Drawing for Games That Do Not Shout
Jane Stephens discusses Pembroke Games, restrained animation and why praise from a squirrel should be used sparingly.
What attracted you to Pembroke Games?
The insistence that calmness was a functional requirement rather than decoration. The games should be understandable, generous and never cross with the person playing them.
How is drawing for a game different from drawing for print?
A printed animal has one opportunity to be itself. A game character must survive repetition, different sizes and movement. You have to decide what can change without the character becoming someone else.
Do the characters have personalities?
They have tendencies. The owl is precise, the squirrel is quicker to enthusiasm and the robin is curious. I avoid writing biographies for them before they have earned one.
Why such limited animation?
Because stillness is expressive. If everything moves, movement stops meaning anything. A rare blink can be more intimate than a continuous performance.
Will the animals speak?
Occasionally. They should say less than the average application and slightly more than the average blackbird.
Is there a larger story behind them?
There are always larger stories. Most are improved by not being confirmed.
Interview edited for length and clarity.
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