Two Dots Weekly Treasure Hunts: Art Direction

Art Direction & Game Art

Two Dots’ treasure hunts are weekly challenges featuring seven bonus levels and a uniquely illustrated map. From the feature’s first launch, I was responsible for art direction of each weekly map and helping to establish a style that matched the game’s minimal aesthetic. In addition to hiring talented freelance illustrators, I provided an art brief with a simple narrative and moodboard to inform the concept of each illustration. Maps were based around specific themes like game mechanics, holidays and places both real and imagined. By beating all seven levels, players were rewarded with a unique medallion and the full color version of the illustration. The final artwork required a color palette that fit the game’s existing aesthetic and also worked well with a sepia filter.

From left to right: “Port Precarious” (inspired by pirate treasure maps); “Canal City” (inspired by Venice); “Rainbow Village” (inspired by Montgomery bus boycott, in honor of Martin Luther King Day). Illustrator: Matt Stevens

“Canal City” as it would appear in-game, with sepia filter and shareable screen.

From left to right: “Galley Graveyard” (inspired by underwater shipwrecks); “Robot Factory” (a robot factory assembly line); “Children’s Village” (inspired by Japan’s Children’s Day). Illustrator: Joey Ellis

The “Galley Graveyard” as it would appear in-game, with sepia filter and shareable screen.