Llia Yu

Year of birth: 1994
Where do you live: Los Angels
Your education: Bachelor degree
Describe your art in three words: Mysterious, fantastical, futuristic.
Your discipline: Stick to what you like and keep doing it.
Website

Can you tell us more about your journey from China to the United States? How has this experience influenced your art?

I was born in China. My hometown is Nanjing, a prosperous city very close to Shanghai. I have loved watching Japanese anime since junior high school. My dream was to go to Japan to work in anime. When I was in high school, we often bought some American game and movie setting collections in China. Once I saw the concept design collection of Star Wars, and I felt that there was a broader sky and more exaggerated designs in the field of American movies and games. So when I graduated from high school, I applied to American universities. The university I attended in the United States was the entertainment design major of Art Center College of Design. This major ranks first in the United States. A large number of excellent designers graduated from this major and are active in the industry. During college, in 2015, I was fortunate to be recommended by alumni to do a summer internship at Riot Games. This internship experience was very valuable to me. My boss at the time was Charle Wen, who had just jumped from Marvel to Riot Games. He was the art director of Guardian of the Galaxy. He directed many excellent movies at Marvel, including Thor, Avengers, etc. Working with him taught me a lot and gave me a better understanding of this industry. From this time on, I became more clear about my goal: I want to be a storyteller and use pictures to describe the universe in my heart.

How did your time working at Riot Games and Blizzard shape your approach to design and concept art?

When I worked at Riot Games, it was a brand new experience for me in this industry. This job helped me to determine my inner goal and to make sure that I wanted to work in this industry and that I loved this industry. When I graduated in 2017, I came to Blizzard and worked in the Overwatch project team. At that time, the style of this game was very novel. I could combine some elements of Japanese anime that I loved since childhood with the style of American comics. I really liked this very stylized style.

Llia Yu | A journey across the stars

Overwatch 2 is such a huge project. What was your role in its development, and what part of the process did you enjoy the most?

When I was working on the Overwatch project, I was mainly responsible for the concept design of the scenes. Every time we were going to release a new map, I would be responsible for determining the overall direction at the beginning. I would draw a mood painting, and then determine the style of the map and the approximate proportion of technology. Then I would sort out the requirements and outsource them to our outsourcing team. Because the entire map is very large, it is impossible for me to complete it alone. This map includes buildings, some sign designs, and some NPC designs. Some of our outsourcing teams are in Poland, some in South Korea, and some in China. Then I would connect with these outsourcing teams, give them some feedback and modifications for their designs, and then I would hand over the completed part of our concept design to the 3D department. The 3D department also has a person in charge like me who will work with the outsourcing team to make our design draft into a 3D model, and finally we will present it in this game together.

Your works often explore fantasy and unknown future worlds. What draws you to these themes?

Since I was a child, I have had a special liking for science fiction movies such as “Star Wars”. They seem to open a door to another world for me. The vast universe, deep and mysterious, always stirs up endless reverie in my heart. I firmly believe that in this vast starry sky, there must be the secrets of alien civilizations hidden. It is this firm belief that drives me to devote myself to the ocean of science fiction art creation.
I use my brush to touch the unreachable but extremely fascinating unknown field, trying to let more people feel the charm of science fiction. Every time I finish a work, I feel a heartfelt joy, as if I have traveled to that distant and unknown world and experienced an experience completely different from real life.

Llia Yu | Farewell at the Spacetime Station

How do you approach creating a new fantasy universe? What are the key elements you focus on in world-building?

Every time I imagine a new world, I don’t see a simple future, but a colorful universe full of infinite possibilities. In this universe, some worlds are surrounded by magical elements, and the lives of the residents are full of mystery and miracles. Their civilization is based on the understanding and respect of natural forces. These elements not only give the world a unique charm, but also become the core of the spiritual worship of the residents.
The construction of another world is completely different. People here regard the development of science and technology as the engine that drives the progress of civilization. In this world, the products of high technology are as bright as stars, and the huge city centers are full of high-tech facilities.
In the third type of world, the development of spirit and technology has reached a perfect balance. Here, technology is not only a tool, but also a manifestation of spiritual pursuit. People explore the mysteries of the universe through technology, and also enhance their inner strength through spiritual practice.
Then, I will think deeply about where the residents of this world come from? How do they adapt to the environment of this planet, how do they survive natural disasters and foreign invasions? Has this planet ever experienced cruel wars and devastating destruction?
Through such thinking, I gradually outline a vivid outline for this world, making it more three-dimensional and real.

In your opinion, how does your art challenge or expand upon traditional fantasy themes seen in games and media?

I think no sci-fi world can be fabricated out of thin air. All designs are derived from life. As a player and reader, I like to play sci-fi computer games and read sci-fi novels. These provide a lot of inspiration for my sci-fi artworks. As an artist, I know that the core of creation is not only to pursue novelty and uniqueness. My goal is to create a sci-fi world that the audience can truly immerse in. In this world, I hope that the audience can feel the seamless connection between fantasy and reality, as if they are really in that unknown world. In order to achieve this goal, I will dig deep into the scientific principles behind the sci-fi elements when creating, carefully design each scene and character, and try to make every detail touch the audience’s emotions, so that they can feel the beauty of the blend of fantasy and reality in the wonderful journey of experiencing sci-fi.

Llia Yu | Guardian of the Crescent Moon

What do you hope to communicate to viewers through your art, especially when creating fantastical worlds?

I like fantasy works such as The Lord of the Rings and A Song of Ice and Fire. The reference to Norse mythology in The Lord of the Rings not only adds mystery to the background of the story, but also makes the characters more three-dimensional and full. For example, the settings of different races such as elves, dwarves and humans are all inspired by Norse mythology. And A Song of Ice and Fire cleverly incorporates the story prototype of the War of the Roses into it, showing the interweaving of family disputes and national destiny. These meaningful legends and stories have become a solid foundation for the work.
After absorbing the nutrients of these legends and stories, I delved into the details and further enriched my creation. I tried to seek innovation in the traditional narrative structure. By reinterpreting history and legends, I constructed a world full of miracles and fantasies. This world and the audience have thus established a link of tacit knowledge, allowing them to feel the weight and depth of history while immersing themselves in the fantasy world.