Tag: Collectible

🤝 A Special Thanks to Jason

I met Jason when I started working at my first game store, and from day one, we clicked—bonding over collectible card games and quickly becoming more like family than just friends.

Back when Shattered Fables™ was just black-and-white text on printer paper, no images, just raw ideas—Jason believed in it. He’s always been one of the most supportive, caring, and generous people I’ve ever known. Through the hardest times, I’ve often thought, “At least I still got Jason,” and that’s meant everything.

In late 2023, I almost lost him and his wife in a major car accident. Thankfully, they’re both recovering, but that moment shook me. It reminded me how fragile life is and pushed me to stop waiting and start creating. His support, especially now, motivates me to keep moving forward and bring this world I’ve been building into reality.

We’ve even talked about opening a tabletop gaming and card shop together someday—a dream I hope to make possible by turning Shattered Fables™ into something truly successful.

Jason’s been there since the beginning, and I’m grateful every day that he still is. <3

🖼️ Evolving My Card Creator

Over the years, I’ve built my own custom Card Creator in Photoshop—originally in Elements, now expanding as my skills grow. My first working file had over 500 layers, packed with every border, element, and design variation I could think of.

Recently, I started a fresh version with larger graphics to prep for Print-on-Demand products and higher-resolution visuals. I designed it to be modular—letting me quickly swap borders, frame styles, art sizes, and elemental or faction icons, all in a single file. This setup makes it easy to tweak designs during testing without starting from scratch.

Right now, this is a self-taught system—but once I complete my Adobe Certified Professional course, I plan to rebuild it from the ground up using everything I’ve learned. My goal is to make it even more streamlined and powerful for producing Shattered Fables™ cards efficiently.

My website, much like my original card files, is a work-in-progress—all built from scratch without formal training (yet!). Thanks for sticking with me on this journey!

🃏 Creating Shattered Fables™: A TCG Journey

Shattered Fables™ has been a long time in the making, and I’m finally at a point where I’m ready to start showing more and inviting others to be part of its creation.

While I’m still keeping some mechanics and deeper gameplay details under wraps until testing and feedback expand, I’m excited to share the evolution of this world and game. Inspired by my love of TCGs, tabletop RPGs, and strategy games, this project blends the best elements of each into something truly unique.

This is more than just a game—it’s a world. One that features:

• Grid-based tactical gameplay, where spacing, range, and unit placement matter.
• Customizable, collectible cards with symbols for fast, intuitive play.
• Dice-based mechanics that bring unpredictability and excitement to every battle.
• A strong focus on lore and storytelling, with characters and factions that players can connect with.

As seen in my recent videos and design previews, my goal is to create a game that feels familiar yet fresh—something that TCG fans, RPG lovers, and strategy enthusiasts can all enjoy.

I’ve spent years building the foundation, and now, I’m looking to bring others along as I refine, test, and develop Shattered Fables™ further. If you’re into worldbuilding, game design, or just love the idea of shaping a fantasy multiverse, I hope you’ll join me on this journey.

More details will come as development continues—but for now, I’m thrilled to finally start revealing what I’ve been working on.

🎨 How I Create & Source My Art

Art has always been part of my life—I took it through high school, and while I’ve got decent traditional skills (colored pencil was my favorite), I’ve found that digital tools let me bring my visions to life in ways that feel more natural.

Most of the symbols and images in Shattered Fables™ start as layered designs I build like puzzles. Some come from original sketches that I scan and edit, others are purely digital from the start, crafted in Photoshop (originally Elements, now being rebuilt with everything I’m learning in my Adobe Certified Professional course).

Past Contributions & Current Approach

• I’ve purchased some art in the past from a friend, though due to a falling out, I no longer rely on that work. What remains from those contributions is minimal, often reworked into new symbols or concepts.
• Elena, my partner, is a big creative influence too. As an aspiring tattoo artist, she’s helped me design several concepts—some inspired by tattoos she’s made just for me.

Adapting & Evolving with AI Tools

One of the hardest parts of this journey has been sourcing art for playtesting and potential final products—mainly due to cost. Early on, I used royalty-free images from sites like Pixabay, which I’d edit or use as inspiration.

Now, I’ve embraced AI-assisted tools to fill the gap. While I know AI art is still a hot topic, for me, it’s about bringing my ideas to life in ways I otherwise couldn’t afford. I often start with something original when I can —a sketch, an outline, or a design(I have made)—and use AI to help shape and enhance it. Every image is heavily edited in Photoshop, often combining pieces from multiple sources. For more information on How I use AI to build my fantasy IP.

My Take on AI Art

People often think AI art is just “click and done.” It’s not. Especially in fantasy settings, getting exactly what you envision can take hours of refinement. I’ve spent days on some images, layering, adjusting, and blending elements until they match my world. AI is a tool, not a replacement—and I believe when artists and designers work with it creatively, it can open up incredible possibilities.

My goal is to continue improving my own skills, and eventually, work with other artists to bring even more personal, high-quality visuals into Shattered Fables™. For now, I’m proud of what I’ve built—and grateful for the tools that let me make it real.

More Details in Blog with comments enabled. (and Gallery View)