Aetherreach is a worldbuilding concept created as part of an independent design exploration for a speculative game, animation series, or cinematic universe. The piece depicts a surreal skyborne civilization, floating islands suspended among clouds, connected by fragile paths, mechanical lifts, and aerial transport systems. The goal was to craft an immersive, emotionally rich setting that evokes wonder, possibility, and narrative intrigue.

The Project

The design journey began with loose sketches and spatial exploration. I studied various environment references to experiment with vertical composition, scale, and atmospheric tone. Several thumbnails were created to test layout and world logic, ultimately narrowing the direction down to the concept of floating isles, each holding unique architectural personalities and organic elements.

From there, I selected a standout sketch and digitally enhanced it, focusing on scale relationships between the buildings, natural features, and open skies. This version was used as the foundation for ideation in Midjourney, where I leveraged AI to evolve the mood and complexity of the world. After multiple iterations, I imported the most compelling version into Photoshop for refinement, painting over elements, adjusting atmosphere, blending textures, and enhancing visual storytelling.

The final stage involved compositing additional details and developing the world across multiple outputs, framing the environment for use as a poster, cinematic concept board, and banner-style layout for pitch decks or mood boards. Alongside this, I pushed the boundaries of AI prompt engineering to evolve the environment further, using it as a tool to enhance the visual narrative and explore potential directions. These final pieces have more visual depth and complexity needed for advanced world building.

Tools used: Hand sketches through Procreate, Midjourney for conceptual AI evolution, Adobe Photoshop for paint-over and final compositing.

Creative Goals

• Create a visually rich environment that feels expansive and mysterious.

• Balance whimsy and architectural realism to support a game or animated narrative.

• Explore floating topography, soft lighting, and modular living spaces that suggest history and social hierarchy.

• Use AI as a collaborative tool in the design process without compromising creative authorship.

Application Potential

This world concept is adaptable for a variety of storytelling formats, from an open-world fantasy RPG to an animated series or narrative-driven indie film. The verticality of the environment also supports interesting gameplay mechanics or layered plot exploration, from sky pirates to mystic civilizations.