Experience

• Art Outsourcing Manager at ZeniMax Online Studios

  Remote, US

  February 2023 - Present

  General
  
  - Maintained an outsource production schedule and manage multiple deliveries from different Artists/Teams on a daily basis.
  
  - Worked with internal Business and Legal teams to facilitate invoices and payments to vendors.
  
  - Supported the preparation and tracking of assignments for external teams.

  Project = The Elder Scrolls Online
  
  - Managed 2D Concept Outsourcing with multiple vendors focusing on assets for in-game cosmetics. Assets outsourced included weapons, armor, clothing, mounts, and props.
  
  - Managed 3D Concept Outsourcing focusing on weapon set creation.
  
  - Managed and developed feedback for 2D Icon Outsourcing to support the internal User Interface (UI) team.
  
  - Assisted in 2D Load Screen art outsourcing and feedback.
  
  - Worked with the Art Director, the internal Concept Art team, Designers, and various stakeholders to review deliverables for quality and accuracy and provide feedback as required.
  
  - Developed and refined documentation for various Outsource Manager responsibilities, including how to submit and track final files, how to submit invoices to business teams, and an overview on how to join and navigate aspects of the game.
  
  - Developed the framework for the internal Elder Scrolls Online Art Direction Document.

  Project = Unannounced Project
  
  - Managed 2D Concept Outsourcing with multiple vendors focusing on character and environment assets.
  
  - Managed 3D Concept Outsourcing focusing on character clothing, armor, and hair.
  
  - Worked with the Art Director, the internal Concept and Character Art team, and various stakeholders to review deliverables for quality and accuracy and provide feedback as required.
  

• Project Art Director at Deep Silver Volition

  Champaign, IL

  August 2017 - August 2023

  Project = Saints Row
  
  - Developed and Art Directed an imaginary modern, open world, urban desert city with 10 visually distinct urban areas, 2 desert styles, 5 enemy factions, and multiple customizable elements including avatar, clothing, buildings, cars, crew, headquarters, and weapons.
  
  - Inspired the team through Style Guides, Art Direction Documentation, storyboards, and creative presentations which often included cosplay to really help sell ideas and excite the imagination.
  
  - Effectively coordinated and communicated with the Director Team to achieve the vision set forth by the Creative Director.
  
  - Led a cohesive Art Team through entire development cycle of the game from Discovery to finishing DLC, with special emphasis on working closely with the Associate Art Director and the Art Leads team with weekly meetings and one-on-ones.
  
  - Led Concept Art development, both internal and external with the creation of jobsheets often with direction sketches, the coordination and collation of internal feedback across multiple stakeholder disciplines, and finally worked directly with concept artists to create and approve mood, keyshot, and production concepts.
  
  - Created concepts and 2d cinematic assets on an as-needed basis when concept artist bandwidth was limited.
  
  - Aided in project planning and prioritization with Production partners.
  
  - Effectively worked with external partners, by supporting Brand with various materials and feedback, including creation of screenshots and collection of game assets for external use.
  

• Cinematics Artist at Deep Silver Volition

  Champaign, IL

  August 2013 - August 2017

  Project = Agents of Mayhem
  
  - Helped establish a new outsourcing pipeline to create cartoons for various cinematic needs in the game including Agent and Enemy backstories, story points, and the opening cartoon.
  
  - Created storyboards and animatics for cartoon cinematics.
  
  - Created jobsheets and provided feedback to outsourcer for the cartoon cinematics from inception to export into the game.
  
  - Storyboarded and created initial designs for environments and situations the cartoons required.
  
  - Created gameplay storyboards and animatics to visualize game design ideas.
  

• Associate Art Director at Deep Silver Volition

  Champaign, IL

  November 2011 - August 2013

  Project = Saints Row IV
  
  - Assisted the Art Director, by overseeing the art direction for the Cinematics, Vfx, and Lighting art disciplines.
  
  - Created storyboards and animatics for real-time cinematics for both the main game and DLC, including the ‘cutting room floor’ storyboard animatic where Shaundi marries a dinosaur king named Cyrano.
  
  - Assisted the Design department by creating gameplay storyboards to visualize game design ideas.
  
  - Created screenshots to aid Marketing and Brand efforts.
  

• Project Art Director at Volition, Inc

  Champaign, IL

  October 2008 - November 2011

  Project: Saints Row: the Third
  
  - Developed and Art Directed an imaginary modern, open world, rust belt city, Steelport, with a variety of unique enemy factions, and multiple customizable elements.
  
  - Art Directed multiple characters and factions, most notably the fan favorite character, Professor Genki, and his wacky, murderous world.
  
  - Lead the art direction for the team through Style Guides and Art Direction Documentation, and Concept Art development.
  
  - Lead a cohesive Art Team through entire development cycle of the game from Discovery to finishing DLC.
  
  - Aided in project planning and prioritization with Production partners.
  
  - Created screenshots to aid Marketing and Brand efforts.
  

• Project Art Director at Volition, Inc

  Champaign, IL

  August 2006 - October 2008

  Project = Saints Row 2
  
  - Developed and Art Directed an expansion and revision to the city of the first game, Stilwater, with new areas, revised areas, and new enemy factions, including multiple customizable elements.
  
  - Art Directed multiple characters and factions, most notably the fan favorite characters, Shaundi, Pierce Washington, and Kinzie Kensington.
  
  - Led the art direction for the team through Style Guides and Art Direction Documentation, and Concept Art development.
  
  - Led a cohesive Art Team through entire development cycle of the game from Discovery to finishing DLC.
  
  - Aided in project planning and prioritization with Production partners.
  
  - Created screenshots to aid Marketing and Brand efforts.
  

• Environment Artist / City Team Lead at Volition, Inc

  Champaign, IL

  April 2004 - August 2006

  Project= Saints Row
  
  - Led a team of Environment Artists in the creation of entire city districts.
  
  - Responsible for the creation, art design, and implementation of various environment art assets.
  
  - Aided Production in prioritization and planning of districts.
  

• Environment Artist at Volition, Inc

  Champaign, IL

  April 2004 - August 2006

  Project = Punisher
  
  - Pitched the initial idea of a Punisher game to the studio, and brought in my personal comic collection as a ‘library’ for development.
  
  - Worked closely with my Design counterpart in the creation of Punisher levels.
  
  - Responsible for the creation, art design, and implementation of various environment art assets to create Punisher levels.
  
  - Created and designed Environment lighting for my levels, and a few others.
  

• Lead Style Artist at Volition, Inc

  Champaign, IL

  August 1999 - October 1999

  Project = Summoner 2
  
  - Led the art direction for the team through Style Guides and Art Direction Documentation.
  
  - Worked with character and concept team to design multiple fantasy characters, monsters, and environments.
  
  - Created game environments and props, from modeling, texturing, and lighting, to placing vfx.
  

• Environment Artist at Volition, Inc

  Champaign, IL

  August 1999 - October 2000

  Project = Summoner
  
  - Created game environments and props, from modeling, texturing, and lighting, to placing vfx.
  
  - Aided in the creation of real-time cinematics.