2nd August 2025 Community Spotlight: Yasmin's Brilliant Alan Wake 2-Inspired Freya Anderson Concept Art [w. Interview]

Community Spotlight is a regular feature that highlights and celebrates amazing fan projects in the Remedy community. Today, we are looking at the incredible in-depth work by Yasmin, a wonderful artist whose passion led her to create concept artwork and character exploration of one of Alan Wake 2's most mysterious characters, Freya Anderson. 

In keeping with the original game, Alan Wake 2 presents several new questions, and one of the biggest is that of Saga Anderson. At first, a seemingly ordinary woman balancing family life and a young daughter, with the pull of a dangerous and complex job. When solving a case in her role as an FBI Agent, one of her strengths is her ability to get into the mindset of a suspect and root out their true intentions. As the game progresses, we learn alongside her that it's more than intuition and that she has unparalleled and seemingly genetic supernatural skills. While the game answers some of the questions we had about Saga, the players walk away from the experience wondering more about a key figure in her life, her mother, Freya Anderson. 

Screenshot by GameRant

After players finished the game, community theories immediately began to spread online about Saga's parentage, particularly who Saga's father actually was. A popular theory was that she is the daughter of Mr Door, a mysterious entity seemingly trying to help Alan, the manuscript page “Odin Loses An Eye” fuelling that speculation. We know he's no longer in the picture, and not yet dealt with in the story. There's more detail in the mother's story, though; that after Freya left Bright Falls, she seemingly cut off her family, raising her daughter alone. As a result, Freya becomes a mystery herself, one who was aware of the Dark Presence and Saga's powers but sought safety for her child. She's also hesitant to reveal Saga's true nature, despite knowing. 

As well as there being a mystery behind her motivations and her life in and after Bright Falls. There's also a certain mystery in what Freya looked like. In Alan Wake 2, we see a small glimpse of her in an old photograph. In the picture, she is holding baby Saga bundled in her arms, her back slightly towards the camera, as she stands alongside Tor and Odin. This is the only time we get a true glimpse of her.

It's these mysteries that surround Freya that make her the perfect character to delve into deeper, and that's exactly what Yasmin did!

In a five-part series exploring the character, Yasmin has breathed life into the human side of the myth, giving Freya her own identity while staying true to the Alan Wake lore. Among many other elements, her stunning guide explores the types of clothes that she would wear, muted autumnal colours, and seemingly supporting her grandfather's old band despite the dangers forcing the family to separate. Across Yasmin's portrayal of Freya, there's a similar thread: a strong sense of family and the unwillingness to completely lose contact with her heritage. An interesting balance between what she cannot say but can express. It also features in a locket that Yasmin imagined for her, engraved with old Norse runes and securing photographs of her family inside. 

As we know so little about the character, we can only guess her intentions. Whether she left in fear of the Dark Presence, later even going so far as to deny that her daughter had gifts? Maybe she was angry with her family over the deal, and her denial was another separation? Or perhaps she was just a mother who realised that Saga would be in danger and ensured her safety, potentially taking her off the table for any gamble over supernatural forces? Through Yasmin's interpretation, it's more the latter; Freya feels more sympathetic and pulled between two worlds: her future with her daughter and the family she left behind.

In addition to being an in-depth look into Yasmin's version of Freya, her exploration is paired with beautifully created, realistic artwork, with each small element carefully bringing to life the overall look and vibe of the character. Even before learning who she took inspiration from for the actor, I could instantly recognise her, though it's not a straight comparison; it's not the actor dressed as Freya but how she would be immersed in the role. Combined with the exploration of the hair and fine details of the locket, bringing in Norse mythology, and ensuring that Freya's identity remains through each small piece. 

What I love about the work is how detailed and nerdy everything is; it's clear that Yasmin took care and time into finalising her version of Freya, and the final result is absolutely breathtaking. It feels like pages straight out of the Alan Wake 2 art book. Yasmin kindly agreed to talk to us about her work. You can check out our conversation below!

We would love to learn more about you! Tell us about yourself and your art journey.

My name is Yasmin, I’m 28 years old, originally from Brazil and currently living in Finland. I’m a concept artist with a lifelong passion for games and visual storytelling ever, since I was a kid, art and gaming have been a part of who I am. I also hold a degree in Fashion Design, which I earned while living in Italy. Right now, I work temporarily in a factory, but every free moment I have is dedicated to building my creative portfolio. It’s my way of staying connected to what I love and pushing toward my dream of working in the gaming industry. When I’m not drawing or designing, you’ll probably find me playing games, cooking, streaming on Twitch, or out hiking through the forest to recharge. I also love to travel and take tons of photos not just for the memories, but because they feed my imagination and often spark new ideas for my art.

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What's inspired you to create a project centred around Freya Anderson?

While playing the Return 5: Old Gods chapter in Alan Wake 2, the moment Saga began uncovering the truth about her mother’s family. I became deeply curious about Freya; that mystery stirred my imagination, and from there, the idea to create a character concept of her was born. I wanted to visualize who she might’ve been, how she could've looked and existed within the world of Alan Wake. While drawing, the song Anger's Remorse became a huge emotional anchor for me. The lyrics reflect so much of Tor’s guilt and grief for pushing Freya away.

What different areas of the character did you want to explore going in?

Since the game offers only a few glimpses of Freya, I allowed my creativity to roam freely. I built her appearance and outfit designs from fragments, like the Anderson family portrait found in the Valhalla Nursing Home. For Freya’s face and essence, my muse was the actress Mädchen Amick, who played Shelly in Twin Peaks. As a huge fan of the series, and knowing how much Twin Peaks influenced Sam Lake’s vision of the world of Alan Wake. Then I thought, why not take inspiration from it too?

Was there anything that surprised you when you began to explore the character? For instance, something that you learned about Norse mythology that you didn't know before, or a new interest that you fell down the rabbit hole when researching?

I’ve always been fascinated by mythology, especially Greek and Egyptian, but Norse? I hadn’t truly explored it until I started working on Freya. Before that, it was mostly just glimpses through movies, series, and playing games like the recent God of War saga, where that ancient, powerful culture is so vividly brought to life. When I started thinking about how to express Freya’s mythological side, I knew I wanted to create something that could hold meaning. That’s when the idea of a necklace came to me. I imagined it as a powerful artifact, the kind of item that feels like a missing piece of the puzzle. In Norse mythology, the goddess Freya wears the Brísingamen, a necklace that holds an amber stone. I used that as my base, but I wanted to infuse it with more layers. So I combined with the Triskele, also known as Odin’s Triple Horn. And to complete it, I engraved Saga’s name in runes within the amber. Not just as a symbol of the family’s origin, but a powerful way to show the deep, unwavering love of a mother for her daughter.

Do you have any upcoming projects lined up?

Right now, I’m working on several projects, some directly inspired by the world of Alan Wake. No spoilers just yet 😅, but I hope to share them soon. I’m also developing original characters rooted in cyberpunk and sci-fi themes, genres I’ve always found magnetic. There’s something endlessly inspiring about the retro-future visions from the 80s and 90s films, those bold predictions about what the 2000s might look like.

And on a more personal note, I’m currently designing my first tattoo: Sarah Kerrigan from StarCraft. That game and that character are monumental to me. Kerrigan is my hero! Maybe one day I’ll add an Alan Wake-themed tattoo to the collection, too. Who knows? The darkness always leaves a mark.😁

A huge thank you to Yasmin for her incredible work and for taking the time to talk to us! Apologies it took so long to get this published! Since our interview, she has also created a similar character concept board for Saga's daughter, Logan Anderson.

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5th March 2025 Community Spotlight: Jamie's Alan Wake & Control Cookies

Community Spotlight is a regular feature that highlights and celebrates amazing fan projects in the Remedy community. For our first spotlight of 2025, we're taking a look at Jamie's delicate and extremely beautiful cookie designs centred around Alan Wake and Control. 

With the cooler weather and the early nights, there are some hobbies that I get an urge to jump into; crocheting, wholesome video games, and despite annual regret, baking. There are a couple of personal foolproof recipes that I have, but any cookie with decorative icing? No, nope, no. Attempts were made. 

While it's not my only cookie-related disaster, a couple of years ago I baked some gingerbread cookies before heading into the office. I worked at a games studio and so the gingerbread cookies were shaped as our protagonist, mimicking our recent gingerbread outfit. While the cookie was surprisingly authentic to the shape, the icing was… an experience. The result was a gooey mess that I presented with the “began to make it, had a breakdown, bon appétit” meme on Slack. Coincidentally, a month later, I got laid off from the company. 

Which is a long winding way to say that when it comes to perfectly decorated cookies, I immediately declare witchcraft. Smooth flooding, perfect icing consistency, cocktail sticks being using to gentling nudge the pooling sugar, I am all for it, but I am also terrible at it. So when I discovered Jamie's incredible Control cookies, elegantly and carefully piped, with perfect lines and nerdy embellishes, I was in awe. 

Over the past few months, she has created two Remedy-themed batches; the first inspired by Control, and more recently, and Alan Wake 2 with both looking far too good to eat. Though... she may have fixed that dilemma with her most recent project, more about later! 

While it wasn't her first foray into game-related cookies, Jamie's incredible work first appeared on my timeline following the creation of her Control batch. Carefully constructed and iced, those delicious designs featured an array of different nerdy references including the FBC logo, office posters, enemy designs, Objects of Power and more. Included in the batch was a piped moth from the Poets of the Fall Ultraviolet cover, with delicately coloured wings. 

It's hard to pick a favoruite from the collection when everything looks so good, but there's two designs from the Control lot that I especially wanted to spotlight. The first is the poster warning that "delays caused by house shifts do not count towards overtime". The white text in icing is so exact and perfect that it feels almost magical in how satisyfing it looks. The second is the enemy designs, drawn in black against white icing with highlighted areas of red. I've never dared to draw on icing; first of all my icing has never been that smooth, and second there's very little you can do to recover it if you mess up. The fact that Jamie has created not one but five of these enemy designs, in such accurate and gruesome detail is astounding. 

With the first Control batch out of the oven, it wasn't long before she was returning for a second run. In early October, Jamie posted her newly piped Alan Wake 2 collection. The designs include the AWE and Scratch graphetti from the Dark Place, along with Alex Casey and Coffee World posters, alongside the Cult of the Tree icons. There's also a really nice balance of the old and the new imagry, with the original Clicker, thermoses, and torches surrounded by designs from the sequel. 

Again, there's two that immediately grabbed me; the Coffee World poster and the Old Gods of Asgard emblem, both for their incredible fine detail. Jamie had made multiple designs of these two and managed to replicate the design and match them perfectly using icing. The small details and writing is just so disaplined and precise, created with severe focus and a steady hand. It's a talent and skillset that I know that I will never be able to achieve. 

If these look too good to eat, there might be a way around that. In recent weeks, Jamie has has been experimenting with preserving the cookies for display. She has recently opened a shop on Etsy with her designs carefully preserved in resin and magnetised ready to pop on your fridge!
Check it out at etsy.com/shop/SweetEllisCookies

As soon as her photographs appeared on our timeline, I instantly fell in love with her designs and creativity, so I reached out to Jamie to see if we could learn a little more into her process and the work that goes into each of the batches. And she agreed! Check out our interview with the brilliant baker below…

First of all, we'd love to know a little more about you! Can you tell us about yourself?

My name is Jamie, I live in Texas and during the day I’m an assistant principal for Pre-k through 8th grade. My husband and I have two boys (13 and 9) that keep us very busy. When I’m not working or being the busy mom, you will find me either playing video games with my husband in the man cave or making my cookie creations come to life in the kitchen. 

Was there anything that inspired you to start baking and mixing your other passions in with the hobby?

In 2014, Pinterest was really popular and I was pinning all sorts of new recipes and treats to try. One thing I had pinned was sugar cookies that came in fun shapes. I baked a Mickey Mouse shaped cookie and came across another pin with how to ice sugar cookies. I had so much fun with it that I hyper focused on learning how to bake and decorate cookies and here we are today. My first real “video game” cookies were the stop-motion videos I made with Super Mario Brothers and Pacman. Those were SO fun to make and from there, I decided I wanted to make more cookies based on video games. 

As far as how I started to make video game cookies from new/current games, it all started when The Last of Us Part 2 came out. I was NOT a gamer at this point in my life but my husband was. With the new game coming out, he asked me to make The Last of Us cookies for him to munch on while he played the new game. Having not played the first game, I simply used Google to find inspiration images without knowing what was really important in the game. After he finished the game and was so amped up about it, I decided to see what all the hype was about and in 2020 I sat down to play my first real video game as an adult, The Last of Us. That was it, I was hooked. I immediately started Part 1 and when I was done I made the Part 2 cookie set. Thus began the marriage of video games and cookies. 

Here is a fun little behind the scenes view of how these were made 👀
Next project…turn these cookies into magnets so I can keep them forever 🍪🧲@SamLakeRMD @remedygames @TimePirateNinja @alanwake #alanwake #alanwake2 #heraldofdarkness #remedygames pic.twitter.com/lE0XoLEdLa

— Sweet Ellis Cookies (@CookiesEllis) October 7, 2024

How long did it take to perfect the cookie and icing proportions? Whenever I've tried to do similar projects, it feels like it's a fine margin for error.

It took years for me to find the perfect recipe for my preference. I couldn’t even tell you how many different variations of a sugar cookie recipe I’ve tried to finally decide on a set of ingredients that has been the perfect match for my taste. The cookie dough must be just right, it’s a science! Butter must be the perfect temperature, the right amount of flour must be used or else, don’t overmix the butter/sugar, one wrong move and your cookie dough could be doomed and your cookies do not keep their shape. Royal icing is a much easier beast to figure out but it’s still a science to make sure you have the right proportions, so the icing does what you need. 

How far ahead of time to do you plan out each of the pieces, and how long does it take you?

I start planning a cookie set the second I start a new video game. As I play, I pay attention to details in the game that might be important (like the freaker nest in my Days Gone set) or that I think just look cool (the journal pages from my Uncharted 4 set). I take screenshots with my PS5 when I come across something I want to recreate, or I write notes about a design I could make based off something from the game (like gunslingers/outlaw bandolier cookies in my Red Dead Redemption 2 set). After about a month or so, I’ve got a pretty good idea of what I want in the set. Once I finish the game and narrow down what designs I want in the set, I still have to spend time creating a design for a 3D printed cookie cutter (then printing it) vs. creating a design based off a cookie cutter shape I already have vs. hand cutting.

How and when were you introduced to Remedy's games?

I love to watch other people play video games I have played to see how they play compared to me. While watching 8BitTerror videos, she would talk about how much she loved Control. I am very picky about the types of games I play and after playing the same 3 or 4 games over and over, I decided to step outside of my comfort zone and try something new without really knowing what it was like. Hence, I played Control because she kept talking about it and I LOVED it. I loved it so much I decided I needed to make a cookie set. 

Not sure why my brain has to be so extra but here we are. @SamLakeRMD @oldgodsofasgard @MikaelKasurinen @remedygames @TheCourtneyHope @ControlRemedy #control #jessefaden #thehiss #remedygames #fadenfriday pic.twitter.com/hLCFi42PGK

— Sweet Ellis Cookies (@CookiesEllis) August 4, 2024

What made you decide to create special cookie selection for Alan Wake 2 and Control?

After I finished Control and the Alan Wake DLC, I was talking to my husband that I didn’t really understand all the Alan Wake references, and he said Control and Alan Wake were in the same universe, and Alan Wake was weird like Control so I would probably like it too, and then I would be able to understand the references. With that, I played the first Alan Wake and enjoyed it so much I jumped right into Alan Wake 2. The Alan Wake cookies were calling my name and boy did I answer.

From start to finish, on average, how long does it take you to make and design a batch of cookies?

As far as how long it takes to actually create the set, I always wait until I have a 3+ day school break because these detailed sets take about 2-3 days. When it’s time for me to cookie, my family knows I’m in the zone and they are on their own! I will spend 12-14 hours a day with my airpods in and my hands at work. That third day is when I add any finishing touches, take photos, make any silly videos that come to mind and clean up my massive mess.

What is the design that you're the most proud of?

As far as my favorite design I’m most proud of, that is a hard one! There are a few that turned out so much better than I thought they would and that would be the distressed “Welcome to Saint Denis” sign from my Red Dead Redemption 2 set, the Tallneck from my Horizon set, and I just love the Deacon St. John biker jacket in my Days Gone set. 

Fun fact: I love Days Gone so much that I named our new little bloodhound Deacon St. John. The St. John only comes out when he’s in trouble (which is all the time since he’s still a puppy).

What has been the trickiest design to get right? 

I can say that the mongrel ring from my Days Gone set was the trickiest. I have made a Days Gone set twice and I included the ring both times and that one was a beast to get right because I’m a perfectionist so the engravings, raised parts, shadows, chains, everything was so hard to get accurate. 

Do you have any upcoming projects that you're excited about or hoping to get underway? 

I once again stepped outside of my comfort zone and am trying a new set of games that I’m loving! I started with Tomb Raider (loved it) and am currently playing Rise of the Tomb Raider with Shadow of the Tomb Raider being the last one I will play from this series. I have already started gathering notes for the cookie set I will make for these games so stay tuned…

I recently learned how to turn my cookies into magnets. After I take pictures, the family digs in but not all my cookies get eaten and it pains me to just throw the rest away because they feel like pieces of art. I started practicing turning them into magnets with the Control set and most recently tried again with the Alan Wake 2 cookies and low and behold, I can now preserve my cookies and stick them up where I can look at them forever and ever. :)

Thank you to Jamie for the interview! Make sure to follow her on Instagram, Etsy, Twitter for more beautiful cookies!

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3rd July 2024 Community Spotlight: Moss Baby's Stylish Remedy Artwork [w. Interview]

Community Spotlight is a regular feature that highlights and celebrates amazing fan projects in the Remedy community. This time, we're putting Moss Baby in the spotlight and taking a closer look at their brilliantly stylish and hilarious artwork, guaranteed to improve your day. 

I've been wanting to write this community spotlight for such a long time; I absolutely adore Moss Baby and their incredible artwork and it's such a treat to delve into their portfolio, the contents of which may surprise you! At first, my social media feed will show me one of their cartoons; a quirky style that beautifully complements the lightheartedness of scenes, but then I see another, this time a more realistic heartbreaking photo of Alan hugging Alice after over a decade apart. Both feel authentic to that Alan Wake vibe, but fires off very different emotional sparks. 

Continuing to scroll through her portfolio, there's clear and constant care that has been taken to each of the pieces; the colours are thoughtfully matched and each digital brush stroke is carefully considered. Moss Baby is extremely talented and it was that passion and level of creativity that drew me to her and her work. I love nerds who nerd out about their favourite things in their own style.

But there also was something else that I really liked about them, that I couldn't quite put my finger on... until recently. 

I was in two minds about writing the next bit (and if you're reading it, I decided to keep it in at the last minute), but between reaching out to Moss Baby and getting the first draft of this article done, I unexpectedly lost someone really close to me. After the initial adjustment, things like kind gestures and just nice things stand out a lot more, and you appreciate those who created something to make your day a little better, even if just something someone put out into the world. And everything about her work and her attitude is genuinely warm fun and kind.

I got seriously lucky when I reached out to Moss Baby, someone who actively makes the community better, with sweet and funny artwork packed with in-jokes. Not to mention their genuine passion for other artists in the community; their feeds are packed with support, shares and friendships. (They are also extremely patient when it comes to delays! Sorry for the wait!) It was that wholesome nerdiness that appealed to me straight away when I first saw their work in February and has stayed with me since. 

On the topic of their art, while they experiment with different tones and styles, they all are created with a familiarity of the series in mind, and for like-minded fans. In our interview, I bring up my love of her Cynthia Weaver's piece, which shows the lady breaking into an energetic rave, complete with glow sticks; absolutely ridiculous and yet absolutely perfect. It's those little in-jokes about "the lady of the light raving in the night", the wild animalistic version of Scratch we see in the sequel, or Wake's instance of being involved in the FBI when he gets back.

Alan Wake is a tragedy in many ways, but maybe similar to grief in many ways, those bittersweet happy moments stand out even more so. And they are at their best when they're shared and celebrated, exactly like Moss Baby's art does. 

I'm definitely not the only one who adores their work; their posts tend to rack up likes in their hundreds, alongside thousands of views, but they were also one of the winners of the recent 10K Discord fan art competition; hand-selected by Remedy to win an FBC pin, for their piece below.

We recently had the pleasure of learning more about their work, how they got started in art, and why they chose Alan Wake. Check out our conversation below!

First of all, we'd love to know a little more about you! Can you tell us about yourself?

Hello, and thank you so much for this opportunity! I'm Moss Baby, and I'm a 23-year-old Canadian lady! I love video games, movies, trains, music, the 1970s, TV shows, stuffed animals, shiny things, and snow storms! I went to college for Animation, and my ultimate dream is to be a storyboard artist and one day maybe even helm my own cartoon.

When and how did you get your passion for art?

It's hard to say, but probably the day I was born! Which was really not that long ago, considering I'm the Moss Baby ;) haha! In all seriousness, I have a few graphic novels that I wrote and drew when I was too young to spell "Help" correctly. I produced them all under my fake conglomerate, "Little Artist Co." I'm not sure what drew me to art way back when, but most of my stories were inspired by whatever book I was reading at the time! I think the ability to create was just so enticing I started one day and never stopped! It's a truly magical power to be able to get what's in your head out into the world!

Your illustrations have the perfect mix of nerdyand funny. How did you develop your style and were there any artists that inspired you?

Oh wow, thank you very much!! To be honest, I never thought I had much of a style! I would think of myself as having potential but never quite getting to that happy place. I believe that is a common feeling among artists! Nowadays, I feel a lot more confident and consistent, and I owe it to all my artist friends and kind supporters! I think being exposed to so many cartoons and creators has slowly morphed me into what I am today. I find myself inspired by pretty much every artist I follow on social media! I save a lot of their posts as "True Art Living" to look back on when I'm drawing. I take little pieces of everyone haha! There is this one artist I can specifically say changed me though. When I first looked up Alan Wake fan art I found this piece by "firepowerwalkwithme" on tumblr that inspired me to start integrating the abundance of lines that I use in my art.

Where do you start when designing a new piece? Do you have any routines or traditions that you do to get into the art-zone?

That one can be really tricky. I have a tough time focusing in general, and I have to figure out what sort of noise is going to get me out of my head and into my art. Some days I need to listen to an OneyPlays video I've seen a thousand times, and some days I need to listen to Balance Slays the Demon on repeat! Original soundtracks from movies and games usually do the trick. I also like to scroll through Instagram for a moment before drawing. It puts me in such a pumped up mood for creating art when I see everyone's fabulous work!

How and when were you introduced to Remedy's games?

Now, this one is a little embarrassing, to be sure, but I had never really given any thought to Remedy games until the 2023 Game Awards. I know I'm a psycho! No really, I'm a psycho ;)! I had been vaguely aware of Alan Wake's existence since its debut, but had a completely different idea of what it was like. My step-brother became very interested in the franchise after he saw the trailer for Alan Wake 2, so he bought it and sort of filled me in on all the cool things in the game while he was playing it. It sounded interesting for sure, but I still didn't look into it! Then came The Game Awards. We were both watching it, hoping for a nice Alan Wake 2 and Super Mario Bros. Wonder sweep, when suddenly came the performance of a lifetime. Herald of Darkness started to play, and the rest is history!

What made you decide to create artwork for Alan Wake 2?

Sooo yeah, after seeing the dance and the lovely developers at The Game Awards, I went crazy for it! The first drawing I did was of Alan's fly moves, and it evolved from there as I learned more and more about the games. I quickly bought Alan Wake Remastered and played it to perfection (yeah I am bragging), got involved with the online Remedy community, and watched whatever relevant YouTube videos I came across! Crazily enough, I still haven't played Alan Wake 2! My laptop just doesn't have the strength, but I'm currently making my way through it with my step-brother.

From start to finish, on average, how long does it take you to make a single piece? And what's the hardest aspect or most time-consuming part to get right when creating them?

I have a tendency to overestimate how quickly I finish any given piece, but I want to say about 3-4 hours? I like to draw from start to finish in the mornings to try and post before noon. The sketching and line art are my absolute favourites, and they usually don't take me long. Colouring and rendering is where I spend all my time! That stuff is just not my forte, and I always fuss around with it for way too long. A lot of the time I don't end up happy with the results! I look for ways to improve on this with every attempt.

Do you have a favourite piece that you're especially proud of? (One of my personal favourites is Cynthia Weaver raving in the night. I love that one so much, and I've sent that piece to so many people.)

Oh, I am so happy you like that one! I appreciate that a lot! That idea was spinning around in my head for a while, haha! This is a wonderful question, and took me some time to think about. I am quite happy with my recent entry for the Remedy 10k Discord member fanart contest, but I would have to say my favourite is that one stupid image reference exercise where Alan is holding up the payphone to the hotel room peephole. It makes me laugh every time I look at! I actually like the shading I did on it too xD

Do you have any art plans or projects in the future that you're excited about or hoping to get underway?

I am very excited for the Oceanview Guestbook fanzine that is coming this fall! I am doing four spot illustrations as well as a full page! There's a lot of amazing talent involved, and I urge everyone to check it out on social media! I have a bucketful of ideas I'm always sort of fiddling with, but nothing much concrete. There are of course more Alan Wake-related drawings and maybe even animations to come! Oh, and my commissions are open hehe :)

A huge thank you to Moss Baby for the interview and brilliant artwork. You can follow her on Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram.

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15th March 2024 Community Spotlight: Edvard Spells' Monstrously Brilliant Alan Wake 2 Cosplay

Community Spotlight is a regular feature that highlights and celebrates amazing fan projects in the Remedy community. For our first article of 2024, we're taking a closer look at the absolutely mindblowing Alan Wake 2-inspired cosplays by Edvard Spells. 

If you've been following the Alan Wake tags on social media, chances are you've already discovered one of Edvard's incredible photoshoots. A screen-accurate costume matched with brilliant acting and tone-perfect lighting makes his photographs pop from the timeline as you scroll through. 

A fan of the original game, Edvard was determined to step into the role of Alan Wake soon after the sequel's Reveal Trailer, with the teaser kindling fresh inspiration. Like many fans, he scoured over the new look for the character and tried to pick up the details of the mysterious object that became an essential part of his survival kit; the Angel Lamp. Determined to get the look just right, Edvard spent a long time refining the design with care and precision as more footage was released. We'll get into the details of Edvard's complicated path to recreating a screen-accurate Angel Lamp in our interview below, but it wasn't an easy journey. 

While the tweed suit may look like a straightforward project, the jacket has been the bane of every cosplayer who has tried to recreate the style or wanted one of their own. While the original one was apparently purchased at a H&M in Helsinki, for cosplayers, tracking down one that fits that same style can be a huge challenge, one that Edvard absolutely aced.

Edvard Spells cosplaying as Alan Wake, eagerly searching through the Initiation text with fellow cosplayer, Stupedgamer.

Much like the Angel Lamp, props also play a massive part in his photographs and performances, whether they're group photos or set pieces on a stage; it's clear how much each aspect is carefully considered. From detailed recreations of the Initiation and Return books to getting his hands on the lucrative Oh Deer Diner coffee. 

As well as capturing the tormented writer perfectly, Edvard does an incredible job stepping into the role of the bloodthirsty Mr Scratch, portraying both characters naturally. Eerily recreation a menacing smirk or lost eyes. An act as smooth as slipping out of the tweed jacket and putting on the bloodied Koskela jacket.

You can follow Edvard Spells' adventures on Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram!

To kick off the year, we recently spoke to Edvard about how he got started in cosplay, what it was like taking to the stage as Alan Wake, and his advice on how to get started in the hobby. Check out our interview below!

Edvard as a bloodied Mr Scratch, proudly holding a copy of Return.

1. First of all, we would love to learn more about you! Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I am very grateful that you have shown interest in me. I am 29 years old, and I live in Russia. My work is not related to creativity, but I am attracted to art, so all my hobbies and projects were related to music, drawing, photography and video editing.

2. What inspired you to get into cosplay at the start?

Where I live, there's a fairly rich community of cosplayers, with a predominance of Asian characters from anime and movies. And I was thinking that there was not enough cosplay for games, and not only famous ones. I have also been subscribed to cosplayers for a long time, admired the quality of their work and wanted to join this industry. 

Also, some friends told me that I looked like different characters, which periodically inspired me to take advantage of this and start doing cosplay.

Edvard on the cosplay stage, representing Alan Wake, complete with typewriter, thermos, and rifle.

3. What made you originally want to cosplay as Alan Wake?

I remember how I played the first part. I really liked the game, and when I found out that the second part would be released, I was very happy. 

I remember the announcement trailer, where he stands with a lamp on the street of the Dark Place, "this story is a monster" I thought back then that it would be great to do a cosplay on him, since I look more like this version of Alan.

In the summer of 2023, I was invited to the Russian equivalent of Comic Con, where I saw cosplay live, and I wanted to do cosplay for the next event, which was scheduled for October 15th.

Then in the summer I decided that I would do something that no one else had managed to do, since the game had not yet been released. That's when I started collecting information.

Edvard's personal reference board for the Alan Wake cosplay.

4. How long did it take you to bring your cosplay together, and what was the hardest piece?

It took about two months, but I did the most work in three weeks. The hardest part was the Angel Lamp. This was the first thing I started doing because, without it, there would be no point in performing. 

The second most difficult thing was to find a suit. Since it has distinctive features: a cage texture, color (I couldn’t understand the true colour because of green colour correction), double pocket and elbow pads. There was no time and opportunity to sew it, so I started looking for existing options. It was very difficult. 

I still have another suit that fits me worse, and another perfectly matching jacket, but without a second pocket and trousers, because I couldn't find exactly the same fabric as the jacket to sew a pocket and sew trousers.

And it was hard to find the book cover because there was only one trailer with it.

The early version of the Angel Lamp was used in cosplays, alongside Edvard's tweed jacket.

5. As soon as we got our first look at the Angel Lamp, it looked like it was going to be a tricky prop to recreate. Similar to Jesse's Service Weapon in Control, it has a complex but distinctive look. Your recreation looks incredible! How did you go about bringing the Angel Lamp to life?

I started working on it back in the Summer when there was only one trailer from the references and no information about what it was. I was sure it was an old flashlight from the 20s, but I couldn't find any similar ones.

But then gameplay videos came out in which the lamp was barely visible. According to these outlines, I modified a free-access model in a blender. I was satisfied with the result, despite the fact that this is my first modelling experience. I didn't know then that it looked different.

I finished working on it exactly on the day when the Fortnite skin came out, where you could see it from all sides. It was a week before my performance. I was upset, but I didn't redo everything in a hurry, and left it as it is. In the future, of course, I will make an exact copy.

I made ABS plastic for 3D printing, sanded it, soldered a simple electrical circuit, laid wires inside the lamp and a board with batteries, connected half of the LED light bulb, and painted it

Reference footage of a more finalised version of the Angel Lamp.

The original skeleton of the revised Angel Lamp.

Edvard taking care to recreate the Angel Lamp design following more footage.

6. In some of your photos, you look to be on stage at a convention. Did you take the cosplay to an event?  And what was that like?

Yes, there were two events before the release of the game at which, unfortunately, I did not take places. After that, there were also events where I took prizes.

The funny thing is on the first convention 7 out of 10 people called me John Wick even when I was holding the Alan Wake book in my hands, I already thought that my cosplay didn't work out at all and I wanted to give up. But then, people who know this universe started coming up and thanked me for taking up this cosplay about which few people know at that time. I was very encouraged by such support. Moreover, it was from cosplay veterans, and other people invite me to do a joint project on the Remedy universe.

Edvard on stage accepting his award for his Alan Wake cosplay.

7. What advice would you give to someone wanting to take on an Alan Wake cosplay?

Sew a suit yourself. Recently, I came across sites that sell Angel Lamp and use my photos. Do not buy them, as I have nothing to do with it. This is a scam.

8. What cosplays or adventures do you have scheduled next?

We're going to do a big project on the Remedy universe by the fall. I think you won't miss it.

Other cosplay plans include Deacon St. John from Days Gone, John Snow, Niander Wallace from Blade Runner 2049, and because I was asked to, I will do Johnny Silverhand and John Wick, Despite the fact that there were many cosplays of these characters.

Edvard's Mr Scratch peering over the top of the Return novel.

A huge, huge thank you to Edvard for answering our questions! We can't wait to see what they do next.

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