About Me...
 
I’ve been at this motion graphics thing for almost five years now. While attending the Art Institute of Portland I got my first job in the industry.  It’s fair to say that when I started that job I didn’t know much of anything about motion graphics. However, I quickly became fascinated with the craft and decided to focus my efforts toward learning everything I could about it. The Art Institute of Portland didn’t offer a degree program in motion graphics at the time, so most of my technical knowledge came from experimenting on my own in After Effects.  
After graduating with a Bachelors of Science in Media Arts and Animation, I was hired as an intern at Nike by the Brand Design Media Department; that’s where the real learning began. Previously I had kept my 3D work and After Effects work separate, but it was at Nike that I realized the great role 3D could play in motion graphics. It was then that I began to integrate 3D into my graphics work as much as possible.  
When my internship ended I moved into a freelance role, still working primarily with Nike’s Brand Design Media Department. As time went on and my skills developed I began to freelance for other companies. Most recently I’ve had the absolute pleasure of working with the wonderful folks at Digital Kitchen (Seattle) on numerous projects. Also in recent years, I have developed a love for conceptual work as well as 3D/motion work.
Currently, I am living in Vancouver, Washington (basically Portland, Oregon if you’re unfamiliar with the area) with my beautiful wife Natasha. Most of my work these days is either in Portland or Seattle. I spend most of my free-time playing guitar under derelict bridges.
 
Thanks for stopping by and taking a look at my work
-Russell Hirtzel