08/01/2026
As we begin the new year 🎉, we thought it was time to take you behind the scenes of our design process for SHAN: Among humans, saints and snow leopards!
1️⃣ We begin with concept art by Lanzhes, a Ladakhi artist. This is an integral part of the co-creation process — ensuring that the artistic representations are grounded from a local perspective from the start. Representing Ladakh’s culture, landscape, and nuances of everyday life wihtout falling into the trap of stereotypes and exoticism. This allows us to better capture the spirit of the region with respect and emotional truth without clinging to photorealism.
2️⃣ Turning 2D drawings into 3D models comes with challenges — what works on paper doesn’t always translate in space!
We carried over the rough sketches — grainy, papery textures, swirly clouds, and muted tones — and embedded them directly into our 3D models to preserve the original feeling.
3️⃣ Modelling, texturing, and animation are done in Blender. Plants and clouds are procedurally created using Geometry Nodes, allowing us to build living worlds that stay true to the concept while coming alive in motion.
Looking forward to 2026!