Some incredibly talented people over on deviantart have joined forces with Blizzard to introduce us all to the eclectic mix of characters that Overwatch will have at launch. Deviantartists have been handpicked to create personal interpretations of 21 different characters over the last 21 days so we can meet a new Overwatch character every time. But now that we have them all in one place, which one is your favorite?
21 Deviantartists, 21 Overwatch Characters
Mercy by alexnegrea
"I was happy to paint Mercy because I really like the vibe of the character. The painting process was a challenging one but definitely a great experience!”
Well, it most certainly paid off. The detail on this support character is...yeah, I wish I could draw.
Genji by TsaoShin
“Genji’s stealthy combat moves, sleek design, and fusion between man and machine offers so much in the way of inspiration. Ultimately, I chose a composition that would put him into a menacing stance paired with threatening glow of the giant dragon summoned during his Dragonblade ability.”
RYŪJIN NO KEN WO KŪRAE! Sorry, got a bit carried away there. But how could I resist with such art on display?
Hanzo by larienne
“I fell in love with Hanzo the moment I saw him! His wonderful design, heartbreaking backstory and badass weapon turned drawing him into a true, one of a kind adventure!”
RYUU GA WAGA TEKI WO KURAU! Brothers deserved the same reaction. Love the art style here and how easily this concept could fit into an Anime.
Symmetra by Kate-FoX
Symmetra is an interesting, attractive character with a unique design and drawing her was a fascinating experience. I’ve always liked such characters, that’s why it was a pleasure to fulfill this commission.”
Yep, this is completely and utterly badass. Just look at the attention to detail!
Reaper by rossdraws
“Illustrating Reaper was an enjoyable experience for me. His essence really came through his design which helped me create this piece for him.”
Now I want to play as Reaper. "Die, die, DIE!"
Pharah by KNKL
“Pharah’s stylish hair and mech suit are my favorite things about her. It was challenging drawing her from this angle, but the feeling of looking up at her while taking in the details of her character made it all worth it!”
How fitting! The way that I normally see Pharah is from below as she roars, "Justice rains from above!" Death quickly follows.
Roadhog by theCHAMBA
“I always find it extremely fun to draw the characters that are somewhat outside the norm for me. I’m used to drawing super physically fit characters, so the overall design and anatomy of Roadhog looked wickedly fun for me. A welcomed change of pace!”
Love the unusual art on display here for Roadhog. Makes him look like something out of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Widowmaker by Ry-Spirit
“Drawing Widowmaker was a joy, she’s beautiful and stylish but also evil. It was definitely fun drawing her even though my greatest fear is spiders.”
I love this interpretation of a character that can absolutely annihilate me in the right hands. Cannot wait for Overwatch to release!
McCree by GENZOMAN
“I love everything related to the old west! It is always great to find a character like the gunslinger Jesse McCree, an anachronic classical western outlaw in the ScFi themed game of Overwatch. Not only because he has a lot of personality, but also he offers a nice contrast between technology and the classic western icons. I had a really nice time painting this piece, playing with the concept of a character that can be very good at aiming, but also to show he is good to evade and run.”
The cross between the classic imagery of the old west and the scifi vibes of Overwatch are beautifully realized in this almost cosmic image. It's high noon somewhere in the world.
Tracer by DanLuVisiArt
“I grew up on Blizzard games as a young teen, being a big fan of Diablo 1-3. Now being able to paint one of their characters for their latest game, Overwatch is now a personal notch I can check off. Thank you for this awesome opportunity.”
My favorite character in Overwatch, lovingly created in a fun and beautiful way. Nice one, DanLuVisiArt!
Zenyatta by ChasingArtwork
“When drawing this character, I had a ton of fun playing with the idea that this is a spiritual robot with a faith, I had wanted to create an image that makes people think "ethereal", a robotic god of sorts. He should look like he’s at one with the universe. Or at least trying for it. It’s a very different character type, “Robotic Monk” is a unique descriptor. Very fun to draw.”
Well, this is incredible.
Winston by Picolo-kun
“When I was drawing Winston I wanted to bring to life this animal nature that makes him unique. Thus I chose to illustrate his "Primal Rage" mode with loads of brutal force and primal energy.”
That energy comes across! This guy gets super pissed off a lot. Nice ape, though.
D. Va by GUWEIZ
“D. Va was a fun but challenging character to draw! The bright color palette and energy are her strongest selling points for me and I tried my best to create a piece that would show that off!”
I love this illustration. It looks like she's something out of a more modern Blade Runner. Beautiful stuff.
Lúcio by Raichiyo33
“I immediately thought of extreme sports like snowboarding or rollerblading. The sports and the athletes movements really helped me with figuring out the pose for him along with other inspirational characters from past early 2000’s games, which I was really fond of when I was young. He has surprisingly a lot of detail which proved difficult drawing them in angle. Anyways, he was fun to draw!”
One of the most frustrating characters in Overwatch to shoot at, Lucio is looking pretty badass in this great interpretation.
Junkrat by Charlie-Bowater
“I had a lot of fun painting him in a more illustrative style and it was a nice change of pace for me.”
Well, he looks positively evil. Suits him.
Mei by Ciaparo-Sans
“My first impression of Mei was that of an adorable sister that you’d feel comfortable hanging out with. Everything about Mei can be described as cuteness, I really enjoyed painting her chubby cheeks, fluffy coat. My favorite detail is how she holds her pinky finger up when holding a gun, which is such a feminine detail about her. Drawing the weapon was quite a challenge, but fortunately I was able to paint it in my favorite color (blue). All in all it turned out to be a great experience.”
One of the most devastating characters in Overwatch, Mei is a cute but deadly adversary. By far one of my favorite heroes in the game.
Soldier: 76 by einlee
"I was really drawn by his back story, one of such loss and disillusionment. Instead of his usual guns-blazing badass look, I tried to capture the more human side of him that urges him to carry on despite his weariness, bound by duty. Here he is during a moment of repose after a long day."
Love the take on this character. He's the classic FPS lead and designed to be a welcoming entry into Overwatch for shooter fans, but this image gives Soldier: 76 a nice bit of depth to his character.
Reinhardt by nakanoart
“As an avid gamer, I was already anticipating the release of Overwatch. So when I was presented with the opportunity to draw Reinhardt, a character who I was itching to play, I jumped at the chance! I’ve already played many tank-type characters, so I chose to portray him in a way that highlights his role: battle-worn and bravely leading the charge for his team.”
Love this take on the German giant. Reinhardt is normally seen with his helmet on, so I'm delighted that nakanoart decided to portray the man behind the shield. It's also seen in the reflection of a puddle and that is unbelievably cool.
Zarya by serafleur
“It was an enthralling but challenging experience for me to be able to draw that wasn’t what I usually draw. At first, I was overwhelmed by her strong personality and her complex design but the longer I paint Zarya, the more her design becomes interesting and fun. I learned so much throughout the process of painting Zarya that broaden my knowledge to character designing so I think it was meant that she was my chosen character.”
Another beautiful rendition of one of Overwatch's many unique characters. A fantastic job by serafleur!
Bastion by AyyaSap
“Bastion—It’s a very unusual character with interesting story. In my illustration I would like to show Bastion as himself—kind, loving nature and all living things, but still able to stand up for himself and for those he loves. In that episode he saves cute rabbits from danger and he had to use force. I’m very thankful to Blizzard for given opportunity and interesting experience!”
Love Bastion's little bird companion and this fantastic piece of fan art!
Torbjörn by Scebiqu
“Torbjörn is a more defensive weaponsmith character building up lines of turrets to aid his team. But he’s also a badass looking space dwarf with robotic claw and a flame-spewing forge on his back. I thought portraying him in the midst of a raging battle, manning the barricades would fit his character well and I really had fun doing that.”
"Badass looking space dwarf." Couldn't have put it better myself. Awesome creation!
Which is your favorite?