7 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before Studying Game Art and Game Design
When I started studying game art and game design, I walked in with passion, talent, and a decade of art experience — but almost no real understanding of what the journey would actually feel like. Six years of school and industry work later, I’ve learned a lot of things the hard way. If you’re thinking about entering this field, or you’ve just started, here’s what I wish someone had told me from the beginning.
1. Talent matters far less than consistency
You don’t need to be a prodigy. You need to show up.
The students who improved the fastest weren’t the “naturally gifted” ones — they were the ones who practiced regularly, asked questions, and weren’t afraid to redo work until it clicked.
2. Your portfolio is more important than your grades
No studio has ever asked me about my GPA.
They have asked about my process, my problem‑solving, and whether I can finish work.
School assignments are stepping stones, not the final product. Build things you’re proud to show.
3. You won’t learn most of what you need in class
Programs can only cover so much.
You’ll teach yourself tools, workflows, and techniques that never appear in the syllabus.
Self‑learning isn’t optional in this industry — it’s part of the job.
4. Game development is collaborative, not solitary
Even if you’re an artist, you’ll interact with designers, programmers, producers, and QA.
Learning how to communicate clearly, take feedback, and work in a pipeline will carry you further than any single software skill.
Quick note about critique and feedback from colleagues... feedback is just feedback (unless it's from QA!) so, take what you agree with and make the changes to your art that you think are necessary. Don't get too hung up on what others say about a piece, at the end of the day it's your artwork and your choice to take or not to take feedback. If you can justify why and how you did something, and your logic and process are sound, then the feedback is just an opinion.
5. Burnout is real, and it sneaks up on you
Crunch culture isn’t just a studio problem — students do it to themselves.
You don’t have to destroy your sleep schedule to be “serious.”
Pacing yourself is a skill, and it’s one that will keep you in the industry long‑term.
6. It’s okay to change your specialization
You might start as an environment artist and discover you love tech art.
You might think you’re a designer and realize you’re actually a systems thinker.
Your first choice isn’t a life sentence — it’s a starting point.
6's Tangent because I'm ADHD as can be.
My Path Didn’t Go the Way I Expected — and That’s the Point
When I began my undergrad, I was certain I wanted to be an environment artist. That was the dream: build worlds, shape spaces, create places players could get lost in. But toward the end of my program, something shifted. I became completely obsessed with materials and VFX. What started as curiosity turned into a full pivot. I found myself diving into shaders, particle systems, and the technical side of visual storytelling.
That fascination grew into a love for procedural content generation and a deep interest in scripting. Before I even began my master’s degree, I put those skills to work during an internship at Full Sail, serving as the Scrum Master for the collaborative undergrad game production course. It was the first time I realized how much I enjoyed the intersection of art, tech, and production.
During my master’s program, I continued doing tech art work — building tools, solving pipeline problems, and creating systems that made other artists’ lives easier. But eventually, the team I was on desperately needed someone to take charge of the environment art department. So I stepped in. I organized the workflow, wrangled the artists, and brought structure to the chaos.
And I’ve been doing my best to bring the team into structured chaos — and honestly, it’s an ongoing art form.
What surprised me most was how much I enjoyed this new version of environment art. It blended my production instincts, my procedural mindset, and my technical curiosity. It wasn’t the path I expected when I graduated with my Game Art degree, but it became the path that fit me best.
7. The industry is tough, but not impossible
Yes, it’s competitive.
Yes, layoffs happen, game production doesn't last forever...
But people break in every year because they’re persistent, adaptable, and willing to learn.
If you keep improving and keep finishing work, you will find your place.
Studying game art and game design is challenging, inspiring, frustrating, and transformative. It will push you harder than you expect, but it will also give you skills and experiences that stay with you for life. If you’re stepping into this world, go in with curiosity, patience, and the understanding that growth takes time.
And if no one has told you this yet: you’re allowed to take your time, change direction, and learn at your own pace. You’re building a career, not racing a clock.
