Taking His Career Full Circle
words by ron wade
portrait by richard liu
We all know that appearances can be deceiving; this could not be truer when you sit down with Tyrus Goshay, Program Chair of the Game Design program at IADT- Chicago. At 6” and a solid 230 pounds, it would be easy to imagine Tyrus following any number of career paths: marine, cop, wrestler, or defensive end; but it would be hard to imagine him hunched over a computer illustrating a series of Tinkerbell stories for Disney. As strange as this blend of careers may seem, Tyrus has followed each of those paths. Today, he brings his wide array of skills to the classroom, earning him the respect of his students and peers.
Tyrus will be the first to tell you that he has had a varied career path that has allowed him to develop as an illustrator, animator and concept artist, due in large part to one factor: competitive edge. Even in choosing a college, Tyrus chose one where he could compete as a wrestler. When recounting his recruitment, Tyrus adds, “He (the recruiter) told me the competition is going to be tough, but I was stupid enough to go.” Straight from high school, Tyrus studied art education at Loras College in Iowa, competing on the school’s football and wrestling teams until a shoulder injury sidelined him. The change to his academic outlook gave Tyrus the time to take a break from school and he enlisted in the Marine Corps.
To date, Tyrus has the bearing of a marine, something some students claim is the reason he is a Call of Duty master. The time Tyrus spent in the service allowed him to focus on his long-term goals. He adds, “While in the Marines, I decided I did not want to be in the Marines for the rest of my life. I wanted to be an artist.” Spending every free moment drawing while in the service lead Tyrus back to college after his discharge. His course of study shifted away from art education and instead he decided to pursue a degree in Multimedia & Computer Animation. The drive to finish, and the constant honing of his skills paid off when Tyrus landed a dream internship as a concept artist, then a job developing animated comic books for Marvel Comics.
Working in a studio setting was an eye opener; an addicting eye opener. “Early in my career, one of the best things I experienced was walking into Walmart, picking up a DVD of something I had worked on, and seeing my name in the credits,” Tyrus shares. Developing the animated comics gave Tyrus the chance to learn how things come together and adapting his talent to fit different media. “You have to remember that you are not trying to make it look like the comic, it doesn’t translate well to the screen.” The time spent working on the Marvel projects definitely paid off. The long hours in the studio taught him much more about the industry, and how to sharpen his technique. During this time, Tyrus began to understand that fitting the style to the media and audience was essential to making a project commercially viable. The adaptation process also made him realize how important details are when working within a house style on a recognized intellectual property. Looking back on it now Tyrus warns students, “It is easy to be creative when you are designing to make yourself happy, but when you have to work on someone else’s piece it gets hard.”
The attention to detail earned Tyrus a recommendation to freelance for Disney where he started on a series of books featuring Tinkerbell. “It seems easy. Students say, ‘Oh, I could do that’. I can tell you right now it was my most difficult job as far as quality.” Growing up, Tyrus didn’t really watch Disney cartoons. But while he was working for them, his respect for them grew. “It takes a lot to work repetitively on the same character and maintain your quality.” But even this opportunity was not a sure thing. The first project had a weekend turnaround, and only a few hours into the project; Tyrus’ Wacom tablet went down. To complete the job, Tyrus jumped in his car and drove three and a half hours to use a lab in Iowa; all of this on his birthday. If you think Tyrus missed his deadline, you are off the mark. He stayed in the lab until he completed the project and revisions then headed home. You have to seize the moment when you want something.
“Early in my career,one of the best things I experienced was walking into Walmart, picking up a DVD of something I had worked on, and seeing my name in the credits.”
As Tyrus built his reputation as a concept artist and animator, more opportunities for freelance came in which opened up various markets in the game industry. The need to constantly find projects taught Tyrus to market himself and to keep moving forward when things were tough. “Persistence” is how Tyrus phrases it, and he wants students to remember that not landing a dream job right away means that you learn and move ahead. This is not idle advice. Tyrus once spent four months interviewing for a job and learned that all he had earned was a “thank you” lunch. But to him, this experience was still an opportunity. While freelancing as a concept artist, Tyrus was approached by a toy company that conducted a series of phone interviews with him every couple of weeks. Only later did Tyrus learn that over one thousand designers were approached and he gradually made his way into the top ten.
One day, they called to inform him that the position had been offered to someone else, but they would like to take him to lunch for his time. Even after learning that he did not land the job, there was still no giving up for Tyrus. ”I decided before I went to that lunch that I was going to make it an interview. This was my chance to impress them in person. I remember walking into that lunch, saying a little prayer with the idea that I was going to blow them away,” Tyrus adds. “The mesh of personalities must have worked because the next day the studio called back and offered me the job.”
Designing toys may not have been where Tyrus expected to be, but the experience and the exposure to process were important. “Working until five in the morning and having to be back at eight was something I learned to love, not loathe. I may not have been doing as much 3D as I wanted, but I was learning 2D and Flash animation and I loved it all.” Tyrus continued to freelance and started a company designing digital murals for clients where he developed an understanding of the business side of design, solidifying the skills he had already built. Making a project fit into the client’s budget, whether it was a toy that had to be manufactured for a few cents, or a game model that had a strict polygon restriction, the client’s needs were the determining factor in design. It was during this time that the opportunity to speak at a college led Tyrus back to his original career path: education.
Watching Tyrus teach, there is no question that he takes charge in the classroom. Tyrus still maintains a military posture, but the respect his students show is based on his experience, not intimidation. He sets high goals for his students to prepare them for a competitive market, and to make them aware of the realities of the game design industry. Tyrus shares his philosophy on persistence, “You have to teach people to hit that first nail and keep hammering until that nail is all the way down, then move to the next nail, and the next until you have a house built. That’s how things get finished.” Teaching students to persist is at the foundation of what Tyrus impresses on his students. Building an understanding that they will need to continue to learn outside of school is important for them to know. Tyrus warns his students, “If you don’t like staying up all night staring at monitors, or reading articles on the latest technology this is not the field for you.”
In a media as young as Game Design, change is inherent and there is no way to predict what software or technology will be prevalent in five years. Being prepared for change is a survival skill. Tyrus makes his students aware of these changes and encourages them to develop independently out of class. “If you ever want to be promoted or move forward, you have to become more than what you were when you were hired.”
In March of 2010, Tyrus helped institute a Friday portfolio workshop in conjunction with IADT- Chicago’s Portfolio Enrichment Resource Lab (PERL) to help students develop independent learning skills. Students were asked to submit a proposal for a nine month project to enhance their portfolios. These projects fell completely outside of their coursework and students were required to maintain a strong academic standing while in the program. The Friday sessions were free and provided no academic credit but had attendance requirements along with a series of checkpoints that had to be met to remain in the program. The students were given tutelage, guidance and resources needed for the projects with the goal of showcasing the projects to an industry panel. Of the initial fourteen applicants, eight finished the program and showcased their work in February. Of all the lessons Tyrus provides, helping students become self-directed is the one he may feel strongest about. He sums it up very simply, “The program shows what our students can do, and really prepares them for the workplace.”
Today, Tyrus may be facing his greatest challenge to date. In December, he became the father of twins; a prospect that would fill many people with dread, but it seems to be giving this man inspiration. Last year, Tyrus started preproduction on an animated children’s story he wrote and developed. He is scheduled to complete production of the short by 2012; an aggressive timeline but one that he feels confident he will meet.
We all know that appearances can be deceiving; this could not be truer when you sit down with Tyrus Goshay, Program Chair of the Game Design program at IADT- Chicago. At 6” and a solid 230 pounds, it would be easy to imagine Tyrus following any number of career paths: marine, cop, wrestler, or defensive end; but it would be hard to imagine him hunched over a computer illustrating a series of Tinkerbell stories for Disney. As strange as this blend of careers may seem, Tyrus has followed each of those paths. Today, he brings his wide array of skills to the classroom, earning him the respect of his students and peers.
Tyrus will be the first to tell you that he has had a varied career path that has allowed him to develop as an illustrator, animator and concept artist, due in large part to one factor: competitive edge. Even in choosing a college, Tyrus chose one where he could compete as a wrestler. When recounting his recruitment, Tyrus adds, “He (the recruiter) told me the competition is going to be tough, but I was stupid enough to go.” Straight from high school, Tyrus studied art education at Loras College in Iowa, competing on the school’s football and wrestling teams until a shoulder injury sidelined him. The change to his academic outlook gave Tyrus the time to take a break from school and he enlisted in the Marine Corps.
To date, Tyrus has the bearing of a marine, something some students claim is the reason he is a Call of Duty master. The time Tyrus spent in the service allowed him to focus on his long-term goals. He adds, “While in the Marines, I decided I did not want to be in the Marines for the rest of my life. I wanted to be an artist.” Spending every free moment drawing while in the service lead Tyrus back to college after his discharge. His course of study shifted away from art education and instead he decided to pursue a degree in Multimedia & Computer Animation. The drive to finish, and the constant honing of his skills paid off when Tyrus landed a dream internship as a concept artist, then a job developing animated comic books for Marvel Comics.
Working in a studio setting was an eye opener; an addicting eye opener. “Early in my career, one of the best things I experienced was walking into Walmart, picking up a DVD of something I had worked on, and seeing my name in the credits,” Tyrus shares. Developing the animated comics gave Tyrus the chance to learn how things come together and adapting his talent to fit different media. “You have to remember that you are not trying to make it look like the comic, it doesn’t translate well to the screen.” The time spent working on the Marvel projects definitely paid off. The long hours in the studio taught him much more about the industry, and how to sharpen his technique. During this time, Tyrus began to understand that fitting the style to the media and audience was essential to making a project commercially viable. The adaptation process also made him realize how important details are when working within a house style on a recognized intellectual property. Looking back on it now Tyrus warns students, “It is easy to be creative when you are designing to make yourself happy, but when you have to work on someone else’s piece it gets hard.”
The attention to detail earned Tyrus a recommendation to freelance for Disney where he started on a series of books featuring Tinkerbell. “It seems easy. Students say, ‘Oh, I could do that’. I can tell you right now it was my most difficult job as far as quality.” Growing up, Tyrus didn’t really watch Disney cartoons. But while he was working for them, his respect for them grew. “It takes a lot to work repetitively on the same character and maintain your quality.” But even this opportunity was not a sure thing. The first project had a weekend turnaround, and only a few hours into the project; Tyrus’ Wacom tablet went down. To complete the job, Tyrus jumped in his car and drove three and a half hours to use a lab in Iowa; all of this on his birthday. If you think Tyrus missed his deadline, you are off the mark. He stayed in the lab until he completed the project and revisions then headed home. You have to seize the moment when you want something.
As Tyrus built his reputation as a concept artist and animator, more opportunities for freelance came in which opened up various markets in the game industry. The need to constantly find projects taught Tyrus to market himself and to keep moving forward when things were tough. “Persistence” is how Tyrus phrases it, and he wants students to remember that not landing a dream job right away means that you learn and move ahead. This is not idle advice. Tyrus once spent four months interviewing for a job and learned that all he had earned was a “thank you” lunch. But to him, this experience was still an opportunity. While freelancing as a concept artist, Tyrus was approached by a toy company that conducted a series of phone interviews with him every couple of weeks. Only later did Tyrus learn that over one thousand designers were approached and he gradually made his way into the top ten.
“If you ever want to be promoted or move forward, you have to become more than what you were when you were hired.”
One day, they called to inform him that the position had been offered to someone else, but they would like to take him to lunch for his time. Even after learning that he did not land the job, there was still no giving up for Tyrus. ”I decided before I went to that lunch that I was going to make it an interview. This was my chance to impress them in person. I remember walking into that lunch, saying a little prayer with the idea that I was going to blow them away,” Tyrus adds. “The mesh of personalities must have worked because the next day the studio called back and offered me the job.”
Designing toys may not have been where Tyrus expected to be, but the experience and the exposure to process were important. “Working until five in the morning and having to be back at eight was something I learned to love, not loathe. I may not have been doing as much 3D as I wanted, but I was learning 2D and Flash animation and I loved it all.” Tyrus continued to freelance and started a company designing digital murals for clients where he developed an understanding of the business side of design, solidifying the skills he had already built. Making a project fit into the client’s budget, whether it was a toy that had to be manufactured for a few cents, or a game model that had a strict polygon restriction, the client’s needs were the determining factor in design. It was during this time that the opportunity to speak at a college led Tyrus back to his original career path: education.
Watching Tyrus teach, there is no question that he takes charge in the classroom. Tyrus still maintains a military posture, but the respect his students show is based on his experience, not intimidation. He sets high goals for his students to prepare them for a competitive market, and to make them aware of the realities of the game design industry. Tyrus shares his philosophy on persistence, “You have to teach people to hit that first nail and keep hammering until that nail is all the way down, then move to the next nail, and the next until you have a house built. That’s how things get finished.” Teaching students to persist is at the foundation of what Tyrus impresses on his students. Building an understanding that they will need to continue to learn outside of school is important for them to know. Tyrus warns his students, “If you don’t like staying up all night staring at monitors, or reading articles on the latest technology this is not the field for you.”
In a media as young as Game Design, change is inherent and there is no way to predict what software or technology will be prevalent in five years. Being prepared for change is a survival skill. Tyrus makes his students aware of these changes and encourages them to develop independently out of class. “If you ever want to be promoted or move forward, you have to become more than what you were when you were hired.”
In March of 2010, Tyrus helped institute a Friday portfolio workshop in conjunction with IADT- Chicago’s Portfolio Enrichment Resource Lab (PERL) to help students develop independent learning skills. Students were asked to submit a proposal for a nine month project to enhance their portfolios. These projects fell completely outside of their coursework and students were required to maintain a strong academic standing while in the program. The Friday sessions were free and provided no academic credit but had attendance requirements along with a series of checkpoints that had to be met to remain in the program. The students were given tutelage, guidance and resources needed for the projects with the goal of showcasing the projects to an industry panel. Of the initial fourteen applicants, eight finished the program and showcased their work in February. Of all the lessons Tyrus provides, helping students become self-directed is the one he may feel strongest about. He sums it up very simply, “The program shows what our students can do, and really prepares them for the workplace.”
Today, Tyrus may be facing his greatest challenge to date. In December, he became the father of twins; a prospect that would fill many people with dread, but it seems to be giving this man inspiration. Last year, Tyrus started preproduction on an animated children’s story he wrote and developed. He is scheduled to complete production of the short by 2012; an aggressive timeline but one that he feels confident he will meet.
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