A conversation with artist and educator Chris Solarski on movement, meaning, and the culture of play
How can we give shape to the things we feel but can’t yet express, and how are video games important in this context? We recently spoke to Chris Solarski, a game designer, artist, and educator, about this and other topics. His work combines movement, storytelling, and visual design. In addition, Solarski is an important member of the EPIC-WE project as part of the project’s Advisory Board.
From Michelangelo to Mario
Solarski’s story started in game development, working as an artist at Sony, but he soon found himself pulled toward other forms of art, including figurative drawing, gesture, and the emotional weight of form. Over time, these two worlds started to converge. He began exploring how the principles of painting and sculpture could shape not only the visuals of games but also their design, mechanics, and even the way we move through them. For him, this process did not only enrich his understanding but also led to the development of his first book, Drawing Basics and Video Game Art. Have you ever wondered what Michelangelo and Mario have in common? Find out more about Solarski’s book here.
Embodiment and empathy
One of the key ideas that Solarski shared with us was the concept of embodiment, whereby players of video games experience the illusion that something in the game is part of their body, or vice versa. When asked how this capacity for imagination could be developed within EPIC-WE, Solarski described a workshop in which participants were asked to draw their signatures as large as possible on a sheet of paper and then swap with someone else to trace their signature. Through this exercise, people began to recognise differences in movement, identifying what felt fluid or tense, familiar or strange. It became clear that design is not just visual, but something that is felt.
Furthermore, Solarski shared his thoughts with us on the role of empathy. Contrary to popular belief, he explained that empathy is not always comfortable. Sometimes, it requires us to confront difficult experiences. However, when games are designed with care, they can help us do that. According to Solarski, “when we talk about empathy-driven design, it’s not just about fostering positive emotions – it’s about truly understanding and connecting with the diverse realities of others, including those in the context of disability, gender identity, and other lived experiences. This is also where games stand out as an art form. They have a unique capacity to allow us to embody not only a wide variety of people but also objects”.
This focus on movement and empathy is central to our approach to game design at EPIC-WE. Rather than starting with technology, our workshops often begin with memory exercises involving stories, objects or small rituals that matter to participants. Solarski’s process reflected this approach. For instance, he asked students to bring personal items, such as a bag of rice or a scarf, and used these as the basis for experimenting with mechanics and play. This method pulls people out of the screen and back into their bodies and personal meaning.
“For me, this approach creates an environment that detaches participants from their usual creative habits while encouraging them to see familiar objects in a new light. It’s a way of breaking free from established conventions and tapping into fresh, personal forms of expression that lead to truly innovative game concepts”, Solarski shared.
Imagination in motion
Solarski also offered some practical insights, which were particularly useful for beginners. One idea was to take an ordinary game, such as table tennis, and play it with a completely different object, such as a basketball. This way, the game breaks, and players need to adapt and start thinking creatively: they need to start design-thinking. Imagination in motion.
If you are interested in Chris Solarski’s work, check out his website for more information.
