As much as it is fun to create art, the stakes are higher when it comes to making games as realistic as possible though art !
Harish Rajan, our next pathbreaker, Principal 3D Artist at Critical Force (Finland), a Mobile Gaming Studio, makes 3D Game Assets required for game maps and gameplay.
Harish talks to Shyam Krishnamurthy from The Interview Portal about starting his career as a Game Artist and wanting to learn more aspects of gaming other than art, like game designing, game mechanics, which led him to Sheridan College (Canada).
For students, everyone of you will give more than 100% when you work on something you love and do without thinking about it as a responsibility.
Harish, can you share your background with our young readers?
I was born and brought up in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. I did my higher secondary schooling there. My interests were painting, drawing and cricket. My parents were government employees (now retired)
What did you do for graduation/post graduation?
I did a diploma in Media Technology from SAE Technology College Mumbai, then a Professional Diploma in Game Art in India from Asian Institute Of Gaming And Animation (AIGA), and and Post Graduate Diploma in Game level Design from Sheridan College in Canada
Can you share with us some of the key influences that led you to such an offbeat, unconventional, and unique career in Gaming?
The main reason to choose a career in Gaming was my primary interest in cartoons, art and video games
How did you plan the steps to get into the career you wanted? Tell us about your career path
Even though art was my primary interest just like any other kid born in the late 80’s, I took engineering, in which I failed miserably. It took a lot of effort to convince my parents to put me in an art school. My first course in media technology didn’t give me fruitful results (I blame it on the institute). But my second course, in game art helped me a lot in choosing my career and the faculty there had a big role in shaping me.
During my AIGA days, the main focus was on creating art for games, and on making 3d models, textures and implementing them into game engines. Though I did have a bit of 3d knowledge before AIGA, I learned the proper way to make 3d models at AIGA. I got to learn most of the industry standard tools like 3ds Max, Photoshop, Zbush, UDK, proper way of making game art, time management as well as a few technical modules which are quite important to work in the industry. We had the best faculty who were the primary members of India’s first gaming Studio, Dhruva Interactive (now merged into Rockstar). Their guidance played a key role in helping me get my first job. Most of the work I did at AIGA was to make my portfolio and land a job.
I worked for 2 years in my first job as a Game Artist and gained confidence to do a post-graduate program in Canada. I wanted to learn more aspects of gaming other than art, like game designing, game mechanics etc. Sheridan had a perfect course, and just like anybody else, I also wanted to have a life in Canada or USA. Getting admission based on the requirements was easy in Canada. I didn’t get any scholarship, but my previous education and work experience helped a lot during my studies. I got selected due to the same and few art tests. This course had more technical stuff and less art compared to my previous course, so i was not repeating my studies. We did coding, lots of group assignments etc
After graduating, I worked in a few Hollywood movies as a VFX artist.
VFX is very different from game development. It is very difficult to get a job in game industries in Canada with less experience. But luckily, a vfx company came to our college looking for interns. I attended their workshop and got selected as junior vfx artist. I worked in a few Hollywood movies as 3d stereoscopic artist. To be clear, I was involved in converting a normal movie into a 3d version which we wear those special glasses and see.
After that, I had to move back to India due to personal reasons. But I managed to find a job in a gaming studio through a friend.
After i returned from Canada, i joined Sumo as game artist, where i got to work on various games, gained lot of experience and knowledge. Later, I got an offer from Streamlines, Malaysia. But it was a short stay for 6 months. For some reason, it didn’t suit me. I came back to India, applied at Dhruva, cleared their art test and got the job. My role in all these companies was the same which was related to making 3d art eg., Vehicles, buildings, props, vegetation etc.
After 3 years of working in India, I got a job in Finland by clearing interviews and an art test. It’s been more than 5 years working for the same company. Throughout my career, I worked hard and smart which helped me grow by not only getting pay hikes but also promotion largely due to my liking towards art and games. Of course, making contacts with the right people is always important to find a job in difficult circumstances.
How did you get your first break?
Gameing companies come to our institute to hire freshers based on our portfolio and work during our course. I landed my first job in a game studio called Pixeltek in Mumbai. (I did my game art course from AIGA (Now AID), Bangalore and it is one the best places to learn video game art and 3D.
Pixeltek was my first company. My main task was to model 3d characters for a game developed by an American Studio. We were involved only in making art. Rest of the game development was happening in the USA.
What were some of the challenges you faced? How did you address them?
Challenge 1:
The main challenge was to learn multiple art related software. I had to spend a lot of time learning them. Less sleeping hours
Challenge 2:
To stay ahead of other students/peers to be the best. Putting more effort and taking one extra step to make it better
Challenge 3
Deadline pressure. The most difficult one. Sometimes things go beyond our control and we have a time crunch. Instead of getting stressed or angry, i tried to think that this is also an extra step for my growth
Where do you work now? What problems do you solve?
At present , i work in a mobile gaming studio called Critical Force, Finland as principal 3D Artist
I make 3D Game Assets required for our game maps and gameplay
At Critical Force, our primary product is a mobile shooter game called Critical-ops, we are currently working on few other new games as well which will be released before Autumn 2024. So basically, environment art, as the name suggests, is the surroundings in the game. For example, in a shooting game, everything except ten characters, weapons are environments. My major task is to create buildings, vehicles, vegetation, machines, and anything required in that specific map. We start with selecting a real-world city as a map. We collect references in a particular locality for buildings, plants, tree, signboards and it goes on. We start making 3d models, textures following the reference and try to replicate them as close as possible. The level designer will make the map and we place them in the game engine
What skills are needed for your role? How did you acquire the skills?
One needs really good art skills, which includes 3D art, interest in games, game engine knowledge, basic drawing skills. I developed all these skills during my game art course
What’s a typical day like?
My day starts with going through mails. I check the task log and start the work assigned to me. There are team discussions, meetings etc. Nothing fancy
What is it you love about this job?
I have a good work life balance with the work I do. I don’t have much pressure and it is art related and it gives me happiness to make art and see it on the screen
How does your work benefit society?
The industry I work in entertains people and monetizes it just like a movie, a theatre show, music concert or even an IPL match. My work benefits the society in the same way as above.
Tell us an example of a specific memorable work you did that is very close to you!
All the work I do is memorable to me as my work is my hobby and it is fun to create art. And it gives me happiness to see my name on game credits.
Your advice to students based on your experience?
Whatever you do, do it with interest and please don’t do anything just for the sake of doing it. Always remember that medicine and engineering aren’t the only careers. We have to look beyond them (This advice is especially to the parents who force their kids to become a doctor or an engineer)
Future Plans?
Well, there are a lot of challenges in the IT industry. We need to be prepared for new stuff like AI etc. Staying updated by adapting yourself is very important. I might start my own game studio or start a restaurant which I’m equally interested in.
My Portfolio :