Catching up with artist Sara Cooley

It's time for another artist chat. This time we're checking in with Sara Cooley. We became of aware of Sara after stumbling on some of her gorgeous, lively, neon-drenched Cyberpunk fan art, and fell in love. She's a professional illustrator and animator based in Las Vegas, Nevada, and has created several eye-popping illustrations for Cyberpunk Legends.

—IM

 

Irene, Night Crew Games: You're an illustrator but also you do other stuff professionally. What else do you do and what's cool about it?

Sara Cooley: Professionally I’m a Senior Illustrator/Animator and I’ve been working in casino gaming for about 12 years. I started at a mobile startup in Chicago before moving to Las Vegas. What’s cool about my work: I’ve gotten to contribute to some cool titles, including Britney Spears, Elvira, Adam West, and Dita Von Teese. It’s also allowed me to pursue learning art beyond my schooling, and I’ve been able to learn both after effects and spine programs for animation. In fact one of my original titles that I designed and animated was shortlisted for game of the year in my industry! (Lava Lock by Gaming Arts for anyone interested.)

What do you most enjoy about illustration and creating characters? What draws you to create artwork in the world of Cyberpunk?

I think like a lot of creatives I grew up reading a lot of sci-fi/fantasy and playing a lot of fantasy games/just consuming a ton of media in those genres and wanting to create my own characters, and that branched into wanting to make my own worlds and characters. When you really love the world building of something you want to explore it until exhaustion I think, and cyberpunk is one of those genres and worlds that does that for me. It’s just so rich in lore, and also in potential. I think it also helps that [the popularity of the cyberpunk genre] is rooted in a lot of current fears like growing tech, and other realities, for better or worse.

What have been your favorite things about working on artwork for Cyberpunk Legends?

The team at Night Crew Games has been so supportive and easy to work with! Even while I was dealing with my string of chaotic cat vet visits putting me behind schedule.

 

Like No One's Listening, by Sara Cooley for Cyberpunk Legends/Night Crew Games

 

Can you tell us about a particular piece you’ve done for Cyberpunk Legends that you like and the concept behind it?

"Like No One's Listening" went through a lot of changes from its initial sketch to its final, but I ended up having a chance to use a handful of my other cyberpunk pieces as the posters on the walls of her room, so in a way it’s like I get to add my own characters into the world.

Sketches for an early version of Like No One's Listening