My name is Danako and I am a digital artist based in California
I graduated from UC Berkeley in 2023 with a Bachelor of Art’s in Art Practice, studying Digital Media with a focus in 3D Art. I love breathing life to characters and working with other passionate people to tell meaningful stories
SELECTED PROJECTS
Night Parade (Video Game) — 2025
CREATURE ARTIST
Created production-ready low-poly creature models using ZBrush, Maya, & Adobe Substance Suite
Crafted custom materials, PBR textures, & optimized 3D assets for real-time use in Unity HDRP
Collaborated with director, art lead, and character designer to ensure aesthetic consistency
Confidential Client (Art Installation) — 2025
ASSET OPTIMIZATION SPECIALIST
Retopologized high-poly digital sculptures to deliver optimized, production-ready meshes
Unwrapped UVs to ensure seamless animated shader performance across complex unique geometry
Prepared 3D assets for high-resolution 3D printing and gallery installation, adhering to client specifications and NDA requirements
Electric Avenue (Video Game) — 2024
UI/UX DESIGNER
Worked in a 3-person team to launch a browser-based city development game
Created logo and UI/UX assets, developed and applied color schemes for game states and environment, ensuring visual clarity and player feedback
Collaborated with project manager and programmer through weekly meetings, delivering updates and iterating upon designs according to feedback
Maintained and adjusted UI styles via CSS in a shared GitHub repository
Whack-a-Mole (Short Film) — 2024
CHARACTER ARTIST
Developed all character models alongside director & design team for production
Provided/iterated upon critique to ensure aesthetic consistency & functionality
Noodles (Short Film) — 2021
GENERALIST
Modeled & animated production-ready hero character
Provided & iterated upon critique to ensure aesthetic consistency & functionality
Provided additional support in visdev, rendering, voiceover, & compositing
PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS
UC Berkeley Advanced Digital Media: Computer Graphics Studio — Instructor
JAN 2024 - MAY 2024
Directed a class alongside professor under the Department of Art Practice to a cohort of 40+ students, conducted synchronously via Zoom
Managed attendance and grading for all students & provided support via email and Office Hours conducted weekly/by appointment
Prepared and executed lesson plans, including in absence of professor
Revised & introduced new course material, produced original 10-30 min. instructional videos and guides for relevant assignments
UC Berkeley Undergraduate Graphics Group — Instructor
2020 - 2023
Conducted faculty-sponsored course teaching the production pipeline for 3D animated film & media
Led weekly lectures, demos, and created/revised course material
Evaluated course submissions & provided technical support
UC Berkeley Residential & Student Service Programs — Student Assistant (2019-21)/ Student Supervisor (Promoted 2021-23)
2019 - 2023
Provided administrative and clerical support for University Village, Unit 1, and Residential Security Program, respectively
Interviewed, onboarded, & managed office staff for daily operations
Performed customer service for & corresponded with residents across single unit & family unit student housing
Purchased equipment and supplies for daily use and special projects
Researched resources & produced info for Associate Director
Managed office in absence of Administrative Assistant or Assoc. Director
Worked with confidential data and secure resources
Managed & developed record-keeping systems for onsite use
Coordinated services alongside unionized employees in strict compliance with established policies and procedures