Simon Reed

Simon is the course leader for Game Art since 2013 and prior to this has worked within the games development and graphic arts field for many years. Holding Lead and Senior positions within a number of well respected studios having designed, developed and implemented artwork across a variety of 2D and 3D disciplines to a professional standard.
He tutors across all areas of Game art within the degree programme.

Worked for a number of world renowned publishers and developers including: EA Games, Sega, THQ, Codemasters, Vivendi Games, Blitz and Atari.
Taking designs from initial concept through to final artwork and QA submissions, demonstrates a strong knowledge of the art development pipeline having worked throughout the entire process.

Responsibilities:

Leading the Game Art course.
Overseeing the development of the degree programme to an industry standard and within the University framework
Undertaking the general direction and day to day management of the course and student expectations.
Development and research of current art-tech practise for game art creation.

How traditional art practise and theory underpins modern visual media and video game art development.

With less emphasis on traditional art practise in school and college curriculums, and with these skills being primarily what industry studios look for, how do we as practitioner / academics bridge the gap in a University setting?

Software Skills:

Autodesk 3DStudio Max and Maya.
Pixologic Z brush.
Adobe Suite: Photoshop/Illustrator/After Effects/Flash/Dreamweaver/In-Design.
Corel -Xara, Quark-X-press.
UDK and Scaleform pipelines.
Internal middleware applications and tools for all areas of game art production.

Game Industry Experience:

Developed artwork across all platforms including: PS1/2/3, Xbox/360, PC, Nintendo GameCube/Wii, Google Chrome, Face book.
Led art teams to develop work to a desired standard and within technical constraints.
Art Directed internal projects and documented style guides.
Created both 2D and 3D artwork to high standards, across all styles and within technical constraints.
Extensive 3d game art production including hi and low end work, normal map creation and material set up.
Extensive experience of game texture creation and techniques.
Mentored and trained team members in 2D and 3D graphics software applications.
Liaised with all disciplines upto Director level to plan asset production and milestones.
Created concepts and pre visualisation art for production sign off.
Worked with external studios/departments and across time zones.
Managed professional working relationships with out-source partners along with reviewing/critiquing artwork for sign off.
Experienced with source control software across a variety of networks including: Perforce and Alien brain.

External examiner for NCFE. 2013/14.

LEVEL 3 GAMES DEVELOPMENT provision.

External Award examiner for Staffordshire University. 2015 – 2019

BA (Hons) Computer Games Animation
BA (Hons) Games Art (with a foundation year)
BA (Hons) Games Art
BSc (Hons) Computer Games Design and Programming
MEng Computer Games Design and Programming (with a placement year)
BSc (Hons) Computer Games Design and Programming
BSc (Hons) Computer Games Design and Programming (with a placement year)
BSc (Hons) Computer Games Design and Programming (with a foundation year)
BA (Hons) Computer Games Animation (with a foundation year)

Softography -

Little Mermaid - The Game.

The Mummy Returns / PS2

Cubix - Robots for Everyone! 

Fairly Odd Parents - Breakin' Da Rules / Shadow Showdown.

Reservoir Dogs.

PacMan World 3.

Bad Boyz - Miami Takedown.

Sega Rally - Revo.

Ferrari Racing Legends.

F1 - 2010

DiRT2.

Need for Speed - Shift. / Unleashed.

Bratz - Rock Angelz / The Movie.

Sneak King.

Skid Racer.