Visual analysis
The art style of I Can Smell You from Here
The game's look is built from abstract geometry, flat color blocks and a very small palette. The creator has named Malevich as an influence, and the official cover shows what that means in practice.
At a glance
Quick answer
Art Style explains the visual language of I Can Smell You from Here. The game uses flat geometric shapes, color blockouts and a narrow palette of umber, amber, bone and teal. The creator has said he likes using abstract geometric shapes and color blockouts because of Malevich, which explains the flat planes and the way color works as structure rather than decoration. The official cover places a warm orange-haired figure against a cold teal shape in a dark interior. The v1.1 update added special CG art for each ending, more expressions and animations, and compressed the desktop builds. This page analyses the cover, the character expressions and the rights boundary around the official art. The game and its art belong to catproblem9735; this site uses the cover with attribution and does not present fan work as official.
Short answer
Flat shapes, warm skin, cold rooms
The visual language is closer to a constructed painting than to a typical anime visual novel. Large geometric shapes, color blockouts and a restrained palette do most of the work. The cover places a warm orange-haired figure against a cold teal shape in a dark interior, so the character reads as the only warm object in the room.
The creator's influence
The Malevich quote
A player compared the art style to cubism. The creator replied in the comments with a direct influence:
“unironically i love using abstract geo shapes and color blockouts in my designs because of malevich”
That explains the flat planes and the way color is used as a structural element rather than a gradient. It also explains why the character can look stylized and readable at the same time: the face is built from a few strong shapes, not from detailed rendering.
Palette
A small palette with one warm accent
The cover uses umber and near-black for the interior, bone and parchment for the title and highlights, rust-orange for the hair, and teal for the clothing. The palette is narrow enough that any new color reads as an event. When something glows or turns red, it matters.
Character design
Why the expressions carry so much
Because the rendering is flat, the character's expression has to do the emotional work. The official screenshots and the creator's comments point to a face that is highly readable: a small mouth, a sharp glance, a nose that scrunches when something disgusts her. The creator has said he studied "cats being disgusted by thing" content for that expression.
“I studied a lot of online content of "cats being disgusted by thing" for that expression hence the intense crunchy little nose as she blehs hehe”
The cover
What the official cover is doing
The cover is a portrait, but it is also a diagram of the game's power balance. The figure looks back over her shoulder; the title sits beside her like a caption; the room is dark and the light is warm but limited. She is the subject, and the viewer is placed slightly behind her, which is exactly the position of someone trying to keep up with the conversation.
Version 1.1
The special CG art
The v1.1 update added special CG art for each ending, plus more character expressions and animations. That matters for the endings: each one is not only a different text outcome but a different painted scene. The update also compressed the desktop builds, which is why the current Windows download is 73 MB rather than the earlier 133.9 MB.
Credits
Fan art and the rights boundary
The game, its characters and its art belong to catproblem9735. This site is unofficial and does not claim otherwise. If you make fan art, credit the creator and do not present it as official. If you repost the official cover or screenshots, keep the attribution visible.
Questions
Art style FAQ
What art style is I Can Smell You from Here?
It uses flat geometric shapes, color blockouts and a small palette. The creator has cited Malevich as an influence, and the cover contrasts a warm figure with a cold teal shape in a dark room.
Did the creator use AI art?
No. The official page confirms that no generative AI was used in the game.
Who made the art?
catproblem9735 is credited for writing and game design, art and animation, music and SFX, and programming.
Can I use the cover art on my site?
All rights belong to the creator. This site uses the cover with attribution for an unofficial fan page; do not present it as your own or as official material.