ABOUT ME
Xiaochen Zheng
3D Generalist | Illustrator
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I am Xiaochen Zheng, you can also call me Gretchen.
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I am an illustrator and animator based in New York.
I graduated from Parsons School of Design majoring in BFA Illustration and minored in Japanese Studies , class of 2022.
I Graduated from School of Visual Arts majoring in Computer Arts, class of 2025.
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Being an illustrator gives me opportunities to do more storytelling-related projects.
Therefore, I pursued animation as a way of extending my visual storytelling in a more direct way. I enjoy multimedia and I am excited to try different things. Animation and illustration give me chance to bring imagination into reality.
I enjoy exploring different materials, by using 2D and 3D techniques, I can achieve more possibilities through creation.
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Besides doing animation and illustration, I dive myself into the world of crayon drawings. It gives me unlimited expressiveness opportunities. Also, by drawing free hand I could self-analyzing my personal mental wellbeing as a training for art therapy.
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Cat lover, yoga pilates fascinator, never will limit my interests and will always stay curious and multivated!
Education
2018 - 2022
Parsons School of Design The New School
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Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration with Honors, Major: Illustration, Minor: Japanese Studies
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Overall GPA: 3.79
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Dean’s List: Spring 2019, Fall 2019, Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Fall 2021
2023 - 2025
School of Visual Arts
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Master of Fine Arts : MFACA Computer Arts (3D Animation)
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Overall GPA : 3.95
LANGUAGES: English / Mandarin / Japanese / French (learning)
SOFTWARES: MAYA, ZBrush, Houdini, Nuke, Blender, Adobe Substance painter, C4d
Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effect, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Sketchup
Working Experiences
Honors & Awards
June - July 2021
Bilibili,Inc
Beijing China
Anime design department Intern
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Character design of a game. Searching for styles and adding elements that suit the characteristics of the character. Mainly did the designs for the main character.
June - July 2022
NetEase,Inc
Beijing China
Game department design Intern
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Searched for styles that suit the characters. Created a skin for the character in the game Onmyoji.
July - August 2019
Architectural Design and Research Institute of Tsinghua University
Beijing China
Architecture department intern
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Assisted with an innovative project for former industrial buildings in Handan, Hebei, China
June - Sept 2020
Beijing Huazhen Yuanchuang Technology Co., Ltd
Beijing China
Game UI Designer
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Completed a set of user interface (UI) design for a puzzle game.
May - June 2019
P.E.A.R.L. Institute of New York
New York, United States
Graphic Designer & Assistant
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Created posters, designed the gala menu, and assisted with the charity gala auction.
July - August 2018
WeCanwell Group
Marketing Department intern
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Aided the department manager in creating informative and engaging contents for its social media accounts.
UMass Dartmouth, The Massachusetts Art Education Association, & New Bedford Art Museum
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ART-ALL-STATE Award, June 2017
Animation Film “Another Shanghai’s Night”
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Winner, Korea International Short Film Festival, April 2023
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Nominee,The Atlantis Awards, April 2023
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Semi Finalist, Sweden Film Awards, April 2023
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Winner, Busan New Wave Short Film Festival, April 2023
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Finalist, NYFA New York International Film Awards, April 2023
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Los Angeles Independent Shorts Awards, May 2023
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Semi Finalist, New york International Film Awards TM-NYAFA_Best student short film, 2023
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London Independent Film Awards, 2023
Congressional Art Competition for High School Students - U.S. House of Representatives
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Special Congressional Recognition for participation in An Artistic Discovery, May 2017
Selected Activities
Dunhuang Academy October 2021 | Gansu, China
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Certificate of Research for completing a research course on colored clay sculptures of Buddha statues
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Dunhuang Art Academy October 2021 | Gansu, China
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Certificate of Completion for the International Creative Camp of Intangible Cultural Heritage of China and Studies Tour Certificate for the Art of Dunhuang Mogao Caves
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Volunteer, United Nation Volunteer program | Remote Beijing, China | March 2023- May 2023
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Design posters and layout for campaigns
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Team Leader, ART-ALL-STATE Summer Camp | Boston, MA June 2017
