Blog

It’s a crazy time out there right now and we at the Pixelmatic team hope everybody is staying safe and healthy! The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing us all to stay home and practice social distancing, but we think this provides a great opportunity for everyone to expand their online learning and practice their digital skills!

This week, our Director of Art Wayne Wong-Chong took the time to go on the Vertex School podcast. The Vertex School is an online art school that teaches people skills they need to launch a new career in creative tech (games, film, graphic design), and they have helped many aspiring game artists achieve their goals of getting jobs in the video game industry.

The current tough times have disrupted many industries and affected people’s livelihoods, and Wayne had words of encouragement to share. Watch the live recorded episode of Wayne’s chat with Ryan of Vertex School below, where Wayne gives advice on how aspiring video game artists can stand out from the crowd and get hired, as well as how he himself has gone about changing the art direction of the Infinite Fleet game.

In the podcast episode, you will find Wayne discussing:

• Remote work and distributed teams - how this is becoming the norm.
• Competition for acquiring talent and the right fit means that opportunities are not limited even in difficult economic times.
• The game industry has a supportive culture both locally and globally, so don’t be afraid to reach out, ask for advice, and support each other.
• Be intentional about your game art portfolio and tailor your work to showcase your understanding of the genre of game you are applying to be part of.
• Stand out by taking your game art past the visuals and make it interactive with free engines and free content that supports your creation.
• Try to relax in interviews and maximize your strengths, discuss them and display them to show why you are the right candidate.
• Don't give up if you are rejected; ask for feedback to improve and try not to follow the masses if your portfolio is not working - be contrarian and try switching your art style up.
• Adapt to change and be eager to learn about how your work contributes to a game; be invested in what you create when you get a job.

We hope you enjoy the content. By the way, Pixelmatic is still hiring! Check out our jobs board here.

In the meantime, wash your hands often, keep your distance, and stay healthy!