Biography
With over 10 years of industry experience, I live and breathe crafting digital experiences in all its forms, constantly striving for the highest quality in my craft. With a genuine fondness for creating visually stunning 3D graphics, I actively seek out complex technical challenges, always eager to push boundaries.
In my spare time I enjoy gaming, expanding my collection of retro games and computers as well as spending far too much on Lego and shoes!
Everything that starts off in science fiction eventually does become science fact. I feel like my work turns futuristic digital ideas into the reality of today.
Mark's Q&A
What would you say Draw & Code are good at?
I would say we’re great at taking existing technologies and thinking how they could be used differently. For example, AR and VR are no longer such new technologies, but we’re trying to do innovative and new things in that space and lead the way in pushing the boundaries. That feeds directly into our company values – we’re always trying to chart the course, and every single team member is fully committed to that.
How do you keep your technology skills current?
I’m personally not afraid to learn new things and I have a constant curiosity about new technologies and developments in the industry and beyond the sector. I take the initiative to explore new ways of doing things, and then take a deeper dive into learning it more fully so I can share that knowledge with the wider team.
I’ll always jump at the opportunity to try new plugins or software that may improve our workflows. At Draw & Code, we champion particular people to learn something new, and then they filter that knowledge to the rest of the team through tutorials and documentation.
It’s a super useful way of upskilling the team and integrating cutting edge practice. The team are always keen to dive into new software and processes, and learn how to best leverage its capabilities to ensure quality outcomes.
What Kind of Projects do you Enjoy Working On?
As I have a background in computer games, I have a passion for projects with elements of gamification, and I always enjoy this. I find other Draw & Code projects that utilise projection mapping and physical experiences really intriguing, and I’m enjoying our current projects in that space.
The Terracotta Warriors project stands out as it was all about using immersive technologies to create a truly amazing experience for users who can see and feel it in a real space. For me, this is something that sets Draw & Code apart from other companies – we don’t just focus on digital, there’s also a lot of physical builds and immersion.
What does Draw & Code do to stay on the cutting edge of innovation?
We actively and deliberately think about things in a very different way. When we see a new technology, we’ll try to do something innovative and distinctive with it. We embrace new technologies and we’re certainly not afraid to challenge the norm and to pioneer new ways ahead.
There’s a lot of power in the Research and Development side of Draw & Code, and we’ve got a whole studio dedicated to that, which is a great thing! Our fearless creativity is part of how we stay ahead – people fearlessly trying to invent something new that users haven’t seen before. For individual projects, we often get together and consider what we can do that’s different from what has been seen or experienced previously.
Innovation, breaking convention, and boundless energy are our superpowers, and we’ve got a great team to do just that. We have a brilliant team of creators with a lot of experience across multiple sectors, from games through to immersive technologies.
What do you like about working at Draw & Code?
It’s definitely the people – I love how social they are! We like to work together and spend time socialising. It’s an energy so strong that it’s palpable. It’s a really great place to be, and I’m proud to be a part of the Draw and Code team and its journey. I feel like I’ve found my people!
Mark's Fun Fact
I’m a qualified lecturer and I taught for three years before going back into software development. Seeing the journey from that first spark of inspiration in my students through to them gaining careers in the industry has been one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had.
Mark's Skills Keywords
3D Artist, Technical Artist, Leader, Generalist