Mood Board

I looked at existing pet simulator games to see how they designed backgrounds. As I want this to be a shelter for animals, I was the space to feel safe. Plants/nature in general has also been proven to reduce negative moods, which ties in with the therapeutic approach I’m taking.

Initial Sketches:

I made a few draft sketches to see which composition I like best. These were really rough ideas and I just wanted to get a feel of what items I could possibly have. I know I definitely want an outdoor scene, as there is evidence that nature boosts mental well being.

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/nature-and-mental-health/how-nature-benefits-mental-health/#:~:text=Spending time in nature has,with mild to moderate depression.

I ended up liking the third option most. I think the pathway has a nice hint towards ideas of a journey, which is essential what the people experience when they undergo therapy. It takes a while to see progress, but if you keep going you’ll get better each time. A slow and steady journey. Because of this, I decided to take it forward as the potential background and started working on digitalising it.

Process

This is the process of my design. I used Photoshop as I personally find it easier to draw freehand.

Final draft

This is the final draft.