I must admit, producing artwork for a board game is the most fascinating and, at the same time, the most risky activity I have to undertake. Why? Two reasons mainly: the end result is totally subjective and… it is expensive!
Good illustrations are expensive, especially if you approach the best artists in the industry. It could make sense to go for the best if you are working on a game with a 10,000 copies potential print run because the cost per copy is sufficiently diluted, however, for small publishers like ourselves, the budget is limited and we must remain extra-careful how we spend it. A game with many cards, each with different art like Race! Formula 90 is truly expensive; this is something that must be taken into account from the very beginning to avoid budget pressure later.
Also, you must have a good idea of what you are trying to achieve. Artists will come up with a concept based on your feedback. They are not going to play your game, so you must convey the theme, the setting of the game and indicate the style you are looking for.
For Aqua Mirabilis, I wanted the artist to get inspiration from the initial scene of the “Rock me Amadeus” music clip when Falco arrives by carriage to the palace surrounded by an adulating crowd. In the game you play the role of a successful perfumer at the French royal court in the 17th century. These people were rock starts at the time and, for me, that scene was the ideal representation of what players are trying to achieve in the game.
When discussing with our chosen illustrator, it quickly became clear that the pose and traits of the main character would have been very difficult to render the way I wanted. He made many attempts trying to come up with that arrogant but charming expression. Move the bar below to see how two mock-ups compare.
The resulting cover for the box is shown below (at the end we decided to skip the flowers). How do you like it?
