Drawn 3 concept art featured in Into the Pixel art show

Concept art from three Big Fish Games Studios games – including the not-yet-released Drawn 3 – are among 17 pieces that have been selected by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences to be showcased in this year’s “Into the Pixel” art show during E3 next month. The pieces will also find a home in the academy’s permanent collection, which recognizes “outstanding video game concept art including character drawings, landscapes, and any art used in the creation of games.”

The concept art above, by artist Hamzah Kasom Osman and entitled “The Cottage,” is a background scene from Big Fish Games’ Drawn 3, the working title for the third game in the studio’s casual adventure series and the much-anticipated follow-up to Drawn: Dark Flight and Drawn: The Painted Tower.

Drawn: Dark Flight was also recognized by the academy with “The Dragon Play” by Brian Thompson and Hamzah Kasom (above). The piece below by Jeff Haynie, entitled “Swamp Skull,” is from Mystery Case Files: 13th Skull.

Since 2004, the Into the Pixel art exhibit has provided an opportunity for game artists to be recognized for the work that goes into creating and building games. Much of the concept art that artists produce doesn’t make it into the final product and is never seen by the public, but is still an important part of the game creation process.

Click here to browse the art from all 17 contest winners.

Erin Bell