Hey! It’s me, Megan.
3D Artist and Animator
Education
I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Computer Science and a Minor in Digital Technology and Culture with a focus in Animation from Washington State University in May 2024. Although my major was computer science, my passion has always been animation.
During my studies, I took a handful of 3D animation courses and have been dedicated to using my free-time to further develop my 3D modeling and animation skills. I also served as an undergraduate TA for the 3D animation class where I was able to teach my knowledge to other students.
What’s My Story?
On August 21st, 2001, my mom gave birth to identical twins. When my sister and I were toddlers, my parents would give us coloring books to keep us busy. My dad likes to joke that they always knew what pages were mine, because unlike my sister, I always colored inside the lines. I continued coloring in my coloring books for a couple more years, although I had graduated from filling in solid colors and had started coloring patterns like stripes and polka dots onto the pages. Eventually, I fell into painting. I remember being gifted my first pack of canvases for Christmas when I was seven years old and feeling like I was a professional artist.
Growing up, most of my free time was spent drawing or painting. I painted everything from flowers, to landscapes, to sport team logos, to abstract pieces for my living room. At the age of ten, I had started my own little business, taking commissions from friends and family, and selling my paintings at our annual neighborhood garage sale. Even when I was busy creating work for other people, I found it very important to create for myself too. I spent my free time drawing and painting characters from my favorite movies. In my high school years, I experimented with a variety of mediums outside of acrylic paints including water colors, alcohol markers, colored pencils, brush pens, and I even took up calligraphy. It was in high school that I also took up digital art.
I grew up in a racquetball family. (I promise this is relevant.) My parents were both racquetball players, and as soon as I could walk, I was swinging a racquet. When my parents would go to the gym, my dad would give my sister and I racquets and would put us in a court instead of day care. We would make up our own games and hit the ball around until one of my parents came to let us out because we couldn’t open the doors on our own. My dad taught us the rules once we were old enough to comprehend them. I played in my first State Racquetball Championships when I was seven years old, and I competed in my first National Championships when I was eight. By the time I was eighteen, I had six National Championship titles, and had competed on Team USA at the World Racquetball Championships three times, medaling at all three.
I was at the 2018 National Championships when I decided I wanted to pursue a career in animation. I was playing my semi-final match in singles, when I collapsed to the ground and could not stand back up. I had to forfeit the match because I was having severe muscle cramps. I laid on a table while the trainer rubbed a soothing lotion on my legs, trying to get my muscles to relax but I twitched and winced as my muscles contracted involuntarily. In an attempt to get my mind off the pain, the trainer asked me what I wanted to do after high school. I was about to enter my junior year, and I still had no idea what I wanted to do. I told her that I was an artist, and I wanted to do something art related but that I had been told by countless people that I could not make a career out of art. She pointed at the little temporary Spider-Man tattoo that I always put on my wrist before my matches and asked me if I liked movies. I told her I loved movies. She then told me how her husband was an artist, and he worked as an animator. After hearing her talk about her husband’s work, I decided I wanted to become an animator.
In the weeks following the tournament, I saved up my money and I bought my first iPad. I taught myself how to make digital art. I started drawing in Procreate until I learned I could make 2D animations in Procreate too. Once I got to college, I became proficient at using apps like After Effects, Illustrator, Photoshop, and Maya on the desktop. My higher education confirmed for me that my passion lies in animation.
Career Interests
I am currently seeking full-time, part-time, or contract work as a 3D artist. I specialize in 3D modeling, but I have experience in texturing and animation as well. If you or your company has work available that matches my skillset, please send me an email!