game-artist-showcase-hanna-hammar

Hanna’s ESO & WoW fan art portraits will have you looking at Tamriel & Azeroth through fresh eyes.

Every month this year, we've showcased a new phenomenal game artist, each with their own style and perspective: Yuhang Weng, Betsy Weymouth, Nana, Chris Binns, Jesse Van Weiden, Orlando Flusband, Melinda Lack, and most recently Ellen Payne. Now we're delighted to introduce September's star, Hanna Hammer.

Hannah is a full-time freelance artist from Sweden. While her artistic desires and creative interests pull her towards art of all natures, her specialty is digital art on commission.

Coming from a talented family, it was her sister (a fellow artist) who introduced Hanna to the art world and even taught Hanna when she was little. The rest of her family encouraged her to draw, and through their words and constant gifts of art books and materials, she started to make strides.

Hardship befell Hanna at the age of 11 when she began suffering from chronic migraines -- a condition that can devastate one's quality of life. It made life incredibly difficult for her, and art become a retreat -- a place of comfort. For a time, the art classes she took in high school and the new mediums she could explore were her escape. Eventually, however, the migraines became too much, and she needed to drop out of high school completely.

Having never graduated, Hanna decided to seize life by the horns, and instead started her own freelance art business in 2018. Today, Hanna creates beautiful art inspired by games, culture, and more. She loves to draw almost as much as she loves pushing her boundaries as an artist -- something she claims only to have found herself capable of in the last couple of years.

Check out a showcase of Hanna's work below. And below that, an exclusive Q&A on her inspirations and creative process.

What games are you playing or watching right now?

Mist Survival when I play by myself. Then 7 Days to Die, Dying Light 1 & 2, and Aliens: Fireteam Elite when I want to co-op with my husband and friends. Occasionally I play ESO and WoW.

How do you decide on your designs?

Whenever I do something for myself, I start with a general thought, like... chibi werewolves, skulls and flowers, or my WoW fan art characters. Then really, I just start sketching. Sometimes things don't work out; I have a ton of scrapped ideas, but the ones that make it through are pretty special to me. My clients, meanwhile, usually have a specific idea in mind for their commissioned pieces.

What is your creative process?

Usually, I start by gathering inspiration and reference pictures. Then I begin to roughly sketch out the piece. It's always messy in the beginning. Sometimes I use posable 3D art dolls to figure out how to draw my ideas correctly. Getting from the sketch to the finished piece is a lot of work, and I'm always trying new ways to achieve the best results.

Which piece are you most proud of?

The piece I'm most proud of is one that's not yet finished, called "Down." It's very different from what I usually make, and I'm learning a lot while working on it. It shows a lot of emotion and tells a story.

What are the next steps for your art? What are you working on?

I'm mainly a portrait artist, but I'm now learning to make illustrations and action scenes. I opened an Etsy shop where I sell originals, stickers, and other creations. Recently I launched my Patreon page, where I share behind-the-scenes peeks at projects, works in progress, step-by-step processes, early access to new content, mini-tutorials, personal art critiques, and more. I'm also working on my very first art course!

If you like Hanna's work, be sure to check out that Etsy shop. Alternatively, you can support her on Patreon or check out her digital art studio. She can also be found on Twitter, and for that matter, so can we!

All images included in this piece belong to the artist, Hanna Hammer. Do not use or replicate any images here without Hanna's express permission. If you wish to use any of them, contact her directly using the links provided.