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Melissa Buffaloe
Texture Artist
The Film Foundry

Melissa uses her artistic talent to create drawings and animations through a computer, combining her love for both art and video games!

What are some of your job responsibilities?
My company creates animations and also books illustrated in 3D, so my job includes modeling and texturing (digitally painting) 3D models, laying out rough shots for animation, setting up scenes and lighting them for print.

How did you find your current job?
Through a website called Highend3d.com.

Did you learn any of your skills from school?
I did - my degree is in fine art (painting, drawing, sculpting) but I taught myself 3D after I graduated from college. Having formal education really helps when I'm painting textures for a model!

What would you tell a girl that was interested in doing what you do?
Practice, practice, practice! I've always heard that you can teach anyone the software, but it takes real training and lots of practice to develop the artistic skills needed to do my job.

What are some of your hobbies?
Developing video games, drawing, painting, reading, playing guitar, hiking, and cooking.

What is your favorite website?
As far as inspiration goes, I'd have to go with Justin Cherry's site, but for learning, 3dbuzz.com is the best! This guy devotes all his time to training people in 3D for free! You pick the software you want to learn and he will mail you a CD of video instruction. Amazing work by an amazing group!

If you could talk to you when you were 12 years old, what advice would you give yourself?
That's a tough one! I wish I had known earlier in life what I wanted to be "when I grew up" because I see so many young kids now who are 15 or 16 years old and who are already incredibly talented in 3D, 2D, you name it! So I would have dedicated much more time to practicing with the 3D tools… As it was, I had a great time with the hobbies I had then, and I wouldn't have traded my experiences for anything, but I would have liked to have gotten started earlier. Also, take advantage of EVERY OPPORTUNITY! You may not get a second chance, so go for it!