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Top O.C. designers, continued ...
Video-game designer
Lin Shen
Founder of Papaya Studio
Irvine
<<< Photo by Carla Rhea
Advice
to aspiring designers: “Explore ideas and opportunities in newer media.
Don’t be afraid to try and expand beyond your limitations.”
Some
have a natural affinity for the arts. Such is the case for video-game
designer Lin Shen. When given a piece of paper and a pen as a child,
Shen would sit quietly for hours, drawing and making cuts-outs, while
her mother worked around the house.
At 15, her family
moved from Taiwan to the United States. And soon after, while she was
in high school, a teacher noticed her talent and encouraged her to
attend Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. There, Shen studied
graphic design and fostered aspirations of becoming a children’s book
illustrator.
But she launched her professional career as
the art director of Square Co., one of the top publishers in the gaming
industry. She worked on Disney’s “The Lion King” and “Aladdin” for Sega
Genesis, which were both million-dollar sellers.
When a
change in the company’s direction shut down her department, Shen was
encouraged by Square’s vice president to start her own
video-game-developing company. And 18 years ago, she opened Papaya
Studio, named after her mother and her favorite fruit. Among the
popular games her team has produced: “Coraline,” “George of the
Jungle,” “Larry Boy,” “Bad Apple” and “Disney Princess.”
The
company stands to see its biggest success this month, though, with the
release of “Toy Story Mania!” For the project, the team worked with
Pixar’s directors and animators. The highlight of the experience for
Shen was receiving pointers from Pixar’s Academy Award-winning
animator, John Lasseter.
Shen resides in Irvine, where she enjoys watching movies and works as a part-time instructor at 24 Hour Fitness.
Derek Jenkins | Barclay Butera | Mariana Stoopen
Matt Tubergen | Jane Elia Schwartz | Marc Entin
Kelli Ellis | Dan Parks | Oday Shakar | Lin Shen
Top O.C. designers, continued ...
Video-game designerLin Shen
Founder of Papaya Studio
Irvine
<<< Photo by Carla Rhea
Advice to aspiring designers: “Explore ideas and opportunities in newer media. Don’t be afraid to try and expand beyond your limitations.”
Some have a natural affinity for the arts. Such is the case for video-game designer Lin Shen. When given a piece of paper and a pen as a child, Shen would sit quietly for hours, drawing and making cuts-outs, while her mother worked around the house.
At 15, her family moved from Taiwan to the United States. And soon after, while she was in high school, a teacher noticed her talent and encouraged her to attend Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. There, Shen studied graphic design and fostered aspirations of becoming a children’s book illustrator.
But she launched her professional career as the art director of Square Co., one of the top publishers in the gaming industry. She worked on Disney’s “The Lion King” and “Aladdin” for Sega Genesis, which were both million-dollar sellers.
When a change in the company’s direction shut down her department, Shen was encouraged by Square’s vice president to start her own video-game-developing company. And 18 years ago, she opened Papaya Studio, named after her mother and her favorite fruit. Among the popular games her team has produced: “Coraline,” “George of the Jungle,” “Larry Boy,” “Bad Apple” and “Disney Princess.”
The company stands to see its biggest success this month, though, with the release of “Toy Story Mania!” For the project, the team worked with Pixar’s directors and animators. The highlight of the experience for Shen was receiving pointers from Pixar’s Academy Award-winning animator, John Lasseter.
Shen resides in Irvine, where she enjoys watching movies and works as a part-time instructor at 24 Hour Fitness.
Derek Jenkins | Barclay Butera | Mariana Stoopen
Matt Tubergen | Jane Elia Schwartz | Marc Entin
Kelli Ellis | Dan Parks | Oday Shakar | Lin Shen
Matt Tubergen | Jane Elia Schwartz | Marc Entin
Kelli Ellis | Dan Parks | Oday Shakar | Lin Shen
