Hi and welcome to Man Dog Rat.com the website of Rich Allport.
I am an Art Director, Concept Artist, Illustrator, Visual Problem Solver, and Experiential Designer with over 30 years of experience delivering solutions across the creative industries. My work spans Computer Games, Feature Film SFX, Children’s Animated Television, Theatre, SFX Make-up, Theme Park rides, Experiential Spaces, Advertising, and iplay-Gaming Development.
I have lectured at Diploma level in Art Direction, Concept Art, Prop and Scenic Design and Construction, and Special Effects Make-up, including Life Casting and Prosthetics.
I have had the pleasure of working for companies including the Tussauds/Merlin Group, Sony Computer Entertainment, Sumo Digital, Remedy Entertainment, 22cans, Apple, Disney, Red Kite Games, Blitz Games Studios, The LEGO Group, BBC Animation CBBC, Rag Doll Productions, 422 South, Peak Entertainment, Universal Studios, Paramount Pictures, Carnaby Films, Optical-Image Ltd, National Geographic, and Aardman Animation, among many others.
I believe my multidisciplinary background gives me a strong creative advantage, bringing added insight and originality to every project. I also have a keen and continually developing interest in narrative story writing, which underpins most contemporary projects and enables deeper development through the creation of richer worlds, locations, and character backstories.
My experience includes script development, three and five act story structures, multi-character story arcs, world building and culture creation, all integrated with Art Direction and Concept Art to strengthen a project’s overall impact.
At its core, I see Art Direction and Concept Art as visual problem solving not just the creation of beautiful images. Effective concept work must address narrative, character, colour and shape language, world design, sightlines, and the overall participant experience, whatever creative industry the project is in.
The visual problem solving approach has proven invaluable on projects, using exploration, iteration, and experimentation sometimes even embracing randomness, mistakes, or even found objects to push ideas forward. Many of these iterations are essential to development, even if they never appear in a final portfolio or gallery.
Even household objects can create a starting point for Art Direction and Shape Language.
This way of working, although not new, is something that I think can aid projects explore originality, avoid the vicious circle of preconceived ideas and can significantly speed up exploration and production flow.
I think that ideation, the act of forming original ideas, is the most important part of the initial creative process in any creative industry. Before any art is produced, it’s the core concepts that will define what makes the project memorable, meaningful, or fun.
Strong ideas shape the mechanics, the world, the participant’s goals, and the emotions the project aims to evoke, everything else exists to serve that foundation.
Technology can be learned and assets can be refined, but without compelling ideas, even the most polished experience feels empty or derivative. In a crowded landscape with games, attractions and experiences all vying for people’s interest, originality is what captures attention and sustains engagement, making ideation the spark that turns technical skill into a truly creative experience.
“Having had the good fortune to work alongside so many incredibly talented people throughout my career including Designers, Animators, Composers, Children’s Fiction Authors, Editors and people involved in how Creative Education is shaped and delivered, I feel honoured to have learned so much from them and their own creativity. I can truly say that the projects I have worked on wouldn’t have been the exciting and inspirational journeys that they have without their collaboration. I owe them a great deal and thank them for being the truly creative professionals they are!”
Rich Allport
“Richard has a great eye for detail in his Art Direction and Concept Art. A thoroughly nice chap!”
Mark Healey Co-Founder of Media Molecule.
“I thoroughly enjoyed working with Richard, his energy, enthusiasm and talent for concepting ideas was excellent! He consistently exceeded our expectations.”
James Tottman, Art Lead, Remedy Entertainment.
“Richard’s conceptual artwork and art direction is so inspiring! His ideas are rich and original, a delight to work with!”
Paul Farrer: BMI Award winning Composer for Film and Television. www.paulfarrer.com
“Richard is annoyingly talented! I try and hide his pens, but it doesn’t help!”
Bob Keen: Motion Picture Director, CEO of Image Animation.
“Richard has a contagious enthusiasm for his work and is inspirational to work with.”
Emma Clayton: Carnegie Medal Award nominated Children’s Author.
“The creative approach and techniques that Richard employs are coupled with a refreshingly commercial eye. A very creative guy!”
Nick Underwood: Marketing Director Ragdoll Productions.
“Richard’s approach is both inspiring and motivating. His creativity is infectious!”
Rebecca Naina: Creative Art Coordinator, Hamstead Hall School.
“Richard’s creative skills and approach to communicating ideas make learning fun and intuitive. His lectures have been motivational and inspirational for everyone involved.”
Rachel Burroughs: Governor to the Department of Achievement and Learning.
Please take a look around my site and feel free to contact me if you would like to discuss anything about the work I do or how I could assist on any projects you may have. If you don’t see exactly what you’re looking for within my gallery samples talk to me about Style Matching and Art Tests.
Rich Allport