TALES – Art Director and Co-Founder

Android   iOS

Welcome to My Creative Journey at Tales

In my latest endeavor as the Art Director for Tales, a groundbreaking platform redefining interactive storytelling, we’ve woven an intricate tapestry of art, technology, and innovative narrative techniques. Tales empowers writers to seamlessly transition into game designers, crafting immersive “choose your own adventure” tales that captivate and engage.

What truly sets my tenure at Tales apart is a blend of global collaboration and next-gen technology. Commanding a decentralized art team spread across multiple continents and time zones, I’ve fostered an ethos of creativity, respect, and professionalism. Each artist, irrespective of location, is an integral cog in our creative machinery, contributing to a diverse and rich tapestry of storytelling.

With the innovations in AI, Tales underwent a transformative evolution. The integration of AI into our Tales Creator was a monumental achievement, expediting the story publishing process from months to days and quadrupling our asset library. This utilization of AI revolutionized the creation of environments, actors, and covers, bringing efficiency and scale to our platform.

Additionally, I was instrumental in designing and building parts of the Avatar system, creating an intuitive UI & UX for both the app and the Tales Creator tool. This work not only enhanced the functionality of our platform but also made it more accessible to our burgeoning community of storytellers.

Moreover, I expanded our team and network of artists globally, directing a diverse group of talents generating art for both in-game experiences and our extensive asset library. This expansion was a testament to our commitment to inclusivity and artistic excellence, empowering a broad spectrum of voices and visions.

What’s awe-inspiring is that our small, yet dynamic team outperformed and produced at a scale reminiscent of a massive studio. More than just delivering art, we achieved unmatched efficiency, creating superior value with limited resources. Our journey was not without its challenges, but dreaming big and balancing resource constraints led us to innovative solutions that have redefined what a small team can accomplish.

At the heart of Tales lies an unwavering belief: to empower every indie writer and artist. We are creating an ecosystem where any storyteller, regardless of their scale, can craft masterpieces with the tools and prowess of big studios. Our goal is not just to publish but to enable storytellers to thrive economically, breaking barriers and standing tall, independent, and successful.

Join me on this voyage at Tales, exploring the fusion of creativity and technology, where each story is a beacon of empowerment, and every art decision is a step towards a more inclusive and vibrant creative world.

Android   iOS

Past Projects:

EA Games/Visceral – Lead Artist

At EA Games, working on the prestigious Battlefield project, my role as a Lead Artist involved orchestrating a complex and efficient outsourcing operation. I was at the forefront of managing the art asset outsourcing from EA Shanghai, a role that demanded not only artistic insight but also strategic collaboration and communication skills. My interactions with EA Shanghai’s art directors, leads, and project managers were pivotal in establishing crystal-clear expectations and ensuring a seamless workflow.

My responsibilities extended beyond external coordination. Internally, I liaised with team leads, designers, producers, and development directors at EA Games to thoroughly assess our outsourcing needs. I was instrumental in curating comprehensive asset lists, delineating aesthetic benchmarks for each request, and ensuring these aligned perfectly with the Battlefield project’s vision.

A critical aspect of my role was defining precise technical specifications for all outsourced assets. This process involved meticulous scrutiny to guarantee that each asset not only met our aesthetic standards but also adhered strictly to the technical requirements of the Battlefield engine and gameplay mechanics. My approach was detail-oriented and rigorous, ensuring no compromise on quality or performance.

As the Asset Manager, my oversight encompassed both in-house and outsourced assets. I developing an efficient asset outsourcing pipeline and review process, streamlining the integration of these assets into our production workflow. This role was not just about managing assets; it was about fostering a synergy between in-house creativity and outsourced efficiency, ensuring the artistic and technical integrity of the Battlefield project at every stage.

In this multifaceted role at EA Games, I was committed to bridging the gap between creative aspirations and practical execution, ensuring the Battlefield project not only met but exceeded the high standards synonymous with EA’s legacy in gaming.

BigPoint – Lead Artist and Art Director

As the Lead Artist helming Universal Monsters Online (UMO), I orchestrated the efforts of a dynamic team of over 12 skilled artists, each specializing in various domains such as concept art, character design, environmental art, animation, VFX, UI, tech, and web design. UMO, an imaginative and free-to-play browser-based MOBA, ingeniously revived the iconic characters from Universal’s classic horror films.

Influenced by the acclaimed gameplay of League of Legends, UMO emerged as a distinctively enthralling experience, captivating players with its innovative capture-the-flag mechanic and meticulously crafted progression system. My role was pivotal in shaping the game’s artistic direction, channeling the essence of each legendary monster into the digital realm. It was a journey of creative exploration and technical mastery, culminating in a gaming world that not only paid homage to these timeless characters but also pushed the boundaries of artistic excellence in browser-based gaming.

My leadership in this project was not just about managing a team; it was about mentoring, fostering a shared vision, translating classic horror into a modern gameplay experience, and setting a new standard in artistry and engagement in a browser game.

Direction:
Crafting an art bible stands as a cornerstone in the journey of visual storytelling, serving as the vital blueprint that shapes and solidifies a game’s aesthetic core. This comprehensive guide is more than just a reference document; it is the artistic compass that unites and aligns the entire creative team. It encapsulates the essence of our vision, detailing every nuance of the game’s art style, from the sweeping grandeur of landscapes to the intricate details of character designs.

In my role, I ensured that our art bible was both exhaustive and inspiring, a living document that evolved with our project. It was instrumental in providing clarity and direction, not only to our seasoned artists but also in guiding new members as they seamlessly integrated into our creative endeavor. By meticulously constructing this art bible, we established a unified and coherent visual language that resonated throughout every aspect of the game, ensuring a harmonious and immersive player experience.

Character Pipeline:
The development of our monster characters began with a crucial first step: an initial sketch, conceptualized under my guidance. This initial sketch served as the foundational vision for each character, capturing the essence of what they would become. Once this vision was crystallized, I entrusted it to our talented concept artist, initiating a streamlined and efficient pipeline.

This approach was instrumental in setting clear and precise expectations right from the outset, ensuring that every stage of the character’s development was aligned with the original artistic vision. It was a process marked by clarity and efficiency, where each sketch became the catalyst for the character’s journey from concept to digital reality. This method not only optimized our workflow but also ensured that the heart and soul of each monster were preserved and accentuated throughout their development, resulting in characters that were both true to their origins and captivating to our audience.

Environments:
As the driving force behind our game’s level design and world-building, I took the helm in crafting intricate, immersive environments that formed the backbone of our gaming experience. My approach combined a keen eye for spatial aesthetics with a deep understanding of narrative-driven design, ensuring that each level was not only visually stunning but also seamlessly integrated with the game’s story and mechanics.

My responsibility extended to meticulously orchestrating the lighting and visual effects, elements crucial in bringing each scene to life. I employed lighting not just as an illumination tool but as a storytelling device, using it to set moods, highlight key elements, and guide player focus. The addition of carefully curated visual effects further enriched the environments, adding layers of realism and dynamism.

This holistic approach to level design and world-building – encompassing layout, lighting, and VFX – was instrumental in creating captivating worlds that engaged players. It was a process that melded artistry with technical prowess, resulting in spaces that were not only functional and navigable but also rich in atmosphere and depth.

As the Lead Artist for ‘Ruined Online,’ I had the privilege of leading a talented team of artists, each specialized in their own domain – environment, character, VFX, and UI artistry. My role was multifaceted, involving not only the leadership and coordination of this diverse team but also direct involvement in a variety of artistic disciplines.

In addition to guiding the overall artistic direction, I actively contributed to the hands-on creation of the game’s elements. This included designing intricate environments, developing unique character concepts, crafting visually stunning VFX, and shaping the game’s UI design. My involvement spanned the full spectrum of the game’s artistic development, ensuring a cohesive and compelling visual experience.

‘Ruined Online’ presented itself as a 3rd person shooter battle arena game, set in the post-apocalyptic ruins of famous U.S. cities and landmarks. This PvP, F2P game, built using the Unity3D engine, was a blend of fast-paced gameplay and striking comic book-style art direction. Players engaged in intense battles across iconic locations like the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and Fort Mason, with plans to expand to Liberty Island and NY Central Park Zoo.

Collaboration was key in the development of ‘Ruined Online.’ Working closely with the tech team, I was involved in addressing and overcoming significant technical challenges, such as managing fluctuating draw calls vital for maintaining game performance, especially crucial for a browser-based game designed for minimum spec machines. Another critical task was minimizing the game’s download size, an essential aspect of providing quick access, a core expectation of browser gaming.

My partnership with the marketing team was equally integral. Together, we strategized on how best to showcase the game’s unique features and artistic qualities, ensuring that our marketing efforts resonated with our target audience and accurately represented the game’s immersive world.

My role in ‘Ruined Online’ went beyond traditional art direction. It was a blend of creative leadership, hands-on artistic contribution, technical problem-solving, and strategic marketing collaboration. This comprehensive approach not only shaped the game into an engaging experience but also highlighted my dedication to overcoming the unique challenges of browser-based gaming.

Visual Concepts/2K Sports – Senior 3D Artist

At 2K Sports, my journey encompassed a diverse spectrum of responsibilities, each underpinning the realism and authenticity of professional sports titles like MLB, NBA, and NHL. A significant part of my role as a Senior Environment Artist and Lead Environment Artist involved creating technically accurate digital representations of arenas and stadiums. This task was not just about visual fidelity but also about meeting the high expectations of fans and players who sought a simulation sports game that mirrored real life. My commitment to authenticity was reflected in every digital rendition of the sports settings, ensuring they resonated with the realism and detail that fans expected.

In my role as a Lighter, I focused on using lighting to not only enhance the visual appeal but also to add to the game’s realism and intensity. I crafted lighting scenarios that mirrored real-world sports events, contributing significantly to the immersive experience of the games.

As the leader of the cut-scenes group, I worked to capture the drama and emotional highs of sports, translating key moments into engaging cinematic sequences. This role required a blend of technical skill and narrative flair, enabling me to bring the excitement of professional sports into the digital realm in a way that was both dynamic and emotionally engaging.

Additionally, my tenure at 2K Sports was marked by close collaboration with technical artists and graphics programmers. Together, we pushed the limitations of the hardware, striving to create the most stunning and lifelike reproductions in our digital games. This partnership was crucial in leveraging the available technology to its fullest potential, ensuring that our titles not only looked spectacular but also remained at the cutting edge of graphical innovation in sports gaming.

Throughout my time at 2K Sports, my roles and responsibilities all converged towards a singular goal: to deliver a sports gaming experience that was not only technically impressive but also emotionally captivating, fulfilling the expectations of a simulation that felt as real and exhilarating as the actual sports themselves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCYMSLbMqOQ

Other projects

Toy Truck Prototype – Canceled side-scrolling mobile game. Developed art style, created all environments and vehicles.