One of our main shortcomings is our fussiness, we are very much alike the Damas in this matter, this brings us to lengthen the work times.
Our playing cards are all born following the same ‘long’ procedures.
We start from the idea of the subject to be featured, the Picture. All the data that pertain to him are inserted into a Format from the Creative Director (Silvia) that will then forwarded to the Illustrator.
The Format, beyond the indication of race and sex to whom the Picture belongs to, contains:
- a description of the posture;
- the hairstyle;
- Picture’s facial expression;
- the clothes;
- the equipment;
- other extras that are put on;
- the indication with the illustration of possible tattoos or wounds;
- the orientation of the light points;
- some technical details concerning the Picture’s file (dimensions, resolution, etc..).
The Illustrator in addition to the Format also gets a detailed description of the somatic characters of the race Picture belongs to and a cut of the Backdrop where he will be position. Very often all this is accompanied by explanatory drawings that are used to create weapons or particular accessories.
The Illustrator, after having received the material, starts working and prepare his first black and white draft. The Creative Director points up possible changes to be made, and the Illustrator starts to set everything up and to the final realization, after that everything will be coloured by a Colourist or by the Illustrator himself.
When the Picture has been coloured, it comes back in ‘our’ hands for the second part of the procedure. At this point the adjustment phase begins. This will allow the Picture drawing to transform into a real Playing Card.
The Picture is placed on the definitive Backdrop which is the same that has been given to Illustrator and Colourists, but in a higher resolution. In some cases the scene can change completely due to technical reasons or because, once the work on the Picture is over, it will fit other types of settings.
During this phase our Main Illustrator steps in (Andrea, that also is the backdrops Illustrator) that having in front a complete Backdrop and a Picture, will work on them to adjust possible shadows, the perspective, light points and get everything together and more charming. In this phase too we reach the positioning of the Shell (that is the frame that surrounds the Playing Card). Despite the fact that all Illustrators and Colourists that work with us are very good, Andrea’s interventions are at times miraculous, because they are able to melt perfectly the Picture, the Backdrop and the Shell, thanks to an ‘overview’ that only someone that is well aware of the setting and of the world of Redemption The Third Era may have.
The Playing card with its Shell, that is different if pertains to a Hero Playing Card or a Character Playing Card, now gets into the hands of the Rules Creator (David) who will insert the Basic Features and Skills of the Playing Card.
At this point our ‘drawing’ has turned into a real Playing Card which is ready to face the testing phase that is used to establish if the inserted Skills have been fine tuned or need more adjustments.
