People weren’t happy with how I used AI to improve my text last time, which I get. However, I still wanna share my learnings with you, which is why I’m writing this from scratch.

Over the past years, I had the amazing opportunity to create quite a few boardgame box arts. I had some struggles along the way, but I also learned things that could help both illustrators and authors.

1. The goal is not to create a beautiful illustration alone, it is to communicate what the game is about. It’s a communication tool that has to show what experience awaits players and it should stand out in the shelf
2. Create a mood that reflects the heart of the game. You can work with colors, light and atmosphere that are fitting for the game and show players what they are in for before they even pick up the game.
3. Don’t show everything! Don’t forcefully put every mechanic, character and detail on the cover, it can feel overwhelming. Try to communicate one strong and important idea. 
4. Clarity beats complexity. This goes hand in hand with point 3. Try to bring the theme, genre and hook across without being too abstract or overloading the artwork.
5. Collaboration between author and artist is essential. As an author, try to create an easy to understand briefing with everything important you can think of. As an artist, try to work towards the same vision. Communicate during the process, send updates and ask questions. 
6. Leave space for design elements. Consider which elements need to be placed on the box before starting the illustration. Icons, Logo etc. need space to breath.

Feel free to add points yourself so people can learn from our mistakes. 

If you ever need support bringing your boardgames to life, feel free to reach out! I’ve been doing this for a while now and would love to help. 🙌🏻