International Women's Day Interview - Rikamae Paderes, Concept and Games Art Lecturer London

For international Womens day, Joseph Knight met with Rikamae Paderes, Concept art and Games Art lecturer here on the London Campus to discuss women within the games and creative industries! 

• What inspired you to pursue a career in Concept Art?

This is a really funny and specific thing to ask for IWD, because for me it was all about the women I’d see in games as a little kid. I’d notice that all the girls didn’t really look like normal girls, and if they did, they all looked the same. Beautiful, tiny, and wearing micro armour bikinis. That gets pretty tiring to look at growing up, and I got really fed up with it! I’d spend my days growing up drawing cool and different women – that’s really not changed much today. Today my personal and professional pieces are all about women who look different, and represent a much, much wider plethora of what women can do and look like.

• How has the games industry evolved in terms of gender representation since you started?

This is a really big question, both academically and sociologically. There have been good changes, and consequently, some bad reactions to that good change. We saw a really interesting burst of women taking an important role in games in the last decade or so; like Ellie from The Last of Us, Clementine from The Walking Dead, Aloy from Horizon Zero Dawn. We’re telling these stories about women in this lovely range of narratives (even though I’ve only listed apocalyptic or post-apocalyptic games) and really making room for other types of perspectives to make the stories we tell in games so much more interesting. What we’re seeing, then, is backlash from a minority that for one reason or another feel that women’s stories don’t have a place in games. But honestly, those listed games are so beloved by loads of people, what it tells us is that regaling these well-written stories about women is what players sometimes really want.

• Are there any female artists, designers, or game developers who have inspired your work?

It’s going to be a cheesy answer, but so many of my colleagues at Staffs. There are so many women who are so inspiring to see work, whether it’s as an academic or as an artist/designer. While I miss them down in London, I have the privilege of getting to work with them remotely, sometimes the odd in-person catch up. I’d love to leave a special mention to a Concept Art lecturer in the Stoke campus for Molly Swift; I’ve known her for a long time, and she’s such a brilliant example of a woman who is a brilliant artist, designer, and researcher.

• How can the industry encourage more women to pursue careers in games?

For me, it starts young. Loads of you at the London campus know that I’m really keen on getting in touch with all-girls schools for university talks. There have been so many situations where I’ve met fantastic young ladies who didn’t even know it was an option for them to go into games, while they themselves are such promising artists, coders, and designers. Showing young ladies from early on that it’s an option to pursue games is a big step that I think really makes a difference.

• What advice would you give to young women aspiring to enter the field of games?

Show off. Show off everything you make that you’re proud of, because you deserve it. I think as a woman it’s easy to feel like you have to suppress so much of yourself in certain situations for fear of being over-the-top, but do it! Be unafraid to show off to the world that you are brilliant.

• How do you see the future of women in gaming and concept art evolving?

Each year I see more and more young women apply for our various games courses. And to me, that looks like a future of more bright, brilliant young women who are ready to add new and unique perspectives into games. I’ve guided loads of young women through loads of their Final Year Projects now who are interested in such a range of different things – cosy games, gothic horror, education – I get so excited just thinking of what they will go on to do, and how they’re going to impact the industry.

• What role does inclusivity play in shaping game worlds and narratives?

I reckon it builds a stronger game, a stronger narrative. When you’re willing to represent a range of different stories and backgrounds, you are accessing so many more people by showing them that you are a game dev that is thinking about the player and their story. It makes your world interesting, colourful, and, well, just lovelier to play.