This piece depicts the workshop district of Nording Town, part of my world-building project. In this world, divine blessings descend from the stars, passing through the veil above and condensing into star sand, the region’s primary source of energy.
This magical resource shapes not only the local industry but also the culture and daily lives of its people. I wanted the architecture to reflect the relationship between technology and faith, while using the starry sky as the visual core of the scene.
Small props and workshop tools were added to enrich the world and make it feel lived in. Every element reflects the logic of the world (if you need to build your own art setup, see our guides to the best drawing tablets or the best laptops for drawing).
01. Define the core design
I began by establishing the story, architectural language and composition of Nording Town’s workshop district. Key motifs, such as glowing chimneys and starlight-infused smoke, were used to connect the workshops to the night sky.
02. Refine lighting and colour
I created a 3D base using Daz Studio for posing the main figure. I imported this into Blender to further build out the scene using assets from the Blender Kit library, setting up the lighting and adjusting the models using basic sculpting.
It’s a very useful process if you don’t want to repaint every adjustment from scratch.
03. Add atmosphere and world-building elements
For the final touches, I added atmospheric effects, star particles, textures and small props such as containers, tools and decorative lights to reinforce the setting and make the world feel alive.
This article originally appeared in ImagineFX. Subscribe to ImagineFX to never miss an issue. Print and digital subscriptions are available.
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