PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Bad Robot Games - Senior Concept Artist, Los Angeles, 01/06/2021-Now

  • AAA Roguelike coop shooter “4:LOOP”

    Tian joined at the earliest game concept stage (there were only 6 people in the team and Tian is one of them). Tian consistently delivered concept art work of exceptional quality, defining and elevating the visual language of Project Tacoma, becoming the cornerstone of the art development process. 

    • Illustrated Key Arts. They were used in pitch deck to investors and publishers so as to ensure the investment for the game and make sure the game can be continuously developed.

    • Hard surface concept design. Tian helped design several key elements that define the signature visual style of 4:LOOP, including the enemy spaceship Enforcer, the scout robot Recon, all four Kill Bot variants, the weapons used by all seven Kill Bot variants, four major mission objective devices, and a large number of props used for key characters and important scenes.

    • Creature,flora and fauna concept design. Tian conducted extensive early exploration of all alien creatures and plants in the game. She ultimately designed the game’s three main gameplay-related alien plants — Bounce Pad, Teleport Plant, and Maw — as well as the Drifter, a creature that came to represent the game’s core visual identity.

    • VFX concept design. During the most intensive development phase, the VFX team experienced critical member departure. To ensure uninterrupted and efficient VFX production without delaying development progress, Tian designed approximately 30 VFX effects. These designs effectively established the visual direction despite staffing shortages, enabling the rebuilt VFX team to continue efficient development based on Tian's work.

    • Designed and illustrated environment (map) design. Environment (map) design is key to game development, it is the stage for players to play the game. Tian created concept art for 4 maps (6 maps in total), defined the overall look and details for the maps.

  • Silent Hill Ascension

    Designed and illustrated key concepts for Interactive Horror Television Series “Silent Hill:Ascension” at the early game concept stage. Because how users/audiences interact with this project is innovative, in order to showcase the game concepts to key investors and publishers,  Tian’s key arts were used to showcase the user story and experience. This project won the award for Outstanding Innovation in Emerging Media Programming at the 76th Creative Arts Emmy Awards in 2024.

Freelance Concept Artist, 2020-Now

  • AAA Single Player RPG “Echoes of Aincrad” & Animation Film “Unanswered//Butterfly“

    Served as one of the main concept designers on Echoes of Aincrad. My responsibilities included designing all towns and buildings in World Level 2, all towns and buildings in World Level 3, key landmarks, kitbash modules and rooms for three dungeon types—Elven, Nature, and Magic—natural environment mood pieces for World Levels 1 and 2, decorative motifs for all world levels, and motif designs for the regional seal VFX.

  • Indie Open-world Survivor game “Atmosfar”

    Responsible for creating two marketing keyframes, as well as designing a series of architectural concepts for the in-game civilization called “PACE” .

  • Worked as concept artist for Axis Studio for Magic The Gathering “Innistrad: Crimson Vow” trailor

Vital Reality- Concept Artist, Los Angeles, 21/10/2020-30/11/2020

  • Key member of the art team.

  • Designed and illustrated all the key arts for the pitch deck. When a video game is at its early stage, there are only rough block-outs in the game, in order to appear investors or publishers and get investment from them, key arts are necessary and crucial to show them what is the final visual look for the game. Tian defined the overall looks of 7 maps in the game. And used illustrations to show the scenarios of how players interact with the environments and how multi players interact together. The team got 3 million pre-seed funding.

Heavy Iron Studio - Concept Artist, Los Angeles, 02/06/2020-04/09/2020

  • Designed and illustrated all the key arts for two games which are all in the early concept stage. These key arts define the hero or peak moments of both games. They will serve a key role in project pitch to investors and publishers.

  • Designed and illustrated 3 maps for Pac-man:Mega Tunnel Battle. Tian's design defines the overall visual composition of the map while optimizing all details, including color schemes, props, and other elements.

Baidu - Senior Product Manager, Beijing, 09/04/2012-07/07/2016

  • Designed the prototype for a key website for Baidu’s B2B products. The website is https://yingxiao.baidu.com/home. The website would cover 120,000 Baidu’s clients. Daily page visit was up to 1 million. Tian was the manager to supervise all the content and update in this platform.

EDUCATION

  • Art Center College of Design, Entertainment Design Concept track, Bachelor of Science, 2017-2021

  • Renmin University of China, Marketing, Master of Management, 2010-2012

  • Renmin University of China, Law, Bachelor of Law, 2005-2009

SKILLS

  • Concept design methodologies:

    1.Mechanical robot/weapon/props/ship concept art & Illustration

    2.Creature/Plants concept art & Illustration

    3.Environment (Exterior & Interior) concept art & Illustration

    4.VFX (Visual Effects) concept art & Illustration

    5. Key arts (Key Visual) concept art & Illustration

    Artistic techniques:

    1. 2D drawing,painting, and photobashing with Photoshop

    2. 3D modeling and sculpting with Blender

    3. VR modeling with Gravity Sketch

    4. Creature sculpting with Zbrush, Daz Studio and Character Creator

    5. Character rigging and animation with iClone

    6. Basic level art mesh design by Unreal Engine

GRANTS & AWARDS

‍ ‍Illustration

  • Appiled Art Photography & Illustration Award 2023:Winner

  • Creative Quarterly 72 - Illustration: Winner & Runner-up

  • Creative Quarterly 73 - Illustration: Winner & Runner-up

  • The 20th Annual 3x3 Illustration Awards: Merit (Three entries were selected)

  • ADC(Art Director Club) 102st Annual Awards: Shortlist

  • Art Room Gallery International Art Competition “Abstract“:Honorable Mention

  • London International Creative Competition 2023: Finalist in Create (Art)

  • Communication Art Illustration awards 2024: Shortlist

  • The 21th Annual 3x3 Illustration Awards: Honorable Mention

  • American Illustration 43 : Chosen Winner

  • American Illustration 44 : Chosen Winner

  • American Illustration 45 : Selected Winner

  • Appiled Art Illustration Award 2025: Winner (Two entries)

‍ ‍Photography

  • Creative Quarterly 72 - Photopraphy: Runner-up

  • Creative Quarterly 73 - Photopraphy: Runner-up

  • IPA (International Photography Awards) 2023 : Honerable Mention

  • BIFA (Budapest International Foto Awards): Honerable Mention (Four entries were selected)

  • TIFA (Tokyo International Foto Awards): Bronze

  • Monovision Photography Award :Honorable Mention

  • Monochrome Awards Photo Contest :Honorable Mention

  • ND Awards Photo Contest:Honorable Mention

  • Black & White Photo Awards:Finalist

  • IPA (International Photography Awards) 2025 : 2nd place

  • Prix de la Photographie de Paris 2025 : Silver

  • Analog Sparks International Film Photography Awards 2025 : Bronze

GALLERY SHOWS

  • Camelback Gallery “Black&White” Exhibition - Online

  • Camelback Gallery “Shade of Green” Exhibition - Online

  • Grey Cube Gallery “Black&White” Exhibition - Online

  • Praxis Gallery “Poetic Storytelling” Exhibition - Minneapolis

  • Praxis Gallery “Object Found” Exhibition - Minneapolis

  • The Chateau Gallery “Americana” Exhibition - Online

  • “DER GREIF” Magazine 15th Anniversary Display in Pavillon333 - Munich

  • Artdoc Magazine Online Exhibition “Through My Lens“ - Online

  • Illustration West 62 - Online(Two entries)

  • Teravarna Art Gallery solo exhibition- Online

  • Illustration West 64 - Online

  • Illustratior Annual 68 held by Society of Illustration - New York

Jury and Portfolio Experience

  • Served as jury for “The Rookies Awards 2026“

  • Served as jury for “JIA Illustration Competition 2026“

  • Served as portfolio reviewer for The One Club for Creativity