Budding digital artists from West Nottinghamshire College have gained invaluable industry experience by presenting their original character designs for online games to professional creatives. The session saw former students, now established in the gaming sector, return to their alma mater to mentor the next generation of talent.
Industry Insight Fuels Creative Development
Oliver Hall and Amber Payne, both alumni who have forged successful careers as online gaming creatives, led an engaging workshop focused on student-designed characters. The project was based on a deliberately broad jungle-themed brief, inspired by the dynamic and fast-paced nature of the online gaming world.
This open-ended approach encouraged students to explore a diverse array of visual styles and creative influences. The resulting portfolio featured everything from expressive animal characters to stylised humanoid designs, showcasing a remarkable breadth of imagination.
Fostering Creative Freedom and Professional Thinking
Oliver Hall emphasised the importance of creative freedom, stating: "We wanted to keep the brief as open as possible. The aim was to let the students explore ideas freely and take their designs as far as they wanted." He praised the variety on display, noting: "What stood out was the variety and everyone approached the theme differently, and that’s exactly what we look for in creative roles."
During the session, students presented their complete design processes. This included discussions on:
- Inspiration and concept development
- Reference gathering techniques
- Sketching and iteration methods
- Challenges of working outside comfort zones
Key Industry Feedback for Aspiring Designers
The professional feedback highlighted several crucial considerations for artwork destined for online gaming environments. Oliver and Amber stressed the importance of:
- Clear silhouettes for instant character recognition
- Expressive character design to convey personality quickly
- Strong colour choices that work effectively in digital formats
Understanding the Collaborative Games Industry
Amber Payne also provided insight into the collaborative nature of the modern games industry. She explained how concepts typically evolve through teamwork across multiple departments, including art, development, and marketing. Final game themes are often shaped by comprehensive market research and ongoing player trend analysis.
"In the industry, ideas can come from anywhere," Amber noted. "Concept art plays a huge role, but it also has to work alongside technical features, branding, and marketing. Seeing students already thinking about those things is really encouraging."
From Classroom Concepts to Potential Industry Influence
While the student designs may not appear directly in commercial games, Oliver and Amber explained that original concepts – including experimental ideas – can influence future projects when submitted through appropriate internal creative channels within gaming companies.
Bridging Education and Professional Practice
Tony Hall, a design and media learning specialist involved with the college, highlighted the significant value of such industry engagement: "It’s really valuable to give our students industry engagement as it instils confidence in their skills as well as allowing them to practice working on live briefs in the creative sector."
He added: "It was great to see Oliver and Amber again and to hear how well they’ve progressed since leaving the college, and it proved to be a really powerful example of what our current students can achieve. I’ve really enjoyed this collaboration between education and industry, to give our students insight into current professional practice while allowing them to showcase their creativity."
