Kiki Hu

I’m a multi-disciplinary artist based in Toronto, Canada. I love to tell stories inspired by or based on history, mythology, and culture. My passion lies in world-building with purpose and intention. I’d like my art to convey with even the smallest details that a larger narrative exists—to look at a prop within a larger environment and think, “Why is this here? What bigger story played out before we arrived here?” I believe that every element within a project should play its part and act as a clue for the viewer to interpret the story or feed their curiosity. I hope to create works in the video game and film industries. 

In my free time, I love researching niche topics, gathering photos for my project moodboards, and, of course, playing video games. I could talk endlessly about Roguelikes or games with massive, towering bosses in expansive landscapes.

The Moon’s Portrait

A game art package featuring character and environmental concept pieces. The landscapes and historical elements draw from classic Chinese mythos and fairy tales. You play as the celestial archer whose ancient myth is retold as you take vengeance against the gods who have imprisoned your wife, the moon goddess Chang’e. Betrayal, trust, shifting moralities, and new allies will re-paint the portrait of the celestial courses. The game leads you across mythic landscapes and towering giants to recover seven divine artifacts to reverse destiny’s path and retie the red strings of fate.

Character and Weapon Concepts

Fish out of Water!

A video game mock-up, telling the story of Ebby as he moves to a new house and town. Fish out of Water! humorously explores the tension between feeling out of place and fighting to belong. Ebby, a fish living among his human family and neighbours, serves as a visual metaphor for alienation, nostalgia, and adaptation. 

This story emerged from my own experience of moving out and selling my childhood home. The transition brought a strange unease, a feeling of no longer belonging anywhere, untethered beyond the temporary stays I rented. Ebby’s story is both my goodbye to that space and a love letter to the growth that comes with departure, finding confidence, and making new friends.

Two Ways Out

This project challenges the idea of storytelling through purely environmental settings and design, without characters, dialogue, or annotations. Alongside animation and VFX, I focused on sound design, layout, and lighting to create the atmosphere and visual direction. Two Ways Out prompts viewers to ask questions and imagine the answers. 

The Nest

A fully illustrated children’s book based on a fable my mother crafted for me as a child. My love and wonder for storytelling and fantastical worlds began in my childhood, falling asleep to ancient myths, foreign fairy tales, and improvised fables like the one The Nest would eventually be based upon. 

The tale follows a young sparrow who goes off into the forest searching for the best way to make a nest before the big storm. Against the concerns of his mother, he journeys deeper into the woods as night encroaches on the kingdom. From charming ducks to dangerous serpents, who in the animal kingdom holds the secrets to the very best home?

Hotwire 

Game mock-up inspired by Elmore Leonard’s novel Swag. Play as the totally honest and upright car salesman, Frank, and maybe dip your toes into some heists with your partner in crime business, Stick. I created everything in the project from drawn assets, animations, and UIs to sound design and custom sound effects.