Who is Sanaia?

My little avatar online, she is a snowflake cat angel, who enjoys reading, drawing and playing games.
Often introverted but wishes to help anyone she meets.

• More about

The Sphere world

The place my avatar lives in is an original world created for her and my other original characters. It is as the name suggest sphere shaped and lies within a crystal ball.
What to know more? Visit the lore page.

• The lore

Content

This portfolio includes personal works and projects done individually or in groups.
Some cases are from assignments we received during study, that we later presented to the companies or organizations as part of the project. All of those were group projects and my personal contributions are clearly stated.Photography and illustrations can be viewed in the gallery.

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Sanaia art and design

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Kitika, Vilma Vatovani s.p

The logo

I created the logo for the company that represents the family run, home made, Slovenian products. The logo was also created with the main trade of the company in mind. They deal with printing and crafting, mainly sewing.

The mascot

Due to the company name being an iteration of the family pet a mascot was created in its image to represent the company.

Children Slovenija designs

Lavender pillow designs

Ljubljana dragon designs

Children Ljubljana designs

Children Postojna designs

Postojna designs

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Ink To Pixels I/S

Ideation

After the brief with my boss, I have gone to the drawing board and created a lot of variations and ideas I have gotten through my first week at work and seeing how they operate and what their values are.I had a lot of different directions I wanted to explore and see where the designs would take me.
I used keywords related to the company and its name and tried to visualize them within the logo mark.

First elimination round

After looking at all the options we had my boss and me talked over which ideas he was most satisfied with and added the company name to then, to see how the logos would work as a whole.We then had a meeting with everyone in the company and decided to talk and have a vote as to which logos they felt was the best at conveying what the company is and what they do.I will note here ideas 15 and 16 were created by my boss.

Further development

After the vote we had two designs that were left and I was now tasked to develop the logos further.I played around with the general ideas trying different approaches and styles.Both ideas were very different from each other so it was very challenging yet extremely interesting to see how things will end.

Fonts

With the logos being as limited it was time to also explore the font options. I took into consideration the brief and wishes from my bosses. I also tried fonts that would complement the logo marks and work well together.

New round of elimination

With the font exploration in progress it was time to reach a decision on which logo mark would be the final for the company logo. The end pick from my boss were 1 from each design.With that we had a company meeting to discuss the pick of the final logo mark, before I start working on the colours and the selection of the final font.

Font selection

The final pick was then developed a bit more to match my boss's vision of it.When that was complete it came time for the final font. My last pick where 9 different options with subtle variations.

Colours and final logo pick

I have alternatively received a colour palette to work with for the logo with some other pointers to consider.I tried different combinations and ultimately landed on two options, which were then put into a final logo pick.

Final logo

In the end we have ended the journey with a logo that was professional but still fun as they are a gaming studio.
The colours show their calm nature and the technology behind it, while giving a hit of adventure and luxury.

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Musician To Musician

First drafts

For starters I put down some keywords I would use when creating ideas. I wanted to explore as many options as I could in the small time frame available.The first ideas were done on paper due to me being faster at sketching than using a program.After they were created we went over them with the group and selected which are the most solid ideas and best convey the name of the app and it's purpose.Musician to Musician was an app developed as an assignment in group formation. We decided to take the niche group of musicians and create an app where they could meet each other, create bands, look for members or look to join one.We also included possibilities of events be it sponsored by the app or those organized by users and wished to have a place to advertise.

Further development
and new selection

As we were 5 in the group each of us selected a logo we would like to see created and coloured for better representation.Some of the picks ended up with more variations when further explored.

Final logo

The final pick then received a full version with text and an app icon, which would be used in the app stores if developed and launched.

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Display design study

The story behind the design

As we were learning about the creation of displays and how they should tell a story, it got me thinking as to what I could use in my own design creation.
After looking at what jysk as a brand offers I realized The story of the Princess and the pea would be a fitting fairy tale that I could use to my advantage. It after all features sleeping and the quality of it.

The display pedestal

As I wanted to keep the display fairly compact as the stores are usually very packed and keeping in mind the area it would be displayed at, which would be at the pillows and duvet sections, I decided to go with a vertical design, creating a pedestal with a fairy tale book cover design on the bottom half, while the top half would feature the products and story.

The products

For the mock-up I drew a single duvet and pillow, but on the actual display if permitted there could be more layers to it.
The bottom would be filled with fake peas, but obvious enough so people could recognize what it is.
At the top of the duvet and pillow would be a figurine of a princess peacefully sleeping despite all the peas under the pile, signifying that the quality of the product is so good, no matter how many peas are underneath, even the princess would sleep phenomenally.

The slogan titles

As mentioned before the bottom half of the pedestal would have a design resembling a fairy tale book.
To make it more appealing and fun I created slogan titles for the covers with witty jokes and clever subtitles that would bring a smile to the customers in contact with it.

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Editorial work examples

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Brochure and flyer examples

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Kitty Girls collection - print patterns

Kitty girls icons

The first ever pattern I have tried was created out of icons that represent 12 of my original characters.

Valentina pattern

Pattern created based on my original character Valentina.I used her cat form and chocolates designs I created for her.

Bianca pattern

Pattern created based on my original character Bianca.I used flowers and butterflies to create a nature assortment design.

Winter warmth pattern

I really love winter and the old knitted sweaters with the winter themed ornaments and shapes.So I came up with a sequence I turned into phone and desktop wallpapers.

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Nova Zascita - mascot design

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Book cover design

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Sanaia art and design - website bachelor project

The whole design was created based on a survey we conducted at the start of the project as well as a few interviews.The design incorporated the current brand feel and assets. We wanted to show the artist's taste and style from the moment the person enters the website, to the moment they leave it.The website was divided into sub pages. We decided to create a page about the artist, a prices page, a commission page where orders are processed, a portfolio page that would hold extra examples, a contact page and lastly a tracking order page, where customers could track how far the artists is with their commission.

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Kitika - website design

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Valtech lunch - group study project

The premise

They wanted a solution that would improve the employee experience, make sure there is enough food ordered for everyone as well as to deal with any excess food that would remain and as a result be thrown out.

My contribution

In the group my main task was creating the prototype. It was the first time working with Figma, but I soon caught the grasp of how it works and was able to create a quite accurate working prototype. Due to the programs limitations though I was not able to achieve everything I wanted.
I was also tasked with creating the file for the concept description and all the mock-ups used in it.

The details

We have really worked hard to create an app that was intuitive, worked well with the brand design wise and would approach a problem in several ways, hopefully making the difference the company was looking for.

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Aalborg Kommune intranet - group study project

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System under Surveillance - logo, UI, assets & advertisement

The logo

My first task for the game was to create its logo, where we decided to feature one of the main characters Turbo.

Custom font

While working on the logo I created a custom font that could also be used in game. It was an interesting experience and thought me a lot about font creation.

Character outfit design

While working on the new banner for the website, I was asked to make a new outfit design for the main character as they did not have a fully developed idea for his outfit and they wanted to see what I will come up with. Theme was futuristic casual and I received several references to use in my process.

Holo-tree design

I got to work on one element that was implemented in the game to break the concrete and buildings and make it feel a bit more like cities today, which was the holographic tree.
It was a challenging experience and for the task I had to learn some basic skills within the Godot engine, so I could test the model in the game environment while creating it.

UI design

For my final exam right after the internship I was tasked with the creation of a new User Interface for the game. I created it using element already existing in the game design itself and incorporated it into the UI design.

Game menu

During my final exam I was also tasked with creating the main menu screen for the game. The idea was that the game would start by the player opening the comic on the desk in front of them.That idea was later scrapped, but I still want to include my work here.

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Game graphic assets examples

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Card game - icons and art

Icons

They are icons representing the races of the playable cards in the game that work with a hero card. Each hero has a race of short stacks appointed to them where they optimally work together.Pairings:
Succubus hero - Imps
Elf hero - Angels
Human hero - Halflings
Kitsune hero - Nekomimi (cat girls)
Orc hero - GoblinsEnergy cards also have their own icons to distinguish which kind of energy it is: Basic or Special.

Heroes art

Each hero comes with both genders, for the player to choose. They have a matching theme, with some having funny twists to the design.Each hero has a role to them:
Succubus - what they do best, seducing
Elf - priest/priestess spreading blessings and purity
Human - knight protecting
Kitsune - maid serving
Orc - Barbarian destructive behavioursThis is an ongoing project with a small group.
More art with be added with time and their completion as well as card designs and more!

Hero card design

The hero cards are designed to be twice as big as the regular cards. They also have the numbering on them for where and which short stack (monster card) is equipped (places to the side of the card).Hero cards have 3 active and 1 passive skill.
Skill 1 - costs one basic energy.
Skill 2 - costs one special energy.
Skill 3 - costs one basic and one special energy.The design of the card makes it appear as a wooden frame with the picture of the hero and two metal plates; one with the name and the other stating the abilities. The numbers are made to appear carved into the wood.

About me

Hi!
I'm Laura Vatovani also known as Sanaia. I'm an illustrator and graphic designer, with a big love for fantasy and games. I have been drawing since a young age and pursued art throughout my whole life. I started digital art in 2011 with my first ever tablet learning to do anime style with it.
Today I work on a Xp-pen Artist 16 Pro 2nd gen screen tablet, using Clip studio paint as my main drawing program.
My design work is done within the Adobe CC and Affinity programs.Education
I have completed the secondary school of design and photography in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
I have an AP degree in Graphic design from UCN in Denmark and a professional bachelor degree in Digital concept development from UCN as well.

The lore

Guarded by a dragon outside and a high priestess inside, the Sphere world situated inside a crystal ball, that is nested on a stalagmite pedestal.
The light and day inside the sphere matched the daylight with the outside world. Through an opening just above it the sun would shine in every day and the other crystal shell would help disperse it around the inside world, creating an interesting and unique environment inside.

First idea

Before Sanaia became who she is today, the first spark of the idea where actually her wings design.
All the way back in 2015 I was inspired by the wings in the MMO I was playing at the time and thought of "Oh what if there were wings with some feather that resemble a part of the snowflake." I have always had a love for winter and snow, and snowflakes have always been really fascinating to me. So small so perfect.
So I sketched this very rough idea of the wings and was met with the dilemma: "Well who is gonna wear them?"
And so the first drawing of Sanaia became a thing.

First design

Her design was based on my own appearance, from the hair style to the colour choices.
Her dress was designed simple with the theme of snowflakes in mind. The colour palette was also left very basic with only two colours: white and light blue.
Another detail here was that the wings would create dropping snowflakes and white feathers.

New character: Leopold

Based on my partner I created a new character with his help, to be Sanaia's love interest.
With a wish of being a dragon I created the first draft of Leopold with Sanaia.Since he is based on my partner I likewise took his likeness to come up with the colour palette and outfit, with the special traits he has in real like translated onto his avatar of Leopold.With every subsequent drawing the exploration of their relationship and interaction was explored, to show their love in different ways within different situations.

Couple drawings

With the introduction of Leopold the creating of many couple drawings has happened, exploring different outfits, some based on real life, while others designed from scratch.

First reference sheet

In 2022 I finally decided it was time to create a reference sheet for my character, so I could use it when drawing my character.
One reason was consistency, another was that I just changed my hair colour and decided to do the change on my avatar design as well.I also wasn't fully happy with all the current outfit designs so I created a new outfit set that could be drawn in different ways.
In the "Thank you banner" drawing I introduced a new colour to Sanaia's palette: a darker blue shade. This was utilized as an accent colour on the new design.

2023: the new look

Towards the end of 2023 I have finally made the decision to give streaming a chance. I decided since I have a very limited budget to create a pngtuber model, as I can create it myself.I brainstormed poses and how I wanted her to look. Since she has wings I wanted her to be floating in the air.
When researching pngtubers and programs to animate them, I noticed a lot of them had a 3/4 so I kept that design feature for my first pngtuber.After the sketch was made I realized that I even though the pose was cute it looked as if she was sitting on something invisible. Since I really liked the pose despite that I created a cloud chair for her, so it would look like she's chilling and having a good time. This aligned very well with the general idea of how I wished my streams would be perceived.

The creation of the lore

With the use of my avatar for streaming came the realization: she needs a lore, a story about her life, about her past, her personality and so on.
At this time I have already created an original world: Sphere world, where all my original characters reside.
This was the perfect opportunity to give Sanaia a concrete role in the Sphere world. She became the divine guardian of the Sphere world. She works in tandem with the outer guardian a dragon she met once a year at the annual meeting to discuss the safety and security of the Sphere world.

• Sphere world

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Cloudkittens

Main cloud cat Cottoncandy

Cottoncandy is the main cloud cat character and the oldest of them all. He is the best friend of the high priestess and always curious like a cat he follows here around the Sphere world while she performs her duties.They also like to play together when she has tine and cuddle together sometimes when she needs a nap.

cottoncandy and thunder

A cottoncandy is a the normal cloud kitten. She come in a light pink colour and is very tame and curious in nature.A thunder is a thundercloud kitten. He is a dark purple with lightnings shooting around his body. He is a goofball, a little mischievous but also clumsy.

purple rain and snow

A purple rain is a rain cloud kitten. She is a gorgeous purple colour, and while very timid and calm she likes to snuggle.A snow is a snow carrying cloud kitten. Sporting a sparkly snowy white colour, it is a very energetic creature that also likes snuggles.

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Blueleaf forest

The name of the forest comes from its trees who sport the distinctive blue leaf. It is said their colour comes from the reflection of the light that comes through the crystal, while other speculate it is actually from the crystal the roots come in touch with.In the night time the guardian dragon's shadow can be visible on the night sky as the crystal shell becomes a bit see through and reveals a night sky covered in fake stars.

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Mushroom forest

At first there was the Mother mushroom. And then with time more and more sprout emerged, morphed and now are the building block of the Mushroom forest on the south pole.
The lack of light and high humidity and moisture, created the perfect conditions for the mushrooms to grow. The floors are also layered in a giant carpet of extra soft moss, that would make a great bed for any adventurer.

Mother mushroom

The Mother mushroom is the first and biggest mushroom that grew at the bottom of the Sphere world. It is rumoured that it possesses a will and it is a sentient being, but no one has been able to confirm that.

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Other landmarks

Pond of life

A mysterious pond who's water can heal any would.A concept for a landmark within the blueleaf forest which I still intent to explore deeper.

Photography

Illustration