Community Spotlight - Crewgles

The Spotlight falls on the community once more as we catch up with an avid architect and artist!

The range of passions and interests that we see players taking in Sea of Thieves’ game world and lore never ceases to amaze the team. From artwork to antics, creations to competitive events, we often think we’ve seen it all – but today we talk to someone with a slightly different passion. Crewgles, also known recently for his stunning artwork across Twitter, has also dedicated a lot of time to studying the architecture of the game, including a bizarre bit of brick counting…


[Q]: Can you tell us a little about what got you into gaming?

[A]: I would play some video games with my father and sister, like Lego Star Wars and Mario Kart. But I never really got into gaming until I saw a neat little pirate game in 2018, and even then I would become more active in 2021 and 2022.

[Q]: Were you a Rare fan before Sea of Thieves? Do you have any favourite Rare games?

[A]: As a kid, my parents had some Rare games like Donkey Kong Country, but I was always more of an outdoor person until 2020 came around.

[Q]: What other games are you currently playing? Any favourites?

[A]: I mainly do Arrt or play Civilization IV when I'm not on the seas!

[Q]: What brought you over to Sea of Thieves and its community?

[A]: In 2018 I lost a sports bet to a buddy and I had to buy two copies of a silly pirate game; sadly my buddy has moved on to other games. I first joined the wider Sea of Thieves community in 2021 when I started seeing so many amazing Arrtists on Twitter, and then discovered Arrt Club and so many other amazing people!

Crewgles spends a lot of time creating pirate portraits and is an Arrt Club regular.

[Q]: As a pirate with a passion for architecture, what first led you into that world?

[A]: I have had an interest in buildings ever since my freshman year of high school, when my teacher showed me the art form of Notre Dame Cathedral and I become lovestruck! It is amazing to see some accurate depictions of buildings in Sea of Thieves, from Spanish Forts to Caribbean-style Outposts.

[Q]: Are there any standout buildings in-game for you? Favourites and least favourites?

[A]: The Legend of the Veil Forts are a true marvel and a testament to Rare’s attention to detail with historical forts! Only one building in the game would have trouble standing, and that would be the Glorious Sea Dog Tavern. It would collapse with its overhang... but it’s probably magic... maybe.

[Q]: How do you go about creating art based on Sea of Thieves? What’s your process and materials/platform?

[A]: I do paintings of many things from our beloved game! I normally get several reference images before I start sketching and painting. I use MediBang Paint Pro, and while working on my art I love listening to music from The Longest Johns and The Dreadnoughts.

The reasoning for my desire to do Arrt was the need for a certain style; sadly I could not find anyone to draw my pirate, so I said fine, I’ll do it myself, and over the course of a couple of months I have improved and refined my skills. I owe great thanks to mentors like 0wl and the Arrt Club members who have guided me through.

Crewgles recently found ‘his style’ and has been wowing pirates with portraits ever since.

[Q]: We’ve been told to ask you about counting bricks – can you elaborate?

[A]: Ah... yes, at the current moment I have counted 1847 bricks within the game, mainly on the Veil and Sea Forts.

[Q]: Thinking back, are there any standout moments for you in Sea of Thieves since you started playing?

[A]: I remember the first time I ever sailed with my crew! We are a bunch of fools but that’s what made it fun. We always have fun cracking jokes and know how to follow the Code!

What makes great memories is when we would do what we call ‘Aggressive Friendship’, where we would ram a Grade 5 Reaper Emissary asking if they wanted to help us do Glitterbeard. I have met so many great sailors like that and I won’t forget those times on Plunder Valley!

[Q]: What are your favourite additions to Sea of Thieves over the past year?

[A]: I would say Sea of Thieves: A Pirate’s Life was my favorite update since the Anniversary Update. I took a small break after Ashen Winds and came back near the end of Season Two, and I do have to admit, I missed the community every moment of that time. My crew are the ones who dragged me back, and I’m grateful because due to them I was able to join Arrt Club and other great communities!

[Q]: What are your greatest achievements in a game, Sea of Thieves or otherwise?

[A]: I’d say it would not be an achievement of my own but more of the people I've met. I have met so many amazing people who have made a major impact on my life, and most of them have taught me skills in art which I am thankful for!

[Q]: If you had to choose a pirate and ship name, what would they be?

[A]: Pirate name would be Crewgles. Now my ship name would be Crew of Fools to celebrate a crew of amazing friends who are true legends in their own right!

You’ll find Crewgles sailing with the Crew of Fools, whatever the weather.

[Q]: What kind of other hobbies do you enjoy outside of gaming?

[A]: I mainly do Arrt of legends from the amazing community, hang out with friends, work out with my younger sister and help her in her athletic dreams!

My art dream started when I was a kid and I’d always doodle every chance I got. Now that I have a community that takes so much interest in my art, it’s always fun spreading joy to other members of that community!

[Q]: Share a fun fact about yourself. Anything is fair game!

[A]: Crewgles is just an abbreviation of Crew of Fools said very fast, it made it easier for other members of the community to say it!

As my farewell, I always live by the simple phrase “It’s not about fame nor gold, it’s about the friends and memories you make on the way!” and this is a quote that embodies the Sea of Thieves community. We do not care for gold or glory, we have Crews of Legends and it is an honor to be part of the Sea of Thieves family!


That wraps up another Community Spotlight. A big thank you to Crewgles for taking the time to chat with us – we’ve loved watching his artwork develop over recent months and look forward to seeing even more creations and additional architectural appreciation.

If you’re eager to hear more from our community, you can check out previous Community, Creator and Legend Spotlights, and visit the Community Hub to find out what else our players have been making and undertaking. You can also keep up with all the latest from Sea of Thieves by following us on our many social channels!