Game Maker Sketchbook 2026 celebrates the unsung heroes of game art

Game art.

The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS), iam8bit and fortyseven communications have revealed the selections for the 2026 Game Maker’s Sketchbook. The fifth annual showcase puts the spotlight on the often invisible artists working behind the scenes on video games, celebrating the vast breadth of their contributions.

From evocative concept paintings and richly imagined environments to iconic character designs and striking storyboards, this year's selection includes work from artists at Capcom, Double Fine Productions/Xbox Game Studios, Gearbox Software/2K Games, Out of Space, O. & Co. Games, DotEmu, Guard Crush Games, Supamonks, Bellring Games/Skystone Games, ustwo games, We Are Muesli, Speculative Agency, Soft Rains, Zapdot and Warhorse Studios/Deep Silver.

The selections are spread over the categories of Character Art, Curiosities, Environment Art, Iconography, Impact and Storyboard. They'll be exhibited during Summer Game Fest: Play Days in Los Angeles from 6 to 8 June, and high-quality prints can be preordered through the iam8bit store until 25 June. Purchases support nonprofit initiatives led by the Day of the Devs and AIAS Foundation.

Here are the selections in full.

Character Art

Corvus, Ballgame

(Image credit: Human Computer)

• Artist(s) - Finn Sylwester, Milton Monroe, Juan Soler Huete, Alex Schleifer
• Developer - Human Computer
• Publisher - Human Computer

Enemy design, Mistfall Hunter

(Image credit: Bellring Games)

• Artist(s) - Dehong Yu, Jialei Wang
• Developer - Bellring Games
• Publisher - Skystone Games

Thresher Hat explorations, Borderlands 4

(Image credit: Gearbox Software)

• Artist(s) - Cameron Witt (Concept Artist)
• Developer - Gearbox Software
• Publisher - 2K Games

Curiosities

In-game "Moments" illustrations, In Their Shoes

(Image credit: We Are Muesli)

• Artist(s) - Claudia Molinari, Linda Francesca Amodeo, Nicolò Marchetti
• Developer - We Are Muesli
• Publisher - We Are Muesli

Death Rites of Gerald Parker, Ambrosia Sky: Act One

(Image credit: Soft Rains)

• Artist(s) - Adam Volker (Art Director and Illustrator), Vash Taylor (Illustrator)
• Developer - Soft Rains
• Publisher - Soft Rains

CIPHER ZERO OST album cover

(Image credit: Zapdot)

• Artist(s) - Annie E (Illustrator)
• Developer - Zapdot
• Publisher - Zapdot

Environment art

Skull Bridge, Keeper

(Image credit: Double Fine Productions)

Artist(s) - Lee Petty

Developer - Double Fine Productions

Publisher - Xbox Game Studios

A Day In The Life Of Muziris, All Will Rise

(Image credit: Speculative Agency)

• Artist(s) - Yuvraj Jha
• Developer - Speculative Agency
• Publisher - Speculative Agency

Absolum environment art

(Image credit: DotEmu)

• Artist(s) - Manu Tanon-Tchi
• Developer - DotEmu, Guard Crush Games, Supamonks
• Publisher - DotEmu

Iconography

To Be Played / Completed Pre-Scene Title Cards, In Their Shoes

(Image credit: We Are Muesli)

• Artist(s) - Claudia Molinari, Linda Francesca Amodeo
• Developer - We Are Muesli
• Publisher - We Are Muesli

Kuttenberg Map, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

(Image credit: Warhorse Studios)

• Artist(s) - Barbora Kotoul
• Developer - Warhorse Studios
• Publisher - Deep Silver

Chapter Select, Monument Valley 3

(Image credit: ustwo games)

• Artist(s) - Monument Valley 3 Development Team
• Developer - ustwo games
• Publisher - ustwo games

Impact

Emma x Slippers Key Art, In Their Shoes

(Image credit: We Are Muesli)

• Artist(s) - Claudia Molinari, Linda Francesca Amodeo
• Developer - We Are Muesli
• Publisher - We Are Muesli

Landship construction key art, Trailblazers: Into the March

(Image credit: Strangers)

• Artist(s) - Adrien Cantone
• Developer - Strangers
• Publisher - Joystick Ventures

Computational Exchange, Risk of Rain 2: Alloyed Collective

(Image credit: Gearbox Software)

• Artist(s) - Sean Cruz (Concept Artist), Murphy Michaels (Art Director), Claire Bian (Lead)
• Developer - Gearbox Software
• Publisher - 2K Games

Storyboard

Rock and Roll intro storyboards, Borderlands 4

(Image credit: Gearbox Software)

Artist(s) - Erik Doescher (Storyboard Artist)

Developer - Gearbox Software

Publisher - 2K Games

Launch trailer storyboards, TetherGeist

(Image credit: Out of Space, O. & Co. Games)

• Artist(s) - Noah Allen
• Developer - Out of Space, O. & Co. Games
• Publisher - Out of Space, O. & Co. Games

First Contact Storyboard, PRAGMATA

(Image credit: Capcom )

• Artist(s) - Capcom PRAGMATA Team
• Developer - Capcom Co., Ltd.
• Publisher - Capcom Co., Ltd.

For more details, see the Game Maker Sketchbook website.

Inspired? See our guides to the best game art tools and the best laptops for game development.

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