Today we’d like to introduce you to Melainey Logue.
Hi Melainey, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I have always, and I mean always, loved art. My dad still has crayon drawings from when I was a toddler on his office door. Stick figures with the rayed sun in the top corner and everything.
I loved being creative, and immersing myself in world that are beyond our own (I mean fiction). It captivates me to this day. And this creativity was fostered alongside my twin sister, Kaitlyn, who is an incredible writer and artist in her own right. We would talk for hours when we were young, and still do to this day. We share ideas for your story beats and characters, sketches of all manner of things, dialogue in our writing, and most recently cosplay strategies. I consult her, she consults me. It is rare to find someone you click with on a deep level like that. Now add she’s my sister on top of it? Amazing. She’s a huge motivator for me to this day and I am so fortunate to have her. So Kaitlyn, if you’re reading this, I love you and you better get that book done I’ve been waiting a decade!
So, back to how I got to where I am. For the longest time, I considered art my hobby and my primary interest marine biology. I was fascinated with the ocean depths and the rich variety of creatures within. All of this was motivated by my curiosity and passion for learning. All the way through school, I planned to train in veterinary practice, and then specialize in aquatic life. I loved veterinary shows on the Discovery Channel. Those vets and handlers were amazing (and still are) to me, so much so I wanted to be a vet on one of those programs. That was until freshman year hit, and I was suddenly in an art space that fostered a fire I didn’t quite see yet. My high school teachers truly are the reason I’m doing what I’m doing today.
Back then, I was drawing and painting fantasy characters, which several of those characters still exist within the greater narrative I am writing to this day. (If I am anything, I am consistent). I got really into it, and I didn’t realize it was because these characters and story were an escape for me until later. Anyways, one day I started telling my teacher, Elodie Cotton, about this one character with time powers. I will never forget the moment she looked at me and asked “have you thought about going to an art college?” Ding. Lightbulb on. An eternal, mythical power source was its supply. It has never turn off since. I knew at that moment, in my gut, I had to do this. There was no other choice.
So, after talking with my parents, who both expected this but were also surprised by it (again, veterinary marine biology was what I was talking about for years). My mom was supportive from the get-go. My dad hesitated for a bit, but that quickly vanished as he saw how serious I was about this. Ever since, my parents have supported and allowed me to develop this creativity within me. I am so fortunate to have them. Same thing with my grandparents, friends, and extended family. Thank you all.
Well, after the trajectory of my life was decided at the very stable age of 15, I haven’t looked back. I went full throttle. I indulged in as many things as I could, always hungering to understand more. This is also when The Shanyth Saga, my high fantasy/sci-fi narrative began to take real shape. The story really kicked off in part to my own loneliness and desire for connection, and I used it- still do- as an escape from the hectic moments in life (I get into this a bit more in the other sections).
As for the media for The Shanyth Saga? For a while, I was thinking of developing it into a comic, then into animated series, and now, finally into a video game. How did I land on the game idea? Well, it’s because of a certain game called Baldur’s Gate 3, developed by Larian Studios in partnership with Wizards of the Coast. My fellow nerds know exactly what I mean. But to quickly elaborate: Wizards of the Coast is the parent company of Dungeons & Dragons, which I have been playing for several years now. And Larian Studios who, up until Baldur’s Gate 3, most notably developed the Divinity Games among others.
I remember wanting to play games for a long time growing up, but we never really had access to them nor could we afford the consoles that were needed at the time. So I did the next best thing any kid could do- which was watch a lot of YouTube playthroughs. Eventually, several years passed and video games moved into the back of my mind as I pursued other interests (I used to be the Thespian, too). Then I saw the trailer for Baldur’s Gate 3, and the itch that wasn’t scratched came back. I decided to bite the very expensive bullet and build my first PC to handle the game, and to also handle artistic software. Because news flash: I am a nerd. When the PC was finally functional, I immediately bought and download the game. And oh my. I have never been so immersed in such a rich, incredible story and world. I clocked over a hundred hours in the game in under a month. It’s insane I know.
As to why this was so impactful on me- it is one thing to watch a story unfold, movies, books, TV shows are entertaining for a reason. But to actively be apart of one? To influence the very world you are in? To have impact on the characters around you for better or worse? It truly changed my perception of storytelling. Actions having weight and consequence, incredible payoffs and heart-wrenching moments felt so rewarding- it sealed the deal for me. This deal was practically sealed in a blood pact when I reached the end Act 2 of Baldur’s Gate 3, when the trio of villains were revealed in a surprising yet perfectly logical twist. Gobsmacked. It was truly one of those moments where I had to pause, take a lap, and come back to finish the scene. I have since started playing more role-playing games (RPGs) like the Dragon Age Series and Elder Scrolls. I am so enraptured by RPGs because I have found a renewed passion for storytelling through them, as well as a definitive pursuit for my own career.
And well, after a series of coincidences, here I am. A passionate, albeit slightly mad creator, actively pursuing visual development for games in both the 2D and 3D spaces with the hope of making her own.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There have been many challenges. Like so many of us, I am not immune to mental health struggles and loss.
I went through a pretty difficult time when I was young, about 7. My grandpa passed away from cancer. My family broke the news right after a joyful pool day with my sister. My grandpa and I were very close. I had to process grief at a really vulnerable age, when everything is just starting to make sense. Trying to understand “this person isn’t coming back,” is tough. It’s still difficult to this day for me, and honestly for every person. I think this moment happening contributed to who I am today. I try my best, like all of us, everyday to get through it and tell myself it will get better. And it does, but it is a challenging road to walk. Never take friendship and your loved ones for granted, you never know what could happen. Appreciate what you have.
As for the most difficult moment- I went through a very terrible state of depression for basically the last two years I was in high school. Toxic friendships. The kind of friendships you only realize are damaging your health only after you have broken it off. I also was assaulted, and didn’t realize how bad it was until a while later. I felt isolated and worthless for a long time, to the point of suicidal thoughts and tendencies. When I went into college expecting a fresh start, I felt more alone, as the genuine friends who stuck around for me (you know who you are and I love you all dearly), they were so far away. I couldn’t be with them.
I’ll leave that as that. I was in the worst state, mentally and physically, in my life. I’m not sure when it happened or why. But, one day I woke up and just decided to breathe. I’m not sure how to elaborate on that. I just decided to start healing, slowly but surely. And it began with me admitting to myself I am hurting, and that’s okay. It has been a long process but a good one. Of course, it all comes back in waves, on occasion. The doubt and fear, the trauma that seeps in. But I am fortunate enough to have found a small network of incredibly gracious, talented, and supportive people who I know have my back. Ride or die. And I have theirs.
As for career blocks? I have had a few. One of them being I’m the first of my family to pursue art as a full time career. It has been challenging building up a network of mentors and colleagues I turn to, as that creative network has never really existed within my family’s connections thus far. But, that’s a roadblock you just have to push through. And I am. It starts with confidence and a polite, keyword polite, eagerness to foster connections with creative professionals. You respect their time, and in return, they will respect yours.
Also, the state of the game industry is not ideal at the moment. Companies aren’t hiring. And if they are, it’s just because they laid off a large percentage of their senior employees for reasons that are rarely shared. So I think, for the future, a lot of my apprehension comes from it being such a turbulent, competitive field. But I take solace in the fact that I’m not alone in this feeling, and all we can do is keep uplifting one another along the way.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am an illustrator and writer who has recently broken into the 3D development space for games! My primary focus lies in character conceptualization, visual development, and narrative storytelling. Which, lucky for me, all intersect quite nicely! Honestly, anything that can get my creative brain moving, I find joy in.
Like many creatives, I pull inspiration from almost everything. My photo album is abysmal. It’s a lot of “oh this is cool, let me save it and use it later.” And then I accidentally double save an image from a year ago I don’t remember I did so. Regardless, I take these inspirations and combine them into something new. I’m not really sure how to describe the process. It’s basically intuition and instinct. One of the highest compliments as a concept artist you can get is when people just get what you’re going for. And that is possible with clear and compelling design- a never ending pursuit.
Characters are one of if not my favorite things to develop. The amount of storytelling that can be packed into a single design without words leaves me in awe to this day. For a grossly simplified scenario, picture two exactly the same looking people in armor. One person has a set that is shiny with elaborate embossing, an ornate jeweled rapier at their side, and pristine belts and buckles. Now picture the other person with that same armor. But this time, with scratches, welding, rust, dirt, and fraying material. Completely different story. Everytime I design a character or creature, that is what I think about. What is the story behind this person? What environment do they inhabit? What questions pop into your head upon seeing them? I actively think about this through all stages of design- from sketch to render.
I love shape language (said every artist ever), and am still pushing that to its limit. I have loved surrealism for a long time, and have gingerly hooked my talons into it. Recently, I sketched a character with a split body with architectural motifs, who acts as the personification of a black hole. Yep. Not sure where that came from (I’ll tell you- it came from years of lore development that finally clicked).
Down another creative rabbit hole, I am also a cosplayer (for my non-nerds, it means I spend a lot of time and money to make costumes of characters from fiction I love). I have also started dabbling in photography for other cosplayers in my community. Speaking of trying anything, I am actually starting to learn how to leatherwork and make metal armor from scratch for my next big project.
As for my work in depth, which is intimately a part of why I do what I do, let me tell you a bit about “my special madness” or “my little sparkle.”
I have been developing my own high-fantasy/sci-fi narrative consistently (referring to the same concept) for seven years, and the world itself for a decade. My dream is to develop this into a game. This narrative is designed with an open world in mind (meaning it is freely explorable by the player), and is story-based with three major acts with the potential for a fourth act expansion. The story itself is called “The Shanyth Saga.” Shanyth (sh-an-ith) translates to “The Gods Saga” in the language I’m loosely developing. It begins with the main character, the crowned prince of an empire, having to choose between loyalty and truth in a war between nations. Quick way to get a vibe, right?
To get a feel for the concept- and to not yap about it for thousands of words (I could, don’t tempt me)- here’s a quick rundown of the setting, what makes a compelling character, and how both of these are developed with connecting people in mind.
The overarching story has consistent fantasy themes. The location the first act takes place in falls under the regressive sci-fi genre; meaning there was an advanced society which existed before the current one. The narrative then slowly worms its way into a delightful love child between the two genres. It’s such an underutilized mesh of two thematic settings I adore, so naturally I clung onto this for dear life like that one leaf on your windshield. On the highway. In the rain.
I draw inspiration from several different cultures and dedicate appropriate geographical locations to where these societies would develop. For instance, I had an assignment for one of my visual development classes with a quick turnaround utilizing a landscape temple. I spent three full days of the week and a half deadline researching Yakushima, an island in the Kagoshima Prefecture in Japan. I saved around 200 images- including architecture, geology, flora, climate, and article clippings- and compiled them onto a massive moodboard which I constantly referenced. I also take into account how each society’s worship influences their culture and speech. I am still quite proud of this piece, but I admit after a whole year since finishing it, it needs a few polishes which I’m ecstatic to work on when I get the time.
And I have slowly been doing this with all the geographical locations in my world, and have started going more in depth with specific locations with significant narrative weight. Open worlds in games are tough. Really tough. The player can go anywhere. So there can’t be any holes in the worldbuilding. The whole thing has to feel unified, but also have enough individuality which draws the player in and pushes their curiosity to explore. I take a great deal of care when doing this for two reasons: one, to create a compelling, fleshed out world. And two, to faithfully and accurately depict the incredible scale and diversity of our own world. The goal in worldbuilding is to make a world that feels real, and allow a safe space for people to escape into. But a world with magic. And elves. And people wearing capes. I am still disappointed that capes have gone out of fashion.
Now, onto character. As you have likely picked up by now, the story is about gods. Why gods? You may ask. Well, I have an answer for you.
To get the obvious out of the way, my fellow nerds will confirm this: powerful characters are cool. But if you take those powerful characters and constrict them to a specific doctrine, then a wonderful door of unique skill sets and compelling storytelling emerges. Including gameplay.
But notice how I said cool, not compelling. What takes a cool character and makes them a compelling one? Their flaws. For instance, think of Greek and Roman mythos. It is so captivating to so many people to this day because you have these seemingly invulnerable beings showing humanity. Vulnerabilities are laid bare, and no one can escape from them. And I don’t think this is a bad thing. It is a part of what makes us who we are. It allows us all to connect with one another on a much deeper level; the world would be so lifeless if we were all flawless.
To wrap up all of this, the core cast of characters in the world are gods to show people that perfection is an illusion, and even the strongest among us have weaknesses. Building connections is a difficult process, but one that is necessary to keep us all sane, I think. These “shortcomings” can be prevailed over with, as cheesy as it is, love. Love truly conquers all, whether it be familial, friendly, or romantic. When I have shown this work to my friends, family, and colleagues, the reception has been something I’m honestly still processing. And I think it has been well received so far because of what I have elaborated on. Humans are social creatures, so connection is key.
This entire narrative is all I think about. Every chance I get, I will draw about it. I make sloppy sketches, hasty notes, and terribly hideous diagrams to remember a passing thought on anything I can find. My latest victim is a napkin which I drew a logo on. This is what I refer to as “my special madness” and “my little sparkle” when talked about. I’m kind of insane when it comes to this concept. And I love this about me. I wouldn’t change it for the world.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Well first off, you don’t need all the fancy equipment. For anyone just starting art: pencil and paper. Practice from life. Watch YouTube tutorials. Stalk ArtStation and Pinterest and just practice. Practice, practice, practice. I find it easier to start observing shapes rather than form starting out. Especially negative space- negative space and silhouette are vital.
For artists expanding into the digital space: invest in an iPad and an Apple Pencil. If you can’t get the pencil yet, literally use your finger. That’s how I started. I have had my iPad and the program Procreate (one time payment, amazing company that genuinely cares for their consumers) for years and still use it to this day for almost all of my work. It’s fantastic. It will carry you for a long, long time. Amazing for sketch work, too.
Now, for advice for creatives in general. (A little blurb for students as well towards the end. But students- read this too).
My biggest piece of advice, and this is something I am still practicing myself, is patience. Patience for yourself and others.
The first part is yourself. I have noticed with my colleagues and fellow creatives, we often feel every time we take two steps forward, we take another three back. It’s like running a marathon but someone keeps moving the finish line. It’s exhausting, mentally and physically. That exhaustion somehow forces us to think of getting through the process quickly in order to produce something. During that rush, we tend to lose sight of why so many of us started to do this in the first place: the love of the craft. When I am illustrating, writing, and doing whatever creative thing fancies me at the time, I find the most joy in the nuances to get to the final piece rather than the actual finished thing itself. So, when I refer to “have patience with yourself,” I mean with the process. With your process. Take it a step at a time. It will be worth it.
Kind of building off of this idea, a part one and a half, if you will: comparison is the thief of joy. Everyone is in different parts of their life and skill-level. You have no idea how long someone has been pursuing this, or maybe how short. We just see something we admire and can’t help but compare it to ourselves. If you are going to compare, instead of saying “my piece is awful,” try saying “I can’t wait to get to that level.” Aspire to be rather than criticize.
The second part I mentioned is being patient with others. For this, I am referring to mentors and other creatives in your sphere. It is very common to go and seek advice about what you are working on in order to receive feedback for improvement. This is met with critique, which has to stop being viewed as something negative.
As creatives, we have a small ego. We want our work to be seen and appreciated by others, and we want to see and appreciate others in return. It’s what drives us. And when we get critique, I have noticed more and more people are starting to think of it as an insult to them personally rather than constructive advice. This is (save for a very select few jerks who are a nasty exception) not true in the slightest. More often than not, critique comes out of a place of goodwill and a genuine desire to help you improve. It is not to bash you for something you did or did not do. We all want to help one another and continue to lift up the space in a constructive, supportive way. Remember, the reason we all do what we do is because we harbor such a passion for it. So, take your feedback with grace and a humble heart.
My advice to students: please prioritize your health. If you start to feel sick, skip the class. Rest. Sleep. Eat something that isn’t ramen. Take Vitamin C. You will feel so much better and you will be more productive because of this I promise you.
So, to close off my ideas above, get ready for something incredibly nerdy. So brace yourselves. It is a quote I live by, and the whole monologue absolutely wrecked me to tears when I watched it in this show.
This line is from the Netflix show Arcane, Season 2, Episode 9: “There is no prize to perfection, only an end to pursuit.”
Perfection does not exist, but the pursuit, purpose, and passion does. Don’t ever lose it.
P.S. to my fellow illustrators: flatten your illustration- obviously preserve the original, gaussian blur to about 3%, set the layer to overlay, and lower the opacity by quite a bit. It adds a little oomph to your piece and kind of finishes it for you 😉
Pricing:
- Character Line Only: bust up: $30, half body: $40, full body: $60
- Character Simple Render: bust up: $50, half body: $75, full body: $100
- Character Full Render: bust up: $80, half body: $150, full body: $200
- “Cosplayer/Creator” Package: Full Render Front/Back, 3 expressions with simple rendering, and a prop or companion. $500-$800 depending on complexity of design.
- For additional requests, questions, and inquiries, please contact me on any platform!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.artstation.com/melaineylogue/albums/14096041
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littlelotus.art/?hl=en
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melainey-logue/
- Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/littlelotusart
- Other: https://linktr.ee/littlelotus.art
