
Hey, I'm Zach.
I'm a mid-level 3D generalist in Chicago with a background in architecture and a soft spot for building environments.
I'm driven by the pursuit of 3D craft, and most of what I know I've taught myself through Gnomon Workshop, YouTube and a lot of figuring it out. Architecture taught me to care about detail and scale, and I love making environments move with animation.
Right now I'm a CG Generalist at STL, making motion graphics, VFX and fully CG animation for architecture projects and brands. There I managed a team of five for a year building a digital twin of O'Hare Airport in Unreal Engine.
Away from the computer I'm usually behind a camera, shooting film and digital for weddings, events and the street.
Software
My workflow is built around Cinema 4D, 3ds Max and Unreal Engine, and I've picked up a wide range of tools along the way.
- Go-to tools:Cinema 4D · 3ds Max · Unreal Engine · Rhino 3D
- Every project:Substance Painter · After Effects · Photoshop · Photography
- Also in the kit:Maya · AXYZ Anima · Marvelous Designer · ZBrush · Gaea · EmberGen · Premiere · Lightroom · V-Ray · Corona · Redshift · Drawing
Experience
CG Generalist at STL, Chicago
Motion graphics, VFX and fully CG animation for architecture and brand work, using Unreal Engine, 3ds Max, Cinema 4D, Redshift and AXYZ Anima. Clients include Bally's Casino · Chicago Public Schools · O'Hare Airport
Managed a team of 5 for a year building a digital twin of O'Hare Airport inside Unreal Engine.
Freelance Motion Designer at Cracked Media, St. Louis
Animation for brands, concerts and concept art in Cinema 4D, Unreal Engine and After Effects.
3D Artist for 4Topps
3D work for a stadium seating company.
3D Visualization Artist at BeVizual, Chicago
Architectural still renderings in 3ds Max and Chaos Corona.
Visualization Teaching Assistant at Washington University in St. Louis
Taught 12 students Rhino and V-Ray in an architecture representation course led by Jonathan Stitelman.
3D Visualization Artist at Clayton Korte, San Antonio
Matte painting and architectural still renderings.
Graphic Designer at the University of Illinois, Champaign
Posters, social media and more for the architecture school, working with the director.
Architecture
Architectural Designer at Clayton Korte, San Antonio
Architectural Designer at SB, Chicago
Education
Self-guided through Gnomon Workshop and YouTube
Master of Architecture coursework, Washington University in St. Louis
Full-ride Director's Scholarship · co-founded the WashU VFX Club, bringing together people interested in VFX
B.S. in Architecture, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Ivy House
CTA Train
Pantheon Parasite