Gina Izerel - Environment Art 2023
Hi, I'm Gina Izerel! I recently graduated from Northeastern University with a BFA in Game Art and Animation. Here are some environments from my final graduation short-film, "Glass Passages", created and rendered in Unreal Engine. My focus is creating virtual worlds and assets for games, virtual production, and film.
ABOUT GLASS PASSAGES
Glass Passages is a short film showcasing my 3D virtual environment design skills, created and rendered entirely within Unreal Engine. The protagonist is a 3D-scanned version of myself that I created using LiDAR scanning technology.
The character travels on a train with a glass ceiling, exploring unique virtual environments representing milestones in my journey as an artist along my college career. It is a personal reflection of my South African identity and my journey as an international student.
Through the the beauty of real-time visuals and advanced 3D technology, the film portrays my journey coming to the US, my development as an artist, and the excitement of what is to come.
Part 1: African Savana
I grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa. The country, beauty, and culture has become an intrinsic part of my identity. I developed a fascination for environments, animals, and creatures that inspire my artwork. My background and upbringing is a large part of the artist I am today, and so it is a suitable place to start the journey into this story world.
Part 2: Cyberpunk City
I faced the challenge of leaving home at 18, and moved to London to start my first year of college. This was exciting, but overwhelming, being alone in a new country. I then moved to Boston to continue my studies. While it was difficult to uproot twice, I was also immersed into beautiful cultures and new perspectives.
This scene captures beauty amidst chaos and uncertainty.
Part 3: Abandoned Train Station
I faced many struggles being an international student coming to the US amidst the pandemic. It was scary arriving in a new city that I had never visited before, with my family being all the way in South Africa. However, it is part of my journey because it made me stronger, and I found peace in my art and continuously learning.
I wanted this scene to capture how abandonment, isolation, and fear can leave space for new opportunities and beauty to grow.
Part 4: Space
I started an internship that changed my perspective on the industry and my career. I had a wonderful experience working at Universal Pictures and was introduced to the virtual production world. I was able to work on projects bigger than what I could create on my own. I also realized that in a universe full of talent, my perspective and ideas mattered, and I learned so much along the way. This scene is a dedication to my experience there (note, I did not create it during my time there) and the earth is a nod to their logo!
This scene, in its dreamlike and ethereal nature, captures my perspective in a world of possibilities.
ABOUT THE SCENE
I moved mountains to achieve this scene…literally. My interest in emerging tools led me to explore virtual environments and procedural terrain generation. Growing up surrounded by beautiful mountains in South Africa led me to make this mountain the hero element of the scene. Experiencing snow during my spring semester in Boston inspired me to create a convergence between my two worlds; a scene incorporates the beauty of Boston winter and the breathtaking African sun. This scene was optimized for game and virtual production purposes, with performance profiling, light baking, and overall optimization. The final video was rendered with path-tracing in Unreal Engine.
If you're interested in seeing more of my work, check out my website at ginaizerel.com and my demo reel!
Find me on ArtStation and LinkedIn.
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