May 30, 2018

Jam City Employee Spotlight – Bob Stanton, Studio Art Director

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In Jam City’s Employee Spotlight series, we are highlighting the diverse and exceptional talent here at Jam City.

Meet Bob Stanton. As Studio Art Director, Bob oversees the concept art that goes into Jam City’s games, from ideation to release. Bob’s made a career as an artist and understands the value of honing one’s craft to fit within the confines of their career goals and now offers valuable guidance and direction to a new generation of aspiring artists and designers dreaming of success. 

What drew you to Jam City?

I recognized that the employees at Jam City loved what they did and that was really important to me. I admire people who love what they doit’s exciting to watch them grow, as both an artist and a person, and I knew it was the right culture that I wanted to be apart of.

Describe your role on the team.

I began as the Art Director on Juice Jam and as the team grew, so did my position. I now help develop the teams and make sure they have what they need. I also help the team achieve whatever style they set out to accomplish and that can include doing paint-overs and sketch-overs. I oversee all the games but ensure that each game’s Art Director retains ownership.

What advice can you give artists and designers about breaking into an industry, whether it’s in gaming or any other?

Researching the industry you’re trying to get into is key. Knowing what you like is really important and if you’re honest to yourself, you’ll find the right job. If you’re not, then you’ll find a job that you think you like and that isn’t the same as loving it. If you enjoy a style of art, ask yourself how that fits into the industry you’re trying to get into.

What do you find most rewarding about your role?

I enjoy working with all the teams. They’re talented, fun, intelligent and the best at what they do. Not only that, but they want to get better and that makes me love their humility.

What do you think makes Jam City stand out as a trailblazer in the gaming industry?

The culture. Learning to appreciate other people’s work and learning to appreciate people go hand-in-hand. Working in business and learning continually fosters a mentality of respect and eagerness to learn. Having big ears is the best way to be a leader so you have to know when your crew is getting bored or burning out. Being sensitive to each other’s needs is really important and Jam City hits the mark on recognizing the value in that.

What projects at Jam City have you been most excited to work on?

Mary Shu, the Art Director for Juice Jam, is an artist I admire tremendously and her artwork was the first I saw from Jam City. She incorporated the style of Mary Blair—an artist at Disney in the 40’s/50’s who produced concept art for “Peter Pan,” “Alice in Wonderland” and “Cinderella”—into Juice Jam and the characters were so adorable. Being apart of Mary Shu’s creative process and providing input on separate pieces was a lot of fun.

I’m also excited to do more work on Snoopy Pop. I was a little kid in the 60’s and was a huge fan of the “Peanuts” and Charles Schulz’s work.

What advice can you give employees about how to succeed in their role?

Learn something new everyday about your role and how you can support others on your team. You can strive for that but it doesn’t mean it’s going to happen, however it’s important to have that attitude. Every time you come into a new position, consider yourself at the bottom level. You know enough to do this now, but there is always more to learn that can help support your teams.