Q: Tell me a little bit about your personal journey into games. Why did you want to get into games?
Originally, I was really into drawing. Every single day, everywhere I was, I was sketching characters and later on, environments. One year before graduating from high school, I started looking into artistic jobs, and that’s how I discovered 3D and game art. I wanted to work on movies or cinematics for video games. Games like Soulcalibur and World of Warcraft had amazing cinematic videos back then. It was mind-blowing at the time, and I thought it was the perfect way to evolve from 2D to 3D.
Once I graduated, I applied to a few art schools in Paris, and that’s how I ended up spending three years in an Applied Art school. I kept perfecting my drawing skills, my understanding of shapes and volume, and that’s also where I truly fell in love with architecture. After experimenting with a bit of everything throughout those three years, I knew environments were going to be my thing from then on.
But the reality was that I wasn’t especially good at it at the time. I was struggling to learn 3Ds Max and Maya, and what seemed easy for some of my classmates didn’t come naturally to me. So from that point on, my goal was just to get better at it, even if it took me more time than others.
When I graduated, I started applying to different CGI studios, but none of them wanted to hire someone straight out of school. After a few weeks, one of my classmates reached out to me. He had found a job at a small video game company called Neko Entertainment, and they were looking for more interns. I applied right away and got an interview. What impressed the Art Director and Producer wasn’t my 3D skills, but my talent for drawing. That’s how I got started in the video game industry, as a 2D concept artist.
After a few months, they gave me a chance to do a 3D test to see if I could switch from 2D to 3D, but my internship ended soon, and they told me they’d call me back if they needed someone.
Two weeks later, I got a call from the Art Director offering me a six-month contract as a 3D Artist to work on a small PS2 game. That was how I got my very first gig in the video game industry. Games like God of War, Max Payne, Uncharted and The Last of Us were my references back then, and I dreamed of working on those kinds of titles one day. Years later, I had the chance to do just that when I joined the Naughty Dog team for almost four years and worked on The Last of Us Part I for PS5.
What I love about working in games is the ability to create grandiose environments and tell a story. Every single detail you add to a scene, like the way dead leaves start piling up along a curb, or how bricks get exposed on a broken pillar, everything in an environment is storytelling.
When I walk down the street, I constantly find myself analyzing the world around me. It’s almost second nature now, I’ll catch myself observing and admiring simple things like how asphalt patches have been layered on a road, or how old markings are cracking and fading. Everything around me inspires me and feeds my eye. Attention to detail is what makes all the difference in our field, and training your eye daily is the best way to keep it sharp.
As I mentioned earlier, I also love architecture, especially ancient monuments like churches, temples, or historic venues. From Greece, Italy, or France—from Art Deco to Baroque to Victorian—I’ve always admired the artistry behind every cornice, pattern, sculpt, and shape. I have deep respect for the artists and artisans who created those masterpieces. Also, traveling around the world gives me an incredible amount of inspiration, and I love discovering culture through environments, surfaces, and architecture.
Most of my holiday photo albums are full of close-up shots of pavements, broken walls, and dilapidated wooden doors. It’s just part of who I am, always observing—always appreciating my surroundings.
Q: Do you have a piece of work you’re most proud of in your career and if so, what is it?
Each of my personal projects has a special place in my heart, as they remind me of a moment in time, a phase or a period where I remember studying every day to improve my artworks. One of my favorite pieces is, without a doubt, my Baroque Ceiling. It’s probably one of the most challenging pieces I’ve ever undertaken, and I learned so much from it.
The first thing I learned was definitely patience.his project took me months to complete because I was tackling it as a side project while I was working full-time on Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. Whenever I had a lunch break or some spare time over the weekend, I would go back to my desk to create another shape to add to the ceiling. Some sessions were successful, and I could achieve a lot. Others were more frustrating, when I couldn’t find a way to make the intricate pattern I was aiming for. But with a lot of perseverance, I completed this project. To this day, it’s my most acclaimed piece of work, with over 7K likes on ArtStation.
This project also helped put my name on the map and got me a lot of attention from the community. It further solidified my collaboration with the Adobe Substance Team and gave me the opportunity to do one of my first GDC talks. It also contributed to the chance for me to work at my dream studio, Naughty Dog.
What sticks with me when I look at my projects is the journey. From the moment I start a project, to coming up with an idea or a concept, to getting to the final render. Most of the time, it takes an insane amount of dedication and patience to assemble some of these projects. Some took months to be completed, and multiple times I was on the edge of giving up. But I didn’t. I never left a project unfinished, even if it took me six months to wrap it up. I wanted to prove to myself that I was capable of learning and achieving something great.
More than the art, it’s the journey that forges your spirit. The failures that help you grow. And the hard work that brings success. It might sound corny, but I’m a great example of what I’m describing—I struggled at the beginning, but now I’m leading a team of passionate experts.
Q: What is one of the biggest challenges you think aspiring artists are facing in the industry today?
Nowadays, the industry has become very competitive, and amazing artists from all over the world are emerging more and more. Online content has made things much more accessible, especially for self-taught artists. Aspiring artists now have far more resources available to help them grow.
That being said, the diversity of software and the constant evolution of workflows and processes is definitely one of the biggest challenges. How do you manage to stay up to date over the years, reinvent yourself as an artist, and stay technically sharp? It’s a tough industry where you need to constantly work to keep up and remain relevant.
This is why it’s extremely important for artists to stay aware of new technologies and at least have a solid understanding of them even if you’re not an expert. I always encourage my mentees to keep working on personal projects on the side and use them as a way to explore new workflows or tools without the pressure of a deadline. That way, they can focus entirely on the quality of the final result and create a memorable piece that helps them get noticed—and eventually land a job.
Q; How have you seen the games industry change in the last five years?
Over the past five years, the fluctuation of hiring has been pretty volatile. With more income from investors, companies started recruiting heavily during the pandemic, which created these overstaffed teams. Unfortunately, as budgets slowly started getting cut, it resulted in massive layoffs across the industry.
Q: How can those interested in working in the industry best prepare for and navigate those changes?
It’s great to be invested and dedicated to a project when you work for a company, but it’s also important to stay aware of how healthy the company is, how the finances are going, and how successful the released games are, so you can gauge the stability. At this point, it’s vital to be able to read between the lines and anticipate, so you can pivot if necessary. It’s often on you to create the opportunities that will help you navigate through these tough times.
Ultimately, the only thing you really have control over is your work. So the more you focus on yourself and your personal growth, the more chances you’ll have to reach that undeniable status—one that brings visibility, stability, and gets you to secure a position.
Q: What do you think are the most important skills or traits that someone should have if they want to work in games?
The greatest skills to have are perseverance, tenacity, and passion. There are no technical skills you can’t acquire if you’re studying, but the mindset is the key to everything in this industry. It’s inevitable that at some point, you’ll be struggling with doubts, imposter syndrome, or other challenges as an artist. You’re the only one who can overcome those difficulties—and that comes through self-discipline. Even if you doubt, be patient – give yourself some time, but always trust the process. It doesn’t matter how many times you fail, as long as you succeed in the end.
Again, reflecting on my personal journey, I was not necessarily gifted when I started, but it’s my mindset and my work ethic that got me to where I am today. This is, in my opinion, the most important skill to have. Stay humble, believe in yourself, and work hard.
Q: What’s a common myth about breaking into the games industry that you want to debunk?
Natural talent is, for me, a myth. Every talented artist I’ve met and had the chance to work with and learn from over the past 20 years has been extremely dedicated to their craft. You don’t come to life gifted; you acquire the skills yourself and sharpen them with time. Another myth is that you need a degree, or to graduate from a renowned school to break into the industry. Nowadays, self-taught artists have the same chances to land a job as long as they have a solid portfolio and manage to get the necessary exposure to be noticed.
That being said, I still recommend aspiring artists to connect with experienced mentors to help develop their understanding of the industry and guide them through the right steps to break into it.
Q: What’s one piece of advice you wish someone had given you early in your career?
Something I wish I knew when I started in the industry is how much the way you introduce and present yourself and your work actually matters. It really plays a big role in your success, whether it’s for interviews or job applications.
Your work needs to be shown in a clean and appealing way, with consistency in the visual identity you’re going for in your portfolio. I’ve missed out on opportunities myself because the presentation of my work wasn’t polished enough. Even if the art is solid, you can easily discredit it by making the wrong choices in how it’s shown or neglecting presentation altogether..
The same goes for interviews – be casual, but respectful, and just show people who you are. Even if you’re nervous, people want to see the person behind the work, so don’t be afraid to let your personality come through and show how awesome you are.
And finally, don’t forget—your art is your signature. It reflects who you are, so it’s important to show a bit of yourself through it. In the end, you are your own brand, and you want people to see the best version of you. It’s a mindset that can really make a difference.
Q: What inspired you to start Vessel Forge and why?
I’ve been mentoring artists my whole career – from interns, to juniors, to mid-level and even seniors. I’ve always had this passion for sharing knowledge with my teammates. Seeing them grow is the best reward for a mentor, and every bit of progress they make, every success, is something I deeply love to see.
Throughout my career I’ve written magazine articles about my work, shared breakdowns, done livestreams, Q&As, panels, and multiple GDC talks, again, with the goal in mind to help the community learn not just the technical side of my work and projects, but also the thought process behind them.
Vessel Forge is an extension of all these things, united in one place. And here we can focus all of this down into a more detailed and personal experience than you’re able to capture from an article or GDC talk. There is no true substitute for one-on-one guidance, and I love how that’s the core of what we’re doing here.
Q: What can you tell us about the caliber and expertise of Vessel Forge mentors?
In all of our mentors, we look for a legacy of quality and excellence, combined with a passion for helping aspiring talent go further. We’re also focused on building a diverse roster of mentors with varying specialties, spanning the full spectrum of game artistry. This way, we can accommodate mentees with a wide variety of interests and ensure they’re paired with a true expert in their area of focus.
As we’ve just launched Vessel Forge,, to start we’ll be focusing on three key areas – Environment art mentorships, Material art mentorships, and career coaching. In the coming months, we’ll be adding five more mentors to our roster, which will open up new opportunities for mentorships in other specialties. Each of these mentors have impressive backgrounds and are currently working at world-renowned video game companies. I can’t wait to introduce them! !
Q: What’s next for Vessel Forge?
I’m excited to announce that we’re officially accepting applications for mentorship and career coaching!
It was incredible to see the positive reaction to Vessel Forge at GDC, and the interest and inquiries we’ve already received from many of you, has been extremely humbling. We’re so excited to finally kick things off!
Q: What’s included in a Vessel Forge mentorship?
We offer two tiers of mentorship for you to choose from based on your needs and the scale of your project. Our Gold mentorship is four weeks, and our Diamond mentorship is eight weeks. You’ll work one-on-one with your mentor for the duration of your program on a project of your choosing and design.
As a mentee, you’ll have the chance to do a breakdown of the project you complete with us, which will be featured on our blog, Artstation, and social media accounts. This mentee showcase is an opportunity to expand the visibility of your work and create an additional portfolio piece that shows not just your skills, but your thought process – something that can be an extremely valuable differentiator in a competitive industry.
Once you become a mentee, you’re part of the Vessel Forge community, and that means something to us. You’ll have continued support from us long after your mentorship ends, meaning you’ll still have access to our network of mentors and other mentees through our private Discord, where you can ask questions, get feedback, and utilize other resources exclusive to the Vessel Forge ecosystem. We want to help you reach long-term success, so we’ll be there for you to lean on if you need support two months, six months, a year, or even years down the road.
Q: What’s included in Vessel Forge Career Coaching?
Our career coaching sessions include a single, two-hour one-on-one session with a Vessel Forge career coach and a 30-minute follow up session. The session is highly customizable to your needs, because we understand that everyone has their own unique challenges throughout their career. There is no set agenda or blueprint, simply you and your coach talking openly and candidly about your goals. These sessions are great for discussing things like building your personal brand, interview tactics, networking best practices, complex industry challenges, or doing portfolio reviews.
Like our mentorship programs, once you’ve signed up for career coaching you’ll also become a part of the Vessel Forge community. You’ll receive access to our exclusive Discord server, where you can ask questions, get feedback, and utilize other resources even after your career coaching session.
Q: How do I sign up for a Vessel Forge Mentorship or Career Coaching Programs?
To sign up for a mentorship, start by checking out our website to see which of our mentorship programs you’re most interested in, and choose the mentor you want to work with. From there, send us your application—include your name, portfolio, level of experience, and a few words about yourself, your goals, and what you’d like to focus on during the mentorship.
You can see a full breakdown of everything that comes with a mentorship and what you should include in your application here.
Spots are limited, but if your application is approved, we’ll reach out to you and provide you with a code to purchase your program and officially begin your mentorship journey.
To sign up for a Career Coaching session, you can do so here – no application required!
Reach out when you’re ready to start your journey, and let’s forge your future together.
