We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kevin Taylor a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Kevin, appreciate you joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I grew up on a council estate in Liverpool, known as the Norris Green Boot Estate. It was, at one time, one of the 10 worst in Europe. Rows of crumbling tenement housing in a poverty-stricken area leading to all manners of crime and violence. I never knew a career in art was possible, but I drew, wrote, and created every day for the love of it. Consuming entertainment media like it was air in a constant stream of narrative. As a first-generation college student, I’d never considered higher education, but when I heard they were offering a stipend to attend a new media course, I submitted my portfolio at 20 years and was accepted into art college. I loved it. Learning and creating, staying late every night to work on my traditional, digital and 3D art skills. It was a supportive tutor, Glen Griffiths, who let me know I had what it took to make it. He died of cancer before I landed the job at Rebellion games. But as I managed teams of artists internationally, making 3D environments for companies like SEGA, Lucas Arts and Konami on hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of Intellectual Properties, I like to think he would have been proud that I took his encouragement to heart.

Kevin, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I worked as a level lead artist in the UK for Rebellion Games, developing for companies such as SEGA, Konami, Activision, Bethesda Softworks and Lucas Arts for franchises like Aliens Versus Predator, Call of Duty, Driver and Sniper Elite. I developed 3D environments, engaged in conceptual artwork, and managed in-house and outsource artists on larger productions. Leave the UK, I worked as a Professor in Australia and the U.S.A. for these last 9 years. Building nationally recognized programs in Animation and Games Development on industry practices. My interest in art and storytelling has advanced to use my full range of professional skills, and I’ve recently released an Augmented Reality Graphic novel that uses my AR app to run handmade animations straight to the page. Exploring new ways of using new media tools to really advance the narrative depth of illustrations and comics. I also co-manage an art and tattoo studio in St. Louis called Eldritch Brothers, on Cherokee Street. There you can find myself or my partner drawing, painting, writing, or tattooing (appointment only).

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Having to unlearn all the self-doubt that kept me from confidently creating and putting my work out there was the biggest lesson. Having spent so many years hiding my enthusiasm for art, storytelling and creativity really set me back. And it’s a lesson I think it’ll take a lifetime to not only learn, but to really feel and incorporate into my being.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Working long houses as a level lead developer had me questioning some things about my life. I’d reached a point where someone would have to die at work for me to get a promotion, and I loved putting games on shelves. But I was starting to question whether the life of a corporate artist was for me, under a contract that stated any work I produced was company owned, in or out of the studio. Personally, I’d enjoyed going from rubbing pennies together to being a well-paid developer, but that also led to an excess of some bad habits that eventually started to take a toll. Having unsuccessfully tried to move myself and my friend group away from the party life, I opted to make a complete change. I left the U.K. to work as a head instructor in Australia, shortly after decided to move to the U.S. of A for a slice of that American dream. My best friend passed away from drug related circumstances a few years after, which hit me hard, but I’ve never doubted that moving was the best thing for me. Working on my own art and creative ventures, and giving back as an educator, is the life I’ve loved.

Contact Info:

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinwilliamtaylor
• Websites: https://www.imperatorinteractive.com https://www.imperatorinteractive.com/kevintaylor https://www.eldritchbrothers.com