Graphics fans are in for a treat with this week’s awesome Big Fish Games team spotlight… Michelle: Hello Rhonda! What is your official title? Rhonda: I am the Senior Game Artist for the Online Game Community. Michelle: Could you describe what your job entails? Rhonda: I create the art—backgrounds, animations and user interface elements--- for many of the Online Community games, working closely with our designers and developers. Michelle: How did you get into this field? Rhonda: My first job out of school was making art for T-shirts in Pullman, Washington, home of Washington State University. There’s only so many designs you can do with cougars, kegs and a few other popular themes so… I saw an ad for jobs at a computer game company in Eugene, Oregon and they were willing to train, and thought it was worth a shot. My first job in the gaming industry was converting 256 color images to 16 color. Now there’s a lost art. Thankfully.   Michelle: Where would Big Fish players recognize your work? Rhonda: Big Fish Slots, Riddle O’Day, Unwell Mell, Petchu, and L.O.B.E. Michelle: What’s the process for your projects (how are they commissioned, what’s the drafting process like, what other positions work with you and to what extent)? Rhonda: After settling on an art direction I do a little bit of concept work and see how that goes over with the Game Designer   and the Game Developer. The three of us work together daily; our desks are very close to each other’s, and every day consists of a show-and-tell on each of our parts. A lot of my approach has to do with how the game is going to be developed, the formats with which the art assets are to be delivered, or the style of the developer on that particular game, which varies. There’s a lot of back and forth with the developer in working that out, which can often extend through the production cycle because we are always looking for ways to improve our games or add fun touches. Michelle: Where do you get your ideas for graphics/characters, such as Professor Pixelsnoot? Rhonda: I start by sitting down with the designer and developer of the game and just talk about it. Sometimes they have a very clear idea of what they’d like to see in a character, or an art style, and I do my best to represent that. Other times they don’t, and we brainstorm about it and I do some sketches and sometimes that suggests something to the designer. In the case of Riddle O’ Day the goal and game play were clear but the theme wasn’t, but we knew we needed a lead character. After submitting lists of character types we all settled on a leprechaun and that in turn suggested a style. Someday I’d still like to work on a game with bees, though, ‘cos bees are cool. For Professor Pixelsnoot, the game designer had in mind a character reminiscent of the old Disney professor Ludwig von Drake. We watched a lot of videos of his cartoons and I wanted the game style to be something similar to that era. I’m very fond of that look and of those cartoons.   Original Big Fish Slots Concept art Michelle: Could you show us some of the different drafts of graphics for any past projects? Rhonda: Sure! For example, check out what Big Fish Slots could have been! Michelle: What’s your favorite part about being a game artist? Rhonda: The Game Community products have a short turn around time, and there is always something new requiring a different look around the bend. Plus the Game Developers on my team are funny and are a real pleasure to work with.   Michelle: What are your hobbies? Do you have other creative outlets? Rhonda: Growing dandelions with the occasional tomato or strawberry plant mixed in. I create artwork for comic/movie fan sites, take painting classes and like to just hang out with buddies on Art Night and draw bread and fruit. Here are some samples: Watercolor is my favorite medium; my father, Henry Conley, painted illustrations for bread advertisements, and he used watercolor. Here’s one of his hot dog bun paintings. I grew to love watercolor from watching him. Michelle: What have been the most interesting/challenging projects? Rhonda: Hmmm. Probably Petchu. It was the first game I was assigned when I came to work at Big Fish. It was a big game with a lot of animations to fit in a small space, and I’d never had to deal with that before. A learning experience for certain. Michelle: Anything else you’d like to share with the Game Community? Rhonda: Just how enjoyable it is creating art for this community. When the game is released it’s so wonderful to pop in and see people playing it enjoying themselves and offering comments or criticisms. It must be what it’s like to make a movie and then sit in the theatre on Opening Night; something that has been yours for months now belongs to everyone, and it’s a great feeling to share. Open door policy: Email me directly at michelle@bigfishgames.com with newsletter content requests, game ideas, and suggestions. Don't suffer through exasperating problems that hinder your game play. Let Big Fish Games Support lend a helping hand. -Michelle   Nancy Drew: The Phantom of Venice  Exclusive Beyond the bright piazzas and open markets of the Venice Carnevale lurks a masked thief. Despite months of investigations, the Italian police remain helpless as stolen treasures vanish in the night. The authorities have asked you, as detective Nancy Drew, to join the case and infiltrate a dangerous crime syndicate. Can you catch the phantom thief before he or she destroys the heart of Venezia? Learn More Little Farm Have a little down-home fun on the Little Farm. Help the Normans adjust to farm life and grow truckloads of vegetables. First you must battle insects, animals, and weather as you race against the clock to grow your harvest. Match like-colored patches in your farm field to water plump pumpkins, eggplants, and tasty tomatoes. The further your territory expands, the more veggies you can sell. Play Now ADVERTISEMENT © 2003 - 2008 Big Fish Games, Inc. Patents pending. All rights reserved. Big Fish Games, The Big Fish Games Logo, Big Fish Studios, and My Game Space are trademarks or registered trademarks of Big Fish Games, Inc.