Who I am
Nicolas Troccaz
Lille Metropole area
France
nicotro@protonmail.com
What I do
My professional journey began almost 25 years ago when I entered the video game industry as a programmer, a first experience leading me to work with many talented and open minded people from different backgrounds and interests. It has been a great opportunity to realize that computer graphics were the ideal way to combine technology, creativity and a passion for video game, a then relatively young media. Keeping up-to-date with constantly evolving trends and hardware, I moved on from 2D to 3D art in the 1990s while also continuously educating my eye and developing my traditional art skills. As the electronic entertainment industry grew bigger over the years, I had the chance to take part in many challenging projects, working with or leading brilliant and creative teams, learning along with them.
In 2013 I started working for another side of the creative industry, with a 3D art teacher position in a specialized art school in the fields of 3D animation, FX, gaming and concept art. Sharing my knowledge and experience with students and helping them grow has been very rewarding, and confirmed me how important traditional art skills, visual arts culture, communication and passion were: technology is but a tool that serves creativity, communication and story-telling, the challenge being to teach the students how to use it and learn by themselves.
An opportunity then arose for my family to move to the USA in 2015, offering new challenges and the possibility to discover a different culture. I joined IKEA shortly after and took part in the set up and opening of a store as a visual merchandiser, discovering a different way of communicating and telling stories, based on a strong brand identity and strict visual guidelines. I then acted as interim graphic designer before stepping in a communication specialist position. Working in a foreign country turned out to be both incredibly rewarding and highly instructive, and made me want to keep on learning while exploring new opportunities.
I came back to France at the beginning of 2021 and settled in the Lille Metropole area. After spending some time on bringing myself up to speed on recent visual trends and CG softwares, I decided to upgrade my tecnhical skills in software development and web design, and enrolled in a .NET applications development class in September 2021.
Some of my works
m2i - Netflix Clone
Development of a Netflix like application, as the principal project for a FullStack developer training session. Required use of Asp.NET Core and a SQL database for the back, with a Rest API allowing users to access and update the data. React and css3 used to replicate the original Netflix website appearance. See the development version hosted on GitHub.
Training, React, css, c#, .NET, rest API, Entity framework
m2i - React Pokemon Deck
Development of a simple Pokemon deck creation web-app, as part of a React/Redux training. Required use of PokéAPI, at least 2 pages (home/Pokemon list, details) and a selection display modal. Refined UI/UX and responsive design implemented for a more user friendly experience. See the development version hosted on GitHub.
Training, React, Redux, css, web-app, rest API, UX/UI
m2i - Website design and development
Design and development of an open theme website, as part of a FullStack developer training session. Mandatory use of Js, html5 and css3, and at least 3 pages (home, contact form and data-displaying table), not responsive. See the final single page web app version hosted on GitHub.
Training, Js, html5, css, website, webdesign, UX/UI
Insy2s - Web app & API
Design and development of two different functional websites, as part of a MCPD training internship: AlloCine-like website creation to learn React (AlloMovie development version hosted on GitHub) and development of an online grocery store web app using React for the frontend and a .NET Rest API & MSSQL database for the backend.
Training, .NET, React, rest API, web-app, development
WFH - Blender Practice
Improving my knowledge of Blender and developing my architectural and interior design visualisation skills. Remodeling a family room, based on real-life constraints and measurements.
Training, 3D, Blender, Interior Design, modeling, rendering, compositing
WFH - Prototyping and printing
Combining 3D and 2D/print skills to produce the stickers for a friend's project. Using Blender and Sketchfab to submit and validate the design before preparing the file to be printed on vinyl. Acurate 2D and 3D work based on provided blueprints and measurements. 3D model on Sketchfab.
Training, 3D, Blender, Illustrator, Photoshop, Arcade, modeling, texturing
IKEA - Communications & Events Specialist
Design, production and setup of numerous internal communication campaigns. Examples of events promoting diversity, inclusion and equality, to grow awarness and acceptance amongst Co-workers. Staff solicited for the content and the visuals to develop empathy and togetherness.
internal, communication, print, Photoshop, Illustrator
IKEA - Communications & Events Specialist
IKEA Co-workers engagement campaign visuals design, production and setup, digital and print. Week-long event including contests, gifts and games. Actual Staff pictures used for the visuals to develop inclusion and sense of ownership, IKEA assembly guy based signs (knowingly bending the rules for a good purpose) to emphasize brand awarness and reinforce group membership feeling.
internal, communication, print, digital, Photoshop, Illustrator
IKEA - Communications & Events Specialist
IKEA Co-workers engagement campaign conception, production and setup, digital and print: Halloween costume contest as an incentive to join the internal social network Yammer. Content complying with the IKEA tone of voice & visuals mixing IKEA stock photos and Co-workers pictures.
internal, communication, print, digital, Photoshop, Illustrator
IKEA - Visual Merchandiser
Showroom launch activity setup: merchandising and display planning, Autocad map, Store implementation in coordination with the visual, sales and logistic teams.
planning, Autocad, range presentation, display
IKEA - Visual Merchandiser
Display and merchandising planning in coordination with the visual, sales and logistic teams. Rough drawing of the in-store layout then set up.
merchandising, range presentation, planning, display
Bellecour Ecole - 3D CG teacher
Yearly curriculum, content and tests creation for Autodesk Maya classes intended for concept art students. Example image of the expected result for a modeling, texturing & rendering project based on the students own concept drawings (3D interpretation of a 2D concept).
Teaching, Concept art, 3D, Maya
Bellecour Ecole - 3D CG teacher
Yearly curriculum, content and tests creation for Autodesk Maya classes. Example images illustrating a Material & lighting process: procedural material setup, HDRI environment creation, lighting, rendering, color grading and compositing.
Teaching, Lighting, material, 3D, Maya
Bellecour Ecole - 3D CG teacher
Yearly curriculum, content and tests creation for Autodesk Maya classes. Example scene: turntable for a low poly environment modeling & rendering assignment.
Teaching, 3D, LowPoly, Maya
Bellecour Ecole - 3D CG teacher
Yearly curriculum, content and tests creation for Autodesk Maya classes. Example image of the expected result for a lighting & rendering project using PBR material and basic compositing.
Teaching, Lighting, rendering, 3D, Maya, keyshot
Blossom Minds - Artist & Cofounder
Company visual identity conception based on a collaborative design process (visit cards design study, small size logo and color palette for digital use).
visual identity, logo, vcard, website
Blossom Minds - Artist & Cofounder
Game font and company website design: UI/navigation, layout, coding and content/assets production. Visit archived version (Desktop version only, not responsive!).
visual identity, website
Blossom Minds - Artist & Cofounder
Game assets modeling and texturing, scenery setup, textures & materials, lightmaps, adjustments & debug. Watch the trailer.
Game, 3d, 3DS Max, Environment, in-game screenshots, PS3, Xbox360
Blossom Minds - Artist & Cofounder
Game assets modeling & texturing, scenery setup based on the level design. Top from left to right: scenery, lightmap, albedo, composite+lighting+DOF. Bottom: realtime in-game rendering. Watch the trailer.
Game, 3d, 3DS Max, Environment, process, in-game, PS3, Xbox360
Eden Games - Lead Character Artist
In-game avatar customization system research, technical contraints setup and implementation, working with an animator and a programmer. 2 neutral body types/gender offering 3 ethnic variations using materials/facial setup (hair, facial features and shape).
Game, 3d, Character, Avatar, customization, PS3, Xbox360
Eden Games - Lead Character Artist
Avatar team and game characters/assets outsourcing management, DLC Clothes artistic direction setup & follow-up, in-game assets production, tuning & validation.
Game, 3d, Character, Avatar, customization, PS3, Xbox360
Eden Games - Senior Character Artist
Characters facial animations system research & implementation, working with an animator. Based on the Facial Action Coding System (FACS). Facial rigging & posing, characters tweaking.
Game, 3d, Character, Facial animation, Maya, PS3, Xbox360
Eden Games - Senior Character Artist
Characters facial posing and animations, faces and facial features material improvements, facial animation team management.
Game, 3d, Character, Facial animation, realtime render, PS3, Xbox360
Datura Studios - Lead Artist & Cofounder
Art Team management. Low polygon characters modeling, texturing, rigging and skinning.
Game, 3D, Character, 3DS Max, PS2, Xbox
Atari - Artist
Visual development, Graphic team management, original character design and assets/animation creation for a platform game based on the Ghostbusters license. Game development unfortunately interupted, but a proof of concept version was achieved..
Game, 2D, Character design, licensing constraints, GBAIf you want to get in touch with me, please use the following contact form.