My name is Julian Herman, I was born and raised on Martha’s Vineyard, a small island off the coast of Cape Cod. I’m a senior at WPI and studying to major in design for Interactive media and game development. I always admired art and artists growing up, often sketching in black cover sketchbooks in my spare time whenever I had the opportunity. Game design as a medium seldom requires niche workers so it is important to spread yourself over a wide variety of skills when coming into your own as a developer and an artist. Due to my passion for art and my chosen profession, becoming more skilled with the visual language is an important part of growing as a designer and expanding my skill set. For years I’ve worked in both digital and traditional art, taking classes and studying and practicing both. In my free time I often draw digitally using Autodesk sketchbook, usually taking the form of character designs, as a way to relax and creatively express myself. I’ve always wanted to improve my art skills when it comes to perspective when it comes to my 2D art and elaborate and enhance my skills in 3D modeling in general. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I am a transfer from the now defunct Becker College which in its heyday was the second best school in the country for game design. As such, it was very focused on game making and designing when it comes to student led projects. In the past I have participated in many game jams, student projects, and school projects making games ranging from 2D platformers to 3D VR mystery games. While working on these I took on a variety of roles to expand my skills, from artist, designer, writer, voice actor, and video editor, all of which helped to build my skill set.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I gather inspiration from a wide variety of media. A Game series that specifically influenced me and my taste is the Infamous series, a superhero sandbox game series that connected to me due to their perfect tone, presentation, and stories that deal with many personal interests. Another series that I hold close to me is the Gravity Rush series of games due to their wondrous visuals, soaring soundtracks, and gorgeous attention to details found in the lush game world. More than anything however, what inspires me is the idea that every piece of art that resonates with me personally or with a wider audience was made by a person or a team of people. The idea that it is possible for me myself to hunker down and make something that I and hopefully others can enjoy so long as I have the skill and the passion is an idea I often ruminate on for long stretches of time and what helps to push me forward into new creative directions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n