Eric Keller – Visual effects artists with a soft spot for insects

From late night music gigs to an Emmy nomination in visual effects

Eric Keller’s career is a dynamic cocktail of art and science. After training as a classical guitarist at Florida State University, he embarked on an independent path that merged his creative and technical talents. Eric quickly realized that the life of a professional musician wasn’t for him due to the challenging realities and low pay. After struggling with side jobs, he discovered his passion for digital art, teaching himself Photoshop, 3D software, and web design, eventually landing a job at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in 1998. There, he transitioned from web design to 3D animation, drawing on the discipline he had learned from music to successfully shift careers and become a visual artist.

For seven years, he focused primarily on medicine and cell biology, refining his ability to translate complex scientific concepts into medical illustrations and animations. Later, he moved to Los Angeles and attended the prestigious Gnomon School of Visual Effects as a student. After graduating, he became an instructor at the Gnomon School in Hollywood and an author of several video series on Maya and ZBrush, industry standards in 3D animation and 3D sculpting respectively, for the online Gnomon Workshop. He has been awarded the title of Master Trainer by Maxon, the software company behind ZBrush. In addition to teaching, he has worked extensively as a freelance artist on numerous television, feature film, AR, and VR projects, including the planetarium show "Signs of Life" at Griffith Observatory.

Juggling entertainment and science

Eric Keller is a unique artist who has navigated both the fast-paced world of Hollywood productions and the meticulous realm of academic insect research—two vastly different industries. Reflecting on his experiences, he describes Hollywood as a high-pressure environment where the motto is essentially, “it was too late yesterday,” prioritizing speed over precision. In contrast, working with scientists requires patience, as accuracy is paramount, often involving multiple rounds of revisions before reaching a final version. He credits the detailed feedback and constructive criticism from scientists for refining his skills and deepening his commitment to scientific accuracy.

Maybe you’ve already seen Eric’s incredible work without realizing it. He contributed to the Emmy nominated opening sequence of Netflix’s Wednesday, served as the title artist for One Piece on Netflix, and worked on the title sequences for Aquaman. To explore Eric’s full portfolio, click here.

“Insects are messy robots.”

Eric’s fascination with insects began unexpectedly when he collaborated with Dr. Gaël McGill from Digizyme on E.O. Wilson’s Life on Earth iBook. While working on the project, he delved into Wilson’s writings on evolution and ants—a discovery that profoundly influenced his career.

For Eric, insects are the perfect subjects for animation, combining organic movement with the rigid, metallic-like structure of their exoskeletons. Captivated by their complexity, he has used advanced digital animation to bring them to life in stunning detail. His passion for insect education led him to create an entire website dedicated to the topic: Entomology Animated. Through this project, Eric seeks to deepen our understanding and raise awareness of insect physiology.

Insect creature design workshops

Eric hosts a weekly live stream session through the ZBrush live stream channel where he creates captivating insect models in real-time, engaging his audience throughout the process. While he primarily uses ZBrush, he also incorporates Maya and Blender for some of his animations. These sessions capture his entire creative process, offering viewers a behind-the-scenes look at his artistic journey.

Eric's process for realistic insect animations

Eric uses a combination of tools to bring his insect animations to life. At times, he begins with 3D scans of insects, which allows him to work with high-resolution samples from the outset. Other times, his starting point is a real specimen, from which he takes photos from various angles to create reference points for 3D modeling. 

To ensure scientific accuracy, he also makes extensive use of a stereomicroscope, allowing him to observe the insects in detail and faithfully capture their features in his animations.

3D insect jewels

Eric is also the co-founder of the ZBrush Jewelry Workshop, where he serves as an instructor, guiding both beginners and advanced students to push the boundaries of ZBrush and craft stunning, intricate designs that serve to create astonishing pieces of jewelry.

Why jewelry? For Eric, the connection with insects runs deep. Throughout history, from ancient Egypt to modern times, insects have been a continuous source of inspiration for artists, particularly jewelry makers. Their delicate forms, vibrant patterns, and natural beauty have captivated creatives for centuries, making them the perfect muse for designs that marry nature and artistry. Eric's passion for both insects and jewelry design creates a unique intersection, where the elegance and complexity of the natural world meet the precision of digital craftsmanship.

Looking ahead

In addition to his work as an artist and instructor, Eric generously shares his knowledge through free tutorials on YouTube and has uploaded several of his teaching materials on Udemy for online learning.

Looking to the future, Eric envisions creating video games where insects take center stage as the main heroes. His goal is to make these games scientifically accurate while also serving as educational tools. However, he acknowledges that education often lacks the funding that the entertainment industry enjoys, which has led him to postpone some of his plans for now. Despite the challenges, Eric remains dedicated to combining his passion for insects, science, and storytelling in ways that can inspire and educate others.