Hello. I’m Joey Buhrer, a Denver based artist and lifestyle researcher. I’ve been creating illustration and animation full-time since 2006, mostly for video games and promotional materials.
I do a lot of drawing, design, animation, illustration and occasional teaching. Mentoring and community stuff is cool. I’m also really into plants.
Résumé
Objective
I mean what are any of us really doing, anyway? Next question…
Experience
2006 – Current
Masque Publishing, Denver – Lead Technical Artist
new.masque.com
Illustration, animation, and game design for the world’s best desktop, online and mobile casual games. Many published titles available in retail stores. Online games and mobile apps available on all the app stores, major gaming portals and many entertainment sites.
Primary duties:
- Metagame, events and systems design
- Character and environment illustration
- 3D design, rigging, modeling and texturing
- Animation of characters and effects
- Graphic design, identity and promotional images
- Research and development of emerging game platforms and technologies
- Collaborating with software engineers to create outstanding games
2006
Two Headed Monster, Los Angeles – Production Artist
Contributed animation and visual effects for music videos and commercials. Includes work on “Mind on the Run” music video from Def Jam Recording artist Rev Run, formerly of Run DMC.
2005
NetDevil, Denver – Game Art Intern
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NetDevil
3D models and textures for published title Auto Assault.
2005
Kineticorp, Denver – Animation Intern
www.kineticorp.com
3D animation, models and textures for forensic reconstructions.
2005
Knott Laboratory, Denver – Animation Intern
www.knottlab.com
3D animation, models and textures for forensic reconstructions.
Education
2020
Academy of Art University, San Francisco – MFA, Illustration
Thesis: Exploring Traditional Painting Techniques for Contemporary Illustration Media and Pipelines
2006
Art Institute of Colorado – BA, Media Arts & Animation
Portfolio Par Excellence Award for best portfolio
Honors Graduate
Merit Award Scholarship
Other relevant experience:
2026 –
Aims Community College
I’ve been doing some fun mentoring stuff with the Aims Community College Graphic Design & Rich Media and Animation Programs. I like what they’re doing over there and am planning to do more.
2016-2018
Art Institute of Colorado Professional Advisory Committee
Invited to review and advise my alma mater’s Animation and Game Design programs. Objective was to “help review the established curricula and provide input on the appropriateness of program objectives, content, and the adequacy of facilities and equipment.”
2009-2016 (and kind of again since 2025…?)
ASIFA-Colorado (International Animated Film Association)
Elected to the Board of Directors and Secretary General position for the state chapter of the premiere association for animators. Organized events, projects and platforms to serve the statewide animation community. Taught, tutored and mentored many animation students and enthusiasts.
2009-2014
Starz Denver International Film Festival
Co-developed and taught animation workshops as part of the festival program. Also invited by the Denver Film Society to be a juror for the festival’s Best Animation category prize for each of these years.
2013
Krames StayWell Patient Education
Co-developed and taught a seminar focused on Autodesk Maya for medical illustrators specializing in patient education. Delivered intensive training to the medical illustration team at their South San Francisco office. I co-developed and taught this course with Wes Price, MS Certified Medical Illustrator.
2011-2012
Resident Artist, Denver Art Society 2011 – 2012
Elected position at Denver’s largest fine art co-op. Helped develop curricula for a children’s drawing classes.
Skill set
Traditional and digital illustration
Visual storytelling
Drawing
Painting
Teaching
Storyboarding
Traditional hand drawn animation
3D animation and modeling
Motion graphics
Compositing
Game design
Graphic design
Asset management, technical art, systems design…
Software knowledge
Photoshop
Illustrator
Painter
Procreate
Maya
3Ds Max
Fusion
After Effects
Animate (formerly Flash)
Premiere Pro
Blender
Unity
Stop Motion Pro
IntelliJ
ActionScript
HTML
XML
MEL Script
Starling
Away3D
Not web design 😆
Please let me know if you would like to see a list of references or hang out or whatever. Thanks for looking!