Archive: Sketchbook
Tiny Birds In Hats, Robots & Fridgecars: The Artwork Of Fish McGill
You asked for it, and we deliver. 'Zine readers wanted to know more about the eclectic art stylings featured on 52 Weeks article series, so we present an interview with Fish McGill, the Harmonix web team member and artist behind the quirky drawings. Read full post »
Filed under: Sketchbook / Tags: fish-mcgill, website-art / 3 comments
Atlanta, Kitchen Appliances & Limbs: A Conversation With Peaches
We sat down with Peaches to discuss inspirations for the doohickeys with interchangeable limbs and attitudes. Read full post »
Filed under: Sketchbook / Tags: peaches, tattoos, rock-band-art / 2 comments
Raqmo: A Gift & A Curse
During the short period of time between Rock Band & Rock Band 2 the art team worked creating promotional art collaborating with each other and mixing up the different styles found in Rock Band. Read full post »
Filed under: Sketchbook / Tags: reiko-murakami, rock-band-art, publicity-artwork / 5 comments
Been There, Made That: Rock Band Venues
We’ve covered the last venue in Rock Band 2 – the gorgeous Shanghai Arena – but before players reach the final stage they have to play a lot of smaller spots. Read full post »
Filed under: Sketchbook / Tags: matt-moore, rock-band-art, venues, steven-kimura, peter-macdonald / 16 comments
Rock Band Microphones Designed By Reiko Murakami
As any Rock Band singer knows, picking your microphone is crucial. It helps define your character. Read full post »
Filed under: Sketchbook / Tags: reiko-murakami, rock-band-art, instruments / 10 comments
Dee Art Process
Mr. John Dee has developed an unlikely, inspired approach to creating art for Rock Band. Read full post »
Filed under: Sketchbook / Tags: john-dee, rock-band-art / 2 comments
Rock Band 2 Art By John Dee
HMX artist John Dee created iconic artwork for Rock Band and painted a one-of-a-kind guitar case for the Child’s Play charity auction. Read full post »
Filed under: Sketchbook / Tags: john-dee, rock-band-art / 20 comments
Rock Band Art By John Dee
HMX artist John Dee created some of the most memorable art in Rock Band. We talked with him about his goals for the artwork, his inspirations for his creations, and his methods of creating such detailed work so quickly. Read full post »
Filed under: Sketchbook / Tags: john-dee, rock-band-art / 3 comments
Exclusive John Dee Guitar Case Artwork Auctioned For Charity
A perfect storm occurred at Harmonix last week when a dirty microwave somewhat randomly signed by the company crossed paths with a high end guitar case en route to Seattle for Penny Arcade’s annual fund raiser for Child’s Play Charity. Read full post »
Filed under: Sketchbook / Tags: john-dee, charity / 7 comments
The People's Artist
A hallmark of Rock Band is the visual authenticity for users playing at home (you’re on your own for accurate rock n’ roll smells). Read full post »
Filed under: Sketchbook / Tags: eliot-min, rock-band-art, publicity-artwork, abnormality / 13 comments
Making Publicity Artwork
Rock Band owes its distinctive look to the cadre of talented artists who define not only the clothing, instruments, venues and shell of the game itself but also the artwork that represents the game in newspapers and magazines, on T-shirts and hats, and in many other contexts that are difficult for us to keep track of (although we’re pretty sure there hasn’t yet been an officially sanctioned Rock Band chip clip). Read full post »
Filed under: Sketchbook / Tags: rock-band-art, eliot-min, publicity-artwork / 34 comments
Making Prison Tattoos: Concept Art By Kurt Davis
Kurt Davis was among a handful of punk rockers who propped up the Indiana punk scene in the early Eighties. He befriended the influential Midwest hardcore/punk outfit Zero Boys and in 1982 they chose one of his drawings for the cover of their debut album, Vicious Circle. Although he never made a cent from it, the album was hugely popular in its day and the original vinyl now commands a hefty bid on eBay. “Most people don’t know about this part of my life,” Davis says in the lobby of Harmonix’s Central Square headquarters in Cambridge Read full post »
Filed under: Sketchbook / Tags: rock-band-art, kurt-davis, the-konks, dare-matheson, tattoos / 12 comments
Making Shanghai Arena - Concept Art By David Boghdan And Peter Macdonald
“One thing we really wanted to focus on in Rock Band 2 was the finale,” Venue Artist David Boghdan says as he looks over the many concepts and sketches that went into the creation of Shanghai Arena, the last venue in the game. “We wanted to give people a real sense of accomplishment, and so we decided to structure it around the venue itself. We wanted it to feel…huger than the other venues.” Read full post »
Filed under: Sketchbook / Tags: david-boghdan, peter-macdonald, rock-band-art, david-battilana, venues / 20 comments
The Cthulhu Guitar - Concept Art By Mallika Sundaramurthy
In addition to the many true-to-life instruments available in Rock Band 2 from legendary brands such as Fender, Gretsch, Sennheiser and Zildjian, there are a handful of guitars, drum kits, and mics that you’re not likely to see on any store shelves, unless you are reading this in the distant future when everything can be made instantly from corn. These bizarre and magnificent instruments, created by Harmonix artists, are the rarest and most expensive items in the game. Read full post »
Filed under: Sketchbook / Tags: mallika-sundaramurthy, rock-band-art, instruments / 10 comments
Making The Nudie Suit - Concept Art By Shawn Witt
Of all the fashion genres covered in Rock Band, the hardest to pin down is also the most obvious: Rock. “It’s not a really clearly defined genre,” says artist Shawn Witt, who was in charge of creating the Ultimate Male Rock Outfit for Rock Band 2. Read full post »
Filed under: Sketchbook / Tags: shawn-witt, rock-band-art, jimmy-buffett, outfits / 14 comments
Beast Of Burden: Concept Art By Steven Kimura
When a player wins the Impossible Vocal Challenge in Rock Band 2, a special outfit - known as the Beast of Burden - is unlocked. Harmonix Artist Steven Kimura wanted this garment to represent what many consider to be the deepest, purest strain in the genre: Norwegian Black Metal. Read full post »
Filed under: Sketchbook / Tags: stephen-kimura, eliot-min, rock-band-art, outfits / 41 comments
Categories
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The official word on what’s coming next - Rock School (4 posts)
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Our crash course in getting famous, or having fun trying - Behind the Scenes (131 posts)
Developer blogs and other inside stuff - Interviews (38 posts)
We talk to the rockers what make Rock Band rock - Podcasts (3 posts)
Interviews with awesome people. DLC Roundtables. Employee profiles. Events and surprises! - Rock Band on the Road (44 posts)
HD videos and exclusive stories from the Rock Band Community Team - Sketchbook (16 posts)
The artwork that shaped the game - Tales of Extreme Fandom (3 posts)
Stories of ultimate Rock Band fans -
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