About The Artist:Eni Oken
Eni is a multi-discipline artist: digital fantasy art, sculpture, jewelry, embroidery and other mixed media all come together in whimsical and ornamental award-winning designs. Originally from Brazil, Eni was trained as an architect, however most of her artistic skills are self-taught. Eni now lives in Los Angeles, where she explores and creates, writes and teaches about art in various fields.

Artist Statement:
Many artists are currently feeling the pressure to go 'digital'. Contrarily, my professional career started out and remained for many years exclusively with digital art, but has now  returned to traditional media such as clay modeling, jewelry design and painting: there is an important tactile component missing in virtual art which cannot be replaced or forgotten. During this process, I discovered that my commitment has always been, now and before, to what are essentially 'artistic' ingredients: ornament, dimension, fantasy design and color. I aim to pass that process to others, through teachings and writings.

Contact Information

Eni Oken
Email: eni@oken3d.com
Los Angeles, California, USA.

Education

Bachelor degree Architecture, University of Santos, Santos, Brazil. Honors: Valedictorian and highest scores of the class of 1986.

Other Artistic Education

Visual Communication I, Gnomon School of Visual Effects, 2002.
Intro to Maya, Gnomon School of Visual Effects, 2000.
Interface Design , Univesity of California Los Angeles, 1997.
Visual Components of Cinema, University of California Los Angeles, 1996.
Teacher Training Program, Autodesk, São Paulo, Brazil, 1991.
Teacher Training Program , Autodesk, São Paulo, Brazil, 1990.
CAD Intro, Castelltort Designs, São Paulo, Brazil, 1988.
Scenography, University of Santos Extension program, Brazil, 1986.
Model making , Escola Modelo, Brazil, 1984.
Window Dressing, São Paulo, Brazil, 1984.
Architectural Illustration, University of Santos Extension program, Brazil, 1984.
Basic Photography , University of Santos Extension program, Brazil, 1983.
Creativity and Art, University of Santos Extension program, Brazil, 1982.
Fine Arts and Painting, Alliance Francaise, Brazil, 1976-1979.

Self Taught Artistic Skills

2003-present Self-taught painting, sculpting and clay modeling.
1999-present Self-taught jewelry construction and design.
1999-2002 Self-taught digital art skills.
1996-present Self-taught fantasy design .
1989-2001 Self-taught computer graphics and related skills.
1976-present Self taught fabric and fiber skills. 

Authored Publications

From 3D Studio Max to Cult3D Designer. 3Dgate.com Online Magazine, 2001.
Using Corel Painter to Create Painterly, Seamless Textures. Artist's Canvas monthly column. 3DGate.com Online Magazine, 2001.
No Texture Painter Quite like this. Artist's Canvas monthly column. 3DGate.com Online Magazine, 2001.
No Clean and Crisp Edges, Please! Artist's Canvas monthly column. 3DGate.com Online Magazine, 2000.
 "Marking Image": The poor man's custom texture work. Artist's Canvas monthly column. 3DGate.com Online Magazine, 2000.
Where have all the Renaissance Men (or Women) Gone? Artist's Canvas monthly column. 3DGate.com Online Magazine, 2000.
The True Color of Things. Artist's Canvas monthly column. 3DGate.com Online Magazine, 2000.
Flat versus Deep: Faking Depth in Texture Art. Artist's Canvas monthly column. 3DGate.com Online Magazine, 2000.
Artistic Style: Do you have it? Artist's Canvas monthly column. 3DGate.com Online Magazine, 2000.
Creating Rich and Beautiful Texture Art. Artist's Corner. GIGnews.com online magazine, 2000.
Six Steps Tutorial. Computer Arts magazine, 2000.
In search for 3D digital art. 3D Cafeine Online magazine. 3D Café.com, 2000.
Color Schemes: Planning Ahead. Design Freak Online Magazine, 2000.
Color Wheel: Still the Designer's Best Friend. Design Freak Online Magazine, 2000.
Dimensional Ornate Texture Art. 3D Studio Max 3 Magic. New Riders Publishing, 2000.
Painting in Another Dimension. In the Lab section, 3D Magazine, 2000.
Illusions of Depth: How to create rich 3D texture art. 3D Magazine, 2000.
Designing 3D Fantasy Worlds: A Workshop. Game Developers Conference Proceedings, 2000.
Texture It (Paint and Wardrobe). Inside 3D Studio Max 3. New Riders Publishing, 2000.
Inside the Front Cover. Inside 3D Studio Max 3 book. New Riders Publishing, 2000.
Chapter 3: A Bouquet from an Alien Friend. Mastering 3D Graphics: Digital Botany and Creepy Insects, 1999.
Designing with Color Theory. 3D Cafeen Online Magazine, 3Dcafe.com, 1999.
Color Schemes: the software that helps think about color. Color Schemes Software Manual, 1999.
Color Theory: Knowing the Rules and When to Break Them. 3D Design & Animation Conference Proceedings, 1999.
Designing Fantasy Worlds, Part 1: Exploring Concepts. 3D Design & Animation Conference Proceedings, 1999.
Designing Fantasy Worlds, Part 2: Developing Concepts. 3D Design & Animation Conference Proceedings, 1999.
Color Theory, Game Developer's Conference Proceedings, 1999.
Designing with Color Schemes Workshop, Game Developer's Conference Proceedings, 1999.
A Bouquet from an Alien Friend. Serious 3D Magazine, 1998.
Cores e Mais Cores. Digital Designer Magazine, 1998.
Color, Color Everywhere. 3D Design Magazine, 1998.
Architecture with a Twist (fantasy worlds). 3D Design Magazine, 1998.
The Secrets of Zork Grand Inquisitor. 3D Design Conference Proceedings, 1998.
Designing Fantasy Worlds. 3D Design Conference Proceedings, 1998.
Creating Fantasy Worlds, The New Animation Technology Conference and Exposition Proceedings, 1998.
Creating Fantasy Worlds , 3D Design Conference Proceedings, 1997.
3D Studio, uma versão impar. Publish Magazine, Brazil, 1994.
Maquete Electrônica: a Arquitetura em 3D. Projeto Magazine, Brazil, 1993.
Modelamento Tridimensional: visualização de projetos em Perspectiva. Computação: Arquitetura e Urbanismo International Conference Proceedings, Brazil, 1992.
Animator. Editora Érica, Brazil, 1991.
AutoCAD Avançado. Editora Érica, Brazil, 1990.
AutoCAD Dicas e Truques. Editora Érica, Brazil, 1990.

Interviews and other Publications

Linear Depth article by Nina Gracci. Lapidary Journal, 2002.
Cover image and Artist Profile, by Michael McBride. Design4 Magazine, 2001.
Spectrum 7, The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art. Underwood Books, 2000.
Ornamental Jewelry CD Review , by Tammy Powley. About.com, Jewelry Making section, 2000.
Interview with Eni Oken, by Leonard Teo. InsideCG.com. June, 2000.
Little Village Far, far away image, by Kelly Murdock. 3D Studio Max R4 Bible, 2000.
3D Cafe Interview. Digital Fine Arts. 3Dcafe.com, 2000.
3D Artists Interview. Raph.com. 3D Artists.com, 2000.
Game Development Gallery Visual Arts interview. Gamasutra.com, 2000.
Big Kahuna Awards 2000 finalists. 3D Design Magazine, 2000.
In the News, by Mitra Malek. MacWorld hosts Art Awards. Digital Fine Art Magazine, 1999.
In The News, by Matthew Hoover. Award Winning Alien. 3D Magazine.
Visiting Artist Series, 3DRender.com.
Portfolio section . Digital Designer magazine, 1999.
Spectrum 5, The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art. Underwood books, 1998.
The Best 3D of the Year: Big Kahuna Winners 1998, by Kelly Dove. 3D Design magazine, 1998.
Cover of Premiere Edition and Personal Interview. Digital Designer magazine, 1998.
Game Review, by Bob Lindstrom. PC Games magazine, 1998.
Big Kahuna Awards 1997, by Kelly Dove. 3D Design Magazine, 1997.
2nd Page. 3D Design Magazine, 1997.
Big Kahuna Awards '97 finalists. 3D Design Magazine, 1997.
The Viz Wiz, Artist Profile: Fantasy Worlds. Cadalyst magazine, 1997.
Architect as Artist. Computer Graphics World Magazine, 1997.

Awards

Masters of Tomorrow Best of Show Award. Juried competition. InDepth Gallery. Cash award. 2001.
3D Design Big Kahuna Award finalist. Category: Imagination. 3D Design Magazine, 2000.
3D Design Big Kahuna Award finalist. Category: Storytelling. 3D Design Magazine, 2000.
Best of Show and First prize Non-Student Category. MacWorld EXPO Digital Art Gallery, 1999.
3D Design Big Kahuna Award finalist. Category Fantasy Worlds. 3D Design Magazine, 1999. 
3D Design Big Kahuna Award. Category Fantasy Worlds. 3D Design Magazine, 1998.
3D Design Big Kahuna Award. Category: Game Design. 3D Design Magazine, 1997.
New Media Invision Silver Award: Education. New Media Invision Awards Festival, 1997.
Spotlight Award. Category: Best Rendered Art. Computer Game Developer Conference, 1997.
Achievement Award. Highest grades of the Universidade Católica de Santos, Class of 1986. Instituto de Preservação Nacional, Brazil (Preservation Society).

Jury, Curatorial and Advisory Duties

3D Artists Jury board. Raph.com 3D Artists Gallery. Daily curatorial functions since 2000 to present day.
Render.ru Jury. Render.ru Digital 3D contest, 2001.
Book review and advisement. Digital Texturing & Painting by Owen Demers. New Riders Publishing
Advisory board, 3D Design & Animation Conference and Exhibition, 1999.

Exhibits online

3D Artists, Raph.com, 2000.
3D Art - Elite, 3DGrafix.com, 2000.
Gnomon3D Instructor Gallery, Gnomon3d.com, 2000
MacWorld EXPO Digital Art Gallery, 1999.
Game Artist Gallery, Gamasutra.com, 1998.
Digital Fantasy 3D Art , Fantasya.net

Lectures, Workshops and Classes Ministered

Independent Instructor. Art-related workshops ministered online: Creative Textures for 3D Art. Designing Fantasy Worlds: Sketch. Modeling Fantasy Worlds in 3D. Painting Dimensional Textures for Realtime. 2001-present.
Instructor. Creating 2D Textures for 3D Art. Gnomon School of Visual Effects, 2000-present.
Designing 3D Fantasy Worlds. 3D Conference and Expo, 2000.
Understanding Texture Art for 3D. 3D Conference and Expo, 2000.
Color Theory. 3D Design & Animation Conference, 2000.
Designing 3D Fantasy Worlds: A Workshop. Game Developers Conference, 2000.
Designing with Color Theory. The American Film Institute, 2000.
Designing with Color Theory. The American Film Institute, 1999.
Designing Fantasy Worlds: Concept Development. The American Film Institute, 1999.
Designing with Color Theory. The American Film Institute, 1999.
Color Theory. 3D Design & Animation Conference, 1999.
Designing Fantasy Worlds, Part 1. 3D Design & Animation Conference, 1999.
Designing Fantasy Worlds, Part 2. 3D Design & Animation Conference, 1999.
Color Theory. Game Developer's Conference, 1999.
Designing with Color Schemes Workshop. Game Developer's Conference, 1999.
The Secrets of Zork Grand Inquisitor. 3D Design Conference, 1998.
Designing Fantasy Worlds. 3D Design Conference, 1998.
Creating Fantasy Worlds. The New Animation Technology Conference, 1998.
Creating Fantasy Worlds. 3D Design Conference, 1997.
The Visualization of Architectural Projects. Hospital  Architecture Conference, Brazil, 1992.
Visualization of Architectural Projects. International Architectural Conference, Brazil, 1991.
Consultant and Corporate Instructor. 3D Studio and Autocad. Various Companies in Brazil and Los Angeles, 1990-1994.
Staff Instructor. Basic AutoCAD. Advanced AutoCAD. 3D Techniques.Serviço Nacional de Aprendizagem ao Comércio (SENAC), Brazil, 1990-1992.

Artistic Experience and Commissions

Mixed media dimensional art. Personal artistic work. 2002-present.
Digital fantasy art. Personal artistic work, 1999-2001.
Concept Art. Origin. 2000
Civilization Game Art. Activision, Inc., 1999.
Ultimate Worlds 3D Chatrooms art. Worlds, Inc., 1998.
Barnstormers Realtime textures. Monkey Business, Inc, 1998.
Horse Whisperer CD Adventure game interface art. GPColor, Inc., 1998.
Zork Grand Inquisitor Adventure CD game art and animation. Activision, Inc., 1997.
Quaternity CD Adventure game art. Illumina, 1997.
Guitropolis Interactive Edutainment interface art. Alfred Publishing, Inc., 1997.
Interactive Room for CAA/Intel art and animation. L-Squared, 1996.
Agent Intrigue Demo art. Qualia, 1996.
Temple of Twitch Interface. Launch Interactive Magazine, 1996.
Lighthouse Adventure CD Game art. Sierra Online, 1996.
Zork Nemesis Adventure CD Game art and animation. Activision, Inc., 1996.
Virtual sets art. Mr. Film, 1996.
Congo Descent to Zinj game art. Hyper Image/Viacom New Media, 1995.
3D architectural modeling. Various companies in Brazil and Los Angeles, California, 1990-1995.  
Furniture and accessory design and production. Tok & Stok, Brazil, 1987.
Toy design and production. Toy Designer. Madeira Viva, Brazil, 1983-1985.