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Ryan Bradford is currently a Contract 3D Environment Artist currently working with Drift.io. Skilled in Maya, Blender, Adobe Photoshop, Substance Painter, Substance Designer, Unreal Engine 5, and Unity. Utilizing these programs I sculpt organic and hard surface models, texture with hand painting and PBR workflows, optimize stylized or realistic assets, and implement projects into real time rendering engines. I have a strong art and design background focused on games, illustration, and branding.

I have always had a passion for design/illustration/ and artistic creation . As a kid, you could always find me with a sketch pad and pencil. My love of creating and producing was taken to new levels during my studies of 3D design and animation while at Pratt Institute. Here, I was able to develop my skills as I was introduced to new software and techniques such as Autodesk Maya, Z brush and the Adobe Programs.

I was a huge buff on animated films growing up. Beyond just watching them, I dove into the history of the industry and fell in love not just with animation, but also the people and teams behind making it. It inspired me to make my own art, which proved to be the greatest outlet for all my thoughts, and led to the strongest connections I’ve ever developed with other people.

I started playing video games when I was little, I was amazed by all kinds of games and always wanted to one day work in the game industry, and maybe even create my own games.

I think I first started showing interest in the creative field in high school when I started drawing a little more frequently and seriously.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a passion for art, storytelling, and technology. I never saw the connection between these fundamental parts of myself until I was a teenager, when I learned about 3D animation as a genuine career option. As soon as that lightbulb went off, I knew my path.

Throughout my childhood I was always interested in more artistic endeavors-- drawing and creating stories, immersing myself in the worlds created by others in the media I loved. I had never seen this as a real career prospect until late in my highschool career, when I realized that all the things I had loved and dreamed of creating were made by others, just like me, who were passionate about their craft.

In high school, my fascination with speed paints and CalArts sketchbook tours hinted at my future in the creative industries. I found myself more engrossed in the sketches filling my notebooks than in the class notes they were supposed to accompany.

after graduating high school

Inspired during high school after being accepted into Pratt Institute, my passion for the creative industries ignited. Graduating now, I cherish my artistic growth, nurtured by talented illustrators and industry professionals.

I used to want to be a cartoonist when I was in 6th grade, I’d draw comics of my original characters every day and compile little art books of them - this dream grew and evolved from cartoons to animation, where I now want to work in Story and Character Design.

When I was 3 years old, I drew an almost-exact replica of the Flintstones just from watching an episode on TV; since then, cartoons and characters have been the driving force of my life. Any non-creative work that I've taken has solely been for sustainability, but I've always known that I needed to make animations.

High School, Senior Year

When I found out the power of visual language.

I really started to deep dive into digital media and vfx when I began my education as an architecture student. I found a love in modeling and rendering, and a need to learn as much as I can.

I majored in Interior Design at Pratt Institute. I realised my interest in digital modeling, renderings and visualisation in my process of learning and I am developing those skill with my own design and concepts in architecture and interior design.

Probably at my senior year in high school. I had been talking to my family for a long time, and I finally got all of them to agree.

I love doing things in multimedia back to the time when I know nothing about computer 3D stuff. I have always wanted to create a world by my hand in 3D not just on paper, so I decided to pursue my dream in 3D industry.

I first realized that I wanted to work in the entertainment industry way back when I first saw Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (DreamWorks) back in 2002 (age 6) on a video with bonus features. I discovered my first 'behind the scenes' look at a film and realized that artists actually created the characters on screen. Years later I learned about 'art books' and became addicted to seeing early sketches and designs for film and games. I knew that I wanted to join this world of concept and design.

I wanted to work in the creative media industry when I realized I was the happiest being creative.

Realizing I could create the art that inspired and gave me happiness.