ENVIRONMENT DESIGN
Unreal Engine 3
After my experience working for the game studio Gearbox Software, I fell in love with building worlds within the design engine Unreal. During my time there, I was able to learn and develop the skills to manipulate materials and textures, utilize 3D assets, navigate building brushes, and script animations to create my own playable world within an environment completely constructed from my own imagination. Each of these environments started as a vast, empty black space, and with a little creativity and patience, they blossomed into a rich landscape ready for a player to explore and interact with.
COSTUMES
Original and Cosplay Designs
My mother, who was a seamstress for over 30 years, taught me how to sew at a very young age. It started with making clothes for my dolls, to Halloween costumes, to my own unique teenage fashions, to a full blown Etsy store selling my work online. I have also taken my designs on the road, selling in booths across many conventions in the southern United States. My costumes have been featured in two magazines and have received thousands of impressions across several social media platforms. This hobby has been one of the most uplifting and fulfilling experiences I have had the pleasure to refine and share with others.
PROCESS
From Concept to Debut
With each original design I have created, I have started with a solid concept. I begin with one small seed of inspiration - a character or personality comes to mind, and I begin to dream of its possibilities. I first think about what kind of person they are, where and when they came from, what made them who they are. What kind of things they think about, what their life purpose is, what their day to day activities might be. With this beginning of character, I can start to imagine what that kind of person would wear, because now I know why they would wear it. I sketch out a picture, often with several sketches. I research their period of time and what others wear, picking out things I like, developing their style, and piecing together their story from head to toe. Once I have settled on my final sketch, I begin to craft a pattern, the base shapes of what the costume pieces will be. With a lot of time and patience (and a ton of flexibility) their character emerges through the ensemble, and eventually comes to life.