Illustration graduate redraws future in games industry

Originally enrolled in Falmouth’s Illustration BA(Hons) course, Thomas soon realised that his passion lay in bringing characters to life in the world of video games. After graduating, he returned to study the Game Development: Art BA(Hons) course, honing his technical skills and building his portfolio to the point where he secured a job as a Junior 3D Character Artist at Distinctive Games after graduating for a second time in 2020.

We spoke to him about his university experience, the challenges of breaking into the industry, and what it’s like working on mobile game titles.

Tell us about your time at Falmouth on the Game Development: Art course?

I joined Falmouth in 2013 to study Illustration but was always drawn to character design for games. When the game art courses launched midway through my BA, I became interested in how it was taught, particularly its focus on 2D and 3D skills and team-based game projects.

After saving up and learning 3D modelling independently, I returned to study Game Development: Art in 2017. During the course, I created Ink’d and Knights of Trash, with Ink’d being my favourite game. Making Knights of Trash in third year was also a great experience, as we aimed to implement ambitious characters and systems. Unfortunately, the pandemic made everything incredibly difficult. I really miss my team—we never got the chance to properly finish the game, which is a real shame.

Over time, I shifted from 2D concept art to UI/UX design and 3D character art. I particularly enjoyed designing tutorials and onboarding processes, which helped me stand out in a team full of artists.

My passion for 3D characters grew and became my main focus. Looking back, my early character models were awful—thankfully, I improved! As a student, I aspired to work in AAA, and in some ways, I still do. However, I’m just happy to be in the industry, doing what I enjoy at Distinctive Games, creating free-to-play mobile titles.

What were the most important things you learnt on the course?

The key lessons were the technical skills required in each program. Learning how to juggle multiple software tools like Maya, ZBrush, Substance, and Photoshop to create a hero asset was a fascinating process. I realised that achieving professional-grade artwork isn’t just about talent—it’s about technical knowledge, iteration, feedback, and good communication.

One of the most valuable things I learned was how to compensate for weaknesses. For example, if I wasn’t confident in ZBrush, I could make up for it with strong texturing and rendering. Once I had that self-awareness and feedback, I could direct my learning to improve my next project.

You don’t become amazing at these things overnight—it’s all about iteration and pushing yourself to be better. I’m sure students can see this in their own work, comparing their first-year projects to their third-year final pieces. It’s the same for me.

How did you find getting a job after graduating?

I won’t lie—it wasn’t easy. I started applying for jobs just after Christmas in my third year, aiming for junior positions and internships as a graduate 3D character artist. I kept a spreadsheet tracking all my applications, ensuring I didn’t spam the same place too often in six months. I recorded whether the role was onsite, remote, or hybrid, when I last contacted them, and any follow-up details. It was exhausting but necessary.

I did some contract work for an indie startup that, unfortunately, didn’t lead anywhere, but it gave me exposure and content to showcase on my ArtStation. Besides that, I participated in 3D workshops and contests while working in a hotel. These kept my skills sharp and allowed me to expand my portfolio with new projects.

Over 18–20 months after graduating, I applied for around 150 jobs, received a few art tests and interviews, but nothing stuck—until my 26th birthday when I got the callback from Distinctive Games. They wanted to take me on as a Junior 3D Character Artist!

Persistence and determination were what got me my job. The collection of rejection emails was disheartening, but I tried to turn it into a learning experience, seeking feedback from companies and maintaining good relationships.

What do you like to draw the most?

Honestly, I’m a bit embarrassed to say that I’ve almost completely moved away from 2D drawing, aside from the occasional doodle. Anything on my ArtStation is fair game to show.

For the past year, I’ve been working on a 3D shark-alien character in my free time. It’s been almost finished for months, but I still need to pose and render it as a hero asset for my portfolio. From my WIP images, it’s probably the most ambitious piece I’ve worked on because of all the extracurricular learning involved in pushing my skills.