refreshing to take on the challenge that SMT Devil Survivor, and the likes, gives you. What sets this game apart from the others in the MegaTen series is the tactical RPG nature of it and the strange and fitting meta game/real world angle. You're a character who has a device similar to the DS you're playing on, this device called COMP (Communication Player) gives you access to an online auction site where you bid, buy and trade demons. The DS literally becomes the COMP when you enters it from the ingame menu and the line between the game and real life is crossed. It is an intriguing concept. Browsing and reading up on the demons before you buy them, navigating around the menus, getting brief tourist guide style information about Shibuya (where the game starts)and other locations and landmarks, really brings you into the game. However this aspect of the game isn't something that Atlus stresses very much and it depends mostly on your level of immersion. As portable games with ad-hoc multiplayer has almost become the new standard in Japan with Monster Hunter and Dragon Quest IX, Atlus could implement and combine that with this meta game/real world system to push it further. A Shin Megami Tensei game fused with Ghostwire!

Qualia. Just like in the movie Strange Days the mind is the inner theater of experience,
depending on what you put in you can enhance or corrupt it, make it curious or dull. Feed it.

Bikes - The other passion

2009-08-30T03:43:00.000-07:00

For as long as I can remember I've been fascinated with bikes. It's something about their simplicity. Two circles and a triangle. It's an elegant composition.

Down Hill, Dirt, Trail, Racer, BMX, Cross Country or whatever. If it remotely looks like a bike I'm naturally drawn to it. The attraction goes beyond man powered bikes as well. I grew up on the backseat of my father's various motorcycles as we drove through the woods of Tiveden. I fondly remember one time with the Panther, a demanding bike with a kickback that could break a grown mans leg, the headlight died on us and we had to drive home in the middle of the night with only the moon to guide us.

4 years ago I made a bad call. I moved overseas and left my bike at home. It has been haunting me ever since. But now finally, my LeToy is back with me again.

Art of my father

2009-08-12T15:15:00.000-07:00

One of the most amazing and interesting persons I know is my father. He has taught me so much about life and how to make the most out of it. He is an extremly talented jack-of-all-trades and artisan. His specialities are wood sculpture and bronze casting.
I helped him set up a blog/project journal/gallery similar to my own.

Game Reflections - Momentum

2008-12-20T13:44:00.000-08:00

You are on a roll. Goal or no goal. Its not important. Not now. A corner coming up out of no where and you respond. Shift posture, shift weight point, shift gears, shift focus. In a heartbeat. Instinctively. Ritualistic and primitive behavior overrides your rationality. Your fear. Yourself. If so only for a second, for a short moment, your self perception as person and as a human is removed. You're more than human. You're something bigger and far greater. You're a reaction. A reaction to external and direct stimuli. Your muscles, balance, heartbeat and breathing merge in perfect synergy. Your Reptilian brain runs the show now. Your reflexes and actions has reverted back to their successful prime states. You've gotten a special sense of time and space. You're ready for anything. Obstacles becomes opportunities. Borders becomes springboards. Dead ends becomes u-turns. In this mode nothing is impossible. Responding to stimuli and challenges your body is just a vessel carrying out commands of a primeval state of mind. You leap across a chasm. The old Limbic system in your brain tells you what the movement will feel like before you experience the sensation. You can take comfort in this, even in this unpredictable environment and snap judgment mindset there is a system capable of predicting at least what your movements will feel like before you commit to them. It is exhilarating and addictive. Fun and rewarding. You never want it to end. Not now. Not ever. Abruptly it does. Either by forces of physics or by human error. In a crude jerk your out of it, the reptilian brain that hijacked you is bluntly shut down and your back to your old self. You've lost your momentum.

Immediately, you want to get back into it. And all it takes is a leap of faith.

Mirrors Edge - An immersive FPP (first person platformer) that's all about momentum as you run around rooftops as a pacifistic Parkour messenger. The gameplay is very fresh and appealing, just as the visual style. It is beneficial for you to avoid enemies and to avoid engage in battles, if anything you should just disarm them and move on. And that's the key. Moving. Running along the side of a building, leap out towards an opposite wall at the very last moment, quickly bounce off that wall to reach a ledge above, pull yourself up, speed up and slide under some pipes, jump.... The level designs are a bit linear and the unavoidable halts, when you loose your momentum, and have to deal with enemies can be a bit frustrating. But the Free running gameplay and on-the-fly exploration makes Mirrors Edge a great playground game. Dice has a fantastic IP to build on here. In the next installments they can add to skill upgrades, a trick system, a multiplayer online component with co-op gameplay where you can string moves together with other players and Parkour parks etc.

Jet Set Radio Future - The Xbox sequel to the cultclassic Dreamcast game, just as bold and stylistic as its predecessor. You're still an inline skater, riding around urban city Japan and leaving a trail of graffiti behind you. Smilebit streamlined the gameplay this time around, simplifying the tagging mechanic and concentrated more on the Inline skating. The level designs were bigger, more areas to reach and explore. As you got increasingly better at the controls and learned to read the environment, you could ride (what almost felt like) forever. Especially in the free tag mode where the entire level was opened up for you. The skating is extremely satisfying and addictive. Smilebit is not around anymore but Sega still holds the right to the IP so who knows? Maybe we'll see a Jet Set Radio 3 one day? On the Wii, with Wiimote graffiti gameplay and balance board skating?

Building on momentum, whether that is used as a parry/grab move in a fighting game, as a back draft/speed boost in a racing game or as a trick combo to reach new areas in a playground game, can be a very successful and addictive gameplay formula. Its about flow and to maintain it. The idea is almost so simple its silly. Like throwing flat rocks and watch them skip across the water. Simple and fun.

Galaxy Express 999 - Double tribute

2008-10-31T05:54:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to rewatch the anime of my youth - Galaxy Express 999 some months ago. Its troubling how things you hold dear out of memory can be somewhat destroyed by you re-approaching them later in life, but also surprisingly humbling how the very same things instead can prove to be even more important to you than realized. For me GE 999 was the latter. And the impact was so great on me that simply I had to make something. A painting. A tribute to Leiji Matsumoto and his beautiful mind and art which is GE 999. The melancholic aura of the series personified by the mysterious Maetel destined to travel the universe forever on the interstellar Galaxy Express, where she meets and guides young men in life.

As I was working away on the piece my sister went through a rough patch back home. Frustrated for not being able to be there for her my thoughts started to be more about her as I kept on working. And then it hit me. That one of the reasons why GE 999 always been so special to me was how much Maetel reminded me of my big sister when we were kids. The same long blond hair, the same warm-hearted nature, the same guidance. This painting was also for her. A tribute to my dear sister.

Its interesting how initial intentions sometimes can evolve into something else, even profounder, yet remain the same.

Dormant file: Pierre Teilhard de Chardin & the Noosphere

2008-08-23T08:12:00.000-07:00

Subjekt akt 12. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, embryo- and geo-genesis, the enveloped consciousness, Sumerian mythology and Greek philosophy and the outcome: the Noosphere.

Dormant file: Wilfrid Voynich & The Grand Multiplier

2008-06-21T18:45:00.000-07:00

Subjekt akt 43. Wilfrid Voynich, his manuscript, pre-Harappan civilization, sacred geometry, WW2, Norse secret intelligence and the end of the universe. Quite a start of the Dormant files. Voynich´s manuscript is today a property of Yale University.

Ixus mecha

2008-01-07T04:52:00.000-08:00

Made a mecha out of an Ixus and we´re still only in January. This is the beginning of an beautiful year. I can feel it.

Fury is released

2007-10-17T03:58:00.000-07:00

Auran, is releasing their MMO, Fury today. When I worked there I could never get my head around how to play it properly, I simply don't have the reflexes of a skillful PC-player. But I enjoyed doing art for the game though. (I did the concept and modelled the sitting statue in the second screenshot above and concepted the creature in the third screenshot) I hope people will enjoy it and I wish Auran the best of luck.

Kalkabrina

2007-10-04T04:58:00.000-07:00

Some messing around with clay over the weekend.

Mandelbrotti

2007-01-22T14:50:00.000-08:00

Felix Hausdorff gave us the Capacity dimension. Then Benoit Mandelbrot came along refined the theory further. Real numbers and curved geometry. Put them together and watch the fireworks. Yesterday I was all out of both but found the next best things; newspaper and chicken wire.

New year, new job

2007-01-01T08:08:00.000-08:00

Things was really starting to stir back home in Sweden, some studios were about to start on some exciting projects. So I was planning to head back but got a job offer as a Concept Artist from THQ Studio Australia. I figured I could do a little bit longer in the sun so accepted the offer.

Game Reflections - Creativity

2006-10-15T04:29:00.000-07:00

Imagination. New ideas. A theory of motivation. Elaborate problem solving. The mind's capacity to generate new mental tools. All in all, a deep notion. So deep in fact that it has troubled the mind of man since the birth of consciousness, creativity; the second biggest mystery after consciousness itself. Where does it come from? Ancient philosophers stressed ex nihilo - creating "out of nothing". That you pulled it out of thin air, out of empty space. But according to the quantum physicist David Bohm there is no such thing as empty space. He claimed that everything in the universe have a property. All lifeforms, inanimate objects, energies, time and space, thoughts and aspirations - everything. The property he saw occupying everything was and led back to; consciousness.

So if there is no emptiness, if your creativity is a product of some boundless primordial intelligence that is occupying the very same space you would like to think of as your mind then do you ever think your own thoughts? Do you have an individual mind? Where does your originality come from? It would be from all kinds of things but one of the biggest contributors would be your culture. Rich cultures and encouraging upbringings foster creative mindsets. Isolation is also a common attribute of very creative people. To protect themselves from distractions, from influence of other people and ideas, from criticism and from revealing their work too early they shelter themselves. This way they become creatively self-sufficient, self concerned and culturally complex but can render them socially disadvantaged.

This is apparent even when looking at the game industry. One isolated culture that has been creatively a cut above the rest from the get-go is Japan. A historically rich and intriguing culture where long lasting rural traditions walk side by side with cutting edge technology. A country that once closed its borders from the outside world. Most Japanese developers has always done games for their domestic market first and foremost, the other markets, the rest of the world has been secondary. The heritage of the isolated and creatively wealthy culture that has molded the mind of Japanese developers make them create games the way they do. They have their own motifs, goals, traditions, logic, feeling, systems, conventions, quirks and expectations. This very cultural aspect is something that many open-minded gamers across the world is fascinated by. Even when Japanese developers try to commuicate with the outside world, interpret or commenting on other cultures and ideas of them, something they're not great at (yet), it's still quite charming and fascinating.

Creativity isn't exclusive to rich cultures or specific persons though. As long as you are eager to learn, accepting of other cultures, hungry for life, willing to work hard and really immerse and dedicate yourself in your work you can increase your creativity. Sky is the limit. But sometimes you might need limits. Sometimes you might need to restrict yourself. To be be creative within a limited space, time and budget. Great and unexpected ideas can come of this! A good way to adapt to these conditions is to apply methods used in Industrial Design, "Function drives Design" - where you look at the most essential part, the function and design to fit that. In game development this can be a very useful technique when dealing with technical, political, time and economical restrictions.

Little Big Adventure 2. A action/RPG with a interesting gameplay mechanic which allowed you to alter the behavior of your character between 4 different modes: Normal, Athletic, Aggressive and Discreet.Your actions differ depending on which behavior you are in and lets you solve puzzles and fight enemies in clever ways.

Magic Pengel. A quirky game with a primitive drawing/3D modeling engine. You draw shapes that come alive as creatures that you train and fight other "doodle creatures" with.

Creativity and the appreciation of it vary from person to person. And so does the creativity in games. Some developers simply have no intention doing anything creative for various reasons, being creative is a risky endeavor that can end up hurting their production, sales and putting gamers off. You cant blame them for wanting to stay operational. Being innovate yet maintain successful is a delicate dance. The game industry as a culture would benefit from ending the navel-gazing, if it could stop drawing inspiration mainly from other games and if it could stop mimicking that other great entertainment medium; film. Video games should embrace its traditions, be proud of its own history and achievements and let itself be more inspired by other things that aren't games or movies every once in a while.

Illustration commission

2006-03-08T04:35:00.000-08:00

Cover for a Swedish comic fanzine.

Game Reflections - Solitude

2006-02-06T14:59:00.000-08:00

Walking among remnants. Mingle with silent relics and memories. Alone. Unaccompanied. You are the only movement in a frozen world. You stand out like a fire in the night. The lack of others and the conventional interaction they usually brings can enhance the experience of your presence in the world. Your awareness of self is increased. Intrigued by the scenario of being singled out and placed in a world that has moved on, fascinated of being an observer, eventually after a time in this environment you might start question your own existence. After all, aren’t we caught, objectified, only by confrontation with others? Aren’t we taking form only when we are being looked upon?

Solitude can be an exceptional powerful experience.

Metroid Prime. Brilliant for the immersion of for the first time seeing the world through Samus eyes, of becoming her by making it an FPS. But also brilliant for defying genre-conventions and turn it into an FPA (A for adventure). This way the game could stay true to its world exploration roots but also deliver a more intimate, immersive and secluded experience. There are moments when you examine temples and shrines of lost civilizations, their artefacts and scriptures, when you read their ancient ghostly words that you become increasingly self-conscious. And the feeling of true solitude forces itself upon you.

Shadow of the Colossus. You are never really all alone. You have your horse. Your sense of loneliness is not the issue here. It’s the eerie emptiness of the vast and isolated land you’re exploring. It’s the reclusiveness of the disturbingly beautiful land and its lack of life (forms) that gets to you. As you ride at the edge of a valley you can see for miles in any direction but there isn’t a single indication of anything living. Anywhere. There once were, judging by the monuments and architectural landmarks that are left behind. You´ve entered a arcane and holy land, a land in peaceful and rightfully earned slumber. Your presence in it is not welcomed and you know in your heart that it should be left alone.

Solitude might not be a theme or emotion developers want or can pursue these days when multiplayer and social networking games quickly is gaining more ground. And as an emotion it might not rank that high compared to fast excitement and cheap thrills. Perhaps you see loneliness as something bad and not a suitable ingredient for entertainment. But aren’t all emotions worth exploring, worth understanding, worth experiencing? Even the ones you shy away from and avoid?

Game Reflections - Freedom

2005-12-12T05:05:00.000-08:00

Breathe freely. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Which one do you like the most? If you could either only breathe in or breathe out for the rest of your life which one would you choose? Could it be that both are so codependent of each other that neither would be worth much nor be much enjoyed on their own? A co-eternal rhythmic dualism. If the the ocean curl back too far and for too long you shouldn't go scavenging the bare ocean-floor for crabs and clams because there is a monstrous tsunami building up. Its inevitable and its coming your way. You should head for high ground.

Freedom isn't freedom without restraints.

Jet Set Radio. A bold game in more ways than one. Not only did it have a timeless and sassy art direction, a fantastic soundtrack, it also stayed true to the game rules that it was molded in. Tokyo-to was like a giant playground, yours to explore and have fun in, your character was a inline skater that did graffiti, rival gangs, police and the mafia was after you. Gameplay-wise all you as a character could do was skating and tagging. Thats it. No action buttons for melee attacks or dodge moves, no distracting character building, no time consuming and distracting minigames or sidequests. It would have been easy for Smilebit to a add any of those. But instead they kept it just the way they intended it to be. And the gameplay and the experience are all the better for it. Exploring this urban jungle, spotting opportunities and possibilities to reach further and get new kicks, while leaving tags on billboards and avoiding cops. It was elevated freedom in a very entertaining package.

Hunter. One of the earlier 3D open world games, back in the days of the Amiga. A 3 way cocktail of strategy, action and adventure. You traveled between and on different islands in various vehicles. By emphasizing on exploration and having the horizon visible to to you most of the time you get a comforting sense of freedom and you subconsciously start to think that the horizon is a place on the map to which you can go. Of course you cant and those restrictions is cleverly designed. All vehicles running on a limited amount of fuel, when the fuel runs out the vehicle either stops or implodes leaving you in the ocean. And you dont want to be in the ocean for too long because the sharks is biting.

There is a difference between playground games and open world games. Many developers who are doing open world/sandbox games try to achieve the maximum amount of freedom by setting the framework fast and loose. You can almost do anything. And it has proven to be quite a successful formula so far. But by painting with these broad strokes the substance and mechanics tend to be quite shallow. Or somewhat hollow. As an outlet for escapism these games are great, but by giving you so many options the developer sometimes have to spread themselves thin to cover it all. Open world, loose structure, endless options and character customizing isn't the only way to achieve freedom in a game. In playground games you can in fact have really hard and uncompromising rules and yet generate an tremendous sense of freedom, that sometimes even eclipse the games that is playing the fast and loose card. By setting up a framework with clear boundaries - premise, gameworld, gameplay and purpose, you have a strong backdrop to screen against. Here freedom -anything that defy, challenge, play with or bend the ruleset, will be a distinctive contrast. And your sense of freedom will thereof be amplified and give you an extremely satisfying experience.

Moving

2005-08-13T20:18:00.000-07:00

Things happened. Left Sweden for Australia. It felt right. Was longing for change and new horizons. The company I work for in Sweden have their mother company, Auran, located down here where I´m now working on their MMO, Fury.

Riddar Måns och Lindormen

2005-03-11T05:54:00.000-08:00

Back in 2004 I was really into early 20th century Slavic and Russian Folk Art and I was keen on doing something in that manner. I called up my friend Stefan Petrini, who just happens to be a awesome scrip writer, and asked him to jot something short down for me. He handed me a little script about the knight "Måns" and his battle with "Lindormen" (Ouroboros/Tatzelwurm) which essentially is a little tale that´s taking a piss on the egocentric human nature. A three page comic that ended up published in a Swedish magazine called "de nya svenska serierna" that was bundled with the comic Beetle Bailey (called "Knasen" in Sweden).

Harkebus

2005-03-02T05:56:00.000-08:00

A character for a project named Skrikkjaskog. The project was about Scandinavian lore, musicians and hidden mythological battle circles.

Child mind

2005-01-12T04:54:00.000-08:00

The Shark-man is crying while his horse is getting devoured by negative space. One of my first drawings.