| Project | Where the Ashes Sleep |
|---|---|
| Studio | Mattorigus Studios |
| Role | Illustrator & Animator (also Concept Creator & Writer) |
| Disciplines | Illustration, Character Design, Environment Art, Frame-by-Frame Animation |
| Scope | 900+ individually drawn frames in a 2-week production |
| Competition | Spooktober 8th Annual Visual Novel Jam (2026) |
| Result | 15th out of 421 entries, shortlisted for nominations |
| Status | Released |
Where the Ashes Sleep is a supernatural visual novel developed by Mattorigus Studios for the Spooktober 8th Annual Visual Novel Jam. It follows Berry Amity, a ghost hunter investigating an abandoned school, in a story about memory, grief and letting go.
Over an intensive two-week development period, I produced more than 900 individually drawn frames, creating the characters, environments and supernatural elements through traditional frame-by-frame animation.
This case study focuses on the illustration and animation. For the story and the wider project, see the main Where the Ashes Sleep case study.
Drawing a Dream
The original concept came from a recurring dream I’ve experienced. There was something about its atmosphere and emotional undertones that stayed with me, and the artwork needed to capture that feeling.
Having responsibility for both the writing and the visuals meant I could develop the narrative and its visual expression together, using character animation, atmosphere and illustration to reinforce the emotional themes of the story.
Berry Amity
Berry’s role as a ghost hunter gives players a natural reason to investigate the supernatural activity, and her design and expressions carry the shift from investigation towards something more personal.
Frame-by-Frame Animation
Rather than using static sprites, the characters were animated by hand, frame by frame. With more than 900 drawn frames produced in two weeks, it was the most ambitious part of the production.
The Abandoned School
The abandoned school provides a contained environment for exploration, with each location offering opportunities to uncover fragments of its history.
The Spirits
I wanted the ghosts to be more than simple horror encounters. Each spirit has a history, emotions and unresolved experiences, and their designs needed to express that, making them sympathetic as well as supernatural.
Objects & Discoveries
Environmental discoveries gradually reveal the history of the school, so the items players find were illustrated to carry story as well as atmosphere.
Reception
Where the Ashes Sleep placed 15th overall out of 421 entries and made the shortlist for nominations. Players have shared how strongly the experience affected them, with individual playthroughs frequently eliciting heavy emotional reactions.
Seeing players connect with the characters I drew and animated has been a particularly rewarding validation of the visual storytelling.
The Next Chapter
We are planning a remastered edition for release on Steam. The remaster is an opportunity to refine the original experience, improve its presentation and build on the visual foundations established during the jam.
Reflection
Producing more than 900 drawn frames in two weeks was a significant creative and production challenge. It showed me how much hand-drawn animation can add to a story, even within the tight constraints of a game jam.
I’m incredibly proud that we created something so personal and visually ambitious in such a short time, and that it left such a strong impression on the people who played it.
