Art Post: Robot Brain

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Welcome to the future, the human brain isn't fast enough for you, then get yourself an upgrade. When Nick asked me to do more headshots for the game, I wasn't sure how to diversify them. Most of the power cards show active powers, for this I decided to go a little less active. This bridges the equipment idea with the power card. The hero is no longer human, they have been upgraded with a computer for a brain.

About the card. Why defense instead of attack or even movement? That is a great question, glad you asked. This art allowed for a bit of ambiguity in the interpretation. Being mechanical in the science fiction world gives us all the skills, strength, agility, and resistance. But, I wanted to go with the lesser of the three. We know robots are strong, just ask Schwarzenegger. We know they are fast, IRobot comes to mind. But what about them can be the scariest ability? Calculation. I think what made the Borg on Star Trek so dangerous was their ability to adapt, to assimilate the data they received and then be able to counter with perfection all their opponents next moves. This inspired the idea for the card, if a person could instantaneously calculate their opponents next moves, then the opponent could never surprise them.

About the art. Again, I was asked to do more headshots for the game and that led me to consider the v variations I could play with. This one started out as just a drawing of a mans head. I considered the options of what to do with it. I left his face serious if not a little emotionless. That inspired my next move. Instead of just making him another person with powers coming out of something on him, I turned him into a computer. I split the drawing and then added computer components. He is supposed to be mostly robot; his skin is artificial with less definition than most, his eyes are two different colors, and his skull is detachable...obviously. The background was an easy choice, I wanted something to feel technical.

I hope you enjoy the card and the idea behind it.