matthew dodd,
specialist artist
after joining skyhook 3 years ago, matt has gone from freelance contractor to permanent specialist artist. read on to find out more about his journey!
So Matt, could you tell us a bit about your job role?
My role has me working in many different 3D related programs to create 3D art. This could see me working in modelling software to create assets, or working in game engines to do art related tasks (creating prefabs, placing assets, creating materials, etc).
How did you get to Skyhook?
David (Managing Director) actually reached out at the start of the Covid lockdown, he asked if I would be interested in doing some freelance work. I had met David and Jon (Art Director) through networking and social events in my previous jobs. Luckily, they thought of me when work became available.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
Being able to work together with like-minded people in a job role that aligns with my interests and hobbies.
What other departments of Skyhook do you interact with?
I feel like I’ve interacted with pretty much all of the other departments. This is thanks to the variety of projects I’ve had the chance to work on.
What project/piece of work are you most proud of thus far?
I think I am most proud of the work I did on Midland Mainline for TSW. It was my first time on a project like this, learning new skills and putting them into practice right away. While it wasn’t smooth sailing all the time, it was fulfilling to see the final product come together and to know that players have enjoyed the DLC.
When did Game Art click with you as a potential career path?
I’ve been interested in the video games industry since the moment my mum handed me her original Gameboy when I was a child. This always gave me the inclination that I wanted to have an art centric career. However, it was in College after completing A-Level art that I just happened to hear about a creative media course where I could focus on video games. I completed this, then went on to university to study Games Art.
What education path did you follow to break into the industry?
My path was a little unorthodox. I originally studied to be an engineer following a Level 3 engineering diploma in my final years of school. I then went to do GCSE and A-Level art in college, which was followed by a 90 credit Creative Media diploma in the same college. After that was a HND in Games Art and Animation. I also had one final top up year to get the full BA qualification.
How did you go about searching for a job after you completed your studies?
I had created a CV, portfolio, ArtStation and LinkedIn account during my time in university. This allowed me to apply for available positions. However, I was fortunate enough to be recommended by my tutor to help a former industry colleague on a project. This provided me with experience while helping out in my previous university. Through helping the university and working for that previous company I was also able to network.
What games did you enjoy playing while growing up?
I enjoyed many different games when I was younger, not really having a favourite genre.
The likes of the Need for Speed series, Pokémon series, Metal Gear Solid Series and other mainstream games I played. However, the standouts of my childhood are the 1989 Batman movie game for the original Gameboy, Breath of Fire III for the original PlayStation and Megaman Battle Network 3 on the Gameboy Advance.
How would you advise those looking to become an artist within the games industry?
I’d mostly say to keep practising and working on a personal portfolio. Not only will it help build skills, you’ll be able to find what works for you while completing personal projects you might not get the time for in the future. I’d also recommend staying as up to date as possible with the latest software.
