Bite the hand

BOOK COVER CHARACTER

Bite the Hand is a cyberpunk TTRPG system built on the Mothership Panic Engine. I was commissioned to design and illustrate the central mascot character for the game's core identity and its promotional campaign on Backerkit. The project focused on creating a high-impact visual that would anchor the manual’s cover and serve as the primary marketing asset for the system’s initial launch, establishing a gritty and recognizable face for the new franchise.

WORK PROCESS

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Brief

The client required a mysterious protagonist with obscured features, allowing players to project their own imagination onto the character. Detailed specifications included a fit but realistic physique, a hood designed to hide the face and hair entirely, and a cybernetic hand wielding a heavy shotgun. A key requirement was the engineering of a unique, original forearm blade that avoided common sci-fi tropes. Additionally, the character's composition had to account for specific negative space needed for the cover’s typography and layout.

Design Solution

The process began with an exploration of four distinct silhouettes to find a balance between mystery and mechanical detail. After selecting a primary direction, I merged elements from different sketches—specifically the clothing from one and the integrated blade housing from another—to ensure a unique technical profile. During the final polish, I applied a strict high-contrast shading style and a technical color palette, including a specific dark hex for print safety. To ground the character in the game's lore, I integrated a fictional corporate logo as a narrative easter egg, delivering a final asset that perfectly contrasts against the manual's vibrant yellow design.