Maria Passantino

Maria Passantino has been animating films and illustrating stories for the last five years, and loves every minute of it. She especially enjoys exploring new styles and creating detailed, appealing illustration.

LIT Videobooks, New York, NY: Dec 2021 – September 2023

Lead Illustrator and Visual Development Artist

● Designed art direction for 20+ books, including producing vector characters, props, and environments

● Created concept art, ensuring a cohesive style

● Collaborated closely with the Production Designer and Art Director to ensure consistent artistic vision

● Outlined production guidelines and built design decks

● Presented style look books and guidelines to authors, resolving design issues and addressing style preferences

Associate Concept Artist

● Designed base avatar models and production sheets, establishing a modular system on a metaverse platform

● Illustrated promotional artwork and splash art

● Conceptualized modular hair, outfits, and weapons/accessories

● Partnered with the 3D Team, Development Team, and Marketing Team to implement concept designs

● Provided draw overs, isometric break outs, and texture assets

MAGIC Spell Studios, Rochester, NY: Jun 2020 – May 2021 

Concept Artist (Aug 2020 – May 2021)

● Contributed to the creation of a unique visual art style, focusing on character and environment design

● Designed comic book inspired characters, modified to fit the games style

● Developed key art that conveyed the mood and feel of various environments

● Collaborated with the team to establish a cohesive visual language that aligned with the games artistic vision

Resident Artist (June 2020 – Aug 2020)

● Developed pixel assets in accordance with pre-existing game style

● Created sprite animations, ideated UI designs, and in-game overlays

● Designed marketing advertisements and motion graphics

The Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY

Bachelor of Art in Film and Animation; Summa Cum Laude