Mentor: Jonathan Benainous | Principal Environment Artist

Mentorship Description

At Vessel Forge, our goal is to help artists build strong creative foundations while forging a path toward meaningful growth in the games industry. In this mentorship, you’ll be guided through the full creative approach to environment and asset creation for games—from big-picture planning down to the smallest details.

Led by Jonathan Benainous, a seasoned Environment and Material Artist with over a decade of industry experience at studios like Naughty Dog, Rocksteady, and Ubisoft, this program is designed to provide real-world insight and practical feedback grounded in AAA production standards.

We’ll kick things off by assessing your current skill set and clarifying your creative and career goals. From there, we’ll craft a tailored roadmap focused on elevating your work in key areas such as modeling, sculpting, texturing, material creation, foliage, lighting, composition, and the technical side of environment art.

Throughout the program, you’ll receive hands-on guidance and direct feedback, with a strong focus on developing your artistic eye and understanding of industry workflows. The aim is not only to help you sharpen your skills but also to build a sustainable path forward—whether you’re preparing for your next role, building a portfolio piece, or looking to refine your artistic voice.

By the end of your journey, you’ll have made tangible progress toward your goals and walk away with a stronger sense of direction, purpose, and confidence in your craft.

⮟ Areas of Focus

• World Building, Level Art & Scene Composition

• Environmental Storytelling & Visual Narrative

• Modular Kit Design for Reusability

• Foliage Creation & Procedural Techniques

• Sculpting Stylized & Realistic Assets

• Nanite-Optimized Asset Workflows

• Optimization & Technical Best Practices