Today, we’d like to introduce you to Joe Venson.
Hi Joe, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My Name is Joe Venson, and I have worked in the Video Game industry for 16 years. I grew up in Northeast Ohio with my older brother and sister. I was raised by my mother and father. We didn’t have a lot of money, but we always had everything we needed and most of what we wanted. I was a 90s kid, and like most young little black boys at that time, I loved playing video games! I always had the goal of following my dreams and doing something in video games. While my friends still didn’t know what career path they wanted to take, I was drawing every chance that I could get better. My brother and I connected through video games. We used to collect gaming magazines, and we would stay up to date on new and future releases of games, consoles, and other gaming news. When I wasn’t in my room playing Final Fantasy VIII (my favorite game) for hours on end, I was looking at the art of Tetsuya Nomura in Strategy Guides and learning about how to create fantasy realism. I appreciated art, and I loved getting lost in worlds where I could battle monsters and collect treasures.
In high school I joined every art class and learned all I could about graphic art. I started researching art schools and I had my heart set on a career in Game Art and Design. My sister told me about The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, and by junior year I was committed to getting accepted. I joined an art contest, won myself a $25,000 scholarship, and was ready to head to Pittsburgh and start my college journey.
In college, I was incredibly lucky to meet other young black men with the same interests and passions. We formed strong friendships and helped one another stay focused and committed to our goals. In 2008, I graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Game Art and Design, and before I knew it, I had signed on to my first job within the industry at a company called Graham Software where I started as a Texture-Character Artist.
Through my career in Game Art, I have learned how important it is to have a willingness and an openness to learn new things, as well as a readiness to relocate. My career has taken me to many places. I have been privileged to have been a part of companies such as Sony Online Entertainment, Rockstar San Diego, BigBox VR, and now, Meta. I have made my way back to Northeast Ohio, where I now work remotely and live happily with my beautiful wife, my seven-year-old daughter, and my four-year-old son. My wife has followed her own passions, working as a school administrator, and together, we model for our children that commitment, consistency, and perseverance can help you achieve your goals. My journey has had a ton of ups and downs, but I never gave up on my dream, and I thank God for that. My hope is that my own children, as well as all of the other young black boys and girls with big goals and even bigger hearts, will see more representation and have more exposure to talented, intelligent, and successful black professionals. I hope I can help encourage them to stay committed to their passions, and when they have some downtime, I hope they pick up a controller and get lost in their favorite game.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The Game Art Industry is an entertainment industry, and that comes with many obstacles. Video games, like all forms of entertainment, gain and lose popularity quickly. Game Artists will always face the possibility of massive lay-offs and company shutdowns. Similarly, when a game is trending, Game Artists should expect long working hours, hard-to-meet deadlines, and lots of media speculation. It is important to learn as much as you can from each career experience you have, stay connected through networking opportunities, and keep a personal portfolio that showcases your talent.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As a Senior Character Artist my job is to create high quality, detailed 3D character models and assets, develop new character ideas that fit within conceptual designs, technical parameters, and production goals and help define and maintain art production pipelines.
I specialize in the character design process. So, from sculpting out characters faces in Zbrush, or texturing clothing in Substance painter i make sure all facets or the design process is executed well.
I’m most proud of the time and dedication I have put in to get better artistically, professionally, and personally. It takes time to get better at something, and when you are so close to it, you don’t usually see the progress you’ve made. So, when you take a step back and look at your progression it makes you more appreciative of the process. I see work that I’ve done 2 years ago and think it’s just ok, but in comparison to work I’ve done 8 years ago, it’s a massive leap. So, I just appreciate the dedication I have to keep getting better.
I think what sets me apart is just never quitting. Like I said before, this industry comes with many obstacles. So, after countless rejection emails, I never quit. After losing my job or a company shutting down, I never quit. Just have faith and keep working hard no matter what, and you will succeed.
What are your plans for the future?
Future plans are to make sure my son Jordan and daughter Jada have everything they need to succeed. Also, help my daughters Youtube channel grow!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.artstation.com/joevenso
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joevenson/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jadacarter/videos
- Other: joevenson.redbubble.com
