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.

Though with COVID epidemic and quarentine I found myself taking a different route mid 2020 and decided to move to Florida in pursuit of Government Contract work. I started my journey in Florida working at Solers Research Group, familiarizing myself with using Unity and intergrating game ready assets into engine. Then moving onto Icon Technology Studio, remotely working on NFTs, Training Mobile Platforms, and VR experiences. I was then reached out by an artist from Industrial Light and Magic. ILM had seen my work in the Best of Term Competitions at Gnomon and thought I could take on a year long role as a Jr Hardsurface Modeller.

Starting the role in March of 2022, I went on to work on some notable projects such as Mandalorian Season 3, Skeleton Crew, and Candy Cane Lane. After my departure from ILM I chose to teach at a school located at the backlot of Universal Studios called DAVE School of Digital Arts. Teaching for 6 months I would say felt incredibly rewarding, I was lucky enough to be provided with a lot of help in the upbringing of my career and the only thing that felt right to do was give a little back. At the start of 2024 I chose to return to professional work, starting at Mass Virtual, working on helping develope training modules for airforce agencies and other military sector clients.