Dragon Academy

I partnered with Dragon Academy to develop a lineup of original characters and the world around them. The project brought together creative direction, art direction, character design and environment building into one cohesive visual universe with a clear story foundation.

Credits: Created and Commissioned by Cheryl Mainland of Dragon Academy

Creative Direction, Illustration, World Building, Characters

Dragon Academy character illustration of a blond surfer holding a decorated surfboard, blending beach culture, fantasy design and bright animated world-building.

Dragon Academy character illustration showing a stylish young woman in patterned streetwear, standing against a glowing teal background with music-inspired visual details.

Dragon Academy world illustration showing characters skating, playing music, painting graffiti and playing basketball inside a detailed fantasy school environment.

CONTEXT

The project needed a clear creative direction for a character-led world, with artwork that could introduce the cast, support the story and give the Dragon Academy universe more depth.

APPROACH

I shaped the creative and art direction, developing the characters, their visual styles and the environment they inhabit, from early sketches through to final artwork.

CONTEXT

The project needed a clear creative direction for a character-led world, with artwork that could introduce the cast, support the story and give the Dragon Academy universe more depth.

APPROACH

I shaped the creative and art direction, developing the characters, their visual styles and the environment they inhabit, from early sketches through to final artwork.

CONTEXT

The project needed a clear creative direction for a character-led world, with artwork that could introduce the cast, support the story and give the Dragon Academy universe more depth.

APPROACH

I shaped the creative and art direction, developing the characters, their visual styles and the environment they inhabit, from early sketches through to final artwork.

Dragon Academy illustrated character cards featuring a mystical figure, a white tiger and a floating musician, expanding the fantasy world and story-driven cast.

Dragon Academy character illustration showing a stylish football-inspired character holding a soccer ball and game controller against a digital data background.

Dragon Academy character illustration of a colourful performer holding a bat, combining street fashion, playful fantasy design and bold character art.

Dragon Academy character illustration of a skateboarder with a board and sports gear, blending street culture, music details and fantasy character design.

Dragon Academy character illustration showing a girl in a yellow jacket taking a selfie, created as part of the project’s expressive cast and visual world.

Dragon Academy character illustration showing a glowing fantasy character with long hair and magical details, designed as part of the project’s original character lineup.

Dragon Academy character illustration of a warrior-inspired figure holding a sword, blending detailed costume design, fantasy storytelling and bold visual direction.

Dragon Academy panoramic world artwork showing the full illustrated environment, with characters, temples, trees, mountains and activity areas brought together into one fantasy scene.