a list of AAA and professional clients who have worked with this professional concept artist

Narrative Design & Storytelling for Games

Helping studios bring depth, clarity, and emotional weight to the worlds they build.

Good stories don’t just happen — they’re designed.
Whether you’re developing a new game IP, launching a transmedia campaign, or fine-tuning a character arc that just isn’t landing, I help creative teams craft narrative experiences that resonate — with logic, emotion, and style.

I’ve worked with studios, indie developers, and filmmakers to bring structure and soul to their worlds. Through visual storytelling, narrative architecture, and a healthy amount of “what if we tried this,” I help you connect the dots between lore, gameplay, audience engagement, and creative identity.

You’ll walk away not just with good-looking decks or docs, but with a strategic story foundation that guides your project, supports your team, and keeps your audience hooked.

sketchbooks being reviewed

What’s Included:

  • Narrative audits of existing IPs or decks

  • Worldbuilding frameworks & character arcs

  • Story structure maps (for games, animation, or film)

  • Dialogue tone-of-voice development

  • Miro reference boards & lore bibles

  • Beat charts & player journey mapping

  • Narrative cohesion consulting (cross-disciplinary)

  • Storytelling for pitches, marketing, and Kickstarter decks

  • Collaboration with art, design, and gameplay teams

  • 1-on-1 or team-based strategy sessions

What’s Not Included:

  • Generic lore dumps

  • Writing that ignores gameplay

  • Wasting your time

Research, reference curation, story mapping, and brainstorming sessions that help unearth the DNA of your project. The goal? Make your world clearer to the player—and your team.

Each deliverable is mapped to a project calendar with regular checkpoints. You’ll always know what’s coming and have input at every step.

Narrative strategy
Lore building
Dialogue tone guides
Character arcs
Story pillars
Gameplay-narrative cohesion
Marketing-ready story pitches
Everything from ideation to delivery, designed for production.

Narrative and Storytelling Portfolio

AAA character concept art of medieval fantasy viking
striking image of hacker being served a shock on the matrix
futuristic soldier concept art
future soldier concept art on city patrol
lineart sketches to test and brainstorm
brainstorming of character sketches
visual theory principles and guidelines on character
full render illustration on character design
frontier doctor character design
barkeep cowboy character design
steampunk style cowboy designs
cowgirl design

  • It’s very hard to find a professional like Miguel. Very organized, prolific and effective with his workflow. Not to mention the impressive quality of ideas he brings to the table. It’s an honor to have worked with him!

    João Lira, Lead Concept Artist on Star Atlas, ATMTA Group

  • The director loved the works we just delivered from our collaboration! Thank you for helping us.

    Alice Zhang, Translator and Producer, NetEase Games

  • I want to say that your proposal was the most professional I’ve seen in a long time, even better than most freelancers and other AAA studios we’re working with.

    James Ohlen, VP Studio Head, Archetype Entertainment / Wizards of the Coast’ Company.

  • It was fantastic working with you on these, you're an exceptional talent with a wonderful work ethic. You had a tasteful process for creative exploration, and your balance of structure and freedom always invigorated our sessions. Looking forward to the future, Miguel.

    River Gandour, CEO of Third Book

Narrative and Storytelling Services

To book, we require a 33% deposit, a 33% by mid-milestones, and a 33% billed at the end of the project. Reach and and contact for a custom setup/day rate if you have on-going needs.

sketchbook with brainstormed line art

Lore & Worldbuilding – Crafting mythologies, timelines, and setting logic that deepen player immersion through artwork.

a visual guide and research for IP's

Narrative Guidelines – Defining an experience through visuals, branching stories, and VFX of reactive environments.

professional concept artist with microphone speaking to audience

SENIOR, ART DIRECTOR, CONCEPT DESIGN WORK.

Consulting sessions available for startups, AA and AAA.

66%

pre-production time reduction while working with Ashfall / NetEase Games
Reduced production time by 66% using advanced 3D concept art pipelines and updated methodologies, delivering AAA-standard work with dependable turnaround.

33%

Boosted visual quality by 30% through consistent style guide development and a live material library built inside a 3D render engine during Amnesia Rebirth.

90%

first-approval rate while working with Ubisoft’s Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 / under Athena Productions.

Special rates available for clients looking for extended creative partnerships; contact for custom pricing and project alignment.

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  • professional and beautifully shot wacom tablet for digital drawing and design

    You’ll get more than visuals — you’ll get a cohesive narrative strategy across visuals, mood, lore, and pacing. I document the full journey in a collaborative board (Miro, Notion, or whatever you use), and break down the reasoning behind every storytelling choice. I’ll also guide you on expanding your team with writers, designers, or creatives from my trusted network, if needed.

  • concept art workstation background, with professional software rendering

    When I take on your project, that’s the only thing on my plate. My calendar is cleared so I can focus fully on your world, its logic, and emotional impact. That means faster decisions, deeper creative input, and a more personal collaboration. We build something that actually says something.

  • professional freelance artist taking notes on a macbook and leading a online meeting.

    I approach storytelling from both the art and the logic: character arcs, environmental symbolism, visual motifs, pacing, and emotional timing. Whether we’re doing pitch decks, mood pieces, or entire worldbuilding bibles, everything serves the story — and the audience. We craft moments that stick.

  • resources and physical design books on a professional artist desk

    Anyone can tell a story — but telling it well requires care. In a market that rewards quantity, I still believe quality makes the strongest impression. That’s why I design stories that hit on a deeper level. My work makes people stop, feel, and remember.

  • a beautiful selection of sketchbooks being reviewed by a professional artist and designer

    I use every tool at my disposal — moodboarding, cinematic storyboards, keyframe art, lore consulting, Unreal Engine workflows, and even AI-assisted scene exploration — to uncover the best way to visually convey your story. It’s all in service of emotional clarity and impact.

Where it all begins.

Every strong narrative starts with deep listening, reference gathering, and intentional design. Together, we’ll lay out the emotional goals, character dynamics, and world elements that support the gameplay—not compete with it. Think of this phase as laying tracks before the train comes. It saves time. It sparks ideas. It works.

fully render and digital painted character concept

It’s not just about looking cool.

Character design means nothing without purpose. I craft characters that aren’t just visually iconic—they have believable motivations, internal conflict, and roles within your story world. I help define what makes them tick, and why players should care.

visual theory applied on character design

From archetype to detail.

Designing a compelling protagonist isn’t just a creative process—it’s also strategic. I use narrative frameworks and visual language theory to help your team stay aligned. We’ll define rhythm, contrast, personality silhouettes, and backstory hooks that serve the gameplay loop.

artist studio

Real collaboration.

I love this part. When we’re in sync, ideas flow. I work closely with creative directors, narrative leads, and art teams to make sure story decisions support production. No ego. No drama. Just good work and good vibes.

  • Can you help me clarify my story or world before visuals even start?

    Absolutely. Many projects begin with a foggy idea or undeveloped world. Part of my job is to guide you through the fog — I help you shape the narrative arc, world logic, and emotional tone before the art ever starts, so the visuals are grounded in meaning.

  • What if I only have a theme, vibe, or scattered notes?

    That’s more than enough to start. We can build from abstract ideas and vibes — I specialize in shaping narrative fragments into structured, visual storytelling that feels rich and intentional. We’ll pull references, build moodboards, and define a stylistic arc.

  • Is this useful for pitching to publishers, studios, or grants?

    Yes. Strong narrative-driven visuals help tell your story before a single word is spoken. Whether it’s a pitch deck, moodfilm, or vertical slice — I help make sure your world feels real and compelling to whoever’s reviewing it. I've worked with teams who landed funding based on our pre-dev art alone.

  • Can you also write the story or script?

    I’m not a screenwriter — my strength lies in translating themes and emotional beats into visuals that enhance your story. I work well with writers and directors, helping bridge narrative and design into a cohesive whole.

  • Can this apply to games, animation, books, or film equally?

    Definitely. Storytelling through art is universal. Whether you're building a narrative mobile game, an indie animated short, or an IP bible for a feature — I adapt visual storytelling principles to your format and audience.

  • How do you make sure the visuals support the story, not just look cool?

    Design decisions are narrative decisions. We define narrative goals first: emotional tone, symbolism, arcs, subtext. Then we build visuals that support those — from character posture to lighting and scene framing. It’s not just art — it’s communication.

  • Are there any deliverables?

    Yes. You’ll get story-driven visual materials: keyframe illustrations, tone boards, character/story relationship maps, annotated storytelling breakdowns, and collaborative Miro boards that track visual/narrative alignment. Everything is production-ready or pitch-friendly.

  • What if I don’t know what format I need yet?

    That’s okay — this is often exploratory. We’ll figure out what format best serves your vision: maybe it’s a sequence of story keyframes, or a layered visual bible. I’ll help you define what serves your story and audience.

I believe that strong storytelling is the backbone of unforgettable games. If you're looking for a narrative designer who brings both heart and structure—someone who cares as much as you do about getting it right—let’s talk.

Hit the button, drop me a message, or just say hey. I’d love to hear what you’re working on.

character design in viking style