Today we’d like to introduce you to Ivy Harris.
Hi Ivy, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve always been drawn to art regardless of the medium. I loved anything creative minds would dream up using oils, acrylics, pastry, music, poetry, whatever it was, I was pulled into this vortex of creativity and knew it was my calling.
When I was in my early teen years, I began creating with oils and eventually, my school art teacher, impressed by my large-scale paintings, was able to showcase my work in a local downtown interior design studio. From there my interest only peaked and I knew art was my future somehow.
While studying graphic design, I dabbled in the arts of pastry for fun on the side. Custom wedding cakes topped with sugar flowers were my specialty. I was completely self-taught, and before I knew it, I was featured in Richmond Bride Magazine multiple times for my cakes. I even found myself being featured in other magazines for wedding design and invitations. This entire world of creativity in the wedding industry was so fascinating, beautiful, and amazing.
However, I knew after many years of this, I needed to branch off into more art fields and get a taste of it all before settling down in just one area. I started University again, after playing Minecraft and falling in love. It was this silly game made of simple blocks that ignited an fire unstoppable. I knew game design was where my heart was and where my future needed to go.
With a degree already in graphic design and now game development, I realized anything I dreamt of, could become part of a never-ending world with amazing backstories. I could use all the skills I had molded over the years in various areas of art to create digital worlds that others could step into either in VR or with a touch of a button from their Xbox, PC, or PlayStation.
With endless possibilities and projects, I have never been happier and more excited about being part of an industry in which so many creative minds are part.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road to getting where I am today wasn’t always easy. I had a lot of setbacks from various things that life sometimes just throws your way. I was also a single mom through it all to the most amazing son. I didn’t want to miss out on his life, so I tried very hard to balance everything- school, my son, working, and somehow I managed.
However, health issues including thyroid cancer multiple times and heart complications seemed to make things very challenging at times over and over. I always stayed positive and kept a smile on my face for others to see, and that seemed to always make things better. Staying focused on art, creating, and seeing my son happy, and others love what I created kept me going no matter how dark it got for me.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a game design and asset artist. I create 3D assets for video games and game environments for level design. They can be for any type of game genre- horror, adventure, action-adventure, role-playing, survival, etc, the list goes on.
My favorite styles of games to create are probably fantasy, adventure, and horror. I love how different the styles are when creating and I get a chance to dabble in different art styles when creating. I think what sets me apart from others is how driven I am.
I just have this massive passion for art and creating projects. I love thinking of one word and then from that word branching off a hundred ideas and then breaking each idea down into parts and creating those into 3D assets that build an entire world. Addicted to Post-it, I can cover an entire wall in just an hour with what my vision will be before getting into the software and creating it. That is my favorite part about this entire process, the brainstorming and then seeing it come to life one crumbled up 4×4 square at a time. My drive and quick thinking I believe make me a valuable designer in this industry.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
When I’m not creating game assets or fantasy worlds, you can find me playing the ukulele and singing. I’m new to the world of music but find it so relaxing, fun, and destressing. I play every single day for about four hours at my community pool. My neighbors gather around often to listen, give song suggestions, and enjoy the mini-show.
I’ve become my local Starbucks mini celebrity doing this, which I find funny and humbling after they asked why I always have my ukulele with me when ordering my drinks. I love meeting new people, and music has been a way to share stories, and my passion, and connect with others, something I do daily already but behind my computer. Being in person in the most beautiful city makes me appreciate this life even more.
Pricing:
- 3D Assets range from $50.00 and go up depending on the difficulty of the project.
- Game design is priced by project difficulty, size, and more. It can start anywhere from $20,00.00 and go up.
Contact Info:
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harrisit/
