Meet the Magnopians: Chris Kinch
Chris Kinch is a Psychology Lecturer turned 3D Artist, using his work ethic from academia to teach himself 3D art for games during the COVID pandemic. He is a Junior Artist at Magnopus, and has recently celebrated his 1 year anniversary at the company. We caught up with him to discover what attracted him to Magnopus in the first place, and hear more about his pivot from Psychology to Art.
Tell us more about your role at Magnopus
I’m a Junior Artist, so my day-to-day is mostly spent modelling and texturing assets for our current project with direction from our Senior Artists. I'd describe my current role as 'generalist' – we're a fairly small team so it's helpful to be able to move around based on the project's needs, whether that's environment work, props, set dressing, level creation, etc.
You’ve been at Magnopus for a year now, but what attracted you to Magnopus in the first place?
To be 100% honest, it was my mentor at the time who recommended I apply for the position! The name Magnopus wasn't on my radar, but it turned out that Magnopus had worked on the first VR game I ever played – Mission: ISS.
Looking back, it was the recruitment process that made Magnopus stand out against other companies I was interviewing for. The art test set for me was a bespoke task based on feedback that the Art Director at the time had given on one of my portfolio pieces. It's rare to get feedback even at the end of an interview, so right from the start I got the impression that Magnopus was a company that invested in its artists.
Mission: ISS lets users explore the International Space Station in detail and understand what it’s like to be an astronaut in a way that’s never before been possible.
What made you decide to pursue a career in this field?
Before 3D, I was part way through a PhD in Psychology but that all came to a stop during the COVID lockdowns. I've always been interested in art as a hobby, so with a lot of time suddenly on my hands, and very much on a whim, I took a stab at some 3D tutorials on YouTube. I can't say for sure what pulled me in, but I was totally hooked! It's terribly cliché, but after some time I knew I wanted to do this as a career. After some emotional discussions, I withdrew from my PhD and put my best foot forward!
What skills are essential for anyone in your role?
More virtue than skill, but I'd say humility is really important. We can put so much effort into the work we do that sometimes it can be difficult to remove ourselves from the process of receiving feedback and iterating. Similarly, I think it's important to learn not to be precious about our work – sometimes the best approach is to start from scratch even though that can be really difficult!
I also think problem-solving is sometimes overlooked when you're getting started in 3D. It can be a bit more technical than other art disciplines, so not being discouraged when things don't work as expected and learning to troubleshoot and research solutions are important. It's kind of inseparable from the discipline, so if you can learn to enjoy it (almost) as much as the creative parts, you'll have far fewer headaches!
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Your 100% effort doesn't always look the same. Sometimes, you might only have 50% left in the tank - if you give that 50%, you are giving 100% of what you have in that moment.
If you could have any other job in the world, what would it be?
Tough one. Maybe a carpenter? I feel like I'd still want to make things.
Where would you most like to travel to in the world?
I'd love to go back to Japan. I spent a week there and it wasn't nearly enough time!
How do you want to leave a mark on the world – personally or professionally?
When I was starting out learning 3D, I relied a lot on the generosity of other artists who created free instructional content or volunteered their time to give advice (to be honest, I still do!). One day, I'd also like to be in a position where I can provide similar help to other new artists.
What are you reading/listening to/watching right now?
Right now I'm watching The Rookie – that Cop Cuties song went viral on TikTok and has had me in a chokehold ever since. I'm also finishing up rereading The Witcher books!
