Today we’d like to introduce you to David Walz.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My artistic journey is a bit convoluted. Like many artists, I always had a strong interest in art from a young age, but things shifted for me when I started doing live caricatures at SeaWorld over 10 years ago. I did that for four or five years in my early 20s, and it was great, but during that time I became increasingly curious about digital art. I’ve always been open to trying whatever sticks, so I began exploring 3D on my own. I still have an affinity for drawing and continue to do live caricature on the side, but after trying 1000 different things, I ended up falling in love with 3D art. I studied traditional art concurrently while I was a caricature artist—including oil painting and sculpture—at Mesa College in my hometown of San Diego before transferring to the Gnomon School of VFX in Hollywood. Much has happened since then, but in general I now work full time as a 3D artist. The industry can be tough, especially now with the rise of AI and major shifts happening across the field, but I believe there’s always work to be found by staying sharp, networking, and being persistent.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’ve been lucky enough to find success in my work, and I’m able to continue to find work, but I can’t say it’s at all how I imagined it would be. I’ve worked on several games and movies that were canceled mid-production. I’ve had my name left out of the credits of movies that I worked on. I’ve been apart of entire teams that got laid off due to company restructuring (at least three times now). Some studios put you through a rigorous multi-interview hiring process, only to decide to hire someone else. The saddest part is none of this is exclusive to me. I’m sure every other 3D artist I know can tell you something similar about their experience. This industry can be rough, but the shared love of the craft is what keeps you going. I don’t mean to be a downer though; I really do love my job. It is full of high highs and low lows, for sure.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Technically my official position is “CG Generalist” which means I do a bit of everything across the 3D skillset. But my strengths lie in asset creation, which means I do a lot of 3D modeling, and then I texture and shade those models. I jump across sub-industries a lot, so I work in movies/TV, games, music videos, and products/advertising work for various brands. This is where my Generalist position comes into play, because I’ve been asked to do a huge variety of things across multiple styles. Most recently I made a bunch of stylized, miniature Korean food for the opening sequence of the Kdrama “Tastefully Yours” on Netflix, but I’ve also made realistic creatures for live action movies like the Curse of Bridge Hollow and the TV Show “Killing It.” My favorite thing I worked on was a bunch of stylized characters for the cinematic launch trailer of the game “Storybook Brawl” which was actually canceled prior to its release. Actually, sadly, most of my favorite work is on canceled projects locked under NDA.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I love San Diego. I was born here. I can’t say it’s a perfect city, but it is (literally) warm and familiar. When I’m here, it’s like the world makes just a little more sense. All my friends are here. There is cultural diversity. I can’t think of one thing I don’t like about it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.davidwalz3d.com/portfolio
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-z-walz/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bumpercarmcgee6981
- Other: https://www.artstation.com/bumpercarmcgee
Image Credits
Fanart: Over the Garden Wall, Spirited Away/Studio Ghibli
