Art Direction Bootcamp: Pantalones! Things I Wished I knew Prior to Becoming an Art Director

In this 2017 GDC session, veteran art director Denis Rogic presents 9 major lessons drawn from the mistakes he made as an art director so that you can learn from them!
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[@anish.wijesinghe]

I'm a game director and I tried this approach but it didn't work in the long term. What happens when its too difficult and you're not enjoying it as much? Its bound to happen at times when you're crazy stressed out. What I learned is to put on blinders. There is so much information out there, and so many people better than you at what you do. The issue happens when you infuse their realities in yours and that's what triggers those eventual imposter thoughts. When I research, I focus on making sure I'm not questioning my capabilities while doing the research. If I am I stop and readjust and then detach myself from my craft and then research. I even stop going through my social media. Being confident in your own individual reality and learning to trust yourself is important to get over this. You just need to believe in the process that things will figure itself out and when you fail and when you're wrong you can take a step back and learn. These two things are hard to master and balance. But its whats worked on my end at least so far.

[@J4ME5_]

What resources did you use for research? What was your favorite?

[@r0flcopter]

Honestly ended up loving this talk a lot more than I expected. Was super helpful thank you!

[@briggsasher5478]

pro tip : watch series on flixzone. I've been using it for watching loads of movies lately.

[@jamesondominik8662]

@Briggs Asher Yup, have been watching on flixzone for since november myself :)

[@PaulMoranfilms]

Very good talk about the inner struggle when you get into creative leadership. Thank you, for your openness and knowledge.

[@GoblinGamesLtd]

Great talk! I have also suffered from Imposter Syndrome in the past so I know exactly how that feels.

[@NightShader1]

This talk was very Pantalones. :)

[@federicomedinauy]

Nice talk. I think it applies to any other Director position within a gaming company (ie. Development Director), as well as non-game companies.

[@milkshockolate]

This is soooo relatable, thank you

[@HeroLanding]

As someone with a take charge attitude, who often ends up in leader positions, this talk was awesome. 14:40 that things about letting control go. So hard.

[@Terrabite0]

He's such a good speaker👍🤟👏👏

[@DCrispim]

Awesome talk, thanks for sharing insights!

[@yeryominvlad]

Pretty fun and honest, good luck to him

[@starduck2]

Hahaha Dude is from Riot. Had to search it.

[@WutipongWongsakuldej]

"Blizzard!!"

[@jesusmora9379]

small indie company

[@biglittledude496]

tldr have a ton of money to hire a bunch of roles and talented people

[@TheHyBriD3I6]

I want an art director now....Are you happy with what you did?

[@joseluispcr]

So the only way of having a game the way you want is to make everthing yourself. A artist cant do what he wants because receives orders and the director cant have precisily what he had in mind

[@171694]

Really nice

[@FlameForgedSoul]

Hm, that bit at around the 12:00 minute mark was a bit too hand-wavey regarding a an attitude that’s been used to justify a lot of shitty things happening in the games industry. Otherwise interesting.

[@J4ME5_]

Establishing an art bible is difficult.

[@cirodefagot8554]

Hay algún lugar donde pueda disfrutar estas charlas traducidas en español? ( con subs )

[@bamkyre9801]

No llevo pantalones

[@mgeorgescu]

hot

[@FrancisGo.]

Nice.

[@tcara11]

How about a vr video game that is a haunted house. Weekly houses with other themed houses.

[@sirvilhelmofyonderland]

Do you look back on your life and think…. I wish I had spent MORE time on a computer? Nope , you’re a slave to a screen

[@AstroSquid]

I just got fired from a job at a video game company where they made the concept artist the art director. I'm a 3d and 2d artist I do both, but I can only imitate his art style. He fired me because I would make some art, then he would make is own version of his art, then write up an art lesson on how to make his art.. I was clueless as to what he wanted me to do.. Make things, thicker, or chunky'er, or I would have to be better at his style of art than he is. When I brought that up, wokeness took over and I was a white guy making a brown guy, the art director, feel uncomfortable. So they let me go.. thinking about a law suit.

[@MLLD00]

This is not an actual AD, to much about imposter syndrome and being unsecure. Good for some, but not very motivating.

[@teac117]

Ya, kinda waste of time and I wish your comment was closer to the top.