Carlos Leonardo · Developer

About

I like things that take time to get right: a chord progression, a boss pattern, a single 16x16 tile. I have, notably, never applied this patience to anything involving a deadline (except for professional reasons, obviously).

Why

Answer a question with just “because” and watch my eyes twitch. I don’t need the answer, I need the why.

Play

I really love video games. I’ve been playing since I was seven, with my very first console, the awesome Nintendo Wii. I like a lot of different genres from indies, AAA, online. Here are my favorites:

Link overlooking the sky islands of Hyrule — The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom01 / 06

Arthur Morgan and his gang in Red Dead Redemption 2 in black, red, and orange — The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom01 / 06

Dark Souls, Monster Hunter, Zelda, Forza Horizon, ARK, Hades: if it hands me a corridor and calls it a game, it’s not my type.

Zelda taught me the obstacle usually isn’t the obstacle, it’s the angle. Turn it enough times and “ugh, I have to go to college” becomes “wait, I get to go to the place I used to dream about.”

Princess Zelda holding the Master Sword in Tears of the Kingdom

Mirror self-portrait of Carlos Leonardo wearing a light suit

Sound

Music’s been part of my life a lot longer than I’ve had the tools for it. As a kid, lessons were never really in the cards, so I just listened, over and over and over… and waited. My first paycheck from the internship went straight to an Arturia KeyLab, closing out a plan that had been open for about fifteen years.

Arturia KeyLab Essential keyboard on my desk

These days I chase atmospheres somewhere between C418 and EDEN, though “finished song” is still more of an aspiration than something real. The muse and I have a standing meeting; attendance is inconsistent on both sides. But long before I ever touched a key, I was a listener first, and I still am one: lyrics (or meaning) before melody, always(except if it has no singer.)

Cover of EDEN’s i think you think too much of me: the title typed over and over in grey until the letters break apart — rock + roll — EDEN01 / 05

Cover of EDEN’s End Credits: an empty small-town street under a pale sky, shot through a faded film border, with EDEN and END CREDITS printed over it — rock + roll — EDEN01 / 05

Art

I care about design in pretty much everything: this portfolio, the terminal glow on Grimoire, the small choices most people don’t consciously notice but would definitely notice the absence of. Notable exception: my YouTube thumbnails (don’t ask me why, I don’t know either).

Black-and-white mirror self-portrait of Carlos Leonardo in sunglasses

Nature

Give me a trail, a tent, and a few good friends and I’m happy for days. I’d love to study biology properly one day. For now I just try to learn what I can about it on the side.

Tents at a campsite surrounded by forest and mountains

Bonsai

One year into growing a gardenia bonsai, which mostly means losing a slow, wordless argument about who’s actually in charge. It doesn’t respond to enthusiasm or deadlines. I suspect it’s teaching me something. I just don’t know what yet.

Collect

I collect physical Nintendo media. “Collect” is a strong word: collector’s prices and intern money don’t really get along, so it’s more of a slow, expensive courtship.

Closing

The music, the games, the pixel art — (yes, an em dash. I was here first.) none of it is really the point. Most of what matters happens off the page, with the people I love.

(The gardenia bonsai listens too. It has strong, silent opinions.)

As you can see, I love to talk, but I’ll spare you the rest before this turns into a novel. If you’d like to keep talking, send me a message.

And whatever page of life you’re on right now: I hope it’s a good one. And if it’s not, I hope the next chapter turns the corner soon.

Charlie Brown and Snoopy sitting on a dock. Charlie Brown: “Some day, we will all die, Snoopy!” Snoopy: “True, but on all the other days, we will not.”

Mirror self-portrait of Carlos Leonardo smiling

Let’s talk

Get in touch

carloslgp3585@gmail.com