Instructors

Ivan Gozali

Story Artist

Ivan is a Story Artist working in the animation industry for studios including DreamWorks TV, Warner Bros. Animation, and currently at House of Cool for an unannounced Disney+ feature. He has worked on both features and series projects such as Guillermo Del Toro's Trollhunters, Lauren Faust's DC Superhero Girls, Olan Rogers' Final Space, Paul McCartney's High in the Cloud, and others. Ivan is a perpetual self taught student who got his start working in various entertainment fields in live-action, VFX, and animation.

Aaron Limonick

Concept Artist

Aaron Limonick has been working as a concept artist in entertainment since 2004. He has worked on feature films such as Seventh Son, RIPD, Into the Storm, and Jupiter Ascending, and worked for studios such as LEGO, Disney, Rhythm and Hues, Method Studios, and Mirada. Now, Aaron is working for Sony at Naughty Dog Inc. and has recently worked on The Last of Us and Uncharted

Aaron Schultz

Animator

Aaron's journey into animation started in middle school when I used to watch a show on the Discovery Channel called "Movie Magic."  He was fascinated with behind the scenes VFX and how movies were made. He was drawn to how they made the VFX, practical and CG, especially for characters and creatures. He was also an avid comic book collector and loved illustration. After getting his undergrad degree in Graphic Design, he wanted to take things further and study animation. He wasn't sure how, but he knew he wanted to be part of that movie magic and help create the iconic scenes and moments that inspired me and many others. He attended the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and signed on with Animation Mentor when they first began. He was soon fortunate enough to start working at a small VFX and animation studio called Hero Motion Pictures. While there, he was able to animate CG digital doubles for the live action movie "G.I. Joe."

After working on "G.I. Joe," he moved to Los Angeles and worked at CIS Hollywood that partnered with Method Studios. While there, he had the opportunity to work on a number of Marvel movies, animating the characters he read about in comic books. But instead of drawing them, he was animating them for the big screen. A few years later, he decided to take the plunge into game development since I was also very passionate about video games; since he was a kid playing Atari in his parents basement. Naughty Dog was hiring for "The Last of Us: Part 2" and he was fortunate enough to get selected to help work on the Interactive Gameplay Cinematics. After Naughty Dog, Insomniac Games offered him a full time position to work on their cinematics for "Spider Man 2". And that's where he is today; currently working on "Wolverine" and still animating the Marvel characters he love and grew up with. Now he's eager to help new, aspiring animators reach their dreams and their goals.

Aaron Wolford

Hard Surface Artist

Aaron is a Hard Surface Artist, currently, working at DICE LA in Los Angeles, CA. Getting his break in the video games industry at Ryzin Art where he spent 4 years growing as an artist, he has had the privilege of working on multiple Call of Duty titles as well as Rage and Spider-Man: Miles Morales. He attributes his knowledge and growth to working alongside other talented professionals in the industry. One of his other passions is sharing his knowledge and helping others break into the video games industry.

Adam Beardall

Character Artist

Adam Beardall is currently a Character Artist at id Software. He has over 5 years of professional experience in video game development. In those years he's worked on many types of games, with various art styles to match. That range of experience has helped mold him into the artist and game developer he is today.

Most recently he worked on AAA games such as “Destiny 2 – The Witch Queen,” “Destiny 2 – Beyond Light”,  “Star Wars: The Old Republic - Onslaught" and “Star Wars: The Old Republic - Jedi under Siege". His students will leverage various workflows and techniques within Zbrush, Substance Painter, and Marmoset Toolbag to maximize creative flexibility and fidelity. When not creating art, he loves to cook, visit metal concerts and battle it out in a match or two in the latest videogame.

Adam Swaab

Creative Director

Adam Swaab is a VFX Artist and Creative Director, working in film, television, and commercials since 2001. His work blends traditional visual fx with live-action and motion graphics. As a VFX artist, some of his feature film credits include Tron Legacy, Twilight: Breaking Dawn, and Pan. He has directed commercial projects for brands such as Apple, Nike, and Honda. He's been using Houdini as part of his daily toolset since 2011 and has been part of the online teaching community since 2013.

Adria Alvarado

Concept Artist | Fine Artist

Adria Alvarado, born in Trujillo, Peru, is a digital and fine artist specializing in Color Key Art. With expertise in combining traditional and digital techniques, she crafts dynamic color scripts that enhance the mood and atmosphere of animated feature films. Adria has contributed to various high-profile productions, including Star Trek Infinite, Disney's Descendants: The Royal Wedding, The Mandalorian by Funko, and Ainbo: Spirit of the Amazon. Her skillset extends to illustration, matte painting, and key art for both games and animation. She's currently working as a Concept Artist for Star Trek Online.

Adriano Grasso

Senior Lighting Artist

Adriano Grasso is a Senior Lighting Artist with over 6 years of professional experience in the game industry. He has worked at several studios, including Behaviour Interactive, MoGi Group, and Intergalactic Agency. Adriano is currently working at Microsoft, where he is responsible for creating and implementing high-quality lighting solutions for AAA games. Throughout his career, Adriano has gained expertise in a range of lighting software, including Unreal Engine, Dunia & Snowdrop, and has contributed to the development of numerous successful titles.

Adrien Paguet-Brunella

Environment Artist

Adrien Paguet-Brunella is an environment artist with a passion for creating immersive natural environments. With a background that includes working on critically acclaimed titles such as Assassin's Creed at Ubisoft and currently working on FAIRGAME$ at Haven Studios, a part of PlayStation studios, he also shares his knowledge and expertise as lecturer at NAD (Montreal) and instructor at The Gnomon Workshop. Adrien's courses offer aspiring artists the opportunity to delve into the intricacies of environment art, with a specific focus on nature and biome creation.