BAD RITUAL
Digital Artist & Designer
Hello! My name is James. I'm a Canadian artist living and working on Vancouver Island. I've studied at Alberta University of Art and Design in fine arts and design programs.I create artwork, game assets, visual identities, and interactive experiences for imaginative projects of all kinds. From early concepts to final production, I bring ideas to life through illustration, design, animation, and thoughtful visual storytelling.
Game design · Visual assets · Digital art · Graphic design
Work
Digital Artist & Designer
I am a digital artist and designer who creates memorable visuals for games, programs and apps, imaginative worlds, products and brands. My work combines illustration, graphic design, and interactive media with a strong focus on character, atmosphere, and visual storytelling.I create and carry concept ideas through all the stages of production to a final product. I work well both as a solo developer as well as in team settings, with years of team lead and management experience.
Whether I'm developing a complete visual identity or creating a single asset, I bring the same mix of creativity, technical versatility, and thoughtful craftsmanship to every project to make it enjoyable for everyone involved.
Projects
I’ve worked on a wide range of projects, from fully developed game experiences and illustrated worlds to branding, marketing materials, and web design. This collection highlights some of my favourite work and the different roles I took on along the way.Choose a project below for a closer look at the ideas, process, and finished assets behind it.
Contact
Have a project in mind, a question about my work, or an opportunity you’d like to discuss? Send me a message using the form below and include as much information as you can. I’d be happy to learn more about your project and will respond as soon as I’m able.
Save my contact
Slot game development
Overview
With over 42 different game titles under my belt, I work across the various fields of concept development, production, documentation and project management to create explosively exciting and fully developed slot games. I have worked both as a solo developer, and as part of a larger team, often collaborating with guest artists and programmers to bring immersive games to life.
Art & Asset creation
My work creating assets covers nearly every visual aspect of a game, including backgrounds, characters, symbols, user interface elements, particle effects, 3D models and animations. I have worked as the art team lead on nearly every project, helping establish the visual direction, organize production, documentation, and make sure the visual pipeline continues to flow and remains consistent throughout the entire project.
Unity implementation
Beyond the front end visuals, I assemble and implement the finished assets in Unity. Working alongside programmers to deliver a fully functioning final product that is ready to ship. I create animations, controllers, particle systems, shaders, dynamic text, file organization, and supporting graphics. I also handle small amounts of programming where required.
Tools & Production
My workflow combines programs like Photoshop, Spine Animation, Blender, Unity and an assortment of other programs, allowing me to take a project from its earliest concepts through final implementation and packaging. Working across both art and production has given me a strong understanding of how individual assets fit together to create a complete and polished game experience.
Digital Art
Overview
My digital art covers a wide range of subjects and formats, including concept art, characters, creatures, environments, portraits, props, and other visual development work. I enjoy exploring different styles and adapting my approach to suit the tone, setting, and purpose of each project.
Characters & Worlds
Much of my work focuses on designing characters and the worlds around them. This can include early concepts, costume exploration, expressions, poses, environments, and the objects that help make a setting feel complete. I especially enjoy imaginative subjects that allow for unusual creatures, strong personalities, and visual storytelling.
Commissions & Published Work
I have created artwork for individual clients, books, magazines, zines, and other published material. Some pieces begin with a detailed brief, while others are developed collaboratively from a loose idea. In either case, I work to understand what makes the subject important and turn that into an illustration that feels personal and memorable.
Tools & Process
I create most of my artwork using Clip Studio Paint and Photoshop. My process usually moves from rough sketches and composition studies through linework, colour, lighting, and final rendering. I adjust that process depending on the project, whether the finished piece needs to be a detailed painting, a character concept, a silly sketch, or an immersive and complex project.
Commission me!
I take commissions! Whether you have a complete concept or just the beginning of an idea, I can work with you to develop it into a finished piece that feels personal and true to your vision.
Commissions
Bring your ideas to life
Commissions are OPEN
I take commissions for characters, portraits, creatures, props, environments, reference sheets, and other custom artwork. Whether you have a complete design ready to go or only the beginning of an idea, I’m happy to work with you to create something personal and true to your vision.My commissions range from loose sketches and character concepts to clean line art and fully rendered illustrations. If your idea doesn’t fit neatly into one of the options listed below, feel free to contact me. I also take on stickers, icons, item designs, reference sheets, and other unusual projects.Select one of the commission types below to see more information on that particular style.
Please ensure you read my Terms of Service before commissioning me. Click the icon below to view my current que.
Sketch Commissions
A loose and expressive drawing that captures the character, pose, and personality without the longer process of a fully rendered piece. Sketches can remain monochrome or include colour and simple shading.
| Size | Basic sketch | With colour (+50%) |
|---|---|---|
| Headshot (Shoulders up) | 30 USD | 45 USD |
| Halfbody (Hips up) | 40 USD | 60 USD |
| Fullbody (Entire character) | 50 USD | 75 USD |
Request a sketch commission!
Lineart Commissions
A refined drawing with clean, finished lines and more detail than a sketch. Line art works well on its own or can be combined with flat colour and cell shading for a more complete result.
| Size | Basic Lineart | With colour (+50%) | With cell shading (+50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Headshot (Shoulders up) | 50 USD | 75 USD | 100 USD |
| Halfbody (Hips up) | 60 USD | 90 USD | 120 USD |
| Fullbody (Entire character) | 70 USD | 105 USD | 140 USD |
Request a lineart commission!
Illustration Commissions
A polished, fully rendered painting with detailed colour, lighting, and finishing work. These pieces receive the most time and attention and are best suited for clients looking for a complete showcase illustration.
| Size | Illustration Price |
|---|---|
| Headshot (Shoulders up) | 80 USD |
| Halfbody (Hips up) | 120 USD |
| Fullbody (Entire character) | 200 USD |
Request an illustration commission!
By commissioning Bad Ritual, you must agree to these terms of service. These have been created with the interest of protecting both the artist, and you as the commissioner.
By purchasing a digital commission, you understand that you are purchasing a service as well as a completed digital image. There are no physical items you will receive.
The artist reserves the right to cancel and refund a commission at any time.
The artist retains the copyright to the commissioned artwork.
The commissioner retains the right to the intellectual property depicted in commissioned artwork if they are legally able to hold it.
Commissioned art may be posted on the artist’s social media and online portfolios.
Unless otherwise discussed, the artist will not use a commissioner’s intellectual property to resell, or for commercial use.
If the commissioned artwork is uploaded to any website by the commissioner, it must be credited to the artist "James Russo" or "Bad Ritual".
The commissioned artwork may not be used for commercial purposes. It is intended for personal use only unless otherwise discussed.
A reasonable number of small edits are included with the price of your commission. These will only include aspects that the artist forgot about, overlooked, or got incorrectly in regards to your commission. Any other changes and edits will be charged.
The commissioned artwork may not be altered in any way, save for resizing, cropping or arranging as a whole image to fit the medium it is intended for. Any signature or watermark must remain on the image at all times.
The commissioned artwork may not be used for NFTs, or be used to train any AI module.
No work will begin until payment has been made.
Full refunds may only be issued if the client notifies the artist prior to the artwork being started. Partial refunds will be issued if the artwork is still a work in progress. No refund will be offered if the work has been completed.
The artist has the right to pursue damages under Canadian Copyright Law, should there exist a violation in addition to a breach of these Terms of Service.
Last updated - Sept 04, 2026