Chad Max
Mount Shasta,USA
Summary
Senior Environment Artist with over 20 years of experience in the gaming industry. Skilled in creating immersive and compelling game environments, specializing in design, asset creation, and scene composition. Proficient in industry-standard software such as Maya, Blender, Substance Painter, and Unreal Engine to bring creative visions to life. Demonstrated ability to collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, ensuring timely delivery of high-quality AAA game titles within budget. Passionate about pushing artistic boundaries and staying updated with the latest trends and technologies in the field. Ready to leverage expertise and leadership skills to drive artistic excellence and contribute to success of ambitious game development projects.
Overview
30
30
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Environment Artist
Cryptic Studios
01.2022 - 08.2024
- Performed as Senior Environment Artist / World Builder on Neverwinter MMO in production of various large interior and exterior environments.
- Worked closely with directors and design team in creation of new expansions.
- Responsible for creative feedback during reviews and testing.
- Contributed to successful project completions by adhering to strict deadlines and effectively managing time and resources.
- Optimized game performance by identifying and resolving technical issues, ensuring smooth gameplay on various platforms.
- Supported team members in achieving project goals, fostering collaborative work environment for efficient problem solving.
- Utilized agile methodologies to efficiently manage multiple ongoing projects simultaneously while prioritizing tasks according to importance and urgency.
Senior 3D Artist
Glu / Electronic Arts
01.2017 - 01.2022
- Assisted in establishing pipelines for asset creation, streamlining production processes and ensuring seamless collaboration among team members.
- Mentored junior artists, providing guidance on best practices and industry standards in 3D modeling and texturing.
- Streamlined the development process by optimizing 3D models for efficient rendering and performance.
- Followed design guidelines, asset naming conventions and other technical constraints to produce results compliant with industry and platform standards.
- Worked closely with art directors to ensure consistency in style and quality across all 3D assets.
- Elevated storytelling capabilities by collaborating with writers and designers to create visually engaging content that supported narrative goals.
Senior 3D Artist
Seismic Games
01.2016 - 01.2017
- Performed as Senior Artist for Seismic Games and Walt Disney Imagineering in development of Star Wars Millennium Falcon, Smugglers Run ride at Disneyland California and Disney World Florida
- Worked closely with Disney creative directors and Imagineers at Walt Disney Imagineering, as well as with Industrial Light and Magic, in ride planning and design
- Design of ride flow and navigation elements and to assist ILM with production using Unreal Engine
- Strengthened communication skills through regular interactions with Industrial Light and Magic and Disney Imagineering.
- Managed time efficiently in order to complete all tasks within deadlines.
Lead Studio Artist
Blind Squirrel Games
01.2014 - 01.2016
- Performed as Lead Studio Artist while at Blind Squirrel
- Supported technical production of Mafia 3 on PC, XBox and PS4 and published by 2K and Hanger 13 Studios
- Worked closely with department leads in the production of 3rd party IPs
- Corrected and optimized geometry and lighting on expansive exterior city environments in Mafia 3 using K2's proprietary editor Fusion/Unreal
- Performed as Lead Foliage Artist in the production of an unreleased AAA franchise from a major studio on PS4
Senior 3D Artist, World of Warcraft
Activision/Blizzard
01.2009 - 01.2014
- Worked closely with team leads, concept artists, designers and texture artists in the creation of many exterior and interior models for Cataclysm, Mists of Pandaria and Warlords of Draenor game expansions
- Design, modeling and lighting for various in-game cities, raids, buildings, dungeons and micros
- Met extreme deadlines and Milestones in order to release on schedule
- Combined technical and artistic abilities to accomplish challenging design objectives.
- Worked well in a team setting, providing support and guidance.
Lead Environment Artist
Seven Studios
01.2003 - 01.2009
- Performed as Lead Environment Artists in the production of major franchise video games while at Seven Studios
- Created original artwork for titles on Playstation 2, Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii gaming platforms to be published by Activision, THQ, Electronic Arts and other major distributors
- Worked closely with the lead artists and art directors to correctly portray desired artistic styles and lighting of 3D environments for video game titles
- Worked closely with senior graphics programmers in the development of unique shaders, lighting, shadow mapping and proprietary rendering techniques for Scratch, the Ultimate DJ as well as other major titles
- Developed modern art production pipelines used in the creation of 3d assets
- Mentored junior artists during the production of titles
Senior Environment Artist
TimeGate Studios
01.2002 - 01.2003
- Responsible for establishing 3D environment terrains and models for Kohan 2
- Assigned to produce art assets for prototypes while at TimeGate
- Worked closely with team leads to produce assets for published titles
- Created 3D models, textures and animations for various 3D structures and terrain foliage
- Created numerous animated special effects
Art Director / Cofounder
Reflexive Entertainment, Inc.
01.1997 - 01.2002
- Cofounder of Reflexive Entertainment Inc
- Responsible for all visual art and music direction
- Worked closely with project directors of major interactive publishers on art development
- Key contributor in raising over 5 million in project finances
- Directed a staff of 15 artists in the production of interactive titles
- Produced and designed artwork used in the creation of video games
- Worked closely with Activision's directors in the production of Star Trek Away Team
- Worked closely with Paramount Studios in the design and creation of Star Trek Away Team
- Designed and created an original Starship that was approved by Paramount Studios and is currently part of the Star Trek universe
Lead Artist
Logicware, Inc.
01.1995 - 01.1997
- Performed as Lead Artist and was responsible for artistic direction for all game titles during my time at Logicware
- Performed the role of Lead Artist of a team of 15 artists in development of titles while working at Logicware
- Produced and designed artwork used in the creation of video games
- Worked closely with Interplay directors in the production of video games
- Directed and created all original music and sound effects while at Logicware
Education
- - Art and Music
University of Nevada Las Vegas
05.1991
Skills
- Games development
- Modeling
- Texturing
- Level Design and Layout
- World Building
- Team Leadership
- Art Direction
- Unreal Engine
- Unity
- Autodesk Maya and 3DS Max
- Blender
- ZBrush
- Substance Painter
- Substance Designer
- SpeedTree
- Adobe Creative Suite
- Asset Tracking
- Perforce
- Jira
- Communication Skills
- Time Management
- Environment Design
- Digital Sculpting
- Storyboarding
- Procedural Generation
- Vegetation Creation
- Terrain Generation
- Virtual Reality Environments
- PBR Workflow
- Interpersonal and written communication
- Game prototypes
Games
- Neverwinter, PC, XBox & PS4, Cryptic Studios, Gearbox Software, 12/01/24, Senior Environment Artist, World Builder
- God of War, PS4, Blind Squirrel Games, Sony, 01/01/18, Lead Foliage Artist
- Mafia 3, PS4, Xbox, PC, Blind Squirrel Games, 2K, 01/01/16, Technical Art, Lighting, Optimizations
- World of WarCraft, Warlords of Draenor, PC & Mac, Blizzard Entertainment, 01/01/14, Senior 3D Artist
- World of WarCraft, Mists of Pandaria, PC & Mac, Blizzard Entertainment, 01/01/12, Senior 3D Artist
- World of WarCraft, Cataclysm, PC & Mac, Blizzard Entertainment, 01/01/10, Senior 3D Artist
- Scratch, the Ultimate DJ, XBox 360, PS3, Seven Studios, Genius Products, Lead Environment Artist
- Fun Park, Nintendo Wii, Seven Studios, Brash Entertainment, 01/01/08, Senior 3D Artist
- Sopranos, Road to Respect, PS2, Seven Studios, Activision, 01/01/06, Senior 3D Artist
- Fantastic Four, PS2, Seven Studios, Activision, 01/01/05, Senior 3D Artist
- Kohan 2, Kings of War, PC, TimeGate Studios, Interactive Global Star, 01/01/02, Senior Environment Artist
- Fallout Fantasy, PC, Interplay, Reflexive Entertainment, 01/01/01, Senior 3D Artist
- Zax the Alien Hunter, PC, JoWood Productions, Reflexive Entertainment, 01/01/01, Art Director / Music Composition
- Star Trek, Away Team, PC, Activision, Reflexive Entertainment, 01/01/01, Art Director
- Swarm, PC, Reflexive Entertainment, Inc., 01/01/98, Art Director / Music Composition
- Defiance, PC, Logicware Inc., Hasbro Interactive, 01/01/97, Lead Artist / Music Composition / Sound Effects
- Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Adventures in Tinker Town, PC, MGM Interactive, Logicware Inc., 01/01/97, 3D Artist
- Killing Time, 3DO, Logicware Inc., 3DO, 01/01/96, Lead Artist / Sound Effects
- Kingdom, The Far Reaches, PC, Logicware Inc., Interplay, 01/01/96, 3D Artist
- Doom (3DO Console Port), Interplay / Logicware Inc., 01/01/96, Retouch Artist
- AstroRock, PC, Logicware Inc., Atlantean Interactive, 01/01/95, Lead Artist / Music Composition / Sound Effects
- Wolfenstein (3DO Console Port), Interplay, Logicware Inc., 01/01/95, Retouch Artist
- Doom 2 (Atari Jaguar Port), Interplay, Logicware Inc., 01/01/95, Retouch Artist
Timeline
Senior Environment Artist
Cryptic Studios
01.2022 - 08.2024
Senior 3D Artist
Glu / Electronic Arts
01.2017 - 01.2022
Senior 3D Artist
Seismic Games
01.2016 - 01.2017
Lead Studio Artist
Blind Squirrel Games
01.2014 - 01.2016
Senior 3D Artist, World of Warcraft
Activision/Blizzard
01.2009 - 01.2014
Lead Environment Artist
Seven Studios
01.2003 - 01.2009
Senior Environment Artist
TimeGate Studios
01.2002 - 01.2003
Art Director / Cofounder
Reflexive Entertainment, Inc.
01.1997 - 01.2002
Lead Artist
Logicware, Inc.
01.1995 - 01.1997
- - Art and Music
University of Nevada Las Vegas
Similar Profiles
Cherish GonzalesCherish Gonzales
Customer Service Representative at Cryptic TattooCustomer Service Representative at Cryptic Tattoo
Rebekah PellotRebekah Pellot
Parking Production at CBS Studios , NBC Studios and Warner Brothers StudiosParking Production at CBS Studios , NBC Studios and Warner Brothers Studios
Sophie FerianiSophie Feriani
Singer-Songwriter at Soho Sonic Studios, The Qube, Resident StudiosSinger-Songwriter at Soho Sonic Studios, The Qube, Resident Studios