About Me — 2026

My name is John Jak Pagan. I am a 3D Artist specializing in creating 3D models and textures for mobile applications, virtual reality, commercials, television, and film. I began my journey creating digital art in highschool and at a training center called The Arlington Career Center, dabbleling in Graphic Design, Motion Design and 3D Modeling and Rendering using 3ds Max. Inspired to pursue a career in digital arts, I chose to study Visual Effects at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah Georgia (SCAD) from 2013 to 2017.

During my time at SCAD, I developed a passion for creating characters and environments, which led to internship opportunities as a CG Modeling Intern at Jamm Visual, Framestore, The Mill, and a short gig as a Matte Painter TD & Generalist at CoSA VFX. These experiences gave me valuable insight into professional production pipelines and reinforced my passion for creating high-quality digital assets.

Wanting to dive deeper into my studies and refine my craft, I enrolled at the Gnomon School of Visual Effects in Los Angeles California from 2018 to 2020. Throughout my studies, I was honored to receive several Best of Term awards, helping my work gain recognition within the industry.

When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted much of the entertainment industry in 2020, I relocated to Florida and began working in government contracting. I joined Solers Research Group, where I became familiar with Unity and the integration of game-ready assets into real-time environments. I later continued expanding my experience at Icon Technology Studio, remotely contributing to NFT projects, mobile training latforms, and VR experiences.

In early 2022, I was contacted by an artist from Industrial Light & Magic after my work was recognized through Gnomon's Best of Term competitions. I joined ILM as a Junior Hard Surface Modeler, where I spent over a year contributing to productions including The Mandalorian Season 3, Skeleton Crew, and Candy Cane Lane.

Following my time at ILM, I accepted a teaching position at DAVE School, located on the backlot of Universal Studios Florida. Teaching for six months was one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. Throughout my journey, I had been fortunate to learn from incredibly talented artists and mentors, and it felt meaningful to give back by helping the next generation of artists develop their own skills.

At the beginning of 2024, I returned to professional production and joined Mass Virtual, where I develop 3D assets and training modules for the U.S. military and other government clients. My work focused on creating optimized, production-ready assets for real-time applications while continuing to push the quality and efficiency of my workflows.

Whether I'm building cinematics, educating the next generation, or helping develope real-time simulations, I enjoy solving technical challenges and creating work that is both visually compelling and production efficient. I am always looking for opportunities to learn, collaborate, and contribute to projects that inspire people.