Feature: Take This Job and Love It! - Artist - Chad Dezern
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Name: Chad Dezern Title: Senior Artist - Insomniac Games Notable Past Projects: Spyro 3: Year of the Dragon, Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage, Small Soldiers, The D Show, Nightmare Ned Current Project: Ratchet and Clank Schooling/Degree: B.F.A. in Illustration General duties of your position/title: My responsibilities include production design, environment modeling, texture painting, and lighting. How many people are in your department/team? If you are a manager, many people do you oversee? There are ten environment artists on the team. What was the most valuable bit of knowledge or experience you brought with you to the job? From my illustration background, I learned how to find a creative solution to a visual problem while on a tight deadline. What was the first major lesson you learned once you started working in the industry? I learned how to communicate with people from very different backgrounds. Great artwork is only one component of a great game; making a game is a highly collaborative process that requires talented people from many disciplines. One of the most valuable traits for a game developer is the ability to work toward a common vision with a diverse team. What academic focuses would you recommend for someone who wants to do your job someday? Game artists are culled from many different major programs, including (but not limited to) illustration, painting, graphic design, and architecture. Computer art or game development courses of study are fine as long as they stress foundation skills in addition to technical education. Software packages and digital techniques come and go, but drawing, painting, design, and color theory are the rock-solid basic principles of visual communication. Common misconceptions about your job? People think that we play video games all day. While we're certainly lucky--we work in a fun, playful atmosphere--making games requires a lot of hard work and long hours. Is college a necessity, a really good idea, or not required for your line of work? It's a really good idea. Certainly, there are talented people in every profession who manage to teach themselves everything they need to know without attending college. That route can be unnecessarily difficult, though, because it usually involves focusing beyond day-to-day distractions. College, on the other hand, is all about theory; it's a sheltered atmosphere for learning creative problem solving and critical thinking skills. What tools and software do you use on a regular basis? We use Maya, PhotoShop, Illustrator, and some excellent proprietary tools. What's your advice for breaking into your line of work? My best advice is to practice the basics. There's no substitute for a portfolio that demonstrates an understanding of drawing, color, and design. Often, a beautiful sketchbook will open as many doors as a flashy digital reel.
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