In my line of work, I frequently need to world-build to bring a director’s vision to life. For me, world building goes beyond developing the atmosphere for the story to take place (also see our explainer, what is concept art?)
It’s a way to let people (or the clients) experience a culture in all its facets, from the extraordinary to the everyday. I love giving every object a backstory: something you might catch if your hand brushes along a wall while walking down a city street, or a pattern you’d notice after sitting on the same café porch every day.
The most effective world building doesn’t always have to be monumental – sometimes, a small flyer can reveal as much about a culture as a grand train station.
01. Write a brief history of the city
Draw on your inspirations.
As I wandered the streets of London, the mix of buildings from different eras made the city feel rich with history. That inspires me to create a city in my own world that also reflects both its past and its present.
Another major influence is the art nouveau movement. I envision a warm, coastal city that grew through industrialising its vast marine resources, with architecture adorned in ornaments that echo the colours and forms of the ocean. Even after two centuries, the city remains a vibrant destination that draws countless visitors every year.
02. Use analysis to inform your art style
As I delved into research on the art nouveau movement, I took note of a few recurring observations. For instance, flowers appear as a dominant motif, and artists often experimented with a wide range of materials to give their work an exotic quality.
However, because I don’t want my world to simply replicate art nouveau aesthetics, I turned back to the city’s own history and chose to draw from marine elements instead. I freely put down everything I have in mind, whether in words or in the form of quick sketches
03. Forge a unique visual identity
The goal here is simply to get a feel for the look of my world.
A
Image credit: Cheri Wang
B
Image credit: Cheri Wang
C
Image credit: Cheri Wang
Trial and error (A)
I’m not satisfied with the direction of this piece, because it resembles existing art nouveau styles too closely.
Experiment (B)
Here, I tried making the marine motifs more visible by incorporating elements like whales, squids and ships. Although I like the direction, the shapes feel too geometric.
The right balance (C)
Finally, I came across an amazing reference: the skeleton of a manta ray. It has just the right balance of structure and visual intrigue, making it a strong foundation for the designs that will follow.
04. Make a map
At this stage, I draft a map of the city. It’s important not to design in a vacuum. A map helps inform how each building should look based on its location.
For example, a landmark at the city centre will have a very different presence from a building in a quiet residential district. And to make the process more enjoyable, I name the streets as well.
05. Everyday objects
Unique street lights are a common feature in historical cities. In my world, Eisener – the fictional architect who pioneered this art nouveau movement – is the craftsman behind this particular design.
The street lamp also appears in a furniture catalogue as an advertisement.
05. Think about form
Now it’s time to populate my city with a few landmark buildings. I decided to start with a hotel. Based on the map, Location Four, an intersection, offers strong commercial potential, making it an ideal site for a major establishment.
To convey the hotel’s grandeur, it can’t remain just a flat facade as in A. By combining elements from B and C, I give the building a more imposing presence and a sense of elegance
07. Proof of concept
I want to produce a preview of what the city feels like by assembling the building and the street light that I designed. Keeping the materials simple helps me focus on the overall picture before moving on to texturing.
I chose a print-style rendering to mimic postcards from the era.
08. Create a backstory for everything
I enjoy giving the objects that I design a backstory. I named this building Hotel Caesia, also designed by Eisener. Originally, it was a luxury apartment, but after two centuries the building has been repurposed as a hotel.
09. What it’s like to live there?
Moving forward, I want to design a residential building for Location Five on the map. To add some life to an otherwise plain structure, I plan to make the ground floor a retail space.
Since the building is situated in a quiet yet chic neighbourhood, I decided that the store will specialise in clothing
10. Know what people wear
When I design clothes, I consider the setting in which they will be worn. I plan to create two types of outfits: a formal one (A) and a casual one (B). A garment’s silhouette is always a product of its time. \
Since modern people no longer wear petticoats or rigid undergarments such as bustles or crinolines to support their clothing, I pick a streamlined, fitted silhouette that aligns with the contemporary world they inhabit
11. Think about the window display
Different materials can dramatically alter the impression of a garment. Soft, matte surfaces tend to feel rooted in the past, while shiny, rigid materials suggest a more futuristic aesthetic.
Combining two contrasting textures can add interests to the design. Here, I pair reflective leather for the jacket with a velvety fabric for the dress, giving the design a contemporary edge.
12. Changing fashion
Even though the storefront is two centuries old, the interior should feel modern. I want to emphasise this juxtaposition by opting for a modernist set design. I name this luxury brand Auralia.
The figures are now showcasing their collection for the upcoming autumn season
13. Put it into context
Once the window display is completed, I proceed to roughly model the interior of the shop. Afterwards, I populate the storefront with the assets that I’ve created so far.
This is one of my favourite steps, because it’s always encouraging to see the world come alive in small, incremental steps
14. Prepping your work for a painting
Now comes the final step: turning everything I’ve created so far into a painting. I want to capture an idyllic scene – people going about their daily lives against the backdrop of a historical city.
To achieve this, I gather all the previous assets into a new scene, which will serve as a reference base for the painting.
15. The final product
In the painting stage, I adjust my 3D setup if it will improve the final image. Here, I enlarged the foreground and reduced the background to make the figure stand out more.
This painting serves as an introduction to my world, and I hope you enjoy exploring this guide as much as I enjoyed creating it!
This article originally appeared in ImagineFX. Subscribe to ImagineFX to never miss an issue. Print and digital subscriptions are available.
