Edward Grad
My name is Edward Grad. I’m a Digital Matte Painter / Concept Artist, for nearly 20 years I have worked on Hollywood films, animation projects and for the advertising industry. My work can be described as digital matte-painting and concept art focused on cityscapes and CG environments, and I mostly enjoy creating historical or futuristic buildings and cities. Since 1993 I’ve worked with Adobe Photoshop, but I also use Autodesk Maya.
My inspiration comes from a range of sources, including the work of directors Ridley Scott, David Fincher, George Lucas and James Cameron. My favourite movies are Blade Runner, Alien, Benjamin Button, Gladiator, Star Wars and Terminator. I am deeply inspired by architecture, particularly the styles of Art Deco and the Roman Empire. Italian and Dutch oil paintings, Piranesi etchings and photography also influence my work.
I studied fine art in Europe at Glebov College of Art and graduated in 1995 with a BA of Fine Arts, majoring in Design and Painting. To enhance my professional film education, I attended Toronto Film School (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) and graduated in 2005 with a Diploma in Computer Animation in Post-Production for Film. In 2011 I studied a Roman Architecture Course at Yale University (New Haven, Connecticut, USA).
A selection of my career highlights includes Harry Potter And Order of The Phoenix (2007), Boardwalk Empire HBO TV Series (2010-2011) which won an EMMY for Achievement in VFX. Projects for Walt Disney Animation include two Oscar-winning titles, Frozen (2013) and Big Hero 6 (2014) which both won an Oscar for Best Animation.
I’ve worked for major studios including, Digital Domain, Walt Disney Animation, DreamWorks Animation, MPC (matte-painting supervisor), Rhythm & Hues, Framestore, The Mill and Rodeo FX.
I currently work on a freelance basis, and I welcome the opportunity to collaborate with new clients and industries.
