MultiHub Forum

I'm a junior concept artist at a small indie game studio, and I've been tasked with developing the visual style for a new project—a sci-fi city with a heavy bio-organic aesthetic. My initial sketches feel derivative, leaning too heavily on obvious references. I'm struggling to push the designs into something more unique and cohesive. How do other concept artists working on original IPs break out of familiar visual tropes and develop a distinct, believable world? Specifically, what's your process for researching and synthesizing influences to create something that feels fresh yet internally consistent?