Where's Scorpion?
M o r t a l K o m b a t p o s T e r
Gus Morais was commissioned to make a huge seek-and-find illustration for WarnerBros Games & NetherRealm Studios highlighting the events, characters and scenarios that made Mortal Kombat
an incomparable videogame's classic through the last three decades.
I was invited to bring to life a nice idea from Mortal Kombat social media team (thanks, Eriq Martin!).
The job was to imagine and develop a very complex illustration that would be published as a funny online engagement action before the release of NetherRealm Studios new DLC:
Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath.
Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath.
The challenge here is to find the classic MK character Scorpion, a yellow ninja from the Shirai Ryu clan. Through all illustration, the famous violent approach of the game is mixed with cute and funny situations.
SOME NOTES ABOUT SKETCHING AND DRAWING PROCESS
I have got great support and visual orientation from NetherRealm Studios art director Bruno Neves and Eriq Martin from WarnerBros, who made a great initial job by collecting dozens of pictures and concepts from characters and locations of all editions of the game.
Scenario sketch
Below, you can see 3 different stages of the sketching process. From first image to second, some locations were added and some deleted. Also, some changes in the dimensions and positions of each location were made to achieve a more interesting balance of colors and atmospheres.
Character studies
The "Where's Scorpion" illustration presents ALL 77 playable characters from different editions of the game, from classical to most recent ones. I've studied many official character concepts and watched lots of videos of the game to get a deeper understanding of their personalities, moves and overall behavior
so I could achieve a new and fresh cartoonish version for them.
so I could achieve a new and fresh cartoonish version for them.
Easter Eggs, GAGS AND CROWDS
After the scenario and main characters were defined, I've brought them together in a single sketch. This sketch presents the main position for each main character and already suggests some gags and funny situations. NetherRealm Studios staff also worked hard to give me lots of ideas. Take a look
below to see a comparison between a part of the sketch and final illustration.
Finalization
After the sketch was approved, I started to create the final linework for all the scenario and characters.
In a complex project like this, digital painting, linework and light/shadow effects need to be very balanced. So, instead of making each step at a time, I ended up working all this phases at the same time. Take a look at the evolution of the finalization process:
Finally,
here you can see the
complete poster with
the Mortal Kombat
official logo.
here you can see the
complete poster with
the Mortal Kombat
official logo.
Hope you liked reading about this project! You can see and play a larger 4K version
version of "Where's Scorpion?" illustration here , at WarnerBros website.
version of "Where's Scorpion?" illustration here , at WarnerBros website.
By the way: did you find Scorpion? ;)
Have a project in mind? Drop a line!
Gus Morais - Seek-and-find Illustrator
instagram http://instagram.com/gus_morais
e-mail gusilustra@gmail.com