What I’ve Learned—And What I’m Still Learning

Working at the intersection of creativity, tech, and user-driven product development has changed how I think—completely. Not just more deeply, but differently. Wider. Sharper. With more responsibility behind every decision. And looking back, I realize I’ve gone through some major shifts.

Shift #1: From building for approval to building for impact —In VFX and CG-heavy pipelines, a lot of the job is executing to spec. You’re proving your ability through polish, consistency, and speed. And don’t get me wrong—those skills still matter here. But what matters more is: does it land with the user? Does it solve something? Does it inspire something? Does it work in their hands, not just in a screenshot? That shift—from internal validation to external relevance—flipped how I approach almost everything.

Shift #2: From "art ownership" to "product thinking."—I used to think about how to make something look amazing. Now I ask, why are we making this in the first place? What’s the context? What’s the ripple effect across the platform? A design decision here isn’t just visual—it might affect onboarding, usability, monetization, brand. I've had to stop thinking in isolated pieces and start thinking in systems. In patterns. In cause and effect.

Shift #3: From control to conversation. —I’m learning that directing art here isn’t about locking in a perfect concept and pushing it through the pipeline. It’s about constant collaboration with product, UX, UXR, engineering—everyone. The best outcomes don’t come from perfect briefs. They come from messy conversations, unexpected feedback, and the willingness to change course when it matters. That’s a hard thing to unlearn, but it's necessary.

Shift #4: From "shipping hard" to "building trust." —This one hit me hard. In production-heavy environments, perfection and output rule. But here, users aren’t just consuming—they’re creating, sharing, and investing themselves into the platform. We’re not just making features. We’re building a space they want to live in. A brand they want to believe in. That means every detail matters—not just visually, but emotionally. We’re not just shipping. We’re building long-term trust.

And yet, I’m still learning. Still fumbling through. Still finding my edge.

There are missing pieces in how I work. Blind spots in how I lead. Days where I overthink things. Or under-communicate. Or move too fast. I haven’t figured it all out. Not even close.

But I’m doing my best to stay honest, stay sharp, and keep growing through it. Because this job—it’s harder than it looks. And way harder than most people think. -- Why?

Because this isn’t a typical art director role. This isn’t about just hitting a milestone, delivering assets, or guiding visual quality. This is platform-level thinking. This is designing for millions of users who don’t even know what they want yet. This is building identity—not just style. Building systems—not just screens.

And most of all: this is thinking ahead.

You have to imagine a future where the things we create now will shape how users feel about the platform six months from now. Maybe a year. Maybe longer. What we design today could be the reason someone stays, creates, or leaves. And that weight—honestly—never fully goes away. Because it should never go away.

Being an art director in a traditional game studio?—it’s tough. But at least you’re moving on a clear path. A linear production. A defined timeline. Everyone's marching toward the same milestone, more or less in sync.

Here, it’s different. This is not linear work.

Every piece—design, engineering, UXR, backend, platform—moves at its own rhythm. And the job isn’t just to lead art. It’s to connect the dots. To understand what each team is building, why they’re building it, and how art needs to shift or stretch to meet it. Sometimes you're ahead. Sometimes you're catching up. Most of the time, you're doing both.

You’re planning ahead while reacting in real time. You’re setting creative direction while adapting to platform constraints that didn’t exist last week. You’re building modular systems for content that hasn’t even been imagined yet. And through it all, you still need to make it look good—feel good—without losing coherence.

This role forces you to work in layers.To lead without being rigid.To plan without pretending you can predict everything.To balance control and chaos—and keep moving.

And that's what makes it so much harder than it looks.

But also… it’s what makes it worth it.

Right now, what I’m learning most is how to align creative thinking with a bigger product vision. Not just making things look good, but making them make sense. I’m learning how to guide a team not by giving answers, but by asking better questions. I’m learning how to motivate, not manage—how to build momentum instead of pressure. I’m learning how to connect creativity and functionality, so that what we build actually serves the player—not just the spec.

And I’m learning to give myself space to grow. To be okay with not being done yet.

Because real leadership isn’t about perfection. It’s about staying in the work, even when it’s hard. It’s about staying curious, staying present, and choosing to keep learning, even when it feels like you should already have the answers.

So that’s where I am.

• Build work that strengthens the brand and brings users closer

• Motivate teams when direction is still forming

• Carry the emotional and strategic weight of decisions that won’t show impact until much later

• Keep moving, even when the work is invisible or thankless

• Stay focused, even when every piece feels like it’s pulling in a different direction

I haven’t figured it all out. But I’ve committed to figuring it through. And for now, that’s enough. Because the work I’m doing now isn’t just shaping a product—it’s shaping the kind of leader, thinker, and person I’m becoming. And that, more than anything, is why I keep showing up.