Richard Smith

I am currently working as the Interface Designer at ForthStar, an exciting new mobile game studio in the North West of England. Set up by the original founders of Playdemic, we are a small, talented team, with big plans and big ambitions. My primary focus is designing and creating the tools, methodology, art, and code to enable us create games with a world-leading user experience.

Before joining ForthStar, I worked as Creative Lead at the BAFTA Award-winning Playdemic, creators of the amazingly successful Golf Clash. I helped to guide the development of the game design, visuals and user experience of a multi-million dollar mobile title, as well as liase with the international client and partners. Sadly this project was moved to a new studio after Electronic Arts acquired Playdemic in September 2021.

Prior to joining Playdemic in March 2018, I worked for several years as the Senior User Interface Artist at Hardlight, SEGA’s third UK based studio. Hardlight is focused exclusively on creating high quality, innovative game experiences for mobile handheld platforms. I produced user interface design, concept art, pixel art, and animation for iOS, Android and other mobile platforms.

Before joining Hardlight in October 2012, I worked for more than 6 years at Full Fat, a small independent studio making games for mobile devices and consoles. Prior to joining Full Fat in 2006, I worked for 5 years as a freelance illustrator, for a range of clientele including the BBC, Scholastic, Dorling Kindersley and leading independent new media companies like Fjord.

I graduated from Coventry (Lanchester) Polytechnic in 1990 with a BA (Hons) Degree in Industrial/Transportation Design.

I am a skilled, adaptable illustrator, artist and designer, with a diverse background in industrial design, technical illustration, fine art and web design.

I specialise in User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) design. I am also an experienced concept and 2D artist, with strong skills in character design and the creation of convincing mechanical and industrial design.

I have decades of experience in traditional and digital media, and have good communication and team working skills. I am inventive, enthusiastic, mature, experienced, forthright and reliable.

I've known Richard virtually for over a decade and have worked with him on numerous occasions on various freelance art projects, and I never cease to be amazed by his artistic range or the seeming ease with which he can quickly sketch something that instantly captures what I'm trying to describe. While he has won praise and fans with the cheery, colorful style he often uses for his games work, I have had the pleasure of viewing some of the superbly detailed line work he has done in the past for technical illustrations, and it is just as impressive.

Dan Magaha

Studio Director at Seamless Entertainment, Inc., via LinkedIn