Hello!
I'm currently developing a narrative card battler with roguelike elements (working title Nine Lives), inspired by games like Slay the Spire, Inscryption and Cult of the Lamb. I’m looking for a 2D artist experienced or not, who would like to collaborate on this project as a hobby.
Style Goal:
2D semi-realistic (similar rendering level to Slay the Spire — painterly, stylized realism)
Mood & Palette:
Deep blacks, dark purples, ethereal blues, yellow-orange highlights (cat eyes / ritual glow)
Visual Identity:
Gothic-surreal atmosphere with subtle comedic undertones
Living shadows, soft glow effects, slightly distorted forms
I’m searching for an artist interested in helping with:
Backgrounds: Ritual arenas, Surreal environments, Character-specific boss spaces
Card Illustrations: Attacks, skills, special abilities, Stylized semi-realistic compositions, Clear silhouette and readability
Character Art: Full character illustrations
Character Sprites: Spritesheets (idle, attack, hit, possibly small animations), 2D frame-based animation
UI & Icons: Item icons, effects during battle
About AI Usage (Transparency)
So far, I’ve used AI-generated images as placeholders to prototype visuals and test the atmosphere. However, my goal is to replace those with original artwork made by a real artist whenever possible. I genuinely want the project to have a cohesive, handcrafted identity.
Compensation
This is currently an unpaid hobby collaboration. The game is planned to release for free on itch.io. If that changes in the future (for example, a paid version or expanded edition), I am open to discussing revenue sharing.
You will:
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Receive full credit
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Be featured clearly on the project page
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Have material for your portfolio
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Be part of the creative discussions
Although this game is being developed as a hobby and there’s no fixed deadline, I am serious about finishing it and not just “collecting ideas”.
Current Project Status
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Core combat system: being implemented
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Character mechanics: Defined
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Loop structure: Defined
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Narrative concept: Written
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Art: Placeholder stage
This is not just a concept — development is already underway (about 70% of the way there I think).
Contact
If you're interested, please send:
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Portfolio link or examples of similar style work (if you have any)
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Your availability
You can:
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Reply here
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Send me a DM
If you love surreal horror, ritual aesthetics, cats (for all you fellow cat lovers), and narrative-driven deckbuilders, this might be a fun collaboration, let’s build something strange together.