DESIGN - Creating 'La Lanterne Magique'

Hey friends,

I’m sharing something a little different than usual today... for the first time, I’ll be talking about design.

It’s something players might not always think about when it comes to Sims 4 creations and mods, but there’s actually a lot of work and processes involved behind the scenes, and it’s not just about development, design plays a huge role, probably the most important for me. From the initial concept of an object, to sketching, 3D modeling, texturing, graphic design, and even creating promotional images, design is present at every single stage, from start to finish.

It is something I’m truly passionate about, not only in my Sims-related projects, but also in my personal and professional life. So today, I’m happy to share with you the story of a lamp, as part of my new Design Collection, expanding the range of projects I share from my creative studio! Introducing: La Lanterne Magique !

I’ve been creating virtual objects and experiences for years, things you’ve interacted with while playing with my projects in The Sims. But what you might not know is that I’ve also been working in real-life design for quite some time. From graphic design to filmmaking, it’s all part of my creative world. And today, I’d love to share that side of my work with you by introducing my latest creation: a lamp called La Lanterne Magique.

You might already know I’m obsessed with lights and lamps from some of my previous Sims projects! I already have two lamp mod kits (LUX Lights and Cozy Lights), added a few other ones to other projects, and I intend to create more in the future. There’s something about lamps in a home that feels very reassuring to me... the warm soft light illuminating different textures and surfaces to create a cozy atmosphere is something magical to me. It makes a space feel safe, elegant, and welcoming,  but it can also add drama and a cinematic mood. I'm not sure why, but it just feels so enticing to me!

The lamps and lights I created for the Cozy Lights Mod Kit back in October, some inspired by real-life designs, and some I imagined.

I started designing lamps a few years ago, and last year I began building them IRL and it’s been such a pleasure and rewarding journey, and I'm so looking forward to keeping it going. Here's a lamp I created for my sister's birthday last year, it's made out of wood and paper, and it's inspired by Japanese Shoji Lamps. It was one of the first ones I actually built!

Untitled wood and paper lamp - designed and built for my sister in 2024.

And then I sketched another lamp a few months ago on my iPad (while playing with symmetry in the ProCreate app): La Lanterne Magique. I drew a few concepts inspired by two art movements I deeply connect with: Gothic (a medieval design style found in the old castles where I grew up in France), and Art Nouveau (an art movement from the late 19th and early 20th century, born in France and Belgium, inspired by nature, flowing curves, and organic shapes). Both of these styles resonate with me because they bring a sense of history, art, nature and magic into design, and i loved mixing them together to create something that feels old, natural and magical.

Another similar concept of a lamp made in ProCreate, leaning more towards an Art Nouveau Style.

I ended up with a final design that leans more towards Gothic Architecture, giving it the look of a stained glass window you might find in an old, abandoned magical castle, or maybe in a forgotten crypt hidden beneath the streets of Paris… (yes I love adding a little bit of storytelling behind my designs! 🤭) Once the sketch felt right, I vectorized it in Adobe Illustrator, where I refined the lines, adjusted the colours I felt worked best, and played with the proportions to find the perfect size.

Vectorizing and resizing the side of the lantern in Adobe Illustrator.

And finally, I built the prototype! This one is made entirely out of paper, I printed the sides on thick drawing paper, cut them out, and assembled everything to create this six-sided lantern. It’s just the first paper prototype, and even though I’m really happy with the result already, I’d love to take it further. My plan is to create the finished piece using wood for the structure (cut with a laser machine) and recycled paper for the windows, to give it a warm, raw, and natural glow.

The Lanterne Magique concept art next to the paper prototype I built.

First test with a bright warm light inside!

The final result - still a paper prototype though! The real deal will be made out of wood and paper!

What it looks like at night with a candlelight inside!

What's next for this project?

I'd love to build several copies of this lamp with sustainable wood and recycled paper, and sell it in a designer shop in France (or elsewhere!). But I think it would be nice to add it to a future lamps mod kit (yes another one lmao) for the Sims 4!

Is it something you'd like to see either in your sims' homes or in your actual home? Let me know in the comments down below!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this post, I'm happy to finally start sharing other creative projects on my Patreon page, this is something I've wanted to do for years, in order to diversify my creative activities online!

If you made it this far, I have a little surprise for you, here's a discount code to get member access to my Patreon, so you can grab my Retrofruit mod kit early access for example, with 50% off your first month on all paid tiers, and show support for my work! This promo code is valid until May 1st 2025! Use: APRIL50 at checkout!

And thank you again for your continued support, which allows me to do what I love the most, creating - in and out of the Sims. Sending lots of love your way, keep on creating!!

Love,

Arnie💜