Path of Exile Developer Interview

Shaun Brown, a concept artist over at Grinding Gear Games, is the subject of this in-house interview that sheds some light on the duties of a concept artist, Shaun’s contributions to Path of Exile, and some upcoming Path of Exile 2 content. As you might expect, the interview also shares a bunch of sample concept art, so be sure to check it out. Here are a few sample questions:

How did you get started as a concept artist?
It had been my dream for many years to become a concept artist. I’ve always loved to draw monsters and come up with imaginative ideas since I was a kid so it felt like I was born for this job. It also took many years of practice, learning, failing and hard work! And I’ll always be on that path of learning.

How did you come to work at Grinding Gear Games?
I started working at GGG in 2014. A good friend of mine was working for GGG and told me there was a job opening that I should apply for. There was a test but I don’t remember it being too hard! That was the first concept art I did for GGG.

The community is most familiar with your artwork that appears on Divination Cards. What is this process like?
Once the game designers have confirmed the design with the client, I would read and look at the images in the description of the card and usually an image will pop up in my mind. Most of the time, I’ll sketch the image exactly as I saw or I’ll edit what I see to make it better. I guess it’s like seeing the future and drawing it down (lol).

Then it’s a matter of linework and colouring.

Which Divination Cards did you enjoy working on the most?
Hard to say. There are so many of them now! I do enjoy the ones that have hidden messages or symbols in the illustrations, like in The Union where you can see the date of the wedding.

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You’ve also done a lot of concept art work on Path of Exile bosses and monsters for the third act of Path of Exile 2. What are you most looking forward to the community seeing?
There is a boss I worked on last year. All I can say is that he has a big flat ornament on his head, has no feet, there are snakes coming out of his back like wings and there’s a man standing inside his stomach. Sometimes it’s hard to know how good things will look when they’re in the game, but I’m hoping it turns out well.