About
Hello, my name is Derek Kruk. I am currently an Associate Creative Director with over a decade of experience based in Los Angeles. My expertise spans multiple mediums, including VFX in live action, 3D and 2D motion graphics, virtual reality, and print and digital campaigns. I pride myself to push design and animation standards to new heights. Committed to staying at the forefront of industry trends and technological advancements through ongoing personal projects.
With my passion for animation and cinema, I align client goals with audience engagement. I like to foster a collaborative and fun environment for whatever project I am taking on. I look forward to working on projects with you!
I am open to freelancing for short to medium term projects.
For inquires, please contact me at: derek@derekkruk.art
Resume PDF
ViewSkills
Software proficiency
Reel
Experience
• Create design-based creative briefs for pitches and presentations
• Source creative talent and vendors for projects
• Collaborate closely with producers to understand client expectations
• Work with producers to create deadlines and budgets for new work
• Lead team in Houdini and provided mentorship to junior artist
• Provide reviews and critique of work to maintain high quality standards• Create 3D/2D motion design animations
• Focus in 3D motion design, animation, and visual effects
• Produce moodboards, styleframes, and storyboards
• Specialize in Houdini Sidefx
• Collaborate with agency and direct to client projects• 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