01
Start from the situation
What are we making? What has to ship? What is blocked? Where will the work end up: a game, a headset, a web build, a screen?
I love to build the things that don’t exist yet.
And the pipelines that let a team actually make them.
I’m Luis Pineda, a Senior Technical Artist and Technical Animator based in Medellín, Colombia. I work remotely.
I care about characters, animation, the systems underneath them, and game-ready work: something that plays, not only something that looks right in a viewport. I’ve worked on the animation, the cameras, the lighting, and the export. I also build tools and pipelines so the team has a clear way to take that work through production.
I’m drawn to teams figuring out how to make an idea work. I like trying things, comparing notes, and seeing the pieces start to come together. I want more of that with game and real-time teams, whether we’re building a new system or improving one the team already uses.
I get up to speed quickly when a project takes me into an unfamiliar tool or part of the pipeline. I ask questions, try things, and work with the people who know it while I find my way around.
Most recently, I spent 4.5+ years working remotely with Groove Jones on character systems, live games, VR/MR, animation, and artist tools. Before that, I worked on motion and real-time projects with Lonko Labs and game-ready Unity work at Indie Level Studio, including educational VR. Those years taught me how to work through a new problem with a team and keep things moving under a deadline.
How I work
The way through02
Easier next steps
A cleaner export. Fewer repeated steps. A note that explains why something failed and what to check next. Small things that make the day easier for the people using the tools.
03
Follow it through
I care about the visual result and how the work behaves in the final experience. I work with the team to check both as it moves through production.
04
Leave a clear handoff
I leave the files, tools, and notes ready for the next person. They should be able to pick up the work, understand the decisions, and keep going.
What I bring to a production
Where I can helpTechnical Art
Character and asset work, rigging, deformation, and optimization. I work with artists and developers to test ideas and work through the technical details together.
Technical Animation
Character animation, retargeting, cameras, and prop interaction. I also direct and review animation, work through reference with animators, and help keep performance and runtime needs in sync.
Tools & Automation
Artist-facing tools for setup, repetitive edits, validation, and batch work. Clear controls and useful feedback so people can use them as part of their day.
Character & Avatar Pipelines
Modular characters, scan-to-avatar workflows, retargeting, rendering, and export. I build and adapt the steps that let a team work across different bodies, assets, and outputs.
Games & Real-time delivery
Unity prototypes, game-ready assets, and delivery for WebGL and XR. I work through performance limits, asset requirements, and the handoff with the developers using the work.
Part of the team
I like helping people and solving problems together. I share what I know, ask questions when somebody knows more than I do, and I’m always happy to give another artist a second pair of eyes. Good work gets easier when people actually talk to each other.
Experience
10+ years in 3D, animation and real-time
Groove Jones - Contract, remote
Senior Technical Artist · Technical Animator
Oct 2021 - Jun 2026 · Medellín, working with a Dallas studio
At Groove Jones, I worked across characters, animation, and production systems for games, VR/MR, WebGL, live events, and branded 3D experiences.
That included scan-to-avatar workflows, artist-facing Blender/Python tools, retargeting, render automation, QA, optimization, and hands-on animation and technical art. On selected productions, I served as Technical Director for the character, animation, and pipeline work on the Blender side, working with art, development, and production on how those pieces fit together.
I led and contributed on project teams of two to eight artists, setting animation and pipeline standards. I directed and reviewed animation, helped artists get comfortable with the tools, and worked with the team to keep creative goals and delivery needs in sync.
Projects included work for FIFA, NBA, NHL / ServiceNow, Warner Bros., Spirit Halloween, AT&T, FC Dallas, Salesforce, LG, President’s Choice Children’s Charity, and the U.S. Army National Guard.
Lonko Labs - Freelance
Senior Motion Graphics Designer · Real-time Artist
Jan 2018 - Mar 2022 · Medellín
2D/3D motion, projection mapping, live activations, and Unity prototypes. I worked with creative and production teams to turn early ideas into finished experiences.
Clients included Zurich Latam, EPM, Bancolombia, Banco de Bogotá, Comfama, Tigo, BMW Motorrad Colombia, municipal projects in Envigado and Cali, and Fábrica de Licores de Antioquia.
Indie Level Studio
3D Artist · Unity Technical Artist
Jul 2016 - Jul 2018 · Medellín
Game-ready assets, shaders, environments, and educational VR, including a mining experience for Colombia’s Ministry of Mines and Energy. I worked from modeling and texturing through Unity integration, lighting, and scene optimization.
What people say about me
Luis is a rare combination of artist, animator, technical problem-solver, and inventive thinker. … When we encountered a difficult production problem—especially one without an obvious solution—I knew I could trust Luis to dig into it, understand it, and find a way forward.
There are talented 3D artists… and then there's Luis Pineda. This guy somehow manages to be both the person making jaw-dropping animations and the one building the tools that make everyone else's job easier. … Luis isn't just a Senior 3D Animator, he's a force multiplier.
Luis is remarkably quick to get work done, but what truly sets him apart is his deep technical ability balanced by a comprehensive, nuanced understanding of the broader CG pipeline. He is witty, sharp, and a fantastic collaborator who lifts the mood of the room.
Luis is a true wizard. I was fortunate to work with him at Groove Jones for 4 years and watched him take on and solve so many different types of problems it was hard to believe one guy was covering so much territory and making it look easy. … All the while being a great animator too! And a great guy to work with!
Tools I use, and some of the ones I built
Tools I’ve used across animation, asset production, and real-time projects:
Blender
Python
Unity
C#
glTF / GLB
WebGL
Quest / OpenXR
EEVEE
Cycles
After Effects
Photoshop
Illustrator
AI-assisted coding, image, and video tools as part of my workflow.
At Groove Jones, I built tools to make setup, character work, and delivery easier for the artists using them. A few examples:
Awards
While working with Groove Jones, I contributed to award-winning productions recognized by Horizon Interactive Awards, Hermes Creative Awards, Muse Creative Awards, Vega Digital Awards, Communicator Awards, NYX Marcom, Shorty Awards, Summit Creative Awards, and ADDY.
The awards belong to the productions and the teams. Project pages list the ones tied to that work.
I’m based in Medellín and work remotely. I spent 4.5+ years working day to day with a Dallas-based studio, so I’m used to collaborating with teams on U.S. Central Time.