As part of the “Streamline Spotlight” series, we introduce key team members and invite them to share their experiences and career journeys. This week we talked to Ee Va How, the Creative Designer & Illustrator at Streamline Media Group. 
  

Tell us a bit about yourself and how you joined the Streamline team?    
I’m a doodler! Always a doodler. I’ve loved drawing since I was 12 years old. Doodling my favorite characters in my school books. It seemed natural that art evolved into being my career.   

After studying illustration in Malaysia and the UK, I wanted to stay close to home so I moved back to Malaysia to start my career. Malaysia doesn’t have a well-known illustrative/editorial scene, as there is more focus on concept artists for production work or graphic design for agencies. I wanted a job that gave me more variety and focused on my love of illustrative work. I looked for the closest approximation of what I wanted, and it was creative designing at Streamline.  

At my first interview, I brought in my whole physical portfolio and prototype comic book. I guess they liked what they saw, and after the next few interviews, I was introduced to the team and started my internship.

What is it about Streamline that made you decide to continue working here after your internship ended?   
While the pandemic was one of the major influences on my decision to stay on, the program was a positive experience working in the creative field of the games and entertainment industry. It gave me a sneak peek into the business, and I found that I was interested in seeing how Streamline develops.   

What were some of your most valuable takeaways during the internship program? What were some of the key projects that you were part of?   
As a designer, I’ve learned to receive and implement back-and-forth feedback from clients and my team. Adapting to project styles and figuring out unique looks to add to the brands contributes to improving my artistic eye and implementing what I’ve learned into my personal work too. I’ve learned to accept that some work might go unpublished or ultimately scrapped and keep moving forward.  

"Even if you have to adapt to match briefs,
your art will always retain that uniqueness
that every artist cultivates throughout their journey."

During my internship, I contributed to several projects, from the company branding style for Streamline and its brands to marketing materials for products like Bake 'n Switch for social media, and even designing an artbook! As a separate gig from marketing, I helped out as a concept artist designing clothing and facial features for Altspace VR. I’ve been a little bit everywhere, so got to experience a variety of different projects and briefs.   

After completing the internship program you were hired as a full-time Creative Designer. What were some of the major changes in your role?   
More responsibilities were added to the role, which required me to be more independent. I had to be quick to adapt to a variety of different projects that came after my internship. It's now a year since I joined Streamline, and I have been promoted to Creative Designer & Illustrator. I was able to incorporate my style and art preference into my work, have it recognized, and adjust my career path to suit.   

What has been your biggest challenge yet, and how did you overcome it?   
It’s a constant challenge to avoid worrying that my work is not up to snuff. Rather than second-guessing myself, I try to overcome it by looking at the bigger picture; I’m not the only one working on this project, and my teammates are there to support me.     

What traits do you think make a great Streamliner?   
Good communication, a positive attitude to do your best and support your team, and a willingness to accept change.  

Do you have any advice for aspiring designers and graduates who wish to join the video games industry?  
The video games industry is fast-paced and constantly developing. Sometimes you’ll have to make changes in how you work and adjust your speed to keep up. Don’t worry about work affecting your personal art. Even if you have to adapt to match briefs, your art will always retain that uniqueness that every artist cultivates throughout their journey. A ‘successful’ artist is highly subjective, but I think that makes it worth it if you’re doing what you want to do. 

Are you interested in joining the internship program? Apply here or sign up for the recruitment newsletter for regular updates on new opportunities.