Getting Booker just right was a complex task.Ī chapter on Songbird reveals initial sketches where he went from mechanical dragon to flying man to mythical beast and, finally, to giant mechanized bird capable of flight. In initial concepts, he went from brutish thug to scowling youth to a square-jawed comic book hero before arriving at an everyman with a pronounced jawline and piercing eyes.īooker DeWitt's image needed to match his gruff voice and irascible character. Surprisingly few pages are dedicated to the lead protagonist, Booker DeWitt. Several pictures depict her states of evolution, ultimately arriving at the big blue-eyed, intelligent and capable beauty that was the final iteration. Before her personality was nailed down, concept artists created myriad sketches of her at all ages with varied clothes, posture, demeanor, and disposition. The chapter on Elizabeth is a particular favorite. Initial designs for human characters demonstrate art nouveau inspired scarring on the faces, flesh eating creatures with clawed hands, and gruesome facial splicing. The Art of Bioshock Infinite not only provides a stunning array of concept art for the game, but it also includes early design sketches and color illustrations of a darker, more sinister version of the city of Columbia that was eventually scrapped in lieu of the colorful and airy city in the sky featured in the game.Įarly concepts for mechanical creatures were macabre in design, crafted with bronze and copper and featuring lifeless eyes and disproportionate anatomy. Click here to watch a video review of this book on my channel, From Beginning to Bookend.

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