It feels like second nature to me, being a mentor to other artists, showing new techniques and ways to speed up production time (but not sacrificing quality of course).

Let me say off the bat, that I am a dedicated team player.  Artistic and Technical Mentoring is a great passion of mine that has allowed me to change the way artists think about creative content.  Over the past 6 years I have strived to develop a great understanding of how games are made, stories are told, and how imagination has no boundaries.  It has been a short ride, but within 2 years of diving into the Games Industry I have been promoted up the ranks from past studios as an entry level Artist to an Environment Artist,  Senior Artist, Lead Artist and even Art Director on Stargate Resistance while working for Dark Comet Games.

My enthusiasm has lead me gaining experience with Unreal Engine 3.  Not only do I know how to get the darn art in the engine, I can create all aspects pertaining to my art assets including Custom Materials, LODs, Collision, Lightmaps, and even Effects.

My creative mind has to be fueled by many different things, which is why I tend to multi-task very well.  I currently develop Illustrations for multiple projects at once, and I feel that spreading my wings like this helps to spur the creative process.  Some of my projects have been more successful simply do to the fact that my mind was overflowing from other paintings and illustrations I was doing.  In addition to Illustration, I love creating game content!

I have always tried my best to make quality and quantity my top priority. My expertise has excelled, and has taken on many forms. Unreal Engine 3 has been my passion for the last 5 years, and I am never done learning or doing impossible things with that engine. My only real limitations are the tools that I am presented with. Whether its Unreal, Maya, Max, Speed Tree, Vue, Photoshop, or Zbrush…I am in this Industry to make high quality AAA artwork and I am thirsty for more. Tell me about world, and I will make it come to life.


Professional Intent

To express emotion through a visual medium for consumers across a wide range of audiences.

Specialties

  • Detailed Illustration using Photoshop, Painter and Illustrator CS Packages
  • Fantastic painting techniques in both digital and traditional mediums
  • Content creation in 3DS Max/Maya Pixologic ZBrush and Flash to push the boundries of creative goals
  • Strong color comprehension in relation to; mood, storytelling and composition
  • Attention to detail and precision
  • Time management with visual goals and priorities

Experience

Duane Illustration – Freelance Illustration and Game Art

November 2010 – Present

  • Logo Design and Product Branding
  • Book and Graphic Novel Illustrations
  • Video Game content creation for social and mobile market

Lead Environment Artist at Dark Comet Games

May 2010 – October 2010 

  • Developed art content for online multiplayer third person shooter Stargate Resistance.
  • UI re-designs, general art management and visual direction
  • Worked new game design ideas into development pipeline and saw them through to final release.
  • Communicated to the art team the expectations in terms of the level of quality and content of the ambiance, decor, characters, etc…

Senior/Lead Artist at FireSky

October 2008 – May 2010 

  • Quality control of visual style for final worlds, including shader and material detail.
  • Painted and backdrops and skies for each world.
  • Contributed to major optimization and cleanup of outsource artwork, to ensure consistency off all in-game assets
  • Lead and manage environment art team asset creation, including annual reviews and critiques

 

Environment/Senior Artist at Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment

July 2006 - September 2008 

  • Created detailed terrain textures
  • Relayed visual expectations and techniques of Art Director to other team members
  • Oversaw major optimization and cleanup of outsource artwork to ensure consistency
  • Headed the lighting/post processing visual direction to guide player through complex environments

World Artist at Retro Studios – Nintendo

January 2006 – July 2006 (7 month contract)

  • Created interior spaces for Metroid Prime 3.
  • Constructed game assets based off of designer and team concepts

Education

The Art Institute of Phoenix

BA, Game Art and Design Illustration, 2001 – 2005