Kristen Maslanka's Fantastic Realities

In the post-apocalyptic world I'm designing for "Skip to my Loo" those that live within boundaries live in an anarchist society. Everything from antique stores and military surplus stores to expensive brand stores have been abandoned and thus are free for pillaging. During gameplay, this is an element that will distinguish what type of allegiances and priorities npc's, enemies, and more will have.  Those with the protection of larger groups are more likely to prefer image and fashion overdressing for survival etc. The player character gets to wear anything they find. Will you go for protection, or will you go for showmanship?

Some character/costume exploration for my post-apocalyptic story Skip to My Loo. Designing with the story in mind is one of the most rewarding aspects of my career. I like to set aside a chart of different aspects that make this character who they are to determine what they'd look like, how they'd dress, and of course how important they are to the narrative. (It also helps me to write down what aspects of their character will change so I know what aspects of their visuals may change.)  For Skippy, imagine if Snake Plissken from Escape LA met Michelle Rodriguez. She's a loner, she's aggressive- and because of that, even her anatomy is sharp! She's a scavenger, so her outfit has to be suited for her position and the environment as she travels. Marc, on the other hand, is a young boy who is a product of his upbringing. He's been raised most of his life by two fairly middle-class parents.  His character is a cross between Kevin from Home alone and Mar

It's 2017 and gritty sci fi is everywhere! From Syfy's 'The Expanse' to video games like The Division 2 and Destiny, people want dark realism. Generally, I design with color on the brain, so it should seem a little counter-intuitive to find me designing with muted palettes. That being said, I had a lot of fun designing these.

After attending business school Evan and his boyfriend invested their savings to purchase the Shipping and Mail center where they got their first big break as kids. But when the shop is broken into, Evan takes it upon himself to locate the thieves and bring them to justice. After his success, Evan dons the vigilante title "Packing Heat" and tapes up criminals to protect small businesses everywhere while his boyfriend works behind the scenes to locate them. Packing Heat leaves behind business cards of mom n pop shops as his M.O

I'm always excited when the Olympics come along. It's a great chance to watch people from all over the world defy odds, come together and make history. As an added bonus, it's great to study and draw from. Anyhow, I wanted to feature some of my favorite overwatch characters in different Olympic sports. It's been a lot of fun trying to study each of the costumes for the sports and each of the props they use. 

Recently, I purchased " The Whole Seed Catalog from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds 2018." Every page is filled with colorful and detailed photographs of fruits and vegetables galore. I decided to challenge myself and create a creature a day inspired by one photograph a page. I started a little timidly, with more loose sketches, then honed  into creating one creature each challenge. This has been an inspiring challege, and something I intend to continue and learn from. (( As an added bonus I'm learning more about Botanics!))