About ten years ago, I received a message that would quietly change the course of my creative career.
It was from a "board game publisher" who had seen some of my watercolour superhero illustrations online. He told me how much he loved the style, how "distinctive and beautiful" they were, and asked whether I’d ever be open to working on a board game should the right project come along. I replied that I'd love that, and went on with my life...
Ten years later, that one message turned into Origin Story, the first board game I ever illustrated, one of the most ambitious and meaningful projects I’ve worked on, still to this day, and would mark the beginning of my foray into board games.
In a way, this is my very own Origin Story as a board game illustrator.
From Watercolour Superheroes to Game Art
It all began with a handful of superheroes I had painted in watercolour, just for myself, part of my Colour Up Your Day project. Watercolour was an unusual choice for characters usually drawn with sharp lines and bold colours. But somehow, the softness and movement of watercolour gave them a new kind of life.
Thanks to some unexpected online attention (special thanks to SupetHero Creations for helping those pieces take off), the paintings reached a much wider audience than I ever imagined, including Jamey, the creator of Stonemaier Games.
It's more than three years later that Jamey got back in touch with an actual project. He wanted to see if my style could work for a new superhero-themed board game. We began with a few sample pieces to test things out, and from there, we were off.
Finding the Right Style for Origin Story
From day one, the aim was to create something that didn’t look like any other superhero game.
Most superhero-inspired games use bold, digital linework and glossy effects. But Origin Story needed something more emotional, more human. That’s where the watercolour came in. It gave the characters movement, softness, and presence, something organic and unexpected.
I had doubts at first, though.
As a lifelong comic book reader, I felt like I was breaking the rules. There’s a deep visual language in comics, and I wasn’t sure I was allowed to touch it, let alone reshape it. Imposter syndrome hit hard. But in the end, I realised that if I was going to take this on, I had to do it my way, even if it was bound to be controversial; some people will not like it. And that's OK.
Painting the Characters: Power, Identity, and Representation
One of the most inspiring parts of Origin Story was having full creative freedom when it came to designing the characters (thank you, Jamey 🙏). It was an opportunity to create a world where anyone could see themselves as a superhero.
That meant superheroes of every shape, age, gender, and background. After all, variety is where the power really is!
Representation matters, maybe even more so in games, comics, and media, where power and visibility are centre stage. The people we choose to portray in these roles say something about the world we want to help create. So I tried to paint that world.
In Origin Story, every character was created with intention. Not just to look cool or powerful, but to feel real, human, and relatable. I wanted players to look at the game and think: “That could be me.”
In a game where Love is one of the 4 super-powers,
the characters had to be about more than shields, hammers, and lasers.
Drowning in Art (and Loving It)
This was the largest project I had ever taken on at the time. Not just in size, but in responsibility. I wasn’t only illustrating, I was also leading the entire artistic direction of the game. Every detail had to fit into a coherent visual tone, and there were a lot of illustrations to create.
It was overwhelming at first, but the trust and the creative freedom Jamey placed in me made the process of shaping the world of Origin Story incredibly fulfilling. I threw myself entirely into it.
And Then… the Wait
After more than a year of work, we were nearly at the finish line. But then the release strategy changed, and the game was put on hold while Jamey reassessed its direction.
That was a gut punch. This was my first board game, I’d poured so much of myself into it. I was quite devastated.
(Disclaimer, in case anyone has a doubt, I was still paid in full for the commission. The distress was only emotional).
For a while, I genuinely didn’t know whether the game would ever be released.
Origin Story Is Finally Here!
Never say never, I guess!
After five years (and four other games, including Wyrmspan, also for Stonemaier Games), the game was back on track, with a new mechanic and some new artwork needed. That felt like Christmas in an email.
So ten years after that first message, Origin Story is finally here—and I couldn’t be more excited for you all to see it, play it, and hopefully connect with the world we’ve built.
A Game Full of Heart, Paint, and Power
If you’re a fan of superheroes, hand-painted art, or board games that dare to look and feel different, Origin Story might be just your thing. Every piece of artwork in the game was hand-painted, just brush, paper, and passion. A lot of it.
This game means a great deal to me. It pushed me, inspired me, and opened the door to a whole new creative world.
And I can’t wait to finally share it with you.
Thank You, Jamey!
Peter Parker was bitten by a spider, Superman had the Sun, Steve Rogers had his serum... They all had their defining moment.
In my "board game illustrator career", this message was my moment.
Jamey, I'll always be grateful for you and our relationship.
Thank you for being my star-bright, vitamin-infused, radioactive spider!
Browse the Original paintings and limited edition prints from the game.
Thanks for reading, hope you love the game.
Clémentine
