In The Realm, the age of technology (our current time) has come to an end, through an event that changed the world. Discover more about the cherished original IP which became a key part of Atomhawk’s own story.
The Realm
Client
Atomhawk
Service lines
Concept Art
Platforms
N/A
Release Date
N/A
The World
The Realm is set in the far distant future, when the world has been reclaimed by nature. Once proud cities now lay abandoned – overgrown with strange plants and twisted vines. Magic and mysticism have returned to earth and there are strange creatures lurking in the forests.
The Village
The team working on The Realm wanted to make sure that the return to tribal life didn’t also mean that all knowledge of technological times was lost. The village architecture is an evolution of modern building techniques, but using ancient materials.
The Characters
The challenge in designing Serena was making her appear the right age and matching her physical proportions with her facial characteristics. Initial sketches made her seem too tall and older, while later, more detailed sketches made Serena feel a touch too young to be believable.
The design for Toru combines the rocks and plants of the Realm’s landscape, contrasting his big, hulking appearance with his friendly and curious nature.
The Threat
The art team behind The Realm initially envisaged the threat as evil sprites, but in the end deemed their early explorations too stereotypical.
After a few iterations they settled on the form of tall, scary giants without faces who look for humans in the night using their spotlight eyes, which is where the name lamp-heads came from.
Other Worlds: The Art of Atomhawk
In 2019, we had the opportunity to work with the Great North Museum: Hancock on a temporary exhibition. Visitors were encouraged to inspire the artist within them by taking a journey through Atomhawk’s process, from finding the spark of an idea, all the way to a finished artwork. We revisted The Realm for the first time in six years to create a brand new artwork as the key art for the exhibition. It is now displayed as a mural at INNSiDE Newcastle.
