John Walters

John Walters

Supervisor VFX Art Director/Concept Artist / Lead Matte Painter / Concept Artist / 3 yrs

Wellington, New Zealand

Hire Me

vfx art director

Before (2024)

vfx art director

Twisted Metal (2023)

Senior Digital Matte Painter

Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

Senior Digital Matte Painter

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (2022)

Digital Artist

The Batman (2022)

Senior Digital Matte Painter

Eternals (2021)

Senior Digital Matte Painter

Black Widow (2021)

Senior Digital Matte Painter

The Christmas Chronicles 2 (2020)

Digital Matte Painter

Gemini Man (2019)

Matte Painter

Rampage (2018)

Digital Matte Painter

Justice League (2017)

Digital Matte Painter

Pete's Dragon (2016)

Digital Matte Painter

The BFG (2016)

Digital Matte Painter

Krampus (2015)

Background Designer

Major Lazer (2014)

Background Designer / Animation Clean-Up / Character Designer

Axe Cop (2012)

Visual Effects Concept Artist

Spartacus: Gods of the Arena (2011)

Visual Effects Lead Concept Artist / Visual Effects Look Development

Spartacus: War of the Damned (2010)

Skills
Skills Clear
Software
Software Clear
Born in Stoke-on-Trent, England, and now based in New Zealand I trained at The Northern School of Art and Design in the North of England. Here I studied design & crafts in the entertainment industries, focusing on set design. I have a proven background in various creative industries, maintaining a strong foundation in the customary arts, displaying a portfolio across many disciplines.

As well as visual effects I provide services to the themed, entertainment and animation industries such as sculpting, model making, scenic painting, prop making and background painting.

• Traditional and Digital painter, sketch artist and illustrator. • Concept Design and Visual development. • Digital Matte Painting - 2.5D Camera projections • Sculpting, 3D Modeling, Texturing and Camera animation. • 3D Environments in Clarisse, Houdini, Maya, Nuke, zBrush and Photoshop.
Work History
  • Senior Concept Artist

    37Degrees

    September 2024 - December 2024
    Wellington, New Zealand
  • VFX Art Director

    Cause and FX

    October 2022 - August 2024

    Twisted Metal: season 1

    Star Trek Discovery: season 5

    Chief of War

  • Digital Matte Painter

    Wētā FX

    April 2015 - October 2022
    Wellington & Wairarapa, New Zealand

    Creating VFX environments, set extensions and matte paintings for feature films and entertainment.

    The Hobbit: The battle of the five armies.
    Maze Runner: the scorch trials
    Krampus
    Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice
    The BFG
    Pete's Dragon
    Independence Day: Resurgence
    War for the planet of the Apes
    Avatar ride: flight of passage
    Valerian and the city of a thousand planets
    The Maze Runner: The death cure
    Rampage
    Black Widow
    The Christmas Chronicles 2
    The Eternals

  • Environment/Background Artist

    FOX Animation Domination High Definition

    July 2013 - April 2015
    Remote

    Background design/illustration for ADHD on FOX

    Axe Cop
    Major Lazer

  • Concept Artist

    Ash Vs Evil Dead

    February 2015 - March 2015
    Auckland, New Zealand

    Illustrated key art to facilitate pre-production. Episode 1 - Director - Sam Raimi

  • Matte Painter

    Plastic Wax

    July 2014 - August 2014
    Remote
  • Matte Painter

    Biborg

    May 2013 - June 2013
    Remote
  • Lead VFX Concept Artist/Matte Artist

    Spartacus: War of the Damned

    February 2012 - February 2013
    Auckland, NZ
  • Lead VFX Concept Artist/Matte Artist

    Spartacus: Vengeance

    February 2011 - February 2012
    Auckland, New Zealand
  • Concept Artist/Illustrator

    Merlin Entertainments Group

    January 2011 - February 2011
  • VFX Concept Artist

    Spartacus: Gods of the Arena

    June 2010 - January 2011
  • Character Concept Artist/Illustrator

    Merlin Entertainments Group

    January 2010 - April 2010
  • Matte Painter

    Meniscus Film

    2010 - 2010
  • Concept Artist/Matte painter

    The FX Project, Spartacus: Blood and Sand

    April 2009 - December 2009
  • Illustrator

    Izzat Design Ltd

    2009 - 2009
  • Freelance Artist

    Karactaz Animation

    2009 - 2009
  • Scenic Painter, Illustrator

    Perry Scenic

    2008 - 2009
  • Illustrator/Sculptor

    LDJ Design and Display (Fuzzwire)

    April 2008 - September 2008
  • Architectural Modelmaker

    SB Modelmakers

    March 2008 - April 2008
    Nottingham, United Kingdom
  • Sculptor/Propmaker

    Merlin Entertainments Group

    January 2008 - March 2008
  • Scenic Artist/Sign Writer/Props Maker

    Merlin Entertainment

    November 2007 - January 2008
  • Sculptor

    Hallmark

    August 2007 - September 2007
    Bradford, England, United Kingdom
  • Concept Designer

    Nemesis Now Ltd

    February 2006 - June 2006
  • Model Maker

    Dorans Design & Build

    January 2006 - March 2006
    Ashbourne
  • Art Dept Assistant

    Crossroads TV Show

    2002 - 2003
  • Freelance Prop Maker

    John Brooking

    1999 - 2002
Education
  • BA (Hons) in Entertainment Design Crafts

    The Northern School of Art

    1999 - 2002
  • BTEC National Diploma in Art and Design Crafts in 3D Design

    Newcastle-under-Lyme College

    1997 - 1999