2024 News 2024: Animation & game arts major wins 1st place in JoyArt Boston competition

Jared Gula's "Atlas Resprite" places first in Pixel Art category

Senior animation & game arts major Jared Gula '24 recently won first place and a $75 prize in JoyArt Boston's annual competition for his submission "Atlas Resprite" in the Pixel Art category. He was also a finalist in the 3D environment and technical art categories.

"I was a finalist last year but didn't place, and the competition was so strong this year I certainly didn't expect this," says Gula. "I was so excited when they called my name. I don't know how else to describe it. It just felt like a validation of all my work and studies."

"Atlas Resprite" is a modification to a boss character named Atlas in a game called Terraria. Gula had been working on this as part of an ongoing project called 'Spirit Mod' for about three years and finished last winter.

"The animation and game arts program here is incredible. Faculty have been with me every step of the way. I've produced work I'm proud of in all my game arts classes that make up the forefront of my portfolio and a project from an informal summer challenge even placed in this competition."

"The animation and game arts program here is incredible," says Gula. "Faculty have been with me every step of the way. I've produced work I'm proud of in all my game arts classes that make up the forefront of my portfolio and a project from an informal summer challenge even placed in this competition."

Finalists, faculty, industry professionals, and video game art fans gathered at Worcester Polytechnic Institute's Seaport location in Boston for networking sessions, portfolio reviews, and the JoyArt awards ceremony.

A senior in his last semester, this made Gula feel confident about his job prospects in the coming year. After graduating this May, he hopes to work at a video game company designing textures and environments for games.

"The whole event, I was just thinking, 'I'm here. I'm on their level,'" says Gula. "I didn't feel like a student looking up to these adults. I felt like an industry pro myself, exchanging ideas and strategies with other professionals. This solidifies how much I've grown in this program."

JoyArt Boston is an intercollegiate game art competition that connects students with industry professionals and offers $75 prizes for the winner of each category and a $50 prize for the winner of the popular vote. 

Connect with Jared 

View Jared's digital portfolio to view his material gallery, 3D projects and renders, pixel art gallery, and more. He also welcomes connections on his LinkedIn.