PAINT ART FOR CYBERPUNK 2077

Olgierd Ciszak captures a vibrant, deadly and futuristic character in his manga-inspired promotional artwork for Cyberpunk 2077

- Olgierd Ciszak

The idea behind this artwork was to portray V, the main protagonist from our upcoming title Cyberpunk 2077, in a way that reflects their nature. V is an ambitious and fearless cyberpunk, an urban mercenary equipped with cybernetic enhancements, and is fighting to survive in Night City – the most dangerous megalopolis of the dark future.

To capture this personality, I took into account the environment V is living in, thinking about what kind of approach to life someone in those shoes would need to develop in order to thrive. It’s a ruthless world where it’s do or die, so I chose a dynamic and expressive pose that summarises an essential confidence in one attention-grabbing action. V is no stranger to a fight, and understands the need to take the initiative. I wanted to encapsulate this in a way that represents a feeling of strength and poise – and the innate danger that comes with the territory.

1 A SOLID BASE FOR AN ILLUSTRATION

Drawing out a direction and pose for the character

The first step involves simple sketches to find the right pose. I want toidentify the soul of the piece and the best way to present it using only the simplest means. It helps me to develop the direction and dynamics of the composition, and with each sketch I get closer to finding it.

2 Prepping key 3D assets

Once I find a direction that clicks, I refine the pose in Daz Studio. I also develop a 3D model of a katana in Blender, based on Cyberpunk 2077concept art. A blade is a strong focal point, so I test it from different perspectives to get a feel for how it might contribute to the final piece.

3 Setting the scene