Aggressor Art - Gorssk Conceptualization
It's interesting to observe the variation in styles between artists. The unique spin on characters and their environments give a certain voice to each piece that is both diverse and extremely inspiring.
While many games shoehorn their players into specific models and imagery, one of the more exciting features of Aggressor is the freedom to choose what your faction will look like. Yes, we define the basics of the race but ultimately the players get to build new models, refurbish existing ones and craft a custom army to fit their desired aesthetic.
In the future, Critical Snail will likely release "official" models for players to utilize if they wish. However we want to stress that these will be considered "Signature Series" type releases where the models will convey the vision of a single artist and will not carry the requirement that they be solely used to play Aggressor. Instead, the models are just one representation within an infinite number of possibilities.
With that in mind, I thought today's post might be the perfect place to take a look at how I've approached the design one of my favorite factions, The Gorssk
When I first came on board I was pitched an overview of the universe and given insight into the motivations of our myriad factions. When the discussion regarding the looks of each army was broached, I immediately gravitated toward The Gorssk.
The Gorssk were originally brought into concept form by a good friend of the CS team, Mike Fish. Fish, an avid minis sculptor, had created prototypes of the army many years ago:
It was these prototypes that I created my first concept around. I really liked the idea of a shoulder mounted weapon. Hey, if it's good enough for the Predator, it's good enough for some reptilian badasses, right? My first pass at the race was more of a translation than a reimagining:
It would be over a year before I was able to revisit the art for the Gorssk. During that time my workflow had changed and I had picked up a new Wacom tablet. After a few discussions with the crew and some various notes, I took the art in a different direction. This time I went with more of an amphibious vibe and continued to play with how the arm of the mounted weapon might appear. I also upped the "gross" factor by adding more folded skin, wart-like bumps and an overall slimey feel.
It was at this point that I really felt like the visual was coming together for me. I kept some of what made the character interesting from Fish's work but still gave it my own unique spin. Again, this is the best part of Aggressor for me... the ability to change the characters to fit a visual theme that I like and enjoy... not one I'm forcefed.
Since then, I've done a few more design roughs to flesh out the various units but I still have much to refine:
And that's it for this edition of Aggressor Art. I look forward to seeing what you do with our universe. Please share it in our forum, on social media, wherever you'd like, I want to see it!
Back to the drawing board,
-Josh
Josh Shelby is the Art Director and a founding member of the Critical Snail team. When he's not pouring his waking moments into the games, you might find him posting random musings on Instagram or Twitter.