Sparth: Closer Look

Above: 3 concept designs by Sparth

Shape Breakdown:

I broke apart the above image, splitting it into foreground (red) and background (blue).

This is a great example of form language, as one can clearly separate each layer of depth on the shapes alone.The boat in the foreground is predominantly a common ship silhouette, and the eye immediately recognises this. The hood of the ship is a strong curve, and combined with the rowing character creates a very readable form. The viewer can clearly see the ship form, even before detailing and texture. The background features multiple repeating Ziggurat's, the squared pyramids often built by Sumarian and Babylonian civilizations. It's square-based imagery contrasts greatly from the round ship in the foreground.
Finally, even though the "birds" in the sky are simple flecks and lines, our eye and mind immediately recognises these as avian forms. Not only do these add to the world that the artist has created, but they also create a sense of depth and scale.

The ship looks man made, featuring many patterns and designs appearing to be decorative.

The artist has designed the canvas area of the ship to appear stitched, with large recognizable rope ties and off-coloured patches. The asymmetry of the wooden planks that hold up the ship also add to the cultured, man made design.

The background buildings are peppered with small windows and rectangles of shading, increasing the overall sense of depth and further solidifying the idea that yes, these shapes are buildings.

Shape Breakdown

Sparth is a particular fan of using domes and spheres in his environment designs. These are reminiscent of mosques and the domed architecture of the middle east. The use of these repeating shapes in varying sizes add depth and believe-ability in the piece. You can faintly make out repeats of these in the background, creating depth and implying that this is not the only structure in this environment. The use of stripes and stepped shapes form staircases and generate architecture for the viewer to interpret. 

The use of sweeping forms near the bottom of the piece guide the viewers eye, and serve as roadways and paths. On closer inspection, these are almost abstract in their nature, but collectively create a believable ground platform design.