Elevate your game art portfolio with a 1-1 environment art mentorship with Sr. Environment Artist, Jon Arellano. During this mentorship, you will create a complete 3D environment art project from concept to final render under Jon’s expert guidance.
Elevate your game art portfolio with a one-on-one environment art mentorship with Santa Monica Studio’s Senior Environment Artist and Veteran Mentor, Jon Arellano. Through live demos and feedback sessions, Jon will help you strengthen your understanding of environment art fundamentals and guide you through the same production-ready workflows used in AAA studios.
During this mentorship, you’ll create a complete 3D environment art project from concept to final render. Jon will guide you through each stage of the pipeline, from reference gathering and blockout to modular kit creation, trim and tileable material workflows, and final lighting and presentation. You’ll learn workflows used by senior environment artists, including how to approach environments with strong composition, mood, and storytelling. Jon will help you understand efficiency and optimization in real-time pipelines, sharing practical methods for planning modular scenes, setting up master materials, and establishing cohesive color and lighting that enhance your work’s atmosphere and impact.
By the end of this mentorship, you’ll have a stronger understanding of professional environment art workflows, a refined eye for lighting and composition, and a more confident approach to presenting your work in your portfolio.
Please note: Mentorship start dates are guidelines – the exact date will be determined by your Mentor in the month listed. Each session will be scheduled to best accommodate both mentors and mentees
Individualized assignments
Every plan comes packed with everything you need to master professional texturing workflows.
Jon Arellano is a Senior Environment Artist currently at Santa Monica Studio. Over the last decade, he has created high-quality game environments for popular AAA titles such as God of War Ragnarök, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare, Ashes of Creation Apocalypse, and EverQuest.
Jon is also an instructor at Gnomon and has done live workshops, demos and panels. His work has been featured on 80 Level, ArtStation, and Adobe Substance 3D.
He was the first mentor to join Sierra Division Academy, and his impact has set the standard for mentorship at the Academy. He consistently goes above and beyond to support mentees, offering excellent feedback, expert guidance, and genuine investment in their growth. Mentees consistently praise Jon’s mentorship, and he has become one of the most in-demand mentors at Sierra Division Academy.
Choose the amount of time that best fits your learning style. All options include community access.
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