# Pierce Papke - Artist, Builder

> Pierce Papke's concept art portfolio, game dev, writings, and digital garden.


## Posts

- [Darkway: Empyre, Graphic Novel](https://ekpap.com/darkway-empyre-graphic-novel/): This is a work in progress graphic novel that chronicles the founding of the Dog Empyre: the same Empyre that appears in Murder of King Mere over 400 Capital Years later.
- [Murder of King Mere](https://ekpap.com/murder-of-king-mere/): Murder of King Mere, on Steam for $7.99 I created Murder of King Mere by myself from May – December 2025. The game takes place in the world of Darkway, a world I have been worldbuilding for since I was in high school.This is my first paid game, and I plan to make many more. MOKM began as a game for the ThatGameCompany’s game jam. See below for screenshots, as well as in-development pictures, videos, and concept art. Big thank you to everyone who helped with voice acting! (credits at bottom). These videos were from development around May and April. […]
- [Seattle Signal Box](https://ekpap.com/pnasignalbox/): Click images to enlarge. Photos by Peter Allen – thank you Peter! This is the signal box on the Greenwood Crosswalk between 85th and 87th! I know you’ve seen them, they rule this ridge. Some with an iron beak, others with a curious head tilt, circling and gliding from sea to lake in search of shiny things; they are the Crows. I created this piece because Seattle seems to have infinite crows. Their black wings are a perfect graphic contrast to the Emerald City’s blue skies, and PhinneyWood’s colorful brick buildings. Medium: Pen, paper, pixels I worked with the Phinney […]
- [The Most Powerful Use of Art](https://ekpap.com/the-most-powerful-use-of-art/): The most powerful use of art is often overlooked. Today, art as a consumable (movies, Instagram photos, video games) seems to be the primary focus of most businesses and the larger market/ population. This is because we live in a consumer economy, artists and studios need a means to afford food, and we do that by selling art. But often this focus on selling and presenting overshadows other uses of art:Art may be used to: (Note, this was paraphrased from Demid Tishin) Famous music producer Rick Rubin once said: “The audience doesn’t know what they want; they only know what […]
- [Life is a Dance](https://ekpap.com/life-is-a-dance/): Life is a battle. A dance. A martial art. I do karate. My first and only competition I entered as intermediate. I arrived and saw a black belts gathering: the announcer proclaimed “direct your attention to mat 3, the black belts will be the best show of the day!” Cool! I thought, I will be with the intermediates directly after the black belts. I saw the event organizer, Chuck, walking up to black belts asking for names. At the end he looked at the list, studying it with other officials. “Uh oh”, I said to my fiancée Greta, while sitting […]
- [EDITION 000: FOUNDER](https://ekpap.com/edition-000-founder/): Organic Cotton. Embroidered Designs. Wearable Art.—EDITION 000: FounderAfraid of the Dark?Cold hands seek Forbidden LightWe have found the Fire. Edition 000: Founder is the first in a collectable series by my designer clothing brand, 1sin. Each Edition releases with a haiku and 3 apparel items. Each apparel item tells a story through art based off of one line of the haiku. The Edition series focuses on telling the story of humanity’s beginnings through open-ended haikus and imagery. The first, Edition 000: Founder, tells the story of the initial revelation of humanity that they could control fire and bring light to […]
- [2 thoughts: AI and accountability](https://ekpap.com/2-thoughts-ai-and-accountability/): The following is two different excerpts from the same day, exploring various issues related to AI, speed of art creation, and MARTCH illustrations. AIThe past week has seen a dramatic surge in AI images, especially in the style of Studio Ghibli.While I think there is a decent amount of reason to be concerned (primarily regarding copyright and trademark protections, and whether those will protect artists going into the future), I don’t think AI art will ever fundamentally change the way I make art, or stop me from doing so. But the future is unknown. AI could take my job as […]
- ["Art Style"](https://ekpap.com/art-style-sketchbook/): “Art Style”Those two words defined my early career as I desperately sought a unique way to make art. Now, they linger in my head—both meditative and frustrating:I create wildly different styles—Ghibli environments, edgy sketches, digital painting, linocut, pixel art, cell shading, anime-like, impressionistic, sharp lineart… Like, bro, pick ONE?? Early on, mentors told me to settle on a style to find work. Luckily, I still found work across styles, but always in specific ones: So, does art style matter? Imo, Yes and no. Art style is a derivative of past movements and materials, shaping what an artist is known for. […]
- [Running a 50k + Art](https://ekpap.com/running-a-50k-art/): I ran a 50k this weekend – (30ish miles)And like clockwork, life got me behind on projects again.After 30 miles my body needed to recover, and I did not work on my projects like Martch. The race in question was the chuckanut 50k…. This clockwork hones in on the art of life: The balancing act of sprints, and recovery. I don’t have the balance down, but I’m realizing as I live, the uneasiness/ occasional sadness I feel about life often arises out of lack of balance. This isn’t a work vs. fun sort of balance. As an artist, my work […]
- [Why do Hands Glow?](https://ekpap.com/why-do-hands-glow/): Why do hands glow?The glow is something called subsurface scattering. When a light source is strong (like the sun) it can shine through certain permeable objects in the same way light shines through glass. This glow in the painting is the light diffusing through the blood vessels of the hand, creating a cool lava-like glowing effect.You can see this right now: Turn your phone’s flashlight on and press your finger on the light! PS: Subscribe to my mailing list for free art! Subscribe here! This image was created for Martch 2025. See Martch’s page for all images. Here are some […]
- [Martch 2025](https://ekpap.com/martch2025/): Scroll to bottom to see all images of MARTCH! Welcome to Martch 2025! I want to share art consistently, so I’m starting this challenge. Essentially the same as many other art challenges, with the goal of creating and sharing art everyday.Themes will be more specific in 2026 and beyond. This first year has a focus on fundamentals, with a specific focus on worldbuilding / storytelling. As a concept artist, world building is my bread and butter and I wanted to lean into that.
- [02-27-2025 Art as Life](https://ekpap.com/02-27-2025-art-as-life/): Perhaps one of my biggest takeaways in my time as an artist is that the way in which we live largely determines the art we make.This can be observed time and time throughout history: many famous artists paint what is around them, or take concepts and philosophy’s that are important to them and find ways to intertwine with their art. The most notorious example that comes to mind in the massive amounts of religious art through history (think historical Christian art throughout the middle ages and renaissance, and Hindu and Buddhist art during the various empires of Asia.)As artists, we […]
- [Custom Nordica Enforcer Skis](https://ekpap.com/ski1/): Custom Nordica Enforcer 185s made with spraypaint and POSCA markers!
- [Strata? Sketchbook 02/18](https://ekpap.com/strata02-18/): I am attempting to curate a system for generating the most amount of great art and creations that I can: Essentially thinking up various solutions to the problem of giving value (both to myself and others.)This has been difficult primarily because I have tried to do this solely by myself without the help of any sort of strata to think on. I’ve started using Obsidian more recently to just thought dump and it’s been going well. Using two different spaces, one for refined thoughts and notes, and another space for just mind dumping. Anyway, here’s some art:
- [SKI-J](https://ekpap.com/ski-j/): SKI-J by Ekpap | IM/MORTAL Ski-J was created by me in 3 days for the 1-BIT JAM #5 (Theme: Winter). The game was inspired by the rhythm concept I know from the PSP games Patapon, and the rhythmic skiing patterns of cross country Skiing.You play as Ski-J the skier who must save his town by essentially playing delivery boy for the various NPC’s around the world. The map is inspired by Mazama / Winthrop WA, a place I have grown up visiting. I went cross country skiing for my first time about a month before this game jam so it […]
- [Plato's Cat](https://ekpap.com/platos-cat/): Plato’s Cat by Ekpap | IM/MORTAL Plato’s Cat was created for the Global Game jam 2025 (theme: bubble) in 47 hours by me and 4 friends. This is the first COMPLETE 2 day game jam I have done. (Meaning that the game is finished). You play as Plato’s Cat and your purpose is to help your owner (Plato) climb out of their grief and depression: “Climb the perilous spire of Plato’s distraught mind, fighting off inner demons with the help of Plato’s head – a shadowed and depressed version of him, granting you the ability to triple jump via bubble, […]
- [Rocco's Bramble Ramble](https://ekpap.com/roccos-bramble-ramble/): This game was created for the Global Game Jam 2023 in 2 days. I worked primarily in the role of Art Director, coordinating several artists to achieve a cohesive look. Initial concept was for this game to be a dungeon crawler, where a crow attempts to escape a dungeon, but became something cuter and more refined with the feedback of several team members. All of the development was accomplished by Cloaked GamesAnd additional credits can be found in the itch.io page! You can play the final product here: Rocco’s Bramble Ramble Screenshots!
- [Project Contrast](https://ekpap.com/project-contrast/): Project Contrast is an in-progress project I started during my junior year of university. The scope of the game is to mix the story-telling aspects of classic cRPG’s, the dungeons from Pokemon: Mystery Dungeon, and brain games that involve pattern matching. The initial purpose of this game was to explore how video games might be used in Philosophy of Mind research involving the understanding of qualitative experience. You can read about the research I did into the topic of game development’s overlap into philosophy of mind and neuroscience here: Creating Project Contrast: a Video Game exploring Consciousness and Qualia Screenshots […]
- [In the Face of Darkness](https://ekpap.com/in-the-face-of-darkness/): A common pessimist refrain is that life is suffering – and resultingly so life is a curse. As talked about in A Conspiracy Against the Human Race, Thomas Ligotti discusses various pessimistic philosophers whom come to the conclusion that the bookend of life – nonexistence – underscores the fact that life is inherently meaningless: it is all darkness in the end, and therefore there is no reason to continue living, or at least to value and cherish one’s own existence. As a pessimistic optimist – I’m optimistic but relate to pessimistic arguments – I agree with this to some extent, […]
- [Sisyphus](https://ekpap.com/sisyphus/): To where we go I know not.. Ever rolling boulders up hills, Forgetting from where we came: A king against death Forsaken by the war man to roll some stone ever upwards Finding no way home, no place to go. death may yet claim us When it awakens to its terrible power Is this a blessing? Some solace? Or a curse? To accept the end; a crown lost Or to remember who we are Rolling some forgotten rock Or punching the damn clock Forever darning worn socks Searching before deaths lock Why go on? Why? This purpose is fickle But […]
- [Sketchbook 12/11 - Darkway Ideation](https://ekpap.com/121124-2/): These are some sketches from pen/paper over the past few days. The world is Darkway, a dark historical-fantasy based on real world events. Currently working on a book for Darkway 🙂 I need to figure out how to write a script so I can post to Instagram and it automatically updates to the website.
- [Memos for Later](https://ekpap.com/memos-for-later/): The universe tends towards knowing. No one is a certain as they seem, doubt even pervades the minds of the confident. The great artist, true leader, will find space for both knowing and doubting, And kindle direction in those for whom they serve. A Great idea is not a great idea until it becomes. Becoming is equal parts: action and clarity. Kindness is the greatest action of love, whatever kindness is, is up for discussion, however. Dichotomies of thought, action, and belief are the water and fire of humanity. Life is poetic until you stop making it so, life isn’t […]

## Pages

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- [Privacy Policy](https://ekpap.com/privacy-policy/): Effective Date: 4/7/2025 Welcome to ekpap.com / 1sin.shop. Your privacy matters. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your information when you use our websites. 1. Information We Collect We may collect the following types of information: 2. How We Use Your Information We may use the information collected to: You will never receive marketing emails unless you’ve explicitly signed up. 3. How Your Information Is Stored If you provide your email, it is stored securely and used only by us. We do not use a third-party email service or automation platform. Emails are manually managed and […]
- [Shop](https://ekpap.com/shop/): Games Murder of King Mere $7.99You are the Apprentice, sent by the Master Detective to the City of Ink, to uncover who really murdered the King at the edge of the world. Books Quests Journal $8.99Transform ordinary days into extraordinary adventures with The Quest Journal—where real-life achievements become epic quests. 1sin is my designer clothing brand: embroidered designs on organic high-quality cotton, telling stories through poetry and art. View full catalogue here. Shirt 1/3 $35.50EDITION 000: FOUNDEROrganic Cotton, embroidered designs based on Haiku:Afraid of the Dark? Shirt 2/3 $35.50EDITION 000: FOUNDEROrganic Cotton, embroidered designs based on Haiku:Cold hands seek Forbidden […]
- [Gear](https://ekpap.com/gear/): Below is the variety of gear I use to make my art and build cool stuff. Note these are affiliate links, so I sometimes get some moneys when you buy this stuff through these links. Huion Kamvas 24 4k I’ve used this drawing display since 2022, and it has treated me great. Amazing drawing experience, nice display panel. My recommendation to pro artists. Check Prices belowHuion StoreAmazon Huion Inspiroy Keydial KD200 This is my go-to travel tablet, and the one I recommend to most beginners and hobbyists. Check prices below.Huion StoreAmazon Surface Laptop Studio 2 This is a very expensive […]
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- [About](https://ekpap.com/about/): My name is Pierce Papke, I’m an artist and builder. I work mainly in the games industry as a concept artist. When not concept arting, you can find me in the mountains, reading, gaming, doing any physical activity (especially backpacking, karatedo, running, and weight lifting), or making café au laits at 6 in the morning. It’s a vibe. If you are interested in working with me, or want to ask me some questions, please feel free to contact me via email here: pi@ekpap.com RESUME! Past Clients Software Skills Krita Photoshop Procreate Aseprite Blender Unreal Engine Gamemaker Studio
- [Sketchbook](https://ekpap.com/sketchbook/)
- [Art Portfolio](https://ekpap.com/artportfolio/)


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