During the development of THAWHEART, the main character, Tilo, went through many stages of transformation.
When I started this project, I had experience in graphic design, but pixel art was new to me. I struggled to find a fitting style. What was I aiming for? What kind of style should the game have? I wasn’t sure, but I spent countless hours shaping Tilo to match the artistic vision for this game. Through this process, I made significant progress in pixel art.
This is where it all began—this was the first Tilo, created back in May 2023 when production started. Even though I had a general direction for THAWHEART, I lacked the necessary pixel art skills.
But on the other hand, it was something, and that alone was valuable. With this design, I took my first steps into Unity, game design, and game development. For that, I’ll always be grateful, even if this version of Tilo, now known as Ugly-Tilo, seems outdated today.
Initially, I envisioned a top-down game, which is why Ugly-Tilo looked straight at the player.
As I gained more confidence in game development and made those first crucial steps, I started focusing on what the game was going to be. I had a plan, so I created this second version of Tilo, complete with animation.
For me, this was a big step. Not only did I manage to refine Tilo’s design and add a bit more detail, but I also recognized that it was still too stiff. However, I felt immense satisfaction in knowing that I was moving in the right direction. Animation is challenging and always will be, but I was thrilled with this result!
Then came Version 3—the first Tilo that truly captured the look I was striving for! Toony, dynamic, but still friendly and somewhat… cute.
I learned a lot along the way and experimented with different techniques to deliver a polished game within the constraints of the medium.
Seeing how everything bounces and comes to life made me incredibly happy. It was clear that I was making real progress in learning pixel art.
This version of Tilo holds a very special place in my heart.
In 2024, I finally felt that I had nailed the art style for THAWHEART. I had many discussions with friends and family and took my time to find something I truly liked. Unfortunately, I started with the wrong location and ended up updating Version 3.
I created a new color palette to introduce more interesting colors—no more blacks or countless grey tones. I was also pleased with the added toon factor and the dynamics I brought to Tilo.
Then I discovered how THAWHEART should really look, and I realized that the freshly made Tilo no longer fit. What a bummer.
With the new level art design, I had to rework Tilo once again. I wasn’t motivated to do it… again. But when I saw how everything else was coming together, I knew it was necessary. So, I remade Tilo, and this brings us to where we are today—Tilo in a better-fitting style, without any borders, with more shading and more details.
What do you think of the new Tilo?
