Published Jul 27, 2026 7 min read
Many aspiring game designers and animators start with a grand vision. They imagine building massive, explorable 3D worlds entirely on their own, fueled by a single great idea. But as Robert, an independent game developer and assistant professor of animation and game design, learned early in his career, having an idea is only the beginning. Everybody has ideas. The real work of animation and game design lies in execution, iteration, and problem-solving.
From Backyard Adventures to the Classroom
Robert’s passion for game design started at age four. After playing games like Zelda on the Super Nintendo, he would go into his backyard, pick up sticks, and invent his own adventures. That early realization that creating games could be an actual job set him on a lifelong path. He attended middle and high schools focused on the arts before pursuing a college degree in the field.
While still a student, Robert began taking on contract work, including creating dozens of character models for a mobile game. After graduating, he joined a studio focused on augmented reality, eventually becoming its creative director. His team worked on animated storybooks, museum exhibits, and industrial technology. Alongside his studio work, he continued developing independent games.
His deep involvement in the local development community—including co-curating a gallery for Ohio-developed video games called Free Play—caught the attention of his alma mater, the Cleveland Institute of Art. The gallery featured diverse projects, including a Peabody award-winning game, titles utilizing public domain fine art, and virtual reality experiences designed for physical therapy. The college initially hired him as an adjunct instructor to teach a single class. Over time, that role expanded, leading to his current position as an assistant professor.
A Hands-On Approach to Teaching and Creating
As an assistant professor, Robert teaches courses in programming, production management, concept art, 3D and 2D animation, and 3D modeling. Because his classes are structured as long, five-hour studio sessions, he gets to work closely with students, observing their painting techniques and helping them troubleshoot technical issues.
A typical day is long but highly focused. To minimize his commute, Robert often arrives at the school at 8:30 a.m. and stays until past 10:00 p.m. The day usually begins with opening critiques, where the class reviews character concepts or 3D models, discussing anatomy, design, and technical execution. From there, Robert moves into live demonstrations of painting, sculpting, or programming in engines like Unity, followed by dedicated time for students to work on their projects. One such project is a pitch bible exercise where students take a familiar property, like The Wizard of Oz, and reimagine it to prove they can construct and communicate an interesting world.
Despite his teaching load, Robert remains an active developer. He operates as a generalist on his own independent projects, handling the 3D modeling, texturing, world design, and programming himself.
Education, Portfolios, and Getting Hired
When it comes to securing a job in animation or game design, the traditional rules of education do not always apply. Unlike engineering or medicine, where a specific degree and certification are mandatory for safety, the game industry prioritizes a candidate’s body of work.
The first thing an employer looks at is your portfolio. If your 3D models or animations are exceptional, studios will want to hire you, regardless of whether you have a formal degree. However, college provides crucial structure, mentorship from industry professionals, and a built-in community that can help motivate aspiring artists.
Networking is just as important as technical skill. Robert emphasizes that he has never landed a job without some form of networking. Game design and animation are team sports, often requiring hundreds of people to collaborate on a single project. Being friendly, communicative, and easy to work with is essential. Participating in local developer groups, entering timed competitions like the Blizzard student art contest, or joining events like the Global Game Jam—where participants build a game in 48 hours—can help you build those vital connections.
More Than Just Entertainment
When people think of animation and game design, they often picture massive entertainment studios. While alumni from Robert’s program have gone on to work on major animated films, the applications for game design skills extend far beyond traditional media.
In his own contract work, Robert has developed games for medical research and physical therapy. He contributed to a virtual reality game designed to help patients with spinal injuries, where players use a rowing machine to navigate a digital world and escape a giant fish.
The technology behind video games is increasingly used in other industries. Hospitals use virtual reality to allow surgeons to practice complex procedures before entering the operating room. Construction and architecture firms use augmented reality to visualize buildings on-site. Even the film industry relies on game engines like Unreal Engine for virtual production, replacing traditional green screens with real-time digital environments.
The Right Mindset for Growth
Succeeding in animation and game design requires constant learning. The software and techniques evolve rapidly, meaning professionals must be self-motivated to keep their skills sharp. Robert, who initially focused on art and 3D modeling, taught himself C# programming so he could work as a full generalist. Today, he is developing a 3D hidden-object game, drawing inspiration from real-world architecture and industrial design—like figuring out how to model a fort built inside an overturned oil tanker.
For aspiring artists, it is important to master fundamental skills. Robert advises students to draw everything they see and practice basic anatomy, portraits, and technical studies daily. Skipping these fundamentals early on only leads to struggling with workarounds later.
He also warns against the trap of negative comparison. When looking at incredible artwork from experienced professionals, it is easy for beginners to feel discouraged.
“Instead of looking at it and being sad I’m not there, look at it and be excited and be like, ‘That’s so cool. How do I do that?’”
Every professional started out making subpar art and buggy games. The key is to embrace the learning process, utilize the countless tutorials available online, and put in the hours to actually make things rather than just thinking about making them.
Navigating the Future of the Industry
As artificial intelligence tools become more prevalent, many students worry about the future of coding and design jobs. Robert views AI as an assistive tool rather than a replacement for human creativity. While generative AI might make some entry-level tasks more competitive, it cannot generate original ideas or solve complex, context-specific problems the way a trained artist or programmer can. An AI can provide a mathematical formula for a predictive arc, but the human developer must still build the software architecture and implement it effectively.
To sustain a long career in this demanding field, maintaining a healthy work-life balance is critical. Robert uses time-management techniques like the Pomodoro timer to stay focused without burning out. He also intentionally cultivates hobbies outside of gaming and technology—such as gardening and playing the Irish sport of hurling—to ensure he unplugs and connects with people outside his industry.
Animation and game design offer a dynamic, challenging, and deeply creative career path for those willing to put in the work. Whether you want to build the next blockbuster video game, create medical simulations, or animate feature films, the opportunities are vast.
Ready to see where your creativity can take you? Explore more careers in technology, digital media, and interactive entertainment in Tallo’s Career Navigator.