Cyril Yong Zhou is a concept artist and visual designer based in China with 12 years of experience in film and games, including projects such as Honor of Kings and The Eight Hundred. He creates atmospheric environments that blend digital painting, 3D workflows, cinematic mood and cultural memory, often working in Photoshop and Blender (see our guide to the best digital art software)
Below Cyril tells us about four examples of his work. For more inspiration, see our other features on digital artists.
The Golden Harbour Citadel
(Image credit: Cyril Yong Zhou)
“A golden capital rises above the harbour, combining monumental architecture, layered districts, and bright atmosphere. Airships and sunlight reinforce a vision of prosperity, power, faith, and wonder across the skyline.”
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Lion Dance in the Old Quarter
(Image credit: Cyril Yong Zhou)
“A courtyard is a stage where lion dancers, martial movement, and modern city forms collide. This explores cultural continuity through contrast, performance, celebration, and urban memory made visible.”
Ruins Beneath the Tide
(Image credit: Cyril Yong Zhou)
“An ancient ruin that’s been transformed by water, drifting fabric, and strange growths. The scene frames exploration through layered space, vivid colour, and a sense of mystery, danger, and forgotten history.”
Market Street below the Castle
(Image credit: Cyril Yong Zhou)
“This bustling market street in a Medieval town leads the eye towards a distant castle on a hilltop, using layered rooftops, banners, and figures to build a welcoming Storybook sense of place.”
You can see more of Cyril’s work on his ArtStation profile.
This article originally appeared in ImagineFX. Subscribe to ImagineFX to never miss an issue. Print and digital subscriptions are available.
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