almost Beta
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Shel Kahn

Director

Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Indesign
2D Games

Hi! I've been doing art direction, vis dev, and illustration in games of all types since 2010.

Biography

Shel Kahn is an artist whose work spans painting, sculpting, making digital and tabletop games, comics, education, and community organizing.

They have art directed games of all stripes; worked with a range of publishers on pen and paper, console, mobile and desktop games; created fantasy and memoir comics; produced public art installations; and they have presented and taught at professional conferences, highschools, colleges and universities.

Skills

Roles

  • Mastery
  • Mastery
  • Mastery
  • Mastery
  • Mastery
  • Advanced

Technical Skills

  • Mastery

Software

  • Mastery
  • Mastery

Other Skills

  • Mastery
  • Mastery
  • Mastery
  • Mastery

Work Experience

2020 – Present day

Art Director

Freelance

I have worked as a contract art director on several indie game projects, including Astronomics. I work with the clients to set larger art direction goals, scope both my responsibilities and their projects, and estimate timelines. Depending on the project, I might work with them to manage contract artists, or I might produce more of the art myself.

2010 – Present day

Concept Artist

Freelance

I've been providing visual development services for clients for over a decade; my clients range from videogame projects to illustrated fiction. I specialize in pulpy adventure genres - fantasy, sword and sorcery, sword and planet, cosmic horror, etc.; I have developed characters, creatures, environments, and vehicles.

2010 – Present day

Illustrator

Freelance

I have been working as a fantasy illustrator for over a decade, creating paintings and drawings for tabletop RPGs, fiction, and comics projects.

2022 – 2025

Art Director

Bloom Digital (Toronto)

I worked as an art director on a small team creating internal projects like LongStory 2 and partner games like Disney Villains Cursed Cafe. Because of the size of the team, I also helped with operations, client communication, marketing and internal admin.

Education

2003 – 2007

BFA

York University

Visual Art

I earned my bachelor of fine arts from York University, in Toronto, ON, Canada.