Fee Stewart is studying to become a

Game Artist & Animator with

Train2Game. Train2Game Radio caught
up with him to find out why she chose
to study with Train2Game, how she’s
finding the course and what she wants
to achieve in a career in the games
industry. Listen to the interview
at www.audioboo.fm/train2game

I’m here with Train2Game Art & Animation student Fee Stewart; AKA Fee the Giraffe on the
Train2Game forum. She’s here to tell me why she chose to study with Train2Game, and what she
wants from a career in the games industry. But first of all, what got you interested in video games?

I’ve always played video games from being a very young age; and always been interested in the art
side of the games. Having followed a fine art path most of my life, it seemed logical to mix my two
loves of computers and games together and actually help make them.

You mentioned your background in art; tell us a bit about that.

Well, at 14 I was quite fortunate in that I was quite good at art, so they actually put me in for my art
exam two years early - which I passed -and then I was offered a job at a graphics publishing company
at 16. So I went then became a graphic designer for the publishing company.

I then decided that actually, making maps and adverts and things wasn’t really for me, and I’d much
prefer to draw and paint; so I then went with a private studio for two years learning how to paint
and draw properly. For the last six years I’ve transferred those skills to computers.

So what made you want to make the switch from fine art to computer animation? And why have
you chosen to do that with Train2Game?

Well, having three children, and also being able to already paint on the computer – which I love
doing because those are my two loves – and working from home, I wanted to be able to stay at
home but also improve my skills and actually learn the 3D part of making games.

What were you doing before you started the Train2Game course?

I’m a self employed artist, so, I do a lot of artwork – mainly non-digital – for clients. And also create
skins for 3D models, and help other artists.

You mentioned you had children, how’s your family finding you studying again?

Oh, mum is uber-cool. Having teenagers they think it’s great, they’re really into it. Everyone’s been
really supportive and they think it’s wonderful.

How are you finding balancing the Train2Game course around the rest of your life?

Oh, quite easy. Because I work from home, I can dedicate as much time as I like to the course, in
amongst other things, so it’s a good balance and I’m enjoying it.
What’s been your favourite part of the course so far?

On the actual course, it’s been learning the 3D aspect of it which I’ve found quite challenging at
times being a mainly 2D artist for such a long time, transferring those skills to actually creating the
models has been quite difficult. But it’s a great sense of achievement when you actually understand
what you’re doing. And also meeting all the fantastic people that I have from the [Train2Game]
forum and the [Train2Game] Game Jam; a lovely bunch of people and I feel part of a really nice
community.

How did you find the Train2Game Game Jam, and did it teach you anything about work in the
games industry?

Yeah, it was just a great experience, do more! You learn an awful lot, you learn off people around
you who know more than you; you also teach the people who don’t know the things that you know.
You do learn an awful lot from these things.

What do you want to achieve with Train2Game this year?

I’d like to get through Section 2 [Of the course], I’d like the opportunity to go on placement. It’d be
nice to work among people that I share a love with.

Finally, once your Train2Game course is completed, what would your ideal job in the games
industry be?

Well, obviously it has to be something to do with art, because that’s the only thing I’ve really been
interested in for most of my life. So, it’d either be creating art assets for games, or environments,
backgrounds, characters…I’m not fussed really, that’s my life and I’m quite diverse, so that’s it. I’d
like to be working with other people in a small studio; I’ve worked at home for too long.

For more information about Train2Game go to www.train2game.com