Industry Experience

Zynga Dallas
July 2011 – Current

U.I. Artist

Primary responsibilities

creating various UI artwork such as:

  • in-game items
  • icon concepts and implementations
  • buttons / menus / windows
  • facebook integration / web assets
  • HUD elements
  • concept art variations and original pieces
  • flash animations
  • text effects and layout

Additional Contributions :

  • Developed a heavily automated 3DS max solution for generating snow on various 3D assets for the game to save hundreds of hours of in-house / outsource work
  • Enhanced various still frame UI elements with animations and special effects that were then specifically praised by players on our game’s forum
  • gameplay feedback
  • design concept contributions

Method Solutions
September 2010 – July 2011

3D Artist / U.I. Artist

Primary responsibilities

  • importing / implementing 2D / 3D assets into Fusion, company’s proprietary game engine
  • created modular / scalable art using pathing / layer-styles / smart filters and objects for UI elements using Photoshop / Illustrator / Flash / Fireworks
  • provided basic functionality for UI as well as effects, including animations / particle sequence

Additional Contributions

  • built 3D game assets (model / texture) using tools such as Maya / Photoshop
  • gameplay design concepts and feedback
  • audio design feedback and concepts

Black Lantern Studios
May 2010 – August 2010

Contract Environment Artist

Primary responsibilities

  • worked under lead artist to provide paint-overs of level designers’ concepts
  • placed / modified geometry after painting concept pieces for levels
  • created / modified textures as needed for assets
  • created 5 uniquely themed areas total for the project, including the final level of contracted game

Additional Contributions

  • created more levels than any other contract artist

Published Games

  • CastleVille
    CastleVille
    Zynga original social network medieval themed game.
  • House, M.D. – Critical Cases
    House, M.D. – Critical Cases
    Facebook game published by Ubisoft. Based off the hit show.
  • Viva! Mall
    Viva! Mall
    Social game published by Konami created using “Fusion” engine by Method. Cancelled during the public BETA.
  • High Caliber Hunting
    High Caliber Hunting
    iOS FPS game published by EA.
  • Zhu Zhu Pets
    Zhu Zhu Pets
    Wii platformer published by Activision.

Primary Skills

User Interface Designer
  • Specialize in front end, icon, menu, and HUD design using both vector and bitmap based assets
  • Follow asset workflow that allows for a high degree of flexibility, minimum memory footprint, and maximum performance based on targeted goals
3D Modeling / Texturing
  • hi-poly / low-poly modeling
  • procedural & hand-painted texturing
  • environment modeling
  • high to low-poly normal map baking
  • UVW unwrap / layout
2D / 3D Animation
  • keyframe
  • tweening
  • bone rigging
  • 2D
  • 3D

Additional Skills

  • Traditional & digital drawing skills
  • concept, design, and art documentation
  • years of skill working as a team player on both small and larger scale teams and projects; from PC to mobile, to console, to casual social games
  • eager to learn new skills and continue to hone existing abilities
  • highly organized
  • positive attitude
  • passionate about video games

Software Experience

  • 3DS Max
  • Flash
  • Illustrator
  • InDesign
  • Mudbox
  • Perforce
  • Photoshop
  • Substance Air
  • SVN
  • Unreal Engine 3
  • Unity
  • ZBrush

Student Game Projects

  • Hell’s Belle
    Hell’s Belle
    “Metroid-vania” style 2.5D Unreal Dev Kit game mod.
  • Colossal Takeover
    Colossal Takeover
    Multiplayer Unreal Engine 3 game mod.

Education

The Guildhall at SMU

Master’s in Interactive Technology | Art Creation

Jan ’09 – May ’10
  • final GPA : 3.8
  • 1st team project, Rock ‘N Rumble, awarded best character art
  • lead animator on Unreal Engine 3 capston project, Hell’s Belle
Louisiana Tech University

Bachelor’s in Liberal Arts | Graphic Design

Aug ’02 – Nov ’06
  • final GPA : 3.2
  • received full tuition in scholarships for high ACT test score (28) and high school GPA (3.6)
  • received additional scholarships for 4-year participation as a trombonist for marching band, hoop troop, and symphonic orchestra

Additional Relevant Work Experience

Custom Printed Products
November 2006 – December 2008

Graphic Designer / Pre-Press Artist

Primary responsibilities :

  • created label designs and adjusted existing art for printing-press optimization

Additional contributions :

  • web design work
  • ad designs
  • video production
Bill Jones Portrait Design
June 2006 – December 2006

Digital Photography Retouch Artist

Primary responsibilities :

  • whitened teeth, smoothed pores, trimmed hair, and subtly adjusted colors/levels/etc. on digital photos for a more traditionally trained photographer

Additional contributions :

  • web design work
  • ad designs
  • video production
  • mailers
  • post card designs