In 2023, Niel and Stef founded Volcaban Studio after completing their Master's degree in Audiovisual Arts, specialising in Game Design. The principles of game design learnt during our studies form a common thread through all our creative work.
We create everything from rough charcoal sketches and expressive ink illustrations to more detailed oil and acrylic paintings and watercolour stills. We opt for traditional techniques when the project requires a unique artisan vibe that only traditional work can provide.
- Charcoal - Ink - Oil paint - Acrylic paint - Aquarel
Wood, stone and clay are the basis of our physical sculpting. We embrace the natural qualities of these materials as creative limitations. These limitations force us to make unique choices, resulting in tangible objects with characteristics that are fundamentally different from digital sculptures.
- Wood - Stone - Clay - Sculpting
In the digital space, anything is possible. We embrace this freedom to create images using photographs, fantastic concept art and sleek technical illustrations. In addition, we create animations using pixel art or VFX software.
- Photoshop - Illustrator - Indesign - After Effects - Premiere
We have mastered sculpting, UV mapping, painting and rigging in order to create detailed 3D props and low-poly game assets. These techniques form the basis of detailed animations, which we can further enhance with dynamic VFX.
- Blender - Unity - Unreal Engine - After Effects
For us, design isn't just about the visuals. We use our expertise in game design, programming and player psychology to forge a connection between our work and our audience. This applies not just to games, but to all our creations. We design experiences that encourage viewers to think more deeply.
- Unity - Unreal Engine - Godot - Java - HTML - C#
Volcaban Studio began as a small passion project of Niel's. He created online artwork under the alias "Volcaban", a fantasy character he had designed when he was younger. During his studies, he and Stef started fantasising about creating their own creative/game studio where they could turn their creative passion into products that would not only look nice, but also have a deeper story behind them.
