Summary
Portfolio: https://davidkertesz.com/
Email: davidmkertesz@gmail.com
With 21 years in the games industry, I bring an end-to-end understanding of production, from starting in QA to leading environment art at the Principal level. Most recently, at Noodle Cat Games, where I worked on Cloudheim, I led the visual development of Unreal Engine environments, building scalable material systems, PCG-driven environment tools, and non-destructive workflows that support fast iteration without compromising quality.
I lead by working alongside the team, collaborating closely with art direction, tech art, design, and external partners to align vision, execution, and production needs. I focus on creating clear pipelines, practical documentation, and efficient workflows that help teams thrive in hybrid and distributed environments.
My leadership style emphasizes equity, mindfulness, mentorship, and product-focused decision-making, with a strong commitment to visual quality, performance, and long-term sustainability.
Core skills: Unreal Engine, Unity, Maya, Blender, ZBrush, Photoshop, Substance Painter & Designer; high/low poly workflows; lighting, rendering, art direction, asset management, and production planning.
Skills
Software proficiency
Reel
Experience
- Principal Environment Artist at Noodle Cat GamesChapel Hill, USJune 2022 - Present
- Served as Principal Environment Artist, leading the visual development of the game’s environments in Unreal Engine 5, defining artistic standards and the overall look and feel of the world.
- Architected foundational environment, prop, and Landscape master materials, creating scalable, performance-conscious systems aligned with UE5 best practices.
- Planned and directed all Whitebox architecture and level block-outs, ensuring early layout decisions supported long-term production, streaming, and design goals.
- Partnered closely with the Art Director, Tech Art, Design, and external vendors, providing leadership and oversight on asset quality, visual cohesion, and execution across the project.
- Designed and implemented UE5 PCG-based environment tools for procedural placement of vegetation and structural elements, leveraging spline spawners, static mesh spawners, and landscape-driven spawning.
- Established non-destructive, system-driven workflows that enabled rapid iteration, design flexibility, and efficient collaboration across disciplines.
- Led by example through mentorship, cross-discipline communication, and pipeline ownership, helping build sustainable environment workflows without compromising artistic intent or technical constraints. - Associate Environment Director at Industrial Toys (EA LA)Seattle, WA, USNovember 2020 - May 2022
- Create 3D assets from concept to completion.
- Model/texture game assets for mobile with strict poly and texture budget.
- Manage quality control on vendor-created assets.
- Work with management to plan and schedule our outsourcing needs to meet game requirements.
- Mentor Junior members of our team and train them in our pipeline and style. - Associate Environment Director/Outsource Manager at Popcap/EA GamesSeattle, WA, United States of AmericaApril 2016 - Present
- Create 3D assets from concept to completion.
- Model/texture game assets for mobile with strict poly and texture budget.
- Manage 3 international outsource teams while keeping a high-quality bar with consistent results.
- Work with management to plan and schedule our outsourcing needs to meet game requirements.
- Mentor Junior members of our team and train them in our pipeline and style. - Senior 3D Artist at ZyngaSan Francisco, CA, United States of AmericaAugust 2009 - April 2016
- Create 3D assets from concept to completion on multiple live titles
- Model/texture game assets and help set up the art pipeline between Maya and Unity on unreleased mobile games
- Provide feedback and direction for 3D assets to two outsourcing groups
- Train other team members in our pipeline
- Test daily feature builds and bug fixes
- Test various alpha build features prior to release
- Brainstorm features and ideas for games