This was one of my favorite projects because it really pushed my creativity. I was tasked with creating a themed character with a full backstory. Zak Elo was born into a cyberpunk underworld after his father, an undercover agent investigating the mafia, was murdered for uncovering too much. The mafia later killed his mother and raised Zak as their protégé, shaping him into the most feared assassin in the city. Eventually, he turns on them and overthrows the very organization that created him. I’ve always been drawn to cyberpunk and 1920s noir detective themes, so I combined the two to create a tragic yet ironic character. The most challenging part of the project was sourcing the right imagery to build him visually. Below are some early concept sketches.