After a long, dreary winter filled with gray skies and endless nights, spring has finally arrived. We all need a boost of energy and positivity during this transition. The shift from white snow and gloomy weather calls for a splash of vibrant colors and good vibes.
Fortunately, we stumbled upon the ZigZag Resource Pack for Minecraft Pocket Edition.
This pack is a fantastic creation that adds an adorable touch to the world of Minecraft PE. With grinning pumpkins, beautiful leaves, and even Steve sporting a clean shave and a smile!
Try not to get lost in the cuteness as we take a look at some friendly mobs. Here’s a regular pig that we decided to feed a stack of wood for some reason. Yes, we’re terrible people.
Next up, we see a lovely horse and a chicken looking enviously at it. Perhaps it wishes it could be a horse? Don’t give up, friend; you can do it!
Sheep! These woolly creatures now have large, round eyes—just big enough to spot any wool hunters.
The project The ZigZag is crafted by Jamie McKiernan, an incredibly talented artist who collaborates with Harmonix. She was kind enough to share a bit about her journey with us.
“I graduated from the Massachusetts College of Art,” Jamie tells me when I ask about her career beginnings. “At that time, I worked in Animation and Illustration, but my goal was to become a concept artist. This ambition stemmed not only from games but also from various genres and forms of artistic conceptualization.”
Which one do you like the most? Personally, I’d choose Noodle!
“After finishing school, I joined Harmonix and interned there. Initially, I thought I would stay for just a few months.”
That feels like ages ago since Jamie has been with the company for eight years now! We certainly hope she completes her internship soon! Just kidding, as she now holds prominent positions within the company and is trusted with significant projects. If you’re familiar with titles like Dance Central, Harmonix Music VR, or Singspace, then you’ve already encountered Jamie’s work.
You can find many of her creations on Twitter by following this link.
However, her artistry extends beyond her collaboration with the company. She discovered the rich world of Minecraft PE.
“We had our own server at Harmonix,” Jamie explains, “and I found myself in a lively environment filled with artists and engineers constantly engaged in creating various works.”
“Together, we decided to embark on our first project—a barbarian village nestled in the woods, and we jumped right into it.”
“That’s when I experienced all aspects of multiplayer in Minecraft PE—it’s not just about fighting and winning, but also about collaborating to create truly magnificent things.”
Creating anything in the realm of Minecraft PE is quite challenging. Designing a skin pack is even more complex. Jamie dedicated a lot of effort to complete the project, taking three years to finish!
“It all started with a simple question: ‘Is it hard to change a few blocks?'” the developer explains. “And now, after creating countless blocks, I’ve come to understand what that entails.”
A villager from the skin pack. He doesn’t seem too thrilled to see me.
Jamie began working on textures starting from version 1.8 for Java. “Previously, textures were presented as one large sheet, but thankfully, the developers decided to delight the community by splitting them into different files. After that, modifying them became much easier and allowed for personal creativity.”
“I wanted to challenge myself and create something. After altering a few skins, I posted them on Tumblr and received enthusiastic feedback from the Minecraft PE community. They were eager for more! My initial thought was, ‘Do you really want me to do this?’
Minecraft PE bears little resemblance to realism. There are hundreds of games that surpass it, and the ZigZag skins lean even further into cartoonishness.
“I refer to my style as ‘flat cartoonish look,'” Jamie shares.
“This is how I operate,” Jamie continues, “While working on the skin pack, I often found myself glued to my phone, where I was also developing various projects.
As Jamie explains, the style of reduced realism can endure for many years because the realism of each game lasts a maximum of two years before being replaced by newer titles. In contrast, games devoid of realism can maintain their popularity regardless of trends.
“I tried to convey this idea to the company’s management, who approved the project. I love creating things that can be enjoyed for a long time.”
Jamie shared some techniques for achieving a similar aesthetic as seen in ZigZag. “I really enjoy using the NovaSkin website, where you can create 3D models and paint them directly, akin to programs like Zbrush and 3DS Max. The painting appears instantly, which is very convenient.
“Afterward, the project undergoes processing in Photoshop, so I highly recommend utilizing NovaSkin—it’s a fantastic tool for everyone,” the developer explains.
Jamie is still actively working on this project. But does she have ideas for future updates?
“Absolutely! I will continue striving to enhance my project by replacing pixels and minimizing textures. It’s my unique challenge!” Jamie shares with us. We hope she can create even more brilliant projects like this one.
а когда будет ссылка?