Inspiration
For this piece I really wanted to feature each of the bosses since they are such an important part of this game. I have re-created each of the characters and hopefully captured their personalities in my own art style. At the bottom of the image you can see the top outline of an NES cartridge in the white negative space. This is how I originally experienced this game and I have very fond memories playing it on many hot summer days.
The Process
I always begin each piece with several quick sketches on paper or in Photoshop. Each sketch takes no longer than one minute—this is just to figure out basic composition. From there I pick the composition that best tells the story I want to tell. Mega Man is our hero, so he needs to be prominent above all else. The type and bosses fall in after that. Next I select my color palette. For this piece I chose colors that feel like Mega Man but that I have updated and tuned to my own aesthetic. Everything else happens digitally. I block in all the tones, colors, and shapes using my drawing tablet and refine until I’m happy with it. This whole process from start to finish can take several days.
Xtra
I love the fight and the look of Heat Man. He’s got this really bored and annoyed expression I love and doesn’t look like he wants to fight you.