OPENING STATEMENT

Throughout my experience at university, it was clear to me that I wanted to be an Illustrator. However, I also was keen on the video game industry, especially the art side. Therefore, I've tried to incorporate this theme within my work for the past two years. My work is heavily influenced by this, accompanied by fantasy elements. Over the past four years, I have been most comfortable working with digital media, especially for my illustrations. However, I sometimes enjoy working either in a blend between traditional media and digital or through ink and watercolour. Since starting my degree, I have developed a social presence online (Instagram and Twitter primarily) to promote my work and put myself out there. I've been receiving commissions from Youtubers mainly to design banners and YouTube icons or people worldwide wanting a personalised illustration of their choice.

I have been finding it difficult to what type of "Graphic Design" I wanted to create since the first year of my A-levels as my original plan was to study animation at a degree level. However, I soon realised that I wasn't as passionate as I thought about animation. Therefore, being stuck on what I actually wanted to do, was an extensional crisis, some might say. It wasn't until after my A-levels I realised that I wanted to explore the idea of game design, especially concept art, as it is a way I can really explore my illustration skills.

​During the module "Preparation for Creative and Cultural Industries" back in May 2021, I discovered how interested I was in 3D modelling and even applied for a work placement. But, it wasn't successful due to my lack of skills in 3D art, but I was able to gain insight on how to learn 3D modelling from the art director at the gaming company. I was hooked on this idea and began experimenting with the software "Blender". 3D modelling always seemed like a skill I would have never been able to do, but hopefully, throughout my final year of university, I hope to continue exploring more.
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I believe I am pretty diverse in Art and Design regarding my strengths. Digital design is definitely my most vital point. I know how to use various programs such as Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, Premiere, and After Effects, as well as non-adobe products such as Clip Studio Paint and Paint tool Sai for Illustration. Not only that, but I also believe I am confident in traditional media also, such as sketching, ink work, life drawings and painting in watercolour and acrylic. I would like to get better at practising more traditional art forms because it allows me to be more expressive within that work style. Furthermore, it will enable me to learn new media, including oil and gouache paint. Though this being said, I would like the painting aspect to be more of a hobby mainly rather than implementing it within my career goals just to have more balance between my client work and personal art. 

The skills I would like to work on throughout this year would be learning more software, including Blender and another software called Aseprite that enables you to create pixel artwork because I would like to develop my pixel art style further. Another skill I would like to work on is my time management skills because I often overestimate how long I've got on a project and usually rush some part of the project, making it less polished. Either that or I would work long hours without breaks which often leads me to burnout and not being willing to work for the next couple of days.

I believe the core skills I need to consider when becoming a game artist would be: creativity, flexibility, the adaption of style, an eye for detail and excellent drawing skills. Aside from these skills, I know I also need experience and to make connections. I have been starting to research and contact gaming companies. As I recently mentioned, I got into contact with an Art director about 3D modelling. Not only that, I joined the Game Development society and even got involved in the Ludum Dare Game Jam and textured some of the 3D models and did some UI for the game we made within a short amount of time. I plan to contact the Art director once I feel more confident in my 3D modelling and visit the gaming studio once it's safe. I plan to seek more experience with my online presence by applying to be an artist for fanzines, which I will update within my interface with the broader world section of this website.

What I would like to achieve before finishing university would be able to be fully confident in my illustration skills and hopefully be more capable of creating 3D artwork. At first, I was considering applying for a master's course in Game Art; however, due to being a "broke artist", I feel like that is something to consider when I have a stable income and not relying heavily on student finance. Still, this year is crucial to my portfolio being suitable so that I can hopefully get a job within the industry I would like to pursue in the future. I would also like to work on promoting myself further online and possibly create my own small business selling my artwork.