Nathan Williams | Character Artist at Riot Games

Summary

Character ArtistRiot Games

Los Angeles, CAJun 2021Present

Created and integrated over 15 unique character models for a major unannounced AAA title, adhering to strict polycount and texture budgets while maintaining visual fidelity.
Optimized character assets, reducing average poly count by 20% and texture memory by 15% across multiple character sets without visual degradation, significantly improving game performance.
Collaborated closely with concept artists, animators, and technical artists to ensure seamless character implementation and animation compatibility.
Developed and maintained PBR texture workflows, resulting in a 10% increase in material creation efficiency and consistency across diverse character styles.

Associate Character ArtistBlizzard Entertainment

Irvine, CAJun 2018Jun 2021

Modeled and textured 10+ character variations and assets for a flagship title, contributing to significant content updates and seasonal events.
Assisted senior artists in retopology, UV layout, and baking processes, improving pipeline efficiency by 5% and reducing iteration times.
Implemented feedback from art directors and team leads to refine character details, enhancing overall visual appeal and brand consistency.
Researched and integrated new sculpting and texturing techniques to improve character realism and workflow, specifically for hair and fabric assets.

Developed a hyper-realistic character from concept to game-ready asset, focusing on advanced skin shading, micro-details, and realistic hair (XGen).
Utilized advanced sculpting techniques in ZBrush and PBR texturing in Substance Painter to achieve cinematic quality within a real-time budget.
Integrated the character into Unreal Engine 5, implementing custom shaders and lighting setups to showcase full potential.

Created a full stylized game character, including armor, weapon, and facial expressions, tailored for a fantasy RPG aesthetic.
Executed clean hand-painted style textures in Substance Painter, complemented by PBR materials for metallic elements.
Optimized character mesh to below 30k triangles for mobile platform compatibility while maintaining visual integrity.

Modular Creature System

Nov 2020Feb 2021

Designed and implemented a modular creature system with interchangeable body parts, enabling over 50 unique creature variations from 5 base meshes.
Developed a robust naming convention and asset organization system, streamlining the pipeline for future artists.
Integrated the modular system into Unity 3D, ensuring proper rigging, skinning, and material assignments for dynamic assembly.

Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)Bachelor of Fine Arts in Game Art

Savannah, GASep 2014May 2018

Graduated Cum Laude with a GPA of 3.8/4.0
Awarded 'Best Character Art' for senior thesis project 'Project Solara'
Developed comprehensive understanding of game art pipelines and industry-standard software

3D Modeling & Sculpting

ZBrushAutodesk MayaBlenderMarvelous DesignerHardsurface Modeling

Texturing & Shading

Substance PainterSubstance DesignerAdobe PhotoshopMariPBR Workflows

Game Engines & Tools

Unreal Engine 5Unity 3DMarmoset ToolbagPerforceJira

Retopology & UV

TopoGunRizomUVUVLayoutMaya Quad Draw

Rendering & Lighting

Arnold RenderV-RayKeyshotReal-time Rendering