About
Hi, I’m Derek Kruk a 3D Creative Director based in Chicago with over a decade of experience crafting motion-driven design. I work across a wide range of mediums, including live-action VFX, 3D and 2D motion graphics, virtual reality, and both print and digital campaigns. I’m driven by a constant push to raise the bar for design and animation, staying sharp through hands-on experimentation and ongoing personal projects that explore new tools and techniques.
With a deep love for animation and cinema, I focus on aligning client goals with meaningful audience engagement. I believe the best work comes from a collaborative, curious, and genuinely fun creative process and strive to bring that energy to every project I take on.
I’m currently available for freelance work.
For inquires, please contact me at: derek@derekkruk.art
Resume PDF
ViewSkills
Software proficiency
Reel
Experience
• Create 3D/2D motion design animations
• Focus in 3D motion design, animation, and visual effects
• Consult clients to understand request and guide approach
• Produce moodboards, styleframes, and storyboards
• Specialize in Houdini Sidefx and Cinema 4D
• Work on agency and direct to client projects• Create creative briefs for new work and presentations
• Source creative talent and vendors for projects
• Collaborate closely with producers to understand client expectations and deadlines
• Development of 3D Pipeline and AWS Deadline
• Lead team in Houdini and provided mentorship to junior artist
• Provide reviews and critique of work to maintain high quality standards• Create 3D motion design animations
• Responsible for leading 3D department and creating artwork for new business
• Collaborate with clients and art directors to create mood boards and styleframes
• Use Houdini to model, animate, and render projects
• Create variety of art styles that fit within the brand of each client
• Make 3D animations for variety of mediums from webpages, video, or advertisements• Create CG photo-real images for Wayfair's website
• Light and render product images for Wayfair's website
• Use 3DS Max to model, design, and texture architectures for product placement
• Produce photo-real materials in Vray
• Collaborate with Art Directors on brand styles and imagery.• Create, edit, and manage 3D content for VR applications
• Produce content for clients such as Macy’s, La-Z-Boy, and OKA
• Provide feedback and direction to outsource studio artist
• Organize, track, and improve content from outsource studios
• Model and texture assets for client demos• Shipped title “Beyond Tokyo” - HTC VIVEPORT
• 3D artist for narrative driven VR experiences
• Modeled organic and hard surface environment assets
• Creation of original shaders and textures
• Assemble and optimize scenes in Unity• Contract 3D Artist for VR machine learning experince
• Produced stylized game ready assets
• Created shaders in Unity
• Level creation in Unity• Work as an off-site contractor for Jaunt VR • Produce modeled assets in Maya and ZBrush for Jaunt VR app • Complete weekly task for art production team • Create textures to be packaged with models • Build VR ready assets from concept art
• Produced CG art for Jaunt VR App • Modeled CG assets for VR App “Worlds” in Maya • Textured assets in Substance Painter for integration into app • Designed VR ready art for Vive, Gear VR, Oculus, and PSVR • Collaborated with team to concept VR “Worlds” for clients
• Modeled and UV mapped PreVis and commercial assets in Maya • Produced PreVis model archives for scene creation. • Textured assets in Mari under supervision of 3D Lead • Experienced working in CGI pipeline • Learned 3D publishing pipeline