'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/

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/

Watch this podcast as video on: https://youtu.be/vhVAbv6Y2iU