Maïa Desfour – Lead Environment Artist: On being a lead, and job Interviews – The Generalists

Описание: Hey friends, this one turned out amazing! I sat down with the amazing Maïa Desfour, Lead Environment Artist.
We talk about the real side of game art learning the craft, finding your own style, dealing with burnout, and surviving this industry as a kind and creative human. This one’s packed with wisdom, laughs, and real talk. You’ll feel it. :D

Links:
Polycount : https://polycount.com/
The Bazaar : https://playthebazaar.com/
My portfolio : https://www.artstation.com/mayakuza
The mouse: https://www.corsair.com/fr/fr/p/reviv...

Resources & Links Mentioned:
🛠 Blender (Free 3D Tool): https://www.blender.org/
🖌 Krita (Free Photoshop Alternative): https://krita.org/en/
💬 Glassdoor – Company Reviews
📺 The Bazaar: https://playthebazaar.com/

Maïa on:
LinkedIn:   / maiadesfour  
Twitter: https://x.com/Menelween_

We get into:
How to build your own stylization instead of just copying trends
Why Ghibli-style art has become overused and how to break free
The dangers of over-optimizing as an artist
What leadership really means in a creative team

Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro & who Maïa is
01:15 – “You work in games?!” misunderstandings
03:00 – What new artists misunderstand about stylization
06:30 – Why copying stylized work isn’t learning
11:00 – The Ghibli trend problem
14:30 – What tutorials don’t teach
17:00 – Ethical “lying” in job interviews
25:00 – What juniors should really do in interviews
29:00 – Soft skills vs hard skills in hiring
35:00 – What being a “lead” really means
41:00 – Can a junior be a lead?
43:30 – How technical is environment art, really?
48:00 – Tools & resources for aspiring artists
52:00 – What Maïa uses instead of a tablet
54:30 – Final advice: Be kind to yourself

Job interview red flags, how to lie ethically (yes, really), and how to protect your mental health

Maïa drops one gem after another—this episode is a must-listen if you’re doing stylized game art, leading a team, or trying to survive and grow in the industry.