Hi everyone, how are you all? Over the past few months, we’ve been delighted to receive messages from fans around the world telling us how much you appreciate Astro’s Playroom. What particularly caught the eye were the comments regarding Astro’s look, so we thought it would be nice to get arty and share with you some drawing tips from three artists who worked on the game. We hope you find this fun and inspire you
But first, let’s quickly explain where Astro comes from. To find its roots, we need to go back in time to 2013, when the Asobi team was just formed and started working on The Playroom, a collection of augmented reality experiences preloaded on PlayStation 4. The one such experiment saw a dozen little, funny robots living inside the DualShock 4 controller coming out to play with you on your living room floor. These little guys nicknamed “AR Bots” would become the origin of all robot-like characters appearing in subsequent games. To be honest, when designing the original robots we had some constraints and focused on getting a punchy look while keeping the shape and design as simple as possible. Our goal was to strike a balance between cuteness and freshness, something that would reflect Sony’s heritage in product design. And after a few tests, you’re done! AR Bots were one thing. It was love at first sight.
“AR bots as they were originally found in The Playroom for PS4”
The bots then returned in The PlayroomVR (2016); a collection of multiplayer board games available as an introduction to PS VR. One of those games was Robot Rescue, a one-step 3D platformer game featuring a heroic bot going on an adventure in search of his lost comrades. Our robotic hero (he didn’t have a name yet) came with a jetpack, hover boots, a holographic scarf, and that iconic blue livery pattern that would later define the Astro look.
“Original Robot Rescue Artwork”
Astro then took center stage in 2018 in his own very successful PS VR game Astro Bot: Rescue Mission and then returned to become your guide in the amazing world of the PS5 and the DualSense wireless controller in Astro’s. Playroom (2020).
Today we would like to pick up your creative curiosity and share with you some tips on how to draw Astro, straight from the hands of three Team Asobi members: Toshihiko Nakai (concept artist), Miho Kinebuchi and Mayu Kawaguchi (3D artists ). Each member tried to draw Astro using their own style and shared some of their thoughts on what makes Astro special. Have a good viewing and reading!
Toshihiko Nakai (Team Asobi – Concept Artist)
What makes Astro’s character design unique?
Toshihiko: Astro is just a robot but thanks to his cute and rounded shapes, it is easy to connect with him emotionally.
Why did you choose to draw Astro this way?
Toshihiko: I work as a concept artist in Team Asobi since Astro Bot: Rescue Mission. And as you can imagine, I must have drawn Astro so many times, every day in fact! (to laugh). So, looking for a way to draw it quickly, this style came naturally to me. Very useful!
What advice can you give us for drawing Astro?
Toshihiko: Try to simplify the details of Astro to make it easier to draw. Also, keep in mind that her face shouldn’t be square or round, but something in between (that’s the tricky part!).
Miho Kinebuchi (Asobi Team – 3D Artist)
What makes Astro’s character design unique?
Miho: The richness of its expressions and the fact that it is a robot with a round and user-friendly design.
Why did you choose to draw Astro this way?
Miho: I wanted to emphasize the ‘pop-art’ side of Astro and make it cuter, so I tried to reflect that by drawing its outer shape using thicker lines.
What advice can you give us for drawing Astro?
Miho: I think you can make Astro cuter if you make the size of his head and his hands a little bigger.
Mayu Kawaguchi (Asobi Team – 3D Artist)
What makes Astro’s character design unique?
Mayu: The fact that its design combines elegant mechanical details with a relaxed and adorable silhouette.
Why did you choose to draw Astro this way?
Mayu: In the game, Astro often dances, so I tried to express his joy and draw him in a 2D pop-art style.
What advice can you give us for drawing Astro?
Mayu: He has a big head, like a baby! Make sure its head looks big enough when you draw it.
It’s all about us. We hope you enjoyed watching it and learned some useful tips if you’ve ever wanted to build your own version of Astro. As you may have seen, there isn’t just one way to draw our robotic friend. So, don’t hesitate to let your creativity run free and don’t forget to share your creations with us on social networks, we will be sure to repost.
As always, thank you for the words of love and care, please keep coming as they mean the world to us. Most of all, stay healthy, continue your passion for the game and we wish you a great day.
See you later. The Asobi team is out.
