Elevate your game art portfolio with a one-on-one environment art mentorship with Santa Monica Studio’s Senior Environment Artist, 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.
Advanced-junior to experienced game artists.You should have a good grasp of 3D tools and basic production workflows to get the most out of the mentorship.
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
*Subject to Adobe approval, terms, and eligibility.
Registration Period
Start Date
Individualized assignments
None
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.
Get tailored feedback on every assignment from leading industry experts.
Learn from anywhere! Each program is designed to help you progress with confidence and purpose.
Review course instructions and videos for a year after the course end date.
Get feedback and guidance on every assignment from leading industry experts.
Learn from anywhere! Each program is designed to help you progress with confidence and purpose.
Our Mentorships are designed to meet your where you are and get you where you want to go.
Budget-friendly courses and flexible payment plans let you focus on learning
Provide your info below and we’ll notify you as soon as additional sessions or seats are available.
Pay in equal monthly installments* or pay the balance in full. Whichever option you choose, you’ll reserve your seat right away—secure, simple, and designed to fit your budget. It’s our goal to make our educational content as accessible as possible.
*Currently only available in the USA.
