Working Instructors

Jackson is a Look Development artist based in San Francisco with years of experience in the animation, VFX, and games industries. Primarily focused on shading and grooming for feature film, he most recently worked as a Character Shade & Groom TD at Pixar Animation Studios, and previously held roles such as Lead Pipeline & Rendering Technician, freelance VFX artist, concept artist, and technical advisor/mentor to students. His journey began in traditional art, but over time his skills and interests have evolved into a blend of technical and artistic expertise, which he believes is an essential combination in the field of Look Development. With a background spanning various aspects of the 3D pipeline, including lighting, rendering, compositing, and pipeline technical direction, he brings a broad perspective to his work, using these disciplines to inform and enhance his workflow strategies and artistic contributions. Above all, his passion for creativity is what drives both his professional and personal pursuits. Whether drawing, painting, developing technical shading workflows, or scripting artist-friendly tools, he loves discovering creative solutions to visual challenges, thrives on collaboration, and is continuously learning new things.

United States