Colter Avara

Oak Park, IL, USA

Work Experience

Freelance

Owner

CLIENTS

Starmaker Interactive | Character Designer October 2011 - Present
Google | Graphic Designer August 2010 - October 2011
Slide | Game Artist October 2009 - August 2010
Acclaim Games | Game Artist June 2009 - October 2009
JPL Creative | Illustrator and Lead Animator November 2008 - April 2009
John K Enterprises | Cleanup Artist May 2008 - September 2008

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS

Art Direction

Led a remote team of artists for game asset design
Created style guides for the artists to ensure consistency
Reviewed game assets and provided feedback to the artists

Graphic Design

Worked collaboratively in a team environment with art directors and lead UI designers
Used wireframes to convey initial concepts for web and mobile user interface
Created full concept based on approved wireframes and style guide
Designed final user interface based on team feedback
Conceptualized and designed animated Facebook ads to increase web traffic
Created website and application branding and logo treatment

Illustration

Illustrated revenue generating virtual assets for multiple Facebook games
Created game defining characters for mobile applications
Provided character design from concept to execution
Incorporated feedback from art directors into finished product
Met weekly deadlines for asset design
Provided inking, sketch finalization, and key poses for animation

Animation

Animated revenue generating virtual assets
Provided character animation for online health program
Animated Facebook ads. Used traditional and Flash animation styles
May 2008 - Present Chicago, Illinois, United States

Rocket Farm Studios

Character Designer/Animator/Illustrator

Designed and animated characters for children's app KidConnect
June 2014 - Present Massachusetts, United States

Secret Game

Character Designer/Illustrator

Designing characters for a secret project/game
December 2013 - Present Portland, Oregon, United States

Megatherium Labs

Character Design/Illustrator

Designed main character Mega and created illustrations for Museum ScrapBook app
October 2013 - October 2013 St. Louis, Missouri, United States

WishPop

2D Artist/Designer/UI Designer

Character Designer, Illustrator, and Animator with a little bit of UI design to taste. Creating fun and useful apps for children and adults!
July 2012 - October 2014 San Francisco, California, United States

Starmaker Interactive

Concept Artist

Contract Character Designer/Graphic Designer
October 2011 - San Francisco, California, United States

Google

Graphic Designer

User Interface Design, Logo Design and Ad Design for various projects including VideoInbox
August 2010 - October 2011 Mountain View, California, United States

Slide Inc

Game Artist

Virtual Asset design and animation for Super Poke Pets, Top Fish and Rock Riot, maintained strict deadlines for item releases.

Led Virtual Asset Design for Rock Riot, increased game revenue by creating high-end virtual assets.
October 2009 - August 2010 San Francisco, California, United States

Acclaim Games

Game Artist

Virtual Asset Design and animation for Rockfree
In-Game UI Design
June 2009 - October 2009 Hollywood, California, United States

Languages

English (Native),

Awards

Horizon Award

Silver Horizon Award

2009

Skills

Art Direction, Character Design, Concept Art, CSS, Graphic Design, HTML, Logo Design, Microsoft Office Suite, User Interface, Adobe Flash, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Animation, Cintiq, Flash Animation, Intuos5, IOS, Manga Studio, Mobile Games, Social Games, Traditional Animation, UI, Vector Art, Wacom,