Welcome to my website! I focus on 3d environment artist, but I feel confident in all layers of the game production pipeline.  Aside from playing video games, I also love reading, watching movies, and spending time outdoors.  I am passionate about traditional art, and I particularly enjoy sketching, painting with acrylics, and modeling in sculpey.  One of my stranger interests is alternative alphabets and symbolism.  The Japanese alphabets and kanji are of particular interest, and I have a shelf of symbolism books.  
 
I am currently employed at Full Sail as a Lab Specialist for Game Final Project.  I act as the art director for students during their five month long project.  I love to offer my experience for others to learn from, and I learn from my job just as much as my students learn from me.  I'm learning how to be a leader and a role model, as well as better techniques for making art.  
In addition to my job, I am working on a game project with some friends.  I apply what I do at work to this project.  We are currently working on the documentation and concept.  Maybe i can share more soon. 
My most favorite video game is Civilization IV.  This is because it is challenging and different every time I play.  Once I get comfortable enough at a difficulty level, I can move up to a harder one.  In addition, I enjoy puzzle games, role-playing games, adventure games, card games, and board games. I do play massively multiplayer games as well, and my current addiction is Rift, though I have yet to get to max level.  
 
I originally became interested in 3d art when I saw the Lord of the Rings movies.  The books were something I was passionate about, and I was thrilled to see such a beautiful representation.  The 3D effects stood out to me particularly.  Gollum, Shelob, the Balrog, the Nazgul, even more subtle things like the horses in the water when the river floods impressed me.  After each movie I was so excited to see the next.  I was signed up for the official Fan Club, and I paid to have my name in the "Fan Club Credits" on the Fellowship of the Ring extended edition.  I told myself then that I would earn the right to have my name in credits someday.  It is so inspiring to watch the "making of" content on the DVDs.  I regret only that I'm not going to have enough experience in time to work for Weta Digital on the Hobbit movies. 
 
I'm also inspired greatly by Pixar movies.  Their movies' levels of depth in story and quality of production never cease to astound me.  I can no longer decide which of the Pixar movies is my favorite, but it's somewhere between Monsters Inc., Ratatouille, Wall-E, and Up. 
 
Attached is a PDF of my current resume.
I can also be found on LinkedIn
Say hi on Twitter @ninjagaz
Or just send me an email (please use liz@rudis.net)
I look forward to meeting you!