Resume, Artists Bio and Statement

Summary:

I am a creative and skilled artist, traditionally trained as an Illustrator with a Bachelors degree from the Academy of Art University. I am a long time veteran of the games industry, having worked in the digital field since 1994. I have contributed to well over 25 shipped titles. I am also a continuing practitioner of traditional Fine Arts.

I have Software expertise in Photoshop, Illustrator and 3D Studio Max, as well as additional Software skills and experience with various proprietary software packages relating to Gaming Consoles, UI implementation and version control (Perforce), including some functional experience with Dreamweaver, Maya, Flash, and After Effects.

Skills:

  • Strong Draftsman: Drawing/ Painting
  • 2D Illustration: Traditional and Digital
  • 3D Modeling and Texturing
  • Conceptual Art and Design
  • User Interface Design
  • Iconography
  • Character Design
  • Team Leader/Self Motivated
  • Environment design
  • Animation/Special Effects

My objective: To work with progressive companies and creative teams, in open and mutually supportive environments where the emphases and importance is placed on creativity and innovation and making fun and beautiful games.

  • Professional Experience:

    Illustrator/Iconographer/UI artist: 2007-2014

      June 2013 - May 2014, September-october 2014: EA/Maxis: Sims 4. Iconographer/llustrator.

      February 2013- April 2013: EA/Maxis: Sims 3, Expansion Pack 10, title TBA. Iconographer/Illustrator.

      November 2012-January 2013: EA/Maxis: Sim City, UI Artist/Iconographer.

      March 2012-August 2012: EA/Maxis: Sims 3 Expansion Packs Supernatural, Seasons. Iconographer/Illustrator.

      October 2010 - November 2011: EA/Maxis: Sims 3 Expansion packs Generations, Pets and Showtime. Iconographer. Created a huge selection of UI Icons using Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.

      July-August 2009/January-February 2010/June-August 2010. EA/Maxis: Sims 3: Expansion Packs World Adventures, Ambitions and Late Night. Electronic Arts. I created a huge selection of UI Icons using Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.

      January 2009 - June 2009:

      Guitar Hero: Van Halen, Underground Development/Activision. Foster City/Redwood City CA. I was the WII UI artist. My job was to convert the UI as designed to work on the WII console, adapting the original UI from the Playstation 3 and XBox 360. I converted all visual assets to WII compatable spec's and worked with the codebase and the teams enginers to adapt the UI to the WII environment.

      July-November 2008:

      Sims 3, Electronic Arts Inc: Icon Designer/Illustrator. I designed more than 300 unique icons (more than 600 total) for the upcoming release, Sims 3.

      February--June 2008:

      Spore, Maxis Inc/Electronic Arts: Website designer and Illustrator for www.spore.com. I designed the website for the game Spore, working closely with the games producers and web engineering team. I created the look and feel of the site, creating original artwork as well as integrating art assets from the game.

      December 2007-February 2008:

      Spore, EA/Maxis: UI artist and Icon designer. I worked with the Spore UI Design team to help build and design new UI layouts and art assets. I created many new Icons in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop and built new UI layouts with the Spore Team's in-house design tool from art work created by the main UI designers and Artists.

      October-November 2007:

      EA Land (Sims Online): I created a new map for the now defunked "EA Land".

      February-June 2007:

      The Sims Castaway,

       I worked as a concept artist/ UI Icon designer for The Sims Castaway: for the Playstation 2 and Wii gaming Consoles.  I contributed designs for various furniture sets and misc Objects found through out the game. I also created a large number of UI menu icons and spot illustrations for food and resource items. I also contributed a small number of Create-a-sim clothing and Object design concepts to the upcoming Sims 3 franchise.

    Maxis Inc, a Devision of Electronic Arts.  Walnut Creek Ca.  May 2000 to July 2006

Hasbro Interactive, MicroProse Inc, Alameda, Ca: 1999-2000

      • Lead artist: Master of magic II. The Innovative 3-d sequel to the award winning, computer gaming hall of fame, Master of Magic.  A strategic game of Myth, Magic and Empires. Never Completed.
      • Spearheaded the effort to redesign the games basic concept from a more traditional 2d pre-rendered approach to a more revolutionary 3-d design. Worked to create the games unique look and feel. Strove to create a new and fresh approach to overly familiar subject matter.  Supervised a team of artists working on concept sketches as well as creating concept art. Worked closely with each artist to determine the specific direction of his or her work. Created our pre-production schedules, complete with artistic goals and design philosophy as well as time based deadlines. Created initial framework for our future production schedules. Created these schedules to a degree never before attempted at our studio.
      • Tools: Traditional drawing and design, 3d Studio Max 2.5-3. PhotoShop, Microsoft project.
  • Hasbro Interactive (MicroProse Inc), Alameda, Ca: 1999 
      • Artist: Motor Derby game concept. An original idea by Dave Adams: A new direction in action gaming and teamwork. Never Completed.
      • Worked with the projects Lead Artist to create unique character designs and an animated presentation movie explaining the games core concepts.
      • Tools: Traditional drawing and design, 3d Studio Max 2.5-3, Adobe PhotoShop, After Effects and Premier.
  • Hasbro Interactive (MicroProse Inc), Alameda, Ca: 1999 
      • Artist: Thrall game concept. An original idea by Erol Otus: 
      • Created a small number of unique character designs
      • Tools: Traditional drawing and design.
  • MicroProse Inc, Alameda, Ca: 1997 – 99
      • Senior Artist: Star Trek, Birth of the Federation. Strategy game of inter-Galactic exploration and conquest set in the Star Trek Universe. 
      • Designed and created the games unique User Interface. Designed and produced this quite complicated and very detailed UI in about a 6-month period. With the most challenging aspect being the need to do this in 5 distinct styles, each representing a different Star Trek character race.  Created over 45 fully rendered high polygon scenes/Icons representing objects the players built in the game. Modeled and textured the entire family of starships for the Romulan race, most of which I designed with no film or television reference. Also modeled and textured the Enterprise E.  Designed and produced the cut scene movies (1 for each race) that functioned as introductions for the beginning of each game (utilizing resources created by the entire art team).
      • Tools: 3d studio Max 1-2.5, PhotoShop 3-5, Painter 5, DebabalizerPro 4.5, Adobe After effects and Premier.
  • Spectrum Holobyte (MicroProse Inc), Alameda, Ca: 1996 – 97
      • Senior artist: Star Trek, Generations. The First real-time adventure set in the Star-Trek Universe. Based on the film of the same name.
      • 2-d and 3-d artist, creating environment textures for real time combat levels: exteriors of an alien planet and the interior of the Starship Enterprise. I created animated User Interface elements for these levels and Character sprite animation and renderings for use in all levels of the game. Personal favorite accomplishment being the creation of 12 unique illustrations that served as backdrops for mission objectives and instructions. These included 3d rendered elements as well as fully painted alien landscapes and star fields.
      • Tools: PhotoShop 3.05, 3d Studio Max 1, 3d Studio R4, Animator studio, Animator Pro, Debalizer (Mac/PC) and Fractal Design Painter.
  • Mondo Media, San Francisco, Ca: 1994 – 96
      • Artist: Microsoft Explorapedia: People, Animals editions. Daedalus Encounter, Toonstruck, Forced Alliance, Zork Nemesis, Sun Micro Systems, and many other clients and projects. 
      • Worked as a general production artist, specializing in 2-d Illustrations, animation, special textures and storyboards. Also contributed to the design and production of an interactive animated greeting card system as the lead artist/animator.
      • Tools: PhotoShop, Debalizer, Animator pro, 3d Studio R4, Fractal Design Painter.
Education:

Academy of Art College, San Francisco, Ca: 1986-89

Bachelor of Arts Degree in  Illustration.

Awards:

Best of Show 1989. 

Best Experimental Illustration 1988-89.

Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Wa 1983-85

Earned AA degree in General Liberal Arts.

Ongoing Independent Study:

I Host weekly Drawing and Painting Workshops in my home studio, concentrating on working from live models in multiple mediums. Ongoing since 1996.

Drawing every Tuesday from 7:00-10:00pm.

Painting every other Saturday from 4:00 to 7:00pm. Oils, Acrylic and Watercolor.

Frequent Plein Air Landscape sessions.

Artists Bio and Statement

Alternative Artists Bio