This is the Most Original Reference for your Game Project

The best work I do is inspired by real life. This takes a while to research, but by the end of the project, people tend to like it way more.

Oftentimes, I get told that my designs look real, and I believe that’s because I use real people and real places as reference, instead of just looking at what’s trendy on Pinterest or Google Images.

These were inspired by a road trip by campervan along the coast of Portugal. I was immersed in research and inspired to draw a project in the style of Uncharted or Tomb Raider. Could you ask for a better work-life balance?

This small country has so many great references when it comes to art, culture, and nature that it almost feels illegal.

Here are a few images from this trip:

Whatever details I take for granted in my own culture, I find that they are the ones that are most interesting to outsiders, such as the vivid blue Chapel of Santa Catarina, which I strolled past daily on my way to high school, and every tourist takes selfies at. Portugal wasn't as touristy back then, so I had no idea of how powerful a library of motifs I lived around.

People like different stories that are still relatable to their own, hence why we enjoy travel, and hence why we enjoy Anime and Manga, there are people in it, but different than us, with different routines and habits, relatable enough to spark curiosity. This is an entertainment design gold mine.

In my trip to Berlengas, Peniche, I constantly felt immersed in an RPG setting, and embarking on this adventure provided a plethora of references for me to draw from once I got home.

About the author: I'm Miguel Nogueira, a Freelance Concept Artist with 15+ years of creative industry experience combined. For the past decade, I've focused on Concept Art for Games and Film.

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