Interview: Aarn0ud / adr.draws - designer for TCGLIVE ChinoizeCup & illustrator Star Wars: Unlimited

aarnoudderycker
Aug 6
11 min read

Something a little different from your usual pro player interview.

No deck techs or meta breakdowns this time. Instead, we're going behind the scenes with someone who draws tcg-cards. Aarnoud De Rycker (artist alias adr.draws) is the creative mind behind the visuals of tcglive and the ChinoizeCups. He illustrated for the Star Wars: Unlimited cardgame. Oh, and he also casually made Top 8 at the One Piece Regional in Paris. Time to hear his side of the story!

You’re the creative force behind all the visuals for the ChinoizeCup and design of the TCGlive website. Can you confirm that everything on the website is your own work? And if so, which piece are you personally most proud of?

“Creative force” sounds like big words — I see myself more as a sort of guide or curator who tries to streamline the visual style of the site, the graphics, and the charts. In the beginning, I set up a few basic style rules (such as fonts, colors, and layout principles), and those have been consistently applied since.

All the illustrations on the site are indeed mine. They’re personal pieces that are also part of my portfolio. They serve as a kind of visual calling card, and I use them in job applications. Actually, it was Ruben’s idea to use those images — partly because he thought they looked cool, but also because no one else was really showing that kind of work, and because TCGlive might grow beyond just One Piece in the future. These pieces are essentially concept designs rather than pure illustrations — so it’s more about design than polish — but they’re visually strong enough to also work as illustrations.

If I had to pick a favorite, it would probably be “Orbit Haven” — or “Big BB8,” as Ruben calls it. I have a big soft spot for hard-surface sci-fi, and that base really shows how enthusiastic I am about the genre.

We've been working together for a while now, but for those who don't know: can you share how our collaboration first started?

I think it all started during a car ride to or from a One Piece tournament — we already kind of knew each other through the local scene. Ruben had just launched tcglive, and at that point, everything was still happening through Discord and Facebook. During the ride, he mentioned wanting to create some things in Photoshop. A mutual friend (lexinator22) had told him I was pretty solid when it came to visual work. I think I started out by making a few Twitch thumbnails not long after.

Shortly after that, Ruben showed me a video from Eggman about leader breakdowns and asked how to make something similar. I figured I’d give it a shot — and, as I sometimes tend to do, I went a little overboard. I didn’t just make the breakdown; I also built a full layout around it. When I feel something could be improved, I have a hard time letting it go until it actually works.

the first visual leader breakdown of ChinoizeCup by Aarnoud

Originally, the idea was that I’d just create a few templates, but I ended up continuing with the visuals — because I can do it quickly and well, and because it’s fun to collaborate. With my background in architecture, I have a lot of experience with graphic work (like presentations and websites), and I also teach Photoshop as a lecturer in the Architecture program at UHasselt. I think I started helping out with the website design not long after. These days, it usually works like this: Ruben comes to me with a rough idea or sketch, and I work my magic on it.

From your perspective, what has the ChinoizeCup project taught you creatively or professionally?

What I really enjoy about tcglive and the ChinoizeCups is that I get to apply graphic design in a less businesslike way. In architectural education, everything is usually more dry and strict. Here, it can be looser — even a half-assed meme can be highly appreciated, and that’s wonderfully refreshing.

The biggest impact for me has been less on illustration and more on how I approach graphic design. I’ve learned how to convey information in a smart, fast, and accessible way — preferably in a playful, visually appealing manner.

Oh, and just a quick sidenote: Aarnoud recently made top 8 at the One Piece Regional in Paris ( 2-3 august 2025 ). Yep — even the art guy from the ChinoizeCups can compete at a high level!

What was that experience like for you — any memorable matches, surprises, or moments that stood out during the event? It still feels kind of unreal, to be honest — I’m definitely not a hardcore player, and I never thought I’d be someone who makes Top 32. I just brought the deck I know inside out in a lot of matchups: Animal Zoro. I think I got a bit lucky in Swiss with favorable matchups, and in the tougher ones, my opponents either bricked hard or made some mistakes. That said, I felt like I played pretty clean overall, so I didn’t get punished too much for misplays.

Somehow, I finished Swiss well enough to set myself up for a solid top cut run on Day 2. In the top cut, I faced Yamato (Top 32), RG Smoker (Top 16), and then UP Luffy (Top 8). Yamato and RG Smoker are both good matchups for Zoro, so those rounds went quite well. The UP Luffy player, was seriously strong — he ended my run there. Still, making Top 8 was way beyond anything I had expected going in. Playing in the ChinoizeCups and following the casters’ commentary improved my gameplay more than I realized. Also shoutout to Lexinator22, RoronoahTCG, Rehnay and (of course) Chinoize for being there offering moral support, tips and advice for going in top-cut!

matchups, round 3 wasn't a loss if we played overtime by the rules :D

Recently, your artwork appeared in the official Star Wars: Unlimited trading card game — a huge milestone! How did that opportunity come about?

Thank you — it really does feel like a childhood dream come true! One day, I suddenly got an email from Steve Hamilton — my future art director at Fantasy Flight Games (and a great illustrator himself, by the way). At first, I skimmed over it, because as an artist, you often get emails about “opportunities” that turn out to be nothing. Honestly, Star Wars seemed too good to be true.

A week later, I decided to open it properly — and it turned out to be very real. Not long after, a contract followed — and that’s when I knew: this is legit.

How they found me? Quite simple: through ArtStation. It’s the platform for anyone looking to work in entertainment design — from films and games to tabletop. Even though I always assumed there were way better artists on there, they still found me. Over the years, I had built a sci-fi line-art portfolio — coincidentally, exactly the kind of work they were looking for. My focus had been more on design than illustration, but they saw enough potential for Star Wars.

The lesson I took from it: you don’t need to be a jack-of-all-trades. It’s more important to position your profile sharply and specifically so that the right people notice you. Though these days, I am exploring a bit more diversity in my work.

Star Wars Unlimited cards by Aarnoud De Rycker

How much time typically goes into creating a single Star Wars card — from brief to final artwork?

I tried timing the process while making the cards, but it varied quite a bit — especially at the beginning, because I was new to this type of illustration and to Fantasy Flight’s workflow. As a newcomer, I really wanted to make a good impression, so I probably put more time into each part than strictly necessary.

If everything runs smoothly, I’d say one card takes about 1.5 to 2 days of drawing. But there’s more to it. Email communication takes time — especially since I was working from Belgium and my contacts were in the U.S., so we were always dealing with time zones. There can also be revisions. Fortunately, FFG handled that really well: I had a lot of freedom and their feedback was usually limited and constructive. They tried to catch issues early in the process. That said, revision requests can vary wildly depending on the client, so I always mention it.

Here’s a breakdown of my typical workflow (which varies from artist to artist):

Briefing I received a document from FFG and my art director with short descriptions of what they were looking for. Due to NDAs, I can’t go into detail, but the descriptions were usually pretty concise and left room for creativity. Also a note, they don't share what the layout of the card will be.
Reference Phase What many non-artists don’t realize: before you start drawing, you first gather a lot of visual references. Think of examples of the subject, color schemes, mood boards, etc. This can easily take a few hours, but it saves headaches later. You don’t want to invent everything from scratch. Working smart and efficiently is key.
Sketch Phase This is when I create fast, rough thumbnails to capture the idea and composition. I send these to the art director, who picks one. Sometimes I also include a color sketch, especially if the brief was open-ended. The vaguer the brief, the more exploration you need. I usually use existing references for color (famous painters, strong photography, etc.), because I’m not necessarily a color expert. This phase is fairly short — the goal is direction, not perfection.

sketches and color studies for Kimogila Heavy Fighter card

Rendering Phase Once the sketch is approved, I begin working on the final illustration. This is the most time-consuming step. Everything has to be right now: light, shadow, material rendering… no more happy accidents. Star Wars was challenging here, especially since I was new to “space lighting” and often had to create nebula backgrounds. I learned things like how to paint colorful ‘clouds’ and add stars using texture and light. Once you get into the flow, this becomes a really fun phase: the base is there, now you’re just building on it.

Feedback & Final Delivery
After rendering, I submitted the artwork for feedback. Occasionally I’d get comments, like a decal on a ship being incorrect — Star Wars fans are very precise, and rightfully so. Usually, it was minor tweaks in color or balance.
Then I delivered the file in the proper format for mass printing — which you double- and triple-check — followed by admin stuff (emails, payments, etc.)

Were you already a Star Wars fan before working on the project, or did you dive into the universe for the first time through this job?

I’ve been a Star Wars fan long before working on the card game. As a kid, I was introduced to the original trilogy, and I saw the prequels in theaters. Later came the revival with the sequels and an endless stream of series — all of which only fueled my fascination.

What really pulled me in, though, were the games Jedi: Fallen Order and Jedi: Survivor, featuring Cal Kestis. In my opinion, those might be some of the best Star Wars stories ever told.

The funny thing is that other people had already told me my work “felt like Star Wars” — even before I worked on it professionally. My designs apparently already leaned in that direction naturally. I think it’s because Star Wars is so committed to iconic, simple visual language: recognizable, clear, and powerful.

That’s something I focus on a lot in my own sci-fi work too. And honestly: Star Wars is so deeply ingrained in pop culture, it’s almost impossible not to be influenced by it.

Alright, the classic Star Wars fan question: who’s your all-time favorite character?

Since I’m a real hard-surface guy, I prefer to answer with my favorite spaceship and droid — that says more to me than choosing a single character.

My favorite ship is definitely the Razor Crest from The Mandalorian. That show offered a fresh, grittier perspective on the Star Wars universe, and the Razor Crest immediately felt iconic to me. It’s a real workhorse of a ship that goes through stuff — gets damaged, repaired, crashes, rises again… you can practically feel it has character.

As for droids, I’d go with K-2SO from Rogue One. Although, to be fair, my favorite droid is usually just the last one I’ve seen. But K-2SO really stands out for his dry sarcasm and unique personality — he definitely takes the crown.

If you could design a card for any Star Wars character or scene of your choice, no restrictions, what would it be?

Oof… I think it’s a dream for many illustrators to do something involving the most iconic parts of Star Wars. And when I think of Star Wars, I automatically think of the Millennium Falcon.

It’s actually a very simple design — not necessarily the fastest, strongest, or prettiest ship — but it’s just so Star Wars. The silhouette, the textures, the history… everything about it oozes character. I’d love to design a card for it — preferably in an epic scene, mid-space chase, or just before a hyperspace jump. Also since we are also invested in the one piece card game. I would have no problem with Bandai reaching out to me to illustrate a stage card. It would be the one type of card I could actually draw in this card game.

For readers or companies who love your style: are you currently open for freelance work or commissions? And how can people best reach out to you?

Definitely! I’m a freelancer, so I’m always open to new projects or collaborations. I also teach and work on other things, but I always try to make time for interesting requests.

The best way to reach me is by email at adr.draws@gmail.com. I’m on social media as well, but I try not to get addicted to screen time — so email is the most reliable.

Finally, what advice would you give to young illustrators who dream of working on trading card games or in the fantasy/sci-fi genre?

There are a few things I’d love to share — mostly the kind of advice I wish I could give my younger self if I were starting over. It would’ve saved me a lot of time (and frustration). Bit of an old man rant, but oh well.

Master your fundamentals. No matter what area of art or entertainment design you end up in, the basics — perspective, lighting, form, and composition — are essential. Invest months, even years into them. Yes, it’s boring — you’ll draw thousands of cubes, cylinders, and observation sketches — but it’s the foundation everything else is built on. A lot of people want to jump straight into sci-fi or fantasy art, but without fundamentals, you have no control over your work. Practice, practice, practice. I still remember our mutual friend Lexinator22 once stayed over at my studio for a week, and he’s still amazed at how early I was up, already drawing at my desk.
Understand your context — especially in Europe. If your dream is to work in TCG art or entertainment design, I personally wouldn’t recommend going to a traditional fine arts school. A lot of those programs focus more on experimental or academic art, not on applied illustration or figurativea arts. After my architecture degree, I briefly enrolled in such a program myself… let’s just say it wasn’t a match. Then again, I did end up working for Star Wars without an illustrator diploma. :)
“Make good art.” This one comes from Neil Gaiman, in one of the best speeches on YouTube. Whatever’s happening in your life — whether it’s chaos, grief, doubt, or stress — the answer is: make good art. And what is good art? It’s your art. What matters most is that you create something that’s yours. Whether that’s TCG cards, cute anime girls, or anything else. Art is personal — and it also has to stay mentally healthy. When you’re just starting out, it’s more important to build technical skills first, but over time, your own voice will naturally emerge.
Don’t ignore the business side. Art is great, but if you want to make a living from it, you need to think about the market. Personal work is valuable, but no one buys a random image with no context. From personal experience: gallery art mostly gets attention, but rarely earns money. Focus on art that serves a purpose — for a card game, a video game, a book, you name it. Also think carefully about presentation for that context: how you show something is almost as important as what you show.
Less is more. A principle from architecture — coined by Mies van der Rohe — that I also find incredibly relevant to illustration in general. But even more for portfolios: Keep your portfolio clean, focused, and consistent. No clutter, no overkill. When an art director views your work on a screen, they often make their decision based on the thumbnails alone.
Make sure you have 10 to 15 pieces that are consistent in style and quality. Every piece should hit the mark — better fewer, stronger works than a bloated portfolio.