Behind the Design: Creating Overlook: Frozen Orbit
Creating digital artwork can often feel like navigating a galaxy of tools, textures, and decisions. For Overlook: Frozen Orbit, I wanted to capture a sense of scale, isolation, and serenity — a frozen moment in orbit, just out of reach.
Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how this piece came together:
1. Composition & Basic Lighting
Everything begins with form. I start with two overlapping spheres to suggest scale and relationship — a planet and its moon. From the outset, I’m thinking about light: how it falls off, where it fades, and how it might feel in deep space. This stage is all about blocking in shapes and establishing balance.
2. Texture
Next comes the detail that brings the scene to life. The larger planet is given an alien, swirling texture — a cold, layered surface that feels dynamic and unfamiliar. To balance that, I chose a more familiar, realistic texture for the moon — something closer to our own. It’s rugged, cratered, and grounded in visual reality. Even in a surrealist piece like this, there needs to be a sense of believability — a grounding element that lets the viewer feel like this could exist, somewhere.
At this point, the work shifts from abstract design to something more tangible and grounded.
3. Atmosphere, Glow & Bloom
This is where the magic starts to emerge. I add soft glows around the planet’s edge, subtle bloom effects, and a faint atmospheric halo. These details help the planets feel like they’re suspended in space, catching light in a way that feels natural but cinematic.
4. Starfield & Light Glare/Haze
The background isn't just filler — it’s part of the mood. A hand-crafted starfield adds depth and motion. Light haze and faint lens effects pull the focus forward and give the composition that final sense of environment — like a camera lens floating quietly in space.
5. Colour Grading
The final polish. I subtly shift tones to emphasize the coldness of the scene — leaning into icy blues and muted highlights. The contrast is refined, shadows deepened, and colors brought into harmony. This step ties everything together visually and emotionally.
Final Thoughts
Overlook: Frozen Orbit is a quiet piece, meant to evoke stillness and scale. I wanted it to feel both alien and familiar — like something you’ve seen in a dream, or maybe a sci-fi film that never existed.
If you enjoyed this breakdown and want to bring a bit of that quiet into your workspace, the final piece is available as a 4K wallpaper for desktop and mobile devices.
Thanks for following along — more space to come.
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Adam Taylor
