Welcome to the Doodles to Downloads podcast!
Here we discuss game art, art direction, and career growth, giving you the tools to level up your game art profession.
I am your host Kshiraj Telang, and I invite you to join me as we explore the artistic heartbeat of the gaming industry, following the exciting journey from the first doodle of a game concept, to its huge success of millions of downloads.
So grab your creative hat, and let's level up together!
'AI in Game Art - Threat or Opportunity?' with Shrungar Dadarkar
AI is transforming game development at lightening speed. Some call it a revolution, others see it as a threat. So, what does this mean for YOU as a game artist?
To answer this, I am joined by Shrungar Dadarkar, Director of Gen AI at Scopely. With a background in concept art and game art direction, he’s seen both sides: the all-manual work and the AI-driven. In this episode, we explore:
- Why game studios are integrating AI into art production?
- Should game artists embrace AI, or is there a downside?
- How AI is changing skill expectations and hiring in game art
- How artists can future-proof themselves and stay ahead in the AI era?
Connect with Shrungar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shrungar/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/shrungar/ )
If you have topic requests for future episodes, or if you would like to be a guest on an upcoming episode, please connect with and write to me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kshiraj/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kshiraj/)
Watch this podcast as video on: https://youtu.be/hbF_VCwqNWk (https://youtu.be/hbF_VCwqNWk)
Chapters:
0:00 Intro Sequence
0:08 Opening and introduction
1:49 Introduction: Shrungar Dadarkar
3:28 The Growing Role of Gen AI in Game Development
5:59 Player Perceptions of AI-Generated Art
10:41 Should Artists Embrace Gen AI?
17:18 Artists’ Concerns About AI Adoption
20:31 Roles at Risk
37:58 Recruitment and Evaluation in the Age of Gen AI
45:58 Standing Out in the Era of Gen AI
47:37 Wrap up
8 Mar 2024
'The Game Animator's Playbook' with Lluis Danti
Today, we are in for a visual treat, as our guest is Lluis Danti, a highly accomplished animator who has worked on games like Horizon Zero Dawn, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, Tearaway, Farm Heroes Super Saga, and more. In this episode, we will learn from Lluis about what a day in the life of a game animator looks like.
Some of the topics covered include:
- What does the typical workflow look like for a game animator?
- Do animators influence other aspects of the art pipeline?
- What is the importance of acting in making animations for games?
- What are the main differences for an animator working on games vs. working on films?
- What are the current-gen tools for an animator working on games?
Connect with Lluis:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lluisdanti/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lluisdanti/)
Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/neodanti (https://vimeo.com/neodanti)
Connect with Kshiraj (Host):
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kshiraj/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kshiraj/)
Resources & Tools mentioned in the video:
animbot: https://animbot.ca/ (https://animbot.ca/)
Ragdoll Dynamics: https://ragdolldynamics.com (https://ragdolldynamics.com)
Xsens motion capture: https://www.movella.com/products/motion-capture?nis=2 (https://www.movella.com/products/motion-capture?nis=2)
iAnimate: https://ianimate.net (https://ianimate.net)
Animation Mentor: https://www.animationmentor.com (https://www.animationmentor.com)
Chapters:
0:00 Episode Intro
0:32 Introduction: Lluis Danti
1:10 Career Journey
8:14 Daily Workflow
14:30 Influence on Art Pipeline
16:33 Technical Artist Role
18:16 Common Challenges
20:56 Tools & Evolution
24:12 Acting in Animation
27:01 Guidance to Mocap Artists
29:04 Proud Projects
32:14 Exciting Tasks in Your Role
34:37 Boring Tasks
36:34 Advice for Aspirants
24 Feb 2024
Hiring Decoded: Landing in Game Art Jobs
How often have you sent your portfolio for a game art job and never heard back? Was your portfolio seen by the hiring manager? Was it something in your portfolio that led to rejection? Or was there something else, for example, the hiring was already completed, or the company cannot provide you with relocation assistance?
This episode is all about how hiring works in the game art function. We have two very experienced guests, the first one is Tatu Petersen-Jensen, who has been in art leadership roles for over 20 years, and the other is Alexei Ryan, who has been in talent acquisition roles, helping several art directors build their dream teams. In this episode, we decoded the recruitment process when it comes to game art, and what an art applicant should do to increase their chances of getting hired.
Some of the topics covered include:
- What happens behind the scenes when you apply for a game art job?
- Does an artist's online presence impact their hireability?
- Key features in an art portfolio that encourage decision-makers to proceed further
- Do confidentiality/password-protected portfolios raise a red flag?
- Mistakes game artists make when submitting their job application.
Connect with Tatu Petersen-Jensen at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tatupj/
Connect with Alexei Ryan at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexeiryan/
If you have topic requests for future episodes, or if you would like to be a guest on an upcoming episode, please connect with and write to me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kshiraj/
Chapters:
0:00 Episode Intro
0:40 Introduction: Tatu Petersen-Jensen and Alexei Ryan
1:50 Hiring Workflow Overview
9:17 Role of Talent Specialist
15:22 Screening Criteria
24:08 Online Presence Impact
30:28 Decoding Job Descriptions
42:45 Promising Portfolio Features
52:18 Memorable Applications
1:03:56 Common Application Mistakes
1:15:54 NDA and Confidential Portfolios
1:21:37 Perfect Match Portfolio
1:30:23 Reapplication Strategies
1:35:33 Networking and Feedback
1:38:59 Wrap Up
21 Jan 2024
‘What Studio Heads look for in Art Directors’ with Mishka Katkoff
An Art Director could be a highly skilled artist or even someone immensely loved by their art team. However, if the Art Director is not in sync as a business partner with their Studio Lead, then the alignment fails, eventually leading to repercussions in the entire game development process. In this episode, Mishka Katkoff emphasizes the importance of this alignment and shares various insights from the viewpoint of studio executives, highlighting what they expect from art leaders.
Some of the topics covered include:
- Should an art director's methods align with the studio culture, or can they have the freedom to follow their own working model?
- How flexible are studio leaders when supporting decisions about game visuals made by their art directors?
- What actions do studio leads take when artists in their company express concerns about their art directors?
- In the eyes of a studio lead, should an art director evolve and adopt new methods of work, such as using AI?
- Studio executives might not be browsing ArtStation; so, how should Art Directors make themselves visible on their radar?
Connect with Mishka Katkoff at:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michailkatkoff/
Chapters:
00:00 Episode Intro
01:01 Introduction: Mishka Katkoff
02:52 Expectations from An Art Director
06:40 Art Director Skill Set Prioritization
12:19 Alignment with Organizational Culture
17:46 Decison-Making for Game Visuals
22:19 Navigating Creative Disagreements
29:14 Addressing Artists Concerns
33:32 Handling Organizational Changes
38:03 Adaptability and Adoption of New Methods
44:34 Discovery
48:08 Wrap Up
11 Dec 2023
‘Making it Pop: The Art and Psychology behind Game UI’ with Gon Vazquez
No game can be truly great in experience and feel without a functional and appealing UI. If the art and animations in games are equivalent to the contents of a book, then the User Interface is comparable to the typography, layout, and the meaningful presentation of visual materials. Today, we uncover the art and psychology behind Game UI with a very special guest, Gon Vazquez (UI/UX Designer for Brawl Stars at Supercell).
Connect with Gon at:
Behance: https://www.behance.net/gonvazquez (https://www.behance.net/gonvazquez)
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/gonvazquez (http://linkedin.com/in/gonvazquez)
Instagram: http://instagram.com/gon_vazquez_art (http://instagram.com/gon_vazquez_art)
5 Nov 2023
Art Director 101: The Path, Purpose, and Pursuits in Gaming with Tatu Petersen-Jessen
No two game art directors are carved from the same stone. While they may be united in purpose, each carries a unique essence. That’s because the making of an art director is not a straightforward path; it’s a maze filled with unique choices, challenges, and influences from their distinguished backgrounds. So, how do we define the role of an art director? And how does each art director, with their own methods, tackle the common challenges of team dynamics, managerial distractions, or even loss of creative control?
Today we are sitting down with Tatu Petersen-Jessen (Senior Art Director, Rovio Entertainment), whose insights and long experience with this role, will help us get our answers.
Some questions from the episode:
- What are the typical challenges faced by an Art Director?
- How can an Art Director navigate situations where they feel a loss of creative ownership?
- How can an Art Director ensure that the art team resonates with their direction?
- What are the first things an Art Director should do when they join a new company, team, or project?
- What's the career progression after you've become an Art Director?
- What's our advice for someone aspiring to become an Art Director in the gaming industry?
Connect with Tatu on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tatupj/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tatupj/)
If you have topic requests for future episodes, or if you would like to be a guest on an upcoming episode, please connect with and write to me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kshiraj/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kshiraj/)
Watch this podcast as video on: https://youtu.be/vhVAbv6Y2iU (https://youtu.be/vhVAbv6Y2iU)
24 Sept 2023
Beyond the Loading Bar: The Art of Splash Screens with Matheus Oliveira
They say, “you never get a second chance to make a first impression,” and when it comes to game visuals, that first impression is often the splash screen.
More than just a backdrop for the loading bar, it’s the gateway to the game’s essence, rolling out a virtual red carpet for players and often showcased prominently on the App Store.
Today, we dive deep with Matheus Oliveira (Senior Game Artist @ Rovio Finland), a visual development maestro with credits for creating splash screens loved by audiences worldwide. So, sit back and enjoy the show.
Connect with Matheus on:
ArtStation: http://www.artstation.com/omatholiv (http://www.artstation.com/omatholiv)
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/omatholiv (http://www.linkedin.com/in/omatholiv)
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/omatholiv (http://www.instagram.com/omatholiv)
Watch this episode with visuals on YouTube: https://youtu.be/qUCcnBBlrhY?si=p8rZjwb4VusouQY1 (https://youtu.be/qUCcnBBlrhY?si=p8rZjwb4VusouQY1)
14 Sept 2023
Levelling Up Game Art Teams with Michel Strömbeck
Today, I’m excited to delve into a topic that is both close to my heart and crucial for the long-term health of any creative endeavor—Talent Development within the Game Art Team.
In the ever-evolving landscape of game development, developing talent isn’t just an HR objective; it’s an artistic essential. How do Art Directors nurture individual artists? How do they create an environment that not only produces beautiful art but also fosters beautiful careers?
To help us navigate this subject, I’m thrilled to have Michel Strömbeck (Art Director @ Rovio Stockholm) with us today. He’s an esteemed Art Director who has worked as entry level artist, an art director for studio, and everything in between. Together, we’ll discuss the challenges and strategies involved in developing artists’ skills, from understanding their career goals to offering them opportunities for real growth.
Whether you’re an artist looking to chart your career path or an Art Director wanting to level up your team, this episode promises to offer a roadmap.
Connect with Miche on LinkedIn: https://se.linkedin.com/in/michelstrombeck
Watch this podcast as video on: https://youtu.be/u5E6QqZydxQ
11 Sept 2023
Style Guides in Games: Assessing their realism, achievability, and utility with Jack Gilson
In this episode we're exploring a subject that's both fascinating and foundational: ‘Art Style Guides in Games’.
What's the magic behind the visual uniformity in great-looking games? How do several artists work together on one project and create a visual experience that looks so cohesive? That magic lies in Art Style Guides!
From the shape language to the color scheme, Art Style Guides serve as the guidelines, influencing everything from character design to environmental aesthetics. But how realistic are these guides? How achievable are they, especially in a fast-paced game development environment? And what utility do they bring to a game's overall success?
Joining us today is Jack Gilson (Senior Art Director @ Scopely), an expert in the field, to help us explore these questions and peel back the layers of this often believed to be essential aspect of the art pipeline. Together, we'll assess the realism, achievability, and utility of Art Style Guides.
Jack Gilson on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/jackgilson (https://uk.linkedin.com/in/jackgilson)
Art Style Guide Presentation by Kshiraj: https://www.slideshare.net/kshiraj/game-art-bible-secret-sauce-to-making-great-game-art (https://www.slideshare.net/kshiraj/game-art-bible-secret-sauce-to-making-great-game-art)
To get some of the Art Style Guide resources that are around the internet, please write to Kshiraj via Contact Form here: https://kshiraj.com/ (https://kshiraj.com/)
Watch this podcast as video on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hjq5OuomOX4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hjq5OuomOX4)
11 Sept 2023
Doodles to Downloads Intro
Welcome to the "Doodles to Downloads" podcast!
Here, we discuss game art, art direction, and career growth, giving you the tools to level up your game art profession.
I am your host Kshiraj Telang, and I invite you to join me, as we explore the artistic heartbeat of the gaming industry, following the exciting journey from the first doodle of a game concept, to its huge success of billions of downloads.
So grab your creative hat, and let's level up together!
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
150,438
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Spotify
5.0 / 5
13 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 57 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
52
Social presence
0
YouTube
86
Engagement
71
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