Santa Monica Studio’s Post

People who don’t understand the nuances of how to hire designers, should not hire designers, they need support. I feel many design teams lack Visual Design, Motion, 3D. Real creativity. Companies that invest in world-class UI, Motion, and 2D/3D artists, win. In 2019, I worked daily with David Martin on hiring at Fantasy. It's taught me how to pick out the top 1% of Designers and know the nuances of 2D, 3D, Motion, UI, UX and how it fits into business. P.S. You only have to see the design teams at Fantasy and who's worked there to know they are one of the best design studios globally.

It’s quite likely I’ve seen more design portfolios than anyone else in the industry. It takes approx. 2-4 seconds to decide whether to close the tab or explore you. On an average day (when looking), I might see 150–200, some days 1K. I was never looking for perfection. I was looking for potential. "2-4 secs, you say?" Yes. That’s all it takes. And all it takes is ONE thing, not a portfolio. Sure, for higher-level positions, it takes more. But to get in the door, it’s far easier than you think. I will share more if interested.

Is it Woth It??? I came across this JD for a UI/UX Designer. It is disturbing, specially for me, to see a PKR 50-60k budget for a Junior Designer having knowledge of a Senior Designer and a Front-end Developer. The funny part for me is the "etc." at the end of first paragraph. This indicates they need a person to know everything remotely close to graphics design. It can be presentation decks, infographics, and many other things. In this economy and market, what's your opinion on this? #hiringdesigners

🚨 GAME DESIGNER is not the same as being a UI/UX DESIGNER or GRAPHIC DESIGNER. This is a common naming misconception but please, recruiters, do your research! 😅 #videogame #uxdesign #uidesign #graphicdesign #gamedesign

Here's another main menu I made while studying at university. This one was for my team's second-year project 'Freeflight', a relaxing flight-based collectathon! In the spirit of critical reflection, I wanted to highlight some reasons I think it worked, but also some reasons it didn't: 1. Motion ➕ - The rotating sky island, stylised wind effects, camera movement, and background glider all contribute to a feeling of motion within the scene. A menu doesn't need to be a static screen, and one of the best ways to avoid this is to add some simple moving parts! 2. Low settings readability ➖ - I feel that the text in the settings panels is unnecessarily difficult to read by the presence of the wind particle system beneath it. This could have been easily remedied by having the text and the wind have different colours, or even just by making the panels opaque. Novelty in UI should not be favoured over readability/accessibility! 3. Negative space ➕ - The foreground was kept to an intentionally minimalistic design to allow for lots of breathing room between UI elements. It also subtly conveys theming in the game - Freeflight is a game with lots of negative space to allow for fun traversal, so it makes sense that the main menu would follow suit! 4. Bugs ➖ - When developing this menu, I was still finding my footing with C# programming and ran into some bugs while working with PlayerPrefs (the class that stores values across play sessions) not saving player settings properly. This is why the audio displays the incorrect value of '1' in the video. Unfortunately, we ran out of time to fix this bug so it remains in the final build. While, retrospectively, there is a lot I would improve here, I'm still happy with how it turned out. Creating this menu system taught me a lot about UI design practices, and was probably the project that made me realise how much I enjoy thinking about UI/UX! Music and audio implementation by Lawrie Gunning / flight AI by Ross Hewitt / 3D and 2D art by David Da Silva Periera / glider model by Lewis Knowles. #game #gamedev #gamedevelopment #gamedesign #gamedesigner #uidesign #uxdesign #gameindustry #leveldesign #art #artdigital #3d #networking #graduate #design #job #work #developer #audio #software #animation #artist #qa

It would be a great to have the option to search my connections by job title. I’m not going to remember first and last names of every UX designer, 3D animator, etc, etc… in my network. If I receive an email from a recruiter for a role that’s not in my bag, I’d love to quickly search my connections for people that fit, so that I can refer to them. First or last name seems to be the only way to search or filter your own network. If this already exists, please tell me where to find it. #linkedin #features #filters #linkedinsuggestions #ux #userexperience #recruiters

My two cents for the #gamingcommunity. Please chime in with your opinions as to who are #gamedesigners and who are #graphicdesigners ? We have posted a job for a #senior #gamedesigner and its full with #resumes of #gameartists and I just want to clear it for everyone that its not the same. #gameartists are the #visual storytellers. They create captivating #visuals, #logos, #layouts, and typography that communicate game feel and aura. They have a keen eye for #aesthetics , #colortheory, and composition. They work on creating the visual representation of the landscape, character and interface for navigating throughout the game. On the other hand, Game Designers are the architects of immersive gaming experiences. They craft #gameplay mechanics, #leveldesigns, #characterdevelopment, and #interactivenarratives. Game Designers focus on #playerengagement, balancing challenges and rewards, and creating memorable user experiences. They collaborate closely with programmers, artists, and #sounddesigners to bring their visions to life. So, whether you're drawn to the art of #visualcommunication or #passionate about crafting #immersiveexperiences , these two design disciplines offer unique and exciting paths to explore and are not same. So the next time you are applying for a #jobopportunity, please read the #jobdescriptions clearly. #GamingCommunity #GameDesigners #GraphicDesigners #SeniorGameDesigner #GameArtists #VisualCommunication #ImmersiveExperiences #DesignDisciplines #CreativePaths #GamingIndustry #CreativeProfessionals #PlayerEngagement #DesignWorlds #GameplayMechanics #UserExperience #GameDevelopment #TechJobs #DesignCareers #JobOpportunities #CreativeDifferentiation

Today proved exceptionally productive as I had the privilege of collaborating with our remarkable developer, Jagan. We delved into the intricate realm of UI design, focusing our efforts on pivotal animation components that had lingered on our to-do list. Our day commenced with a brief coffee rendezvous, during which we evaluated the progress of our ongoing project. It became evident that our UI necessitated refinement to elevate the user experience, a goal Jagan and I both ardently shared. I initiated the day by presenting my UI design concepts to Jagan, systematically dissecting wireframes, prototypes, and mockups. Jagan's inherent receptiveness to feedback, coupled with his meticulous attention to detail, made his input invaluable. A paramount challenge we confronted revolved around crafting animations that would captivate users without compromising performance. With a consensus to concentrate on key animations poised to enhance user experience, we embarked on a brainstorming session. Ideas flowed, sketches materialized, and designs evolved as we navigated deeper into the animation domain. Jagan's proficiency in front-end development came to the fore, offering practical insights on the seamless implementation of our animations. As we traversed various ideas, harmonizing creativity with technical feasibility, Jagan's innovative problem-solving skills left me astounded. Together, we honed our concepts and devised a clear, actionable plan. Our discussions led to a logical division of animation tasks: Jagan focused on coding, while I meticulously fine-tuned visual elements to complement his development work. As the day drew to a close, our collaboration had borne fruit, with critical animation components manifesting precisely as envisioned. Exiting the office, we were both exhilarated, eager to witness the culmination of our collective effort. Today epitomized the synergy between designers and developers, underscoring the significance of open communication, shared objectives, and mutual appreciation for expertise. Working alongside Jagan to resolve the pivotal animation elements in our UI design wasn't merely productive; it was an enjoyable experience. Moving forward on this journey, I hold unwavering confidence that our combined efforts will yield an extraordinary user interface, surpassing user expectations. Today's experience serves as a reminder that magic ensues when designers and developers harmonize their talents seamlessly. Jaganathan Selvaperumal #UIUXDesign #DesignJourney #DigitalExperiences #UIUXDesign #UserExperience #UserInterface #DesignInspiration #innovation #management #digitalmarketing #technology #creativity #futurism #marketing

Firstly, it’s crucial to understand the distinction between a Graphic Designer and a UI/UX Designer. 🙂 It's concerning to see job postings for senior graphic designers with a package of only 30k. In today’s economy, managing expenses with such compensation is challenging. 💼📉 By raising our voices together, we can advocate for fairer compensation and create a better professional environment for all. 🌟🤝 #BetterEnvironment #GraphicDesigner #UIUX #UIUXDesigner