JONATHON BANKS

503-702-5577

jbanks2@me.com

ABOUT ME

Jonathon is an industry veteran of 5 years.  He has shipped 7 titles as an artist or designer and is currently working for Telltale Games.  As a game developer Jonathon brings his diverse range of skills and creative problem solving to every project.  His favorite thing about making games is being part of a team that passionately believes in the game they are making by having fun creating it.

SKILLS                Maya, Photoshop, Mudbox, Mental Ray, Sony ICE, Windows, HAVOK, Office, and Perforce.

EMPLOYMENT        

2009-Present      Telltale Games                                                                                                     

                            Lead Environment Artist

                            The Walking Dead

1. •Pre-production artistic development and direction.
   

2. •Creating style guides that define the artistic vision of the project for outsourced and in house work.
   

3. •Scheduling with producers for a Fall 2011 release.
   

4. •Taking on the responsibilities of a Lead Environment Artist on the project.
   

                           Senior Environment Artist

                           Puzzle Agent 2 (iPad, iPhone, iPod, Wii, PC)

1. •Lead the creation and implementation of all 3D assets for the project.
   

2. •Rapidly developed stylized 3D/ 2D environments and assets based on Graham Annables comic, Grickle.
   

3. •Created Prototype art to prove Grahams art style could be simulated in a 3D environment.
   

4. •Recreated illustrated material to be composited in 3D.
   

5. •Set up 2.5D environments for in game cutscenes.
   

6. •Created UI Art for puzzles and player interaction.
   

7. •Collaborated and created with a team of in house and telecommuting developers.
   

8. •Aided in the design and artistic direction of the game by providing positive and productive feedback.      
   

                                                                             

                            Environment Artist

                            Jurassic Park (XBox 360, PS3, PC, iPad)

1. •As a member of the core pre-production team I developed the artistic style and techniques used to create the environments for Jurassic Park.
   

2. •Modeled, textured, shaded, lit, created FX, and rigged up environments for 5 episodic releases.
   

3. •Mentored a Junior Environment Artist who is new to the team.
   

4. •Initiated the use of Normal Maps within the Telltale production pipeline.
   

5. •Aided in the overall design by being a core member of the production team.
   

6. •Communicated clear direction for the creation of assets with style guides for outsourced work.
   

7. •Integrated outsourced environments into the Telltale Engine.
   

8. •Took on the responsibilities of a Senior Environment Artist at Telltale through leadership and artistic excellence.
   

                            Puzzle Agent 1 (iPad, iPhone, iPod, Wii, PC)

1. •Lead the creation and implementation of all 3D assets for the project.
   

2. •Rapidly developed stylized 3D/ 2D environments and assets based on Graham Annables comic, Grickle.
   

3. •Created Prototype art to prove Grahams art style could be simulated in a 3D environment.
   

4. •Recreated illustrated material to be composited in 3D.
   

5. •Set up 2.5D environments for in game cutscenes.
   

6. •Created UI Art for puzzles and player interaction.
   

7. •Collaborated and created with a team of in house and telecommuting developers.
   

8. •Aided in the design and artistic direction of the game by providing positive and productive feedback.
   

                            Sam and Max Season 3 (PlayStation 3, PC, iPad)

1. •Rapidly developed stylized environments and objects for Season 3 of Sam and Max.
   

2. •Created stylized texture sets using filtered photographic reference and hand painted techniques.
   

3. •Reworked and updated outsourced and in house environments, textures, and objects to work within the Telltale Tool Engine and overall artistic direction.
   

4. •Constructed Shaders for dynamic light interaction with real time materials.
   

5. •Lit environments with dynamic and baked lights.
   

6. •Rendered User Interface Icons for player interaction.
   

                            Tales of Monkey Island (PC, Wii)

1. •Rapidly developed stylized environments and objects for the episodic world of Monkey Island.
   

2. •Created stylized texture sets using hand painted techniques.
   

3. •Reworked and updated outsourced environments, textures, and objects to work within the Telltale Tool Engine and overall artistic direction.
   

4. •Lit environments with dynamic and baked lights.
   

5. •Rendered User Interface Icons for player interaction.
   

6. •Aided in the design and artistic direction of the game by providing positive and productive feedback.
   

2006-2009           Idol Minds                                                                                                             

                            Environment Artist

                            PAIN (PlayStation 3)

1. •Developed dynamic levels with the Idol Minds art team that can be completely destroyed.
   

2. •Modeled and animated interior and exterior environments.
   

3. •Rigged assets using the physics based HAVOK Engine and prepared them for gameplay using the ICE Engine.
   

4. •Developed current generation texture sets from scratch with photographic material and hand painted techniques.
   

5. •Lit environments by generating diffuse and ambient occlusion light maps.
   

6. •Solely responsible for the entire outer city environment.
   

                            Madagascar 2 (PlayStation 2)

1. •Responsible for polygon, texture, and level reductions.
   

2. •Ported existing assets over to work with the Alchemy Engine.
   

3. •Developed new and optimized texture sets for the Alchemy Engine.
   

4. •Aided new team members with production information and art limitations.
   

5. •Provided constructive feedback when needed.
   

                            Level/Game Designer

                            PAIN (PlayStation 3)

1. •Developed physics based gameplay for the unique levels and modes in PAIN.
   

2. •Wrote intuitive design documents that describe directed levels and game mechanics.
   

3. •Created intuitive maps as a guide for level creation.
   

4. •Collaborated with the entire Design Department on level direction and control systems.
   

5. •Aided in the development of a proprietary in house 3D Level Editor.
   

6. •Implemented levels using an Editor by placing, Triggers, Script Nodes, Sound Emitters, Cameras, VFX, and Assets.
   

7. •Placed Characters and configured their animations to aid in the design of levels.
   

8. •Profiled levels to optimize CPU processing at 30 FPS.
   

9. •Developed balanced reward systems for online and offline play.
   

10. •Wrote clever game directions and UI text that is simple to understand.
    

11. •Provided support and leadership between all departments to finalize gameplay.
    

12. •Evolved gameplay by prototyping and testing future levels.   
    

2000-2001           Nike, Inc.                                                                                                                

                            Marketing Intern

                            Nike Golf (Tiger Woods Apparel and Equipment)

1. •Conducted market research with potential customers utilizing prototype product testing of Nike’s golf equipment.
   

2. •Created ideas and discussions regarding display advertising for the arrangement and packaging of Nike’s golf balls and apparel.
   

EDUCATION

2002-2005           Graduate of University of Oregon School of Architecture and Allied Arts

                            Bachelor of Science Double Major

1. •Multimedia Design
   

2. •Fine Art
   

ACADEMIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS

2011-Present      University of Advancing Technology Academic Advisory Board

                            Asset Creation and Texturing Workshop

1. •Intensive 2 hour workshop onsite in UAT Computer Lab
   

2. •Detailed past projects and how assets where created in those productions.
   

3. •Showed industry tips and tricks for creating great in-engine assets.
   

4. •Emphasized UV mapping, Texel Density, and the importance of Lighting.
   

                            Portfolio Development and Breaking into the Industry

1. •2 hour presentation in UAT Theater room.
   

2. •Detailed developing an online web site and how to showcase your work.
   

3. •Showed various web portfolios of all skill levels.
   

4. •Emphasized what the industry will be looking for in the future from AAA to Social, Serious,Web and Mobile Development.
   

5. •Talked about interviewing, taking art test, and what to expect from your first job.
   

                            Portfolio Reviews

1. •Reviewed Senior and Graduate Student work.
   

2. •Continuing to provided advice to students who are developing their skills.
   

2010-Present      Oregon State University Guest Lecturer

                            Content Creation for Games

1. •Online web presentation.
   

2. •Detailed past projects and how assets where created in those productions.
   

3. •Showed industry tips and tricks for creating great in-engine assets.
   

4. •Provided detailed notes to the students documenting what I had expressed.
   

                            Pre-Production for Game Development

1. •Online web presentation.
   

2. •Detailed past projects, the successes and shortcomings of the games i have worked on.
   

3. •Showed creative design documents, how to rapidly prototype, and the importance of defining your games core mechanics.
   

4. •Stressed the importance of building a team that knows what type of game they are building.
   

5. •Provided detailed notes to the students documenting what I had expressed.