Art Outsourcing Manager at Unannounced Studio!
Austin, Texas Area
- Current
-
- Art Outsourcing Manager at Unannounced studio
- Past
-
- Art Production Manager at NCsoft Austin
- Foreground Artist at Ready At Dawn Studios
- Contract Artist at Commgraphics
- 2D / 3D Artist at Liquid Development
- Account Manager and Marketing Manager at Liquid Development
- Character Artist at 4D Rulers Inc.
- Artist at Three Romans
- Recommended
-
18 people have recommended Jon - Connections
-
433
connections
- Industry
- Computer Games
- Websites
Jon Jones’s Summary
I'm an Art Outsourcing Manager working on a very exciting title at an unannouncted studio. I can't wait to announce it. :)
Most recently I worked with NCsoft Austin where I built and managed an almost completely outsourced art department. The project was Dungeon Runners, a casual free-to-play MMORPG that scored 89% in PC Gamer, 8/10 in Games for Windows and consistently ranks highly among the web's top free games.
I came on board to build and lead an entire art team composed solely of external contractors, of which there are roughly 15 - 30 at any given time, peaking out at over 60. My responsibilities encompass everything related to art production, including the following: art direction (jointly with lead designer), hiring and managing external artists, negotiation, putting together contracts, budgeting, scheduling, documentation, and ingame implementation, and even find time to do my own art!
I currently outsource the art production of the following: Concept art, modeling, texturing, rigging, animation, particle effects, world building, engine integration, documentation, organizational documents and video tutorials.
I run a blog detailing my experiences in running an outsourced art team. Half of the site is focused toward art outsourcing managers. For them, I detail the lessons I’ve learned about management, production and dealing with artists. I also detail my favorite best practices, tools I use, and styles of thought that have helped me learn and develop my skills.
The other half of my site is focused toward artists learning how to better themselves in terms of cultivating a positive attitude, keeping a high level of motivation and becoming more effective professionals. It also gives them an insight into the management side of this business of art to provide insight into high level decisionmaking processes they’re rarely privy to.
The blog is called “Jon Jones, smArtist” and is located here: http://www.thejonjones.com
Jon Jones’s Specialties:
All aspects of 3D game art, art outsourcing, managing remote contractors, art development best practices, business development, technical consulting, managing client accounts, developing marketing campaigns, and brokering art.
I'm experienced with Maya, 3D Studio MAX, Photoshop, Lightwave, Deep Paint, and Deep UV, as well as Microsoft Project.
Jon Jones’s Experience
-
Art Outsourcing Manager
Unannounced studio
(Computer Games industry)
September 2008 — Present (3 months)
Art Outsourcing Manager at a new, exciting, unannounced studio on a very cool project. :)
-
Art Production Manager
NCsoft Austin
(Public Company; 201-500 employees; Computer Games industry)
June 2006 — August 2008 (2 years 3 months)
• I'm working on Dungeon Runners, a casual free-to-download massively multiplayer online role playing game with an optional monthly subscription fee for access to premium content. Dungeon Runners has scored 89% in PC Gamer, 8/10 in Games for Windows and consistently ranks highly among the web’s top free games.
• I run an art team composed of external artists, ranging from 15 to 30 at a time, depending on the scale of outsourced production needs for each content build cycle.
• My responsibilities encompass everything related to art production, including the following: art direction (jointly with lead designer), hiring and managing external artists, negotiation, putting together contracts, budgeting, scheduling, documentation, and ingame implementation.
• I currently outsource the production of the following: Concept art, modeling, texturing, rigging, animation, particle effects, world building, engine integration, documentation, organizational documents and video tutorials. -
Foreground Artist
Ready At Dawn Studios
(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Computer Games industry)
October 2004 — June 2006 (1 year 9 months)
• I worked on Daxter PSP, a critically acclaimed multi-million selling action platformer starring Daxter, the eponymous wise-cracking loudmouth comprising half of Sony’s premier platformer duo, Jak and Daxter.
• I modeled, UVed, textured, rigged, optimized, repurposed and posed several ingame and cinematic character models in Maya and Photoshop.
• I concepted, modeled, UVed, textured, rigged, animated and implemented over 400 animated props, including vehicles, weapons, moving platforms, animated doors, environmental hazards, spinning death traps, and weapons of mass destruction.
• I concepted, modeled, UVed, rigged, animated, created visibility for and assembled a gameplay-intensive portion of a hotel level and also the entire final boss level. -
Contract Artist
Commgraphics
(Computer Games industry)
June 2004 — March 2005 (10 months)
• Worked on NanoLegends, a platforming educational game about cellular biology and cancer awareness targeting junior high school children.
• Modeled, UVed, and rigged kid-friendly characters and big goofy monsters in Maya.
• Helped scout, interview, negotiate with, train and manage new talent to replace him when he was hired at Ready At Dawn Studios. -
2D / 3D Artist
Liquid Development
(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Computer Games industry)
May 2003 — October 2004 (1 year 6 months)
• Worked as a contract artist on over a dozen titles, including East Coast Games' Spoils of War, WildTangent's NCAA Coca-Cola Madness, Origin's Ultima X Odyssey, Irrational's SWAT 4, Microsoft's Mythica, ResponDesign's Yourself! Fitness and Maxis' The Sims 2.
• Modeled, optimized, repurposed, UVed, textured, and rigged all manner of characters, vehicles and weapons in 3D Studio MAX, Maya and Photoshop.
• Built an ingame user interface in Photoshop for Yourself! Fitness. -
Account Manager and Marketing Manager
Liquid Development
(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Computer Games industry)
March 2004 — October 2004 (8 months)
I divide my time between prospecting new business, managing client accounts, building deal proposals, developing marketing campaigns and managing Liquid Development's public profile.
-
Character Artist
4D Rulers Inc.
(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Computer Games industry)
April 2001 — November 2003 (2 years 8 months)
• Worked on Gore: The Ultimate Soldier and Secret Service: Security Breach.
• Conceived and modeled characters and objects in Lightwave and 3D Studio MAX. -
Artist
Three Romans
(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Computer Games industry)
September 2002 — December 2002 (4 months)
Created vehicle models for Ultimate Demolition Derby.
Additional Information
Jon Jones’s Websites:
Jon Jones’s Interests:
Marketing, branding, leadership, video games, game development, self-improvement, movies, art, outsourcing, overachievement
Jon Jones’s Groups:
GI
-
Casual Games -
Game Developers -
Games Industry Outsource Group
Jon Jones’s Contact Settings
Interested In:
- career opportunities
- consulting offers
- new ventures
- job inquiries
- expertise requests
- business deals
- reference requests
- getting back in touch
