CGmascot - Niko Mäkelä & 3D Art/Animation resources

Check some 3D Art/animation tutorials and articles and meet the guy behind them.

Tell me more

About CGmascot

Hi, I'm Niko and this is my personal site.
Earlier CGmascot was a blog about game art and animation learning. It featured articles on topics such as modeling for animation and animation production. Blog also had it's own computer graphics mascot (see above) and offered a mascot design service. Yeah, I have lot of love for character art.

Unfortunately life intervined and blog had a good run only for a year. After that it just sat here, collecting spam. I do not have the time for the upkeep nor blogging, so now (July 2022) this single page replaces the blog. But I still share some CGmascot best bits as downloadable docs.

This webpage is also has my micro CV + Portfolio.

Resources & Articles

3D art resources, Articles and Tutorials

These resources are from 2010 (CGmascot Blog) or from before. But material chosen here is still quite good advice (imho). Or if it is just a story, then still something I'm okay sharing and a trip down the memory lane.

3D Art

Animation & Animation Production

Misc Art & Tools Docs

Articles

Mini Portfolio

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Game Project - Playstation 5 (2021)
Returnal
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Game Project - Playstation 4 (2017)
Matterfall
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Game Project - Mobile (2012)
Clash of Clans
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Game Project - Mobile (2012)
Hayday
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Game Project - PC (2010)
Ultima 6 Project
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Teaching I do
Game Art Courses

Niko's Professional Story

I'm a self taught artist & animator & teacher, working in games industry, where for some time I've gravitated towards (or been asked to do) directing and producer-type of roles. I was also a student of culture, multimedia, communication and visual topics in university, on the side of work.

External Development Director

Housemarque / Sony Playstation

Planning, budgeting, directing, executing and developing External Development.

Jan 2022 - Present

Art Manager & Animation Director

Housemarque

Animation Direction (Returnal). Planning, budgeting, directing and executing outsourcing of Art & Animation (Stormdivers & Returnal).

Aug 2017 - Dec 2021

Senior Artist & Animator > Lead Artist > Art Director > Art Manager

Housemarque

Started at HMQ 3D/2D art leading & animating on Rocklynn Tower Siege (Mobile). On Matterfall (PS4) carried the AD-role and Art Managing was added to include my managerial & outsourcing responsibilities for that game, and other games to follow.

Dec 2012 - Jul 2017

Game Artist & Animator

Supercell

Was a Game Artist with focus on 3D art and 2D & 3D animation, working on every released game until Boom Beach, so from early days to Supercell's meteoric raise to success.

Dec 2010 - Nov 2012

2D & 3D Artist, Animator, Web Designer, Illustrator and a Teacher. Student of Cultural Anthropology, Communication and Multimedia.

Several companies and some freeware projects. And University of Jyväskylä.

Working on a lot of graphic design things as a freelancer. Some early 3D art & animation work as well. Otherwise 'earning my wings' by working on freeware game-productions, film productions, and my own projects, self-educating to become an animator and a 3D artist.

Sep 1999 - Nov 2010

Contact & Credits

I don't do social media much, but you can try reach me via LinkedIn. Do mention if you are coming from this website.

Website Credits:
Theme/page template is 'Creative' by Start Bootstrap.
This site is built using Bootstrap.