(Replying here to Red Frost and KronosCifer)
Hey again!
Right now I've just started this year on the Skins team as a concept artist. It's taken me more than 10 years to get to this point, and sometimes I feel like I've made it this far because I refused to give up as much as the hard work.
I've always loved sci-fi and fantasy fiction as well as drawing so I knew doing something with those skills would be great, but I never knew that there was a job that would fit me so perfectly until much later in life. When I graduated from High School (back in Australia) I entered into a bachelor's degree in Biochemistry because I really didn't know what I wanted to do with my life (and my Indian father wanted me to be a doctor). That didn't last too long and I drifted about for a few years doing small jobs and not sure what to do with my life. I mention this because it happens so often! You're expected to know what you want to do with the rest of your life at the age of 17... but I didn't even know who I was let alone what I wanted to do.
When I was about 23 and the games industry had begun to really explode I decided that I wanted to pursue a job in games. I decided that if I could make games as good as the ones I loved then I would be doing something that was important enough to me that I'd be satisfied. I don't work at Riot because I love creating art or for the prestige of working for a famous company, I work here because I have a passion for making games and a love for gamers. If someone somewhere has a great time playing a game I helped make then that's enough for me.
I entered into a University course called "Bachelor of Multimedia and Digital Art", it was a very broad degree that introduced me to a lot of different programs and skills but didn't teach me enough for any particular job. It felt safe because there was enough graphic design and business education that I would always be able to find some work even if I didn't ever get the job I really wanted. One of the best things I got out of this course were a few great friendships. I became best friends with another artist in the course that also loved games and together we talked and studied and pushed each other - he now works for Blizzard (Mr--Jack). After graduating I got a job at an animation studio, which I was very lucky and appreciative to get because I knew that my skills still had a long long way to go before they would rival those of the professionals whose work I saw on the internet. I also knew that for an American company to hire me I wouldn't have to just be great, I would have to be even better than anyone they could hire locally. The thought kept me awake with fear many nights, it seemed like the impossible. I think any course you do will provide you with a qualification and some introduction but the real work will all be done in your own time and how fast you improve is entire up you.
For a number of years I worked for local animation companies in Melbourne. It wasn't work on games but at least I was drawing every day and making a lot of concept art and learning about production and how to work in a pipeline. When my friend got hired by Blizzard I would save up each year so I could fly over to LA to visit him - meet the other artists at his company, go to PAX, go to Blizzcon, go to Comic Con. I knew that while I slowly improved my art alone I could greatly improve by getting feedback and inspiration from professionals who knew the industry and that their guidance would help give me a full picture of what the jobs were really like. I think a lot of people don't really know what the job of a production artist entails but through talking with them I got a really clear understanding. Sometimes I wouldn't have any work and my awesome girlfriend would support me while I practiced. I would feel so bad missing friends birthdays and family events to push my training and network but I think they understood how passionate I was and that this was my life goal.
I got to a point at which I felt like I had a chance at getting a junior position. I knew my skills weren't that great (even after 6-7 years of drawing every day) but that my creative ability was strong and my professional conduct and ability to work in a team were also great. Still I didn't apply because I felt like I was waiting and searching for a company that I could have the same passion for as my friend has for Blizzard. Finally I fell in love with League of Legends! I remember sitting on the floor of a new apartment in December of 2011, connecting up my computer and beginning work on a Maokai skin concept for the first Lunar Revel fan art competition. I think that is the moment when I began my real attempt to get a job at Riot - 4 years later here I am.
I hope that story is in some way helpful. Let me know if you have more questions. I just wanted to share with you some of my experience and the realities of pursuing a job like this. I'm happy to tell you that you can do it, but it takes a lot of hard work, determination, confidence and support.
