I've been working in games for 28 years. I started as a 2D artist in the mid-90s, then moved on to 3D environments, with some VFX and concept art feathered in here and there. Around 2005-6, my art director at the time approached me with a need for a dedicated UI person. I had been working as a 3D environment art lead, but had a strong 2D background and design sense, and he thought I'd be a good fit for the role. I loved it immediately and haven't looked back (or any direction) since. UI wasn't really a job title in the games industry at the time, so I feel fortunate that I got involved in UI when it was becoming a serious specialty. One of the many qualities I love about working in UI is the opportunity to collaborate daily with a variety of team members – engineering, design, art, animation, audio, marketing. Whether it's a rendered pose I need for an icon, how to present a new game mechanic, a new tool feature to improve the UI, or designing app store promos. I get a lot of satisfaction from co-problem-solving with everyone on the project. Though I'm primarily an artist, over the last 18 years I’ve become neck-deep in the UX side of games: not only flow, but what players like and don't like, dos and don'ts, when to lean on conventions and when to get more experimental. It's a quickly evolving art and science that I feel lucky to be a part of.

When I'm not working: my go-to therapy is playing piano, mostly making my own arrangements of pop songs; co-fostering kittens and feral cats with my girlfriend; cooking (and eating); perfecting brewed coffee; remodeling my house; getting out to movies and concerts; photoshopping my friends’ and coworkers’ faces into movie posters; and spending time with friends and family, especially at the family cabin at Donner Lake.

I live and have been working remotely and hybrid in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Whether you're an interested employer or someone who wants to chat about UI, send me a message.

–Daniel