This week, our guest speaker was Olivia Gregory, a concept and visual development artist. Olivia began her talk by sharing her professional journey and offering practical advice on building a strong portfolio.

Olivia graduated in 2021 from a Game Design course. At that time, she was working as a barista in a coffee shop, where she met her first client. This encounter led to her first project, “Simply Safer,” a food safety board game. She explained that she only entered the industry full-time about fourteen months ago. Hearing this was reassuring, especially for someone like me who has also worked in the hospitality industry. It showed that progress doesn’t have to be immediate. Olivia stated, “It’s okay to pick up odd jobs and experiences along the way,” which was comforting and reminded me that career paths can take time to develop.

Currently, Olivia works as a freelance artist, creating artwork for a wide range of projects, including indie game assets, merchandise, murals, health campaigns, and private commissions. In addition to her freelance work, she is the Creative Programmes Coordinator at Chapel Arts Studios. She began there as a Saturday Assistant and gradually progressed through roles such as Resident Digital Artist and Digital Artist before reaching her current position in 2025. Furthermore, Olivia serves as a data researcher for Games Jobs Live Newspaper, compiling monthly reports on international trends in the gaming industry.

After discussing her career, Olivia transitioned to offering portfolio advice from a concept artist’s perspective and spoke candidly about the realities of the industry. She emphasised the importance of understanding the specific requirements of each role before applying, as job titles can be misleading. Two positions with similar names can demand completely different skills. For character portfolios, she recommended including turnaround sheets, varied poses, and expressive studies. For environment portfolios, she suggested showcasing different perspectives, lighting, and times of day to demonstrate versatility. She concluded with broader advice: only include work that truly represents your skills and artistic identity, focus on your fundamentals, and be clear about what kind of artist you want to be.

Like previous speaker Jamie, Olivia highlighted the importance of networking, whether that involves attending events, volunteering, or reaching out to others in the field. She encouraged us to connect with people both in person and online, reminding us that many professionals are willing to share advice and opportunities.

Olivia’s presentation left me feeling more confident about my own path. It reminded me to enjoy my time at university and not to rush into the industry immediately after graduating. Her talk also reinforced the importance of refining my portfolio and actively networking to build future opportunities.

https://oliviakgregory.wixsite.com/