![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83704c60c27922c5828821e26a20bdae/78365ea4-b3f8-47e0-a0e4-71542dd458d1_rw_1920.png?h=6de675dd23443006a04380bc6ac98628)
Ever since design school I've wanted to explore the idea of urban expansion: Cities that spread like a mechanical virus corrupting otherwise perfect landscapes.
I dug up some old sketches and decided to revisit the idea using new tools - a good way to practice and flesh out some ideas long forgotten.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83704c60c27922c5828821e26a20bdae/544dcf97-f9f0-4304-b141-a9a9f5db1fbd_rw_1920.png?h=4002d89bf0198a9d0f1877c2352241f7)
Using Unreal 4 and a landscape created by Brushify I was able to build a game environment where I could explore the concept further. I wanted to add some dynamic lightning - with the help of a few videos, and some work-around I was able to get something that looked acceptable.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83704c60c27922c5828821e26a20bdae/80185fc1-e362-4e9f-b4cb-75192e5ca7be_rw_1920.png?h=8a12c5b5c09df1ca96af5da58f6d58fb)
Using Substance Painter and Photoshop, I took the concept in a different direction as a 2D expression - A solid yellow plane pierced by a dark city.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83704c60c27922c5828821e26a20bdae/7cdf14e3-89b0-4d11-a0e3-ac33bb4e6393_rw_1920.png?h=558862f1f0870377f0427a28b064d42f)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83704c60c27922c5828821e26a20bdae/90256cd5-bd40-4bb3-b927-32740fa67bd8_rw_1920.png?h=c593aac1e00319ff2cf88004ba4ec617)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83704c60c27922c5828821e26a20bdae/5860f656-f5f1-4930-adb2-177c8085869e_rw_1920.png?h=3a3e8f6dc03b2dc442b40d9fe6d5a478)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83704c60c27922c5828821e26a20bdae/ed13315d-81da-4618-ba24-f02bf539e4ad_rw_1920.png?h=6c5c5e0eaf9def5a6714f396b2cb9f19)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83704c60c27922c5828821e26a20bdae/ba2c7953-6006-4017-92f9-f2ee8d70eb11_rw_1200.png?h=cd81746c05e200165e3a8654e88dcc38)