Summary

MICHAEL ENGSTROM

Lead Artist • Art Director • Creative Director

Plymouth, Devon, UK | +44 7472 322225 | engyorg@hotmail.com | engy.artstation.com

Creative Vision

My creative vision is rooted in atmosphere, storytelling, and emotional connection. I strive to build worlds that feel alive — where light, texture, and design work together to draw players in. Whether shaping stylized or grounded aesthetics, I balance artistic intuition with technical precision to create experiences that resonate long after the screen fades.

Selected Projects

Pestilence (BrandLab360) – Led the art direction for this indie horror title, defining its atmospheric style, tone, and visual storytelling.

Interactive Olympic Experience (Team GB & Paralympics) – Directed visual development and style for BrandLab360’s interactive 3D event experience, uniting realism and engagement for a large-scale international audience.

Shenmue Remastered (d3t Ltd / Sega) – Senior 3D Artist on the high-definition remaster of the classic AAA title, contributing high-fidelity environments and assets that honored the game’s legacy while modernizing its look.

MotorStorm (Evolution Studios) – Senior Character Artist, developing key character assets for one of PlayStation’s most iconic next-gen racing titles.

Juiced (Juice Games) – Established the art team and visual direction for Juiced (PS2, Xbox, PC) in early production, shaping the foundation that carried into release.

Valley (Blue Isle Studios) – Senior Environment Artist, shaping the world’s tone and visual storytelling through environment art and lighting for this narrative-driven fantasy FPS.

Marvel Entertainment Projects – Created 3D characters and marketing assets across multiple Marvel IPs, blending comic-book stylization with cinematic realism.

Professional Experience

Head of Art – BrandLab360 (Sept 2022 – Present)

• Directed visual identity for major interactive experiences, including Team GB & Paralympics' Olympic showcase.

• Led the art direction for Pestilence, an original indie horror title.

• Established visual pipelines and quality benchmarks for immersive brand environments.

Lead / Senior Artist – Stainless Games (May 2021 – Aug 2022)

• Delivered advanced environment art and asset production across multiple projects.

• Mentored junior artists and aligned production standards with next-gen workflows.

Senior Artist / Art Lead – Just Add Water Ltd (Aug 2018 – May 2021)

• Directed art production for Ice Age: Scrat’s Nutty Adventure (multi-platform).

• Environment and asset creation for Doctor Who licensed title.

• Unified visual style and optimized asset workflows across internal and outsourced teams.

Contract Art Director – Worlds Within (Mar 2017 – Aug 2018)

• Led concept development and worldbuilding for multiple VR and cinematic projects.

• Balanced creative vision with performance and production constraints.

Art Director / Lead Artist – Juice Games (2003 – 2004)

• Established the art team and visual direction for Juiced (PS2, Xbox, PC) in early production, shaping the foundation that carried into release.

Senior 3D Artist – d3t Ltd (Sep 2016 – Mar 2017)

• Contributed to the high-definition remaster of Sega’s Shenmue.

Senior Environment Artist – Blue Isle Studios (2014 – 2015)

• Environment look-dev lead for Valley (PS4, Xbox One, PC).

• Developed lighting and terrain systems to achieve a cohesive fantasy aesthetic.

Character Artist – Marvel Entertainment (2010 – 2012)

• Created 3D characters and marketing assets reflecting classic Marvel style for film promotion.

Senior Character Artist – Evolution Studios (2007 – 2008)

• Developed key character assets for MotorStorm (PS3).

Lead Artist / Art Director – Rage Games (2002 – 2003)

• Directed Lamborghini (PS2, Xbox – unreleased).

Level Designer / Artist – Perception (Australia) (2005 – 2006)

• Worked on Stargate SG-1: The Official Game.

Core Skills & Tools

Art Direction & Team Leadership | Environment & Terrain Design | Character Art (Organic & Hard Surface) | Concept Art Integration | Visual Pipeline Development | Next-Gen Workflows (PBR, Photogrammetry) | AI Collaboration for Visual Enhancement | Unreal Engine | Unity | 3ds Max | Maya | ZBrush | Substance Painter | Photoshop | Terragen | World Machine

Education

BA (Hons) Fine Art Painting (2:1) – Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design (1994–1998)

Publications & Features

• Digital Art Masters Vol. 2 – Featured artist, showcasing excellence in digital environment and character work.

• Exotique: Character Modelling – Published contribution highlighting advanced character design and sculpting.

Interests

A lifelong gamer inspired by visually inventive, atmospheric titles such as Ico, Unravel, Space Marine 2, and The Room. Passionate about surfing, team sports, and traditional painting — creative disciplines that inform my approach to digital worldbuilding.

Resume PDF

Skills

Software proficiency

3ds Max

Photoshop

Substance 3D Painter

Substance 3D Designer

Unreal Engine

ZBrush

Unity

World Machine

V-Ray

Terragen

Substance B2M

RizomUV