Hello creatives, Ryan wants you to meet Jet Olaño. Jet wears many hats; he works with Unreal Engine Virtual Production Fellowship as an Instructor/Unreal Engine Technical Artist and is the Owner Operator at The Secret Hideout. He helped to instruct Industry Professionals learn a hands-on approach to In Camera Visual Effects (ICVFX) using the Unreal Engine. Also, to teach skill such as: Camera Tracking with Optitrack System, Camera Calibration, Ndisplay Configuration Creation, LED Wall Panel Replacement of ROE Black Pearl panels and Stage Operations.

Make sure to learn more about Jet Olaño at the links below.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jet-ola%C3%B1o-6a55709/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejetshow/?hl=en

Learn more about Vertex School: https://www.vertexschool.com/

Want to learn skills for creative tech jobs in games, film, XR and the Metaverse? Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Arts Program here: https://www.vertexschool.com/game-arts-program

Hello Creatives, Ryan wants you to meet Jason Belic. He has known Jason for a really long time. All the way back to when Ryan worked at Pixologic. Ryan is putting the spotlight on Jason, so you can see a whole other dimension to the type of people and jobs in our industry.  Jason is an artist, but he’s worked in development and building technology solutions most of his life. All of this is to get you ready for a class we’re building that will teach Creatives more about coding.

Make sure to learn more about Jasonat the links below.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonbelec/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jasonbelec

Learn more about Vertex School: https://www.vertexschool.com/

Want to learn skills for creative tech jobs in games, film, XR and the Metaverse? Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Arts Program here: https://www.vertexschool.com/game-arts-program

Ryan is excited to present his conversation with Ian Spriggs, 3D Portrait Character Artist, who's portraits push our expectation of 3D character work. Ian's work is raw and true to the subject, but in his chat with Ryan we are shown the artistry woven into his work.  How there is an intension behind the eyes, or a thought placed into the mannerisms and posture.

Listen in, Ian talks about how he started in art, the trials encountered with finding artistry in higher education to how he found his niche in 3D. Also, we ponder on the future and how we can evolve art past our current understanding to utilize 3D to newer heights.

Learn more about Vertex School: https://www.vertexschool.com/

Learn more about Ian

Artstation: https://www.artstation.com/ianspriggs/profile

Portfolio site: https://ianspriggs.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpriggsIan

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYL_RE56zhEA9_DuUPyyCGA

Want to learn skills for creative tech jobs in games, film, XR and the Metaverse?

Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Arts Program here: https://www.vertexschool.com/game-arts-program

Check out this awesome conversation I had with Ash Thundercliffe.

More about Vertex School: https://www.vertexschool.com/

More about Ash Thundercliffe: https://www.artstation.com/thundercliffe

Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry?
Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: https://www.vertexschool.com/

Check out this awesome conversation I had with UE4 Artist Joe Garth.

More about Vertex School: https://www.vertexschool.com/

More about Joe Garth: https://www.artstation.com/joegarth

Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? 

Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: https://www.vertexschool.com/

Let's welcome Environment Artist Christoffer Radsby.

More about Vertex School: https://www.vertexschool.com/

More about Christoffer Radsby: https://www.artstation.com/chrisradsby

Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? 

Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: https://www.vertexschool.com/

Check out this awesome conversation I had with Senior Environment Artist Jeremy Estrellado.

More about Vertex School: https://www.vertexschool.com/

More about Jeremy Estrellado: https://www.artstation.com/dinusty

Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? 

Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: https://www.vertexschool.com/

Check out this awesome conversation I had with Modeler Andrew Hodgson of DNEG.

More about Vertex School: https://www.vertexschool.com/

More about Andrew Hodgson: https://www.artstation.com/andrewhodgson

Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? 

Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: https://www.vertexschool.com/

Check out this awesome conversation I had with Senior Character Artist Daniel Bystedt.

More about Vertex School: https://www.vertexschool.com/

More about Daniel Bystedt: https://www.artstation.com/dbystedt

Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? 

Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: https://www.vertexschool.com/

Character talk with Character Artist Guillaume Tiberghien of Keos Masons.

More about Vertex School: https://www.vertexschool.com/

More about Guillaume Tiberghien: https://www.artstation.com/gtiber

Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? 

Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: https://www.vertexschool.com/

Check out this awesome conversation I had with Game Artist Sands Kopaei.

In this conversation we talked alot about what it takes to get a job in the industry and the struggles of producing meaningful work.

More about Vertex School: https://www.vertexschool.com/

More about Sands Kopaei: https://sandskopaei.myportfolio.com/

Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? 

Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: https://www.vertexschool.com/

Check out this awesome conversation I had with Creature and Concept Artist Andrew Baker.

I love what he says about immersing yourself in the source and being inspired by work that's come before you:

If you're inspired by something, "just go back to that source and immerse yourself in it, because inspiration is abundant and you will never be lost for work...

"I don't think it's stealing. I just like the idea that it's resting on the shoulders of giants. And I think anything good has a lineage and has a history."

What a beautiful thought. :-)

----

More about Vertex School: https://www.vertexschool.com/

More about Andrew Baker: https://www.artstation.com/abaker

Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: https://www.vertexschool.com/

In this episode, I want to introduce you to Peyton Varney. He's one of those annoying Artists who got the job of their dreams right out of school... ;)

How did he score his dream job right out of the gate? He dove deeper than other people. Pure and simple.

He did more than all the other applicants to show that he can do the job.

Find out more in this episode.

More about Vertex School: https://www.vertexschool.com/
More about Peyton Varney: https://www.artstation.com/peytonvarney
Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: https://www.vertexschool.com/

Ryan has the pleasure to chat with Jasmine Jai, Senior Sound Designer at HoYoverse. She crafts the sound and acoustic mood in games. Listen in on this conversation and start to listen to the ambient noise that defines your surroundings. Jasmine's job is one layer that helps build an immersive experience in the game design pipeline.

Learn more about Vertex School: https://www.vertexschool.com/

Learn more about Jasmine

Portfolio site: https://www.jasminejia.com

Twitter: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKgTDwH6ihX3V5Gnn4-w1b

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKgTDwH6ihX3V5Gnn4-w1bg

Want to learn skills for creative tech jobs in games, film, XR and the Metaverse?

Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Arts Program here: https://www.vertexschool.com/game-arts-program

Abdelrahman Kubisi is a Character and Creature Artist at MPC.

He had one of the coolest Patreons for Character Artists until he just recently shut that down.
On top of that, he produced an amazing Scarlett Johansson with Jeremy Celeste at Texturing.xyz.

One of the things I loved to hear is when he documents his work from 2015 and how it has improved in 2018.

It was very inspiring to talk to somebody who really lives the motto of constant, unending improvement.

More about Vertex School: https://www.vertexschool.com/
More about Abdelrahman Kubisi: https://www.artstation.com/kubisi
Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: https://www.vertexschool.com/

There are NO limits to what you can do with Substance. Just ask Javier Perez, who creates everything -- 100%! -- in Substance Designer.

 More about Vertex School: https://www.vertexschool.com/

More about Javier Perez: https://www.artstation.com/meshmodeler 

Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? 

Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: https://www.vertexschool.com/

I had such a great conversation with Samuel Poirier.

Not only is his work gorgeous, but he is so focused as an artist and as a person.

Check out what he shares about feeling the work and being inspired...

More about Vertex School: https://www.vertexschool.com/

More about Samuel Poirier: https://www.artstation.com/vimmy

Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry?
Apply for your spot in our upcoming Vertex School here: https://www.vertexschool.com/

In this special New Year's episode, Ryan Kingslien reminds us that, at the end of the day, it's not the big goals or grand plans or New Year's Resolutions that make a difference in our lives.

Your superpower is that thing that you do every day.

What have you been doing every day that has had some impact on the universe?

In other words, what makes you matter?

Then, do something that connects with what makes you matter. :)

Learn more about Vertex School here: http://www.vertexschool.com

Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry?

Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: http://www.vertexschool.com

"I believe that the state of your mind controls how you feel.
... And that you can control whatever you think you can achieve."

For our final Podcast Episode of the Season, we leave you with some great words of wisdom from Sculptor Erick Sosa.

Season 2 will start in a few months.

Happy holidays and ...
See you in the new year. :-)

Learn more about Vertex School here: http://www.vertexschool.com

More about Erick Sosa: https://www.artstation.com/zkulptor

Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry?
Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: http://www.vertexschool.com

What a great conversation with Freelance Sculptor Irene Matar! I just love her stories about getting started as a freelancer, pounding the pavement for work when she first got started, how she maintains relationships and decides which contracts to stay on... She has so much experience and awesome advice. What's most important? Don't take anything personally. And, if you can't help it, don't let it stop you from moving on and moving forward. 

Learn more about Vertex School here: http://www.vertexschool.com

More about Irene Matar: https://www.artstation.com/irenematar & https://www.instagram.com/ireneeweeny 

Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: http://www.vertexschool.com

We had such a great conversation with Character Artist Frédéric Arsenault, who joined us to talk to us about his work and how he got to where he is. The key? Balance is everything. Balance your expectations. Always maintain your goals and keep working towards them, but understand that you might not reach them immediately. You might need to take many steps to get there. Stay humble through your determination. Another thing that Fred reminded us: Balance your health with your work. :-) 

Learn more about Vertex School here: http://www.vertexschool.com

More about Frédéric Arsenault: https://www.artstation.com/fredericarsenault 

Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: http://www.vertexschool.com

Have you checked out the amazing work of Vinícius Cortez? He taught himself nearly everything he knows, picking up what he could through Internet tutorials. And now he’s a freelance artist who specializes in material creation in Substance Designer. Vinícius joined us for a really special conversation and walked us through a special demo of his workflow and process, even taking requests from the Bootcamp students. 🙂 

Learn more about Vertex School here: http://www.vertexschool.com

More about Vinícius Cortez: https://www.artstation.com/vinicortez 

Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: http://www.vertexschool.com

Check out this awesome conversation with Digital Sculptor Bob Plociennik. Bob primarily sculpts miniatures, which means that his sculpts are typically just about 15 centimeters tall... That's less than 6 inches! 

Learn more about Vertex School here: http://www.vertexschool.com

More about Bob Plociennik: https://www.artstation.com/bob 

Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: http://www.vertexschool.com

Ashley Sparling's story is so incredibly inspiring... But, no spoilers here! You have to listen to this episode to hear him tell his tale of how he got started in the industry and how he finally landed that first job as a Character Artist. ;) Now Ashley is a Senior Character Artist at Ubisoft Quebec where he was part of the team that worked on Assassins Creed Odyssey. I mean, just check out all of Ashley's amazing work released for the Assassins Creed Odyssey Art Blast! And I loved hearing all the behind-the-scenes details about how the studio optimized so many characters for the game engine. I'm super excited for Ashley because he's just launched his first online course! He's going to teach you how to create amazing hair -- something that challenges all Character Artists. Be sure to check out the course at https://www.ashleysparling.com. He also shares some helpful tutorials for free, so you're guaranteed to get something awesome, no matter what. :) 

Learn more about Vertex School here: http://www.vertexschool.com

More about Ashley Sparling: https://www.artstation.com/sparrow87 

Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: http://www.vertexschool.com

Listen in on Ryan's chat with Nacho Riesco. Nacho is a Freelance Digital Sculptor well known for his elaborately crafted jewelry and highly engaging demos on Pixologic's YouTube channel. They will discuss Nacho's start as an artist and his view on digital sculpting from the point of view of a traditional who is less concerned the technical side of digital art.

Nacho's work often ends up printed, cast or even translated to run on a CNC machine. He touches on the integration of digital sculpting in modern projects and how it aids modern tractional artist with sculptures and reliefs. Plus, we learn from Nacho the art of freelancing and with a focus in the jewelry arena.

Learn more about Vertex School: https://www.vertexschool.com/

Learn more about Nacho

Artstation: https://www.artstation.com/nachoriesco

Portfolio site: https://www.nachoriesco.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nachoriesco

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/esculturadigital15/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/NachoRiesco

Want to learn skills for creative tech jobs in games, film, XR and the Metaverse?

Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Arts Program here: https://www.vertexschool.com/game-arts-program

Walid Kaskhoussi Perrussel is a Props & Environment Artist who is completely self-taught. He started off as a freelance artist and then recently transitioned into a studio as an environment artist. Walid's career trajectory and artistic journey alone are unique and interesting enough... But we were just really struck by the level of his work. Take a look, for instance, at his Gothic Confessional. The level of detail he put into the ornate intricacies and realistic modeling of his asset is just breathtaking. His words of advice: Start small and finish. Don't worry about making mistakes; the more mistakes you make in the beginning, the less often you will make the same mistakes later on. Be sure to check out the Vertex Blog to watch Walid demonstrate some of his workflow and his process: http://bit.ly/2OU4yWb. (He even takes time to explain how to troubleshoot any issues that might come up!) 

Learn more about Vertex School here: http://www.vertexschool.com

More about Walid Kaskhoussi Perrussel: https://www.artstation.com/walid-kp 

Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: http://www.vertexschool.com

Shane Olson is a Senior Character Artist who specializes in creating stylized characters. He's been working in the Game Industry for nearly 20 years! Boy, did he have a treasure trove's worth of wisdom to share with us. Of the many gems he doled out, something that really stood out is this: Define who you are and what you want to be. Then make that clear in your portfolio. If you want to do characters, do characters. If you want to do cars, do cars. Make it clear to everyone how you are positioning yourself in the industry. (Are you an illustrator? Do you work in games or in film? Do you sculpt collectibles?) If you are looking to work at an independent company, you have the luxury of being versatile. But, especially if you want to work at a bigger company, focus your work so that everyone who sees your portfolio knows exactly who you are. 

More about Game Art Institute: www.gameartinstitute.com 

More about Shane Olson: https://www.artstation.com/shaneolson 

Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: http://www.vertexschool.com

Freelance Concept and Character Artist Mario Stabile joins us in this Podcast episode to share his amazing journey with us. He started off as an aspiring programmer, redirected his focus towards 3D art, became a successful freelance artist and recently started his own business. What?! :) Mario shares some great advice with us, starting from the the ins and outs of working as a freelance artist and extending all the way to general good practices to being a good businessperson, person and artist. 

Learn more about Vertex School here: http://www.vertexschool.com

More about Mario Stabile: https://www.artstation.com/stabile 

Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: http://www.vertexschool.com

In this illuminating conversation with Maria Yue (Lighting Artist at Cloud Imperium Games), we learn about Maria's diverse experience working as a lighting artist in different industries. She even prepared a great presentation spotlighting her work and the factors that inspired and motivated her. What's most important as a Lighting Artist working in Games? It's all about how you define the Mood and how you combine that Mood with the Scenario and Environment. The goal is to make everything work together and highlight each other. 

Learn more about Vertex School here: http://www.vertexschool.com

More about Maria Yue: www.artstation.com/xiaowantou 

Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: http://www.vertexschool.com

Man, it was such a treat to have Georgian Avasilcutei join us all the way from Romania for this conversation! Georgian is currently working remotely for WB Games as a Senior Character Artist. He got his start by teaching himself 3ds Max. From working at a media company, he became a Prop Artist and then a Character Artist. He's fully committed not only to his work but also to constantly learning and improving. And he's regularly helping others and giving back to the community. He's got some amazing advice and pointers that he shares in this episode, but here's something that really stood out to me: "I think you always need to push yourself and try to do the thing you're most afraid of. People will see that you put in that effort and people will appreciate that." 

Learn more about Vertex School here: http://www.vertexschool.com

More about Georgian Avasilcutei: www.artstation.com/nimlot 

Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: http://www.vertexschool.com

Wanna become a 3D Artist? You might want to try what Matthias Develtere did. Matthias basically locked himself in a room for nearly a year to focus on developing his portfolio and ramping up his 3D modeling skills. He committed himself to creating one portfolio piece every month and kept himself motivated by challenging himself to make it into the Polycount Recap each month. And he did! Each piece was featured in PolyCount, which not only helped him build his momentum, but also gave him a lot visibility. Now, he's a Senior 3D Artist at MachineGames. This is exactly the core philosophy behind our Game Artist Bootcamps: BUILD A BODY OF WORK THAT IS UNDENIABLE. :) 

Learn more about Vertex School here: http://www.vertexschool.com

More about Matthias Develtere: https://www.artstation.com/devmatt 

Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: http://www.vertexschool.com

Samantha Rogers started learning 3D Art during high school and, as soon as she graduated, she immediately jumped into working on freelance projects. Once she started posting her work on ArtStation, she was trending. And this led to her being recruited to take an Art Test for ArenaNet. Which is where she is now, working as a Creature Artist. :) Take a listen to the podcast to pick up the nuggets of wisdom she shares. They range from how important it is to pick a strong concept on which to base your project to why it's important to have a strong sculpt on which to add amazing textures to the necessity of constantly setting new milestones for yourself as an artist. One of the highlights of this conversation for me? It's when she shared an article by her studio director on how to be a better artist. It boils down to 3 simple tips: (1) Use reference; (2) Be nice; and (3) Ask yourself why you're making the art. 

Learn more about Vertex School here: http://www.vertexschool.com

More about Samantha Rogers: www.artstation.com/samrog 

Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: http://www.vertexschool.com

It was such a treat to have Tobias Forsling join us in the studio for this conversation. Tobias is the Lead Environment Artist at Tarhead Studios in Sweden. He talked about the importance of understanding how to plan for the unexpected ("Good planning is planning that is adjustable for the things you didn't think of when you made the plan") and explained how 90% of an artist's time is usually spent on the last 10% of the project. He also talked about how important it is for artists share their work and their knowledge with each other. When artists share their work, they're not only sharing the final product, but also the thinking and the techniques and the process behind that work. That can only feed into the community and also help all artists in the long run. 

Learn more about Vertex School here: http://www.vertexschool.com

More about Tobias Forsling: https://www.artstation.com/tobiasforsling 

Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: http://www.vertexschool.com

Bao Vu is such an inspiration! He's a Senior Character Artist at Ninja Theory, and shares a lot of his experience, wisdom and knowledge with the artistic community at large. I can't wait for you to listen to this Podcast. You can just feel his energy and enthusiasm as he talks about his work. His advice to all of us? Check that Ego at the door. Be humble and stay humble. Ask a lot of questions and listen to and learn from everyone . :) 

Learn more about Vertex School here: http://www.vertexschool.com

More about Bao Vu: https://www.artstation.com/baovu 

Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: http://www.vertexschool.com

Alexis Boyer is an Environment Artist at BluePoint Games, where she splits her time between working as a Foliage Artist and as a Character Artist. (And, in her free time, she is also a Mentor for our Environment Artists in the Game Artist Bootcamp!) I mean. Wow. I loved hearing about the dynamics at BluePoint and how Alexis works with so many different people in so many capacities. Her work and workflow really demonstrate how, as a game artist, you are part of a team. You will be asked to contribute, make changes and compromise. Her advice? Be open to taking and giving critiques and providing and seeking reviews. Also, she says, pay attention to details and don't cut corners. :) 

Learn more about Vertex School here: http://www.vertexschool.com

More about Alexis Boyer: https://www.artstation.com/azii 

Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: http://www.vertexschool.com

This week we have our Producer at Vertex School, Jean-Marc standing for Ryan. Join Jean-Marc's conversation with Thomas Tobin, a talented Senior Tech Artist at Unity Technologies. Also, Thomas teaches Houdini at the Vertex School and shares his knowledge of procedural design with his students.

Thomas gives us an in-depth view of his process and how he found his niche as a Tech Artist, from working as an Environment Artist to an internship at SideFX to learn about Houdini. 

Kurtis has worked on with studios like Scanline and Zoic Studio.

Make sure to learn more about Kurtis at the links below.

Thomas Tobin's Artstation: https://www.artstation.com/thomasctobin

Learn more about Vertex School: https://www.vertexschool.com/

Man, Mariano Steiner has got to be one of the most relaxed and down-to-earth people I have ever met! Mariano's work as a Freelance Digital Sculptor is SO inspiring. His sculptures simply BREATHE with life and expression. His approach to sculpting is deeply organic and he's truly able to move with the rhythm of his thoughts and impulses. Put simply, he trusts his instincts and process. That's incredibly important. More than anything, he encourages everyone to never rush and to love all aspects of what you do. 

Learn more about Vertex School here: http://www.vertexschool.com

More about Mariano Steiner: https://www.artstation.com/marianosteiner

Ben Knapp took a small break from being Art Director at Hi-Rez Studios to join us for a conversation a few weeks ago. Man, did he have some amazing gems of wisdom to share with us! I loved hearing him talk about Hi-Rez Studios and its commitment to fostering artistic growth and development as well as teamwork and support. The studio culture seems to thrive on supporting and developing artists who demonstrate potential. He also reminded us that an artist's job and work is always just a part of the journey. Even Ben continues to take classes and build and refine his skills whenever the opportunity arises... and he's an Art Director! What's important, he says, is to stay humble and be human. :) 

Learn more about Vertex School here: http://www.vertexschool.com

More about Ben Knapp: https://www.artstation.com/benknapp 

Apply to be a Character or Environment Artist in the Game Artist Bootcamp here: http://www.vertexschool.com

Experiment. Finish. Work hard. Be patient. Stay connected. All great advice. All from Cristian-Marius Buliarca, who joined us at Vertex School for this awesome conversation. Cristian-Marius is a Freelance Character Artist who has worked for titles such as Dishonored 2, Dishonored, Life Is Strange and Remember Me. 

Learn more about Vertex School here: http://www.vertexschool.com

More about Cristian-Marius Buliarca: www.artstation.com/cbuliarca/profile 

Apply to be a Character or Environment Artist in the Game Artist Bootcamp here: http://www.vertexschool.com

Tyler Smith is an Environment Artist at Sucker Punch. He's also a Mentor in the Game Artist Bootcamp. I am so impressed not only by his work but also by his work ethic. The key to Tyler's success seems to lie in his ability to trust himself and his process. To use Tyler's own words: "Know that you are always going to subconsciously put your style and spin on the piece that you do." In other words, don't force it. Let yourself and your style come through. Trust yourself. :) 

Learn more about Vertex School here: http://www.vertexschool.com

More about Tyler Smith: https://www.artstation.com/tsmith3d 

Apply to be a Character or Environment Artist in the Game Artist Bootcamp here: http://www.vertexschool.com

Anya Jo Elvidge is an Environment Artist at The Creative Assembly, where she worked with the team behind Total War: Warhammer II and Total War: Three Kingdoms. I loved hearing the story of how Anya got to where she is today. One of the biggest catalysts behind Anya's career was her blog, where she posted updates of her work and progress every week. Her regular posts helped her to grow an audience and even landed her some profiles and features on 80 Level. Eventually, one of her followers referred her to The Creative Assembly. :) Self-marketing is SO important. By putting yourself out there, by share your art, your work and your process, you make connections and build bridges that ultimately serve and add value to the artistic community. 

Learn more about Vertex School here: http://www.vertexschool.com

More about Anya Jo Elvidge: https://www.artstation.com/anyatheartist 

Apply to be a Character or Environment Artist in the Game Artist Bootcamp here: http://www.vertexschool.com

Baj Singh is Lead Character Artist at Creative Assembly. I've been a fan of his work for a while. (Believe it or not, he was an environment artist before he became a character artist!) He's a fan of constant growth and continued learning. He reminded us that the best way to grow and improve is to put in the time and to do the work. Listen to feedback from others and apply it to your work, trusting that they mean well. It's exactly the same lesson we teach in our Bootcamps. Keep producing. Keep working. It's the only way to keep learning and to keep growing. Help others do the same. But, as Baj says it's also important to maintain a balance. Take breaks. Refresh. Live life. :) 

Learn more about Vertex School here: http://www.vertexschool.com

Learn more about Baj Singh here: https://www.artstation.com/baj_singh 

Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Game Industry? Apply for your spot in our Game Artist Bootcamp here: http://www.vertexschool.com

It was so awesome to have Johan join us and share his journey from being a character artist to becoming a hair specialist. Before becoming a freelance hair specialist for the game and film industries, Johan worked at Starbreeze Studios in Stockholm on The Walking Dead, focusing primarily on hair production and general character R&D using Unreal Engine. During the conversation, Johan also walked us through some of the more technical elements of hair production. 

Learn more about Vertex School here: http://www.vertexschool.com

Learn more about Johan Lithvall here: https://www.artstation.com/lithvall 

Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: http://www.vertexschool.com

It was such a treat to have Phil Liu of Monolith Studios join us for this episode. He walked us through his career path as an Environment Artist and even prepared a presentation for us called 'Big Things Have Small Beginnings.' We talked a lot about the process that Game Artists go through to grow within their companies and their studios. I especially loved hearing about how much support Phil received from his teams that fostered his work as a Creative and his growth as an Artist. 

Learn more about Vertex School here: http://www.vertexschool.com

Learn more about Phil Liu here: https://www.artstation.com/eclypse

 Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: http://www.vertexschool.com

From academic probation to the Dean's List, Jon Foster has worked hard to get to where he is now. Jon is an Illustrator. He has received two silver and three gold awards from Spectrum: The Best of Contemporary Fantastic Art. In this conversation, Jon and I talk about everything from struggling with the Impostor Syndrome to confronting Fear to the importance of enjoying the Process to the value of constant Learning and Growth. Jon shares his perspective on the intersection between Creativity, Passion and Practice and how these factors can either help or hinder you as an Artist. He also talks about what Procrastination might really mean. 

Learn more about Vertex School here: http://www.vertexschool.com

Learn more about Jon Foster here: https://www.jonfoster.com 

Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: http://www.vertexschool.com

Josh Lynch of Sony Santa Monica joins us in this episode. We talk about work and art and he walks us through his process, emphasizing the importance of letting your art tell a story. Towards the end, he gives some great advice: Be somebody that a team will want to work with. "Curate a good web presence, be a good ambassador and be able to give good critique to your peers. ... Reach out to people. Develop relationships. Be humble and be open to critique. But don't be shy." 

Learn more about Vertex School here: http://www.vertexschool.com

Learn more about Josh Lynch here: https://www.artstation.com/joshlynch 

Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: http://www.vertexschool.com

We invite you to listen in on Kurtis Dawe and Ryan's conversation about Prime Ape Panet. Kurtis Dawe now has decided that he wants to use his skills and experience to bring a high-value project to NFT space with Prime Ape Panet. The project is headed up by Kurtis and a team of designers who are known for many productions like The Lion King, Godzilla, and many other animations for Marvel, Disney, MGM, and much more.

Kourtis gives us an in-depth view of his process for how his team creates the insane volume of work, from sculpting in Zbrush to rendering in Houdini and finally the loving touches in Photoshop. Also, he gives us a sense of perspective from the Artist point of view as a creator in the ever-evolving NFT community.

Kurtis has worked on with studios like Scanline and Zoic Studio.

Make sure to learn more about Kurtis at the links below.

Kurtis Dawe's Artstation: https://www.artstation.com/kurtisdawe

Kurtis Dawe's Twitter: https://twitter.com/Kurtis_Dawe10

Prime Ape Panet: https://opensea.io/collection/primeapeplanetpap

Learn more about Vertex School: https://www.vertexschool.com/

29 / 200

Robert Hodri is a Senior Environment Artist at Id Software. What I found so interesting was his thoughts on modularity and how it can improve the workflow. I also appreciated his insights on the importance of the portfolio when looking to join the industry. 

Learn more about Vertex School here: http://www.vertexschool.com

Learn more about Robert Hodri here: https://www.artstation.com/robhodri 

Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: http://www.vertexschool.com

Geoffrey Rosin is a 3D Tech Artist at Allegorithmic who previously produced some amazing environment assets for Dishonored 2. I love Geoffrey's ability to find balance. He knows that every detail matters, but is able to work within time limits and production demands. And he tells stories through his environments by striking the right balance between modeling and texturing his assets. 

Learn more about Vertex School here: http://www.vertexschool.com

Learn more about Geoffrey Rosin here: https://www.artstation.com/kikette 

Learn more about Substance Designer here: www.allegorithmic.com 

Want to be a Texture Artist, Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist course here: http://www.vertexschool.com

In this episode, we speak to Ubisoft Texture artist Jonathan Benainous. Jonathan's worked on the games Ghost Recon and Horizon Zero Dawn along with others as an Environment Artist. Jonathan is a Substance Designer master with several amazing Gumroads as well as a few very cool tutorials in Allegorithmic's Substance Academy. 

Learn more about Vertex School here: http://www.vertexschool.com 

Learn more about Jonathan Benainous here: https://www.artstation.com/jonathan_benainous 

Learn more about Substance Designer here: https://www.allegorithmic.com/ 

Want to be a Texture Artist, Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: http://www.vertexschool.com