Meet Saige Levett

I am Saige Levett, a self-taught digital illustrator and storyteller. My focus is to create immersive art inspired by fantasy and video games by bridging my inner stories with the outside world. As an autistic artist living with multiple neurological conditions, my creativity serves as my main means of escape and as a manifestation of my special interests.

My artistic journey is deeply intertwined with my internal experience of the world. Growing up, I frequently faced challenges with social nuances, and my evolving physical circumstances have led me to a more subdued and solitary lifestyle. To occupy these gaps, I've breathed life into my own universe through video games and the creation of characters. These characters—from zombie dragons, to powerful mages, to cyberpunk hackers and vampire rockstars—are more than mere illustrations; they embody pieces of my soul and provide me with a safe haven, companionship, and a method to connect with a world that can often feel overwhelmingly loud or physically inaccessible.

Saige's Artistic Process

Capturing Character

Like video games, my creative process serves as a refuge from the stresses of everyday life, where I feel empowered rather than confined. Every piece is driven by my own writing and special interests. I gravitate toward choice-driven RPGs, intricate designs and characters who, like me, possess inner strength despite their vulnerabilities.

My practice is a daily adaptation to my physical and mental abilities. Living with multiple neurological conditions alongside autism means I rely on Photoshop's digital tools to navigate some of my limitations. I often work at a slower, more deliberate pace, using my stylus as my "magic wand," which enables me to leverage adaptive tools, stabilizers, and digital methods to manage physical challenges like stiffness or discomfort, while my neurodivergence allows me to hyper-focus on minute details and vibrant, emotive colour palettes, creating a sense of deep immersion in the characters I illustrate. As such, digital art serves as both my meditation and my adaptive technology; it eliminates mental barriers and provides a "safe mode" where mistakes can be undone, allowing me to focus entirely, and enjoyably, on bringing my vivid inner world to the screen.

Ultimately, I create to share the characters who have kept me company with the world as well as to evoke a sense of nostalgic adventure and emotional comfort, much like the companionship found in a well-loved RPG. Through my art, I invite viewers to escape with me into these tailored worlds, hoping to provide them with a sense of wonder, safety, and a quiet place to belong, one pixel at a time.

Living in Fiction