About Me

My name is Nick Bradshaw and I am from the north west of England,  Cheshire where the weather seems to always consist of the same old same old.. Rain.

For as long as I can remember I have always loved to draw, finding it very therapeutic, and being fuelled by my family and friends enthusiasm I took a major interest in art based subjects at school and college, being enticed by the idea of nurturing my artistic skills as oppose to the academic route writing essay after essay.

During the options stage of high school was where I really began to think about what I might like to as a career, based on these early decisions I took a digital arts course as one of my options and immediately being astounded and amazed by the artistic feats that could and are achieved through the digital medium,  I was shown both 3D and 2D work that captivated my imagination and made me realise that this was for me.

I chose De Montfort and this particular game art course almost by accident, originally the course was at the bottom of my short-list for universities, mostly due to my naivety at the time, however after thoroughly researching and visiting each individual choice on my list I came to realise the sheer level and standard of work being produced here was far better than the others.

My ambitions for this year is (other than actually getting through to the next) is to improve both my 2D and 3D skills to that of a higher standard and not get too distracted by my house mates that constantly want to go out until the sun rises.

My interests include games as you might expect, but also I have a big love for music and sports such as basketball and cycling.

 Ultimately I would love a career in the film or games industry, to be one of the people that get to turn their hobby into a career, and a pay check!

My dream job would be one at EA, being the company responsible for two of my all time favourite franchises, Dead Space and Need For Speed.

The description for the role is as follows:

The 2D Artist will be responsible for creating breath-taking Hidden Object scenes, using a mix of technical skills and traditional illustration concepts. We’re looking for someone with Photoshop skills that transcend the realms of mere mortals.   The ideal candidate will bring a strong understanding of perspective, composition and colour theory and have a proven track record in traditional and digital illustration techniques.

Responsibilities:

Working with the Lead Artist and a team of 3D and 2D artists, design scenes for Hidden Object games

Work with 3D artists to determine the proper textures and lighting of each scene

Using Photoshop and other software packages, place objects in each scene

Execute a final paint of each scene to maximize visual impact

Select and prep photo files to create new objects for placement

Assist with the art direction of outsourced assets as needed

Accurately estimate the time it takes to complete tasks on time

Required Experience and Skills

Expert level knowledge of Photoshop (digital painting) and Illustrator

Strong fundamental skills in use of line, light, shadow, colour and perspective

Ability to work within established art styles

Excellent communication and team skills

Must have an upbeat, positive attitude and enjoy working in a team environment

Ability to modify work based on feedback and critique from fellow Artists, Engineers and Producers

Eagerness to collaborate with team members to consistently deliver final game assets that meet the established standard

A good understanding of games, with the ability to identify flaws in design, art, and “feel”

At the moment it all seems a bit daunting and dangerously out of my reach, however after graduating, hopefully with a respectable mark this can become a serious consideration possibly resulting in a change of scenery and by that I mean country, as nice as Britain is I would love to see much more of the world and experience another set of weather conditions haha.