MONUMENT VALLEY

LEVEL DESIGN CONTEST

Who will win?

MONUMENT VALLEY INTRODUCTION

Monument Valley is an indie puzzle game developed using an isometric

grid and published by Ustwo Games. The player leads the princess Ida
through mazes of optical illusions and impossible objects while
manipulating the world around her to reach various platforms.

PRINCESS IDA
 The Making of Monument Valley

According to the maker of the game, Ken Wong, Monument Valley was inspired by the
Dutch Artist M.C Escher. Compare and contrast their work. What are the similarities?

Escher,
Relativity,
1953
Isometric Grid in Monument Valley

The designers of Monument Valley designed the game using an isometric grid. What
is an isometric grid? The isometric grid itself is basically the guideline to have the
right angles when drawing from an isometric perspective. ‍The “true isometric grid”
has a 30º angle between the x and z axes to the plane.
Drawing Ida and the Birds in Illustrator

See if you can use the tools in Illustrator to

create your own examples of the characters
in Monument Valley. This will be 041 and
043 on classwork.
Before you start, what issues do you
think you will have when making
them?
Step 1: Drawing on Isometric Grid Paper, Copying Claudi Mussett’s designs, and Making
your Own

You’re required to design a level for Monument Valley using at least two of your initials as the
bases for it. An artist named Claudia Mussett has already designed a level for each letter of the
alphabet so check out her artwork for inspiration.

Locate one of your initials created by Claudio Mussett and recreate it on half of the isometric grid
paper using the isometric graph paper provided. Consider using rulers and sharpie when drawing it.
On the other half create your own design (042).

As you look through the letters take notice of the design features such as the buttons, towers,
turning features, stairs, waterfalls, flags, castle tops, circles, windows, patterns, floating geometric
shapes, doors, totem poles, and color choices.

Try to include at least two of those design features in your own work. You do not have to color it.

When you’re done, take a picture of it and turn it in.

Step 2: Making a Template, Tracing, and Adding Color
Open your design from step 1 (042) in Illustrator.
Make it a template. Then, use your pen tool to draw
out your design. Draw both designs. Try to
recreate Claudio Mussets colors on the one that you
copied. Make up your own colors for your own. As
you add color think about adding color with light
coming from a light source. Consider adding
gradients instead of flat colors. Make it darker on
one side and lighter on the other. You don’t have
Click on the video
to color the entire thing. This is just practice. above to learn how
When you’re happy with your design, turn it in on to make your
drawing a template
(043).
and how to color
it.
Step 3: Monument Valley Design Rough Draft/Requirements (047)

After you’ve practiced drawing on the isometric grid paper and practiced using
illustrator to trace over your design, you’re ready to work on your final
sketch. Grab a piece of isometric grid paper and sketch out your rough draft.
Here are the requirements for the Monument Valley Project. I should see an
example of each on your rough draft:
Create accurate perspective using the ISO grid paper provided in class. Draw
it out with pencil

Use Scannable to scan it, make it a template, and then draw all of your lines
using shift for lines that go straight up and down. Make sure you close all
the sides of your shape. Paths must line up to the isometric grid.
Must draw at least two letters from your name.

The letters are SHADED with light coming from a light source meaning you will
have a bright side and a shaded side. Consider using a gradient.
Step 3: Monument Valley Design Rough Draft/Requirements (047)

The letter has details added to it that makes it look

like a level from Monument Valley
Pick at least four from this list:
windows/doors
waterfalls
stairs
water
towers
tower tops
flags
bricks
Buttons
Patterns
Totem Poles

-The letter must fill up the majority of the iso-

grid.
-Include the crow and Ida that you drew in class.
-Include a background.
Step 4: Working on Your Final Draft
After you turned in your rough draft (047), and got it approved by Mr. Beck,
open up the isometric grid outline that we’ve been using for all of the
tutorials and start to draw your design using the pen tool. Make sure
you’ve got smart guides (view/smart guides) turned on.

After you get the basic letter structure layed out you should be able to
copy and paste the smaller details like the door, windows, and waterfalls to
name a few from the tutorials we completed in class.

You have two weeks to complete this in class. This project is due Friday,
April 29th.
Step 5: Turning in Your Project and
Submitting for Contest
When you’re done with your Monument Valley Project go ahead and
turn in a picture to the Monument Valley Project and fill out How to use the Snipping
the attached rubric. Tool to turn Monument
Valley into a .jpeg.
I’m going to have your classmates vote on their favorite
project and the winner will receive the $5.00 to purchase
Monument Valley 2. If you want to submit your project for the
contest follow the instructions below:

1. Use the snipping tool to take a picture of your project

and save it as a .jpeg. Look at the attach video here to
figure that out.
2. Next, add your .jpeg to this slide show. See the attached
video to learn how to do that. You can find the slide
show under the Monument Valley Project in classwork.
3. I will put together a Google Form asking students to vote Watch this video to see
on their favorite design. how to turn your
4. Open up the Monument Valley Contest Google Form and vote Monument Valley in for
on your favorite (I will post this on Tuesday, May 3rd). the Grand Prize!