Thanks for visiting my blog. On this page you'll find some info on me, the places I've worked, the Games I've been a part of. If you'd like to find out more about my career or contact me, click on the linked in logo below.
Pixel Hero Games, Oct 2013 - Present
A Guildford based developer currently working on a game adaptation of the Games Workshop novel Eisenhorn by Dan Abnett. Development leverages Epics Unreal Engine 3 for Mobile devices and PC.
Key Responsibilities:
Positions Held:
- Lead Artist (Current Role)
A Guildford based developer currently working on a game adaptation of the Games Workshop novel Eisenhorn by Dan Abnett. Development leverages Epics Unreal Engine 3 for Mobile devices and PC.
Key Responsibilities:
- Mentoring and Direction.
- Creation of key concept artworks for level Design and Environment Art
- Development of production assets with particular focus on Environments.
Escapist Games, Nov 2011 - Oct 2013
Positions Held:
- Art Department
Codemasters, Guildford Studio
Positions Held:
- Technical Lead Artist (Current Role)
- Art Manager
- Lead Technical Artist
Lead Technical Artist - Bodycount
I led a small team of TA’s who worked closely with the Code and Tools Team, helping to define, develop and deliver the tools and technologies the teams would need to create Bodycount. Out of necessity, many key tools and systems still had to be developed and integrated during production. I was responsible for managing the rollout of two major systems that required new tools, and the conversion of the entire asset database, which was not for the faint hearted. To minimise any disruption, we staggered these rollouts over evenings and weekends when the least number of people would be working. To the credit of all the guys involved, I’m proud to say that integration both times was seamless.
During production, our focus switched to support mode where we took a hands on role sitting with the art and design teams. This helped us get stuck in, providing technical advice for the optimisation of stages and assets, troubleshooting technical issues with problem assets, and ensuring the tools and pipelines were continually tested, maintained and, where possible, improved with feedback from the teams.
I led a small team of TA’s who worked closely with the Code and Tools Team, helping to define, develop and deliver the tools and technologies the teams would need to create Bodycount. Out of necessity, many key tools and systems still had to be developed and integrated during production. I was responsible for managing the rollout of two major systems that required new tools, and the conversion of the entire asset database, which was not for the faint hearted. To minimise any disruption, we staggered these rollouts over evenings and weekends when the least number of people would be working. To the credit of all the guys involved, I’m proud to say that integration both times was seamless.
During production, our focus switched to support mode where we took a hands on role sitting with the art and design teams. This helped us get stuck in, providing technical advice for the optimisation of stages and assets, troubleshooting technical issues with problem assets, and ensuring the tools and pipelines were continually tested, maintained and, where possible, improved with feedback from the teams.
My Other Key Responsibilities:
- Acting in an advisory capacity to the Art Director, Production Team, Game Leads and Art Teams
- Assist with the development of tailored Workflows and Pipelines
- Ensuring the testing and delivery of Max Tools and scripts to the Art teams
- Ensuring the continual support of teams across 3 sites, including the offshore office in Malaysia
- Managing the development and maintenance of a Technical Art Wiki accessible via the intranet from all studios. This detailed all areas of asset creation, and provided comprehensive sections for training and troubleshooting. This was so successful that the format is now being rolled out across other projects.
Art Manager
Reporting to the company Art Director, the focus of my role was to help build and maintain world class art departments within Codemasters. To do so, I worked closely with the department leads to develop strategies that would meet the needs of current titles, while ensuring new techniques and technologies were researched and developed for future titles. My other responsibilities were to ensure the quality of assets, and the timely delivery of materials to the game teams. The Departments under my remit were VFX, Concept and Rendering, Character Art, Animation and Technical Art. I greatly enjoyed my time as Art Manager, but I found myself missing a more direct involvement within a project. It was a really hard decision, by I eventually decided to leave the Manager role and join the team in a more direct capacity as the Lead Technical Artist.
EA, Criterion
Positions Held:
- Producer
- Outsourcing Manager
- Lead Artist
- Lead Environment Artist
I joined Criterion as one of BLACK's lead environment artists. I led a team of 5 artists who built, lit and deliverd 4 levels. I was also heavily involved with the demo and E3 stages. The game was completed in less than a year of production, and charted Number 1 in Europe and the U.S.
After completing BLACK the team immediatly began pre-production on BLACK 2. My Initial role on the project was as the Lead Artist, but my career path changed when I was asked by the EP to join BLACK 2's Production Team. This was a creative role, to provide Vision and Direction for environmental destruction across disciplines. What happened to BLACK 2 you may ask? All I can say is that to this day, it's development remains TOP SECRET.
For my next mission, I joined the Burnout Paradise production team. Objective: Help the Environment Art Outsourcing Team to deliver the goods. I'd never worked on a racing game before. I'm a massive fan of Burnout 3, it's tracks were amazing, but this was something new for the franchise. This time, burnout was set in an enormous open world called Paradise City. The amount of assets required from the outsourcer was huge, and this was the first time we had outsourced environment art. It was a real challenge, by the end we had all gained a few more grey hairs, and we'd all learned an awful lot from the experience.
After finishing Burnout Paradise, I focused on improving our pipeline for outsourcing environment art. As luck would have it, EA had recently established a Worldwide Outsourcing Group, to help studios that were new to Outsourcing. To do so they were gathering the best practice from all EA studios that had used Outsourcers successfully. The Outsourcing managers and Producers were invited to meet at EA's studio in Vancouver for one week, where we developed the framework for EA's Outsourcing Handbook. I really enjoyed my time at EAC, their office in Burnaby is amazing. Vancouver is a wonderful city, if you ever get the opportunity to visit I would strongly recommend it.
After completing BLACK the team immediatly began pre-production on BLACK 2. My Initial role on the project was as the Lead Artist, but my career path changed when I was asked by the EP to join BLACK 2's Production Team. This was a creative role, to provide Vision and Direction for environmental destruction across disciplines. What happened to BLACK 2 you may ask? All I can say is that to this day, it's development remains TOP SECRET.
For my next mission, I joined the Burnout Paradise production team. Objective: Help the Environment Art Outsourcing Team to deliver the goods. I'd never worked on a racing game before. I'm a massive fan of Burnout 3, it's tracks were amazing, but this was something new for the franchise. This time, burnout was set in an enormous open world called Paradise City. The amount of assets required from the outsourcer was huge, and this was the first time we had outsourced environment art. It was a real challenge, by the end we had all gained a few more grey hairs, and we'd all learned an awful lot from the experience.
After finishing Burnout Paradise, I focused on improving our pipeline for outsourcing environment art. As luck would have it, EA had recently established a Worldwide Outsourcing Group, to help studios that were new to Outsourcing. To do so they were gathering the best practice from all EA studios that had used Outsourcers successfully. The Outsourcing managers and Producers were invited to meet at EA's studio in Vancouver for one week, where we developed the framework for EA's Outsourcing Handbook. I really enjoyed my time at EAC, their office in Burnaby is amazing. Vancouver is a wonderful city, if you ever get the opportunity to visit I would strongly recommend it.
Argonaut Games PLC
Positions Held:
- Lead Environment Artist
Deep Red
Lead Artist Hotel Giant 2
Asylum Entertainment Ltd
Senior Artist Galidor
Creative Realms Ltd
Senior Artist Power Crystal
Pure Entertainment (Freeloader.com)
Senior Artist Flint
Pure Destruction
Bullfrog Productions PLC
3D Artist/Senior Artist - Populous 3
- Syndicate Wars (PS 1)
- DungeonKeeper
- Indestructibles
- Genewars
Awards
New Designers Exhibition 1995
Winner of the Kenwood/KDO Product Design of the year 1995
Member of the Chartered Society of Designers MCSD
Education
Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication (RCA) - 1992-1995
BA (hons) Three Dimensional Design in the chief study of Product and Related Design
