Izzy MEdrano
IP Developer • Art Director • Concept Artist • Writer • Illustrator • Teacher
ip developer • Art director • concept artist • writer • illustrator • teacher
Art direction
Inspire.
Impact.
Ignite.
Art direction
Trials of Twilight
Season 3 2025
marketing campaign-
League of Legends
ART DIRECTOR/ ILLUSTRATOR: Working with internal directors and creative leadership Izzy contributed to the legacy of a core League of Legend character as he surrendered his eternity to save his friends and his world. Constructing pitch and mood boards, thumbnailing, building assets, and providing art direction for external illustration and cinematic teams, Izzy was instrumental in the delicate depiction of the noble and beautiful sacrifice centered in this marketing campaign.
Roo's Lantern:
Spirit Blossom - Afterglow Full Cinematic
Legends of Runeterra
ART DIRECTOR: Working with an internal team director; Izzy managed, translated, and communicated aesthetic direction to the vendor, Eddy Animation. He was responsible for character refinement, shot clarity/ composition, color and lighting, as well as movement and timing to help shape the visual identity for this game expansion marketing campaign.
2XKO - Ties That Bind Cinematic Intro Trailer
ft. Courtney LaPlante
of Spiritbox
LOOK DEV/ ART DIRECTOR: Izzy worked closely with the internal team to establish an impactful look built to emphasize the shared dream-like realm of the two character’s memories as they intertwine; while maintaining the cell-shaded styling of the fighting game. This was a proper challenge developing the cinematic lighting and atmosphere that Squeeze Studio delivered on magnificently!
magic: the gathering
The animated Series
(2022 - cancelled)
Magic: The gathering
STUDIO ART DIRECTOR: With hundreds of Magic card illustrations under his belt and decades of experience in the entertainment industry; Izzy was tapped by leadership at Netflix, eOne, Hasbro, Wizards of the Coast, and Woodridge Productions to take on the mantles of show art director and Guardian of Lore. Managing an internal team of artists and the art output of 3 full sized external production studios -in Prague, Tel Aviv, and Toronto, respectively- was a fresh and exciting challenge! Unfortunately, production was halted after a couple years, but there is a trove of art, animation, boards, and more that Izzy was honored to craft alongside the best and the brightest in the industry! (Image to right is not official)
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Inspire.
Impact.
Ignite.
ip development
& world building
Codename: Scribe
3d Metroidvania
World building
Original game IP
STUDIO ART DIRECTOR/ NARRATIVE DEVELOPER: Izzy is frequently approached for his unique background combining a mastery of visual arts and his deep love and understanding of storytelling and narrative. This project was a prime example of the marriage of these skills. Brought on initially to art direct on very rough IP concept, he took on the task of constructing the root narrative for the game pitch. A fully realized protagonist, a magic system built around a combination of calligraphy and martial arts, and a fantasy fable draped in Romanian culture and history were developed. Production on this game is indefinitely paused, but there is a deep collection of original art and writing.
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Pilot & Series bible
(in production)
Original graphic Novel
CREATIVE DIRECTOR/ SCREENWRITER: Izzy created a near future sci-fi world with a dystopian twist. COLLAR -now an optioned series in production in S.Korea- was created initially as a collection of short stories and art with a dark noir aesthetic. He developed these narrative nibbles into a fully fledged pilot script, and a detailed show bible outlining the political history and current real world technology capable of totally restructuring our society. The franchise is built as a high concept/ minimal budget live action series that can branch into transmedia stories featuring any characters or plots as the ultimate writer’s sandbox!
Codename: Hollow
Openworld Survival
world building
Original game IP
WORLD BUILDING/ NARRATIVE/ LEAD CONCEPT ART: Wrapping on God of War: Ascension as lead concept artist and periodic art director, Izzy joined the incubation team at SSM to world build and write on an original IP. Shifting gears into post-apocalyptic science fiction, Izzy supported the team by creating a uniqe magic system for AI combat rooted in logical alien anatomy. He also led the art direction of the aesthetic for the rugged technology operated by the survivors. Finally, he refined the team of main characters, combining visual storytelling and writing to develop interconnected narrative arcs weaving them to each other and the greater story.
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serialized story & Audiobook
CREATIVE DIRECTOR/ WRITER: Developing a new kind of sword and sandal fantasy was the goal of Izzy’s original tale “Granny Claymore”. Looking to the joyful storytelling of “low fantasy”, inspired by the barbarian and samurai tales of the eighties, the central evolution became: What happens when the hero retires? Bad memories, old aching war wounds, and the spark of heroism all but extinguished. This exercise in world building and writing is centered on budget animation spotlighting character and a lived in world.
services
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Working with teams to tighten story, artistic goals and concepts, while managing scope and trajectory by establishing clear parameters of design.
Helping to develop holistic narrative and design through characters, magic systems, technology, culture, and world building.
*Samples can be shown in meetings.
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Developing and maintaining unique themes and aesthetics through context and narrative.
Leadership and guidance for artists of all disciplines. Emphasis on mentorship and establishing an individual’s ownership and personal artistic development.
*Samples can be shown in meetings.
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Original design through lateral thinking and holistic storytelling.
Master painting and design skills focused on problem solving for characters, creatures, and cultures.
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High quality and engaging art for products and marketing; focused on engaging drama, personal moments, humor, and psychological impact.
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In depth painting and design instruction using distilled and practical approaches combined with engaging interaction.
