Steve Nelson II
Art Director & Illustrator
Bel Air, MD | steve@swampshellindustriesllc.com | LinkedIn | Portfolio | Instagram
Art director and illustrator with 25+ years in AAA game development, now all in on 2D — creatures, characters, and dark little worlds for print and publishing. Currently developing variant creature art in collaboration with author Nicholas Sansbury Smith (Aethon Books).
Experience
Swamp Shell Industries LLC — Bel Air, MD, 2025–Present
Founder / Illustrator
- Original creature and character illustration for publishing, collector's editions, and licensing.
- Developing variant creature art in collaboration with author Nicholas Sansbury Smith (Aethon Books).
- Art direction and creative production for independent clients — one pair of hands, no handoffs.
ZeniMax Online Studios — Cockeysville, MD, 2018–2025
Environment Art Director, previously Lead Environment Artist
- Founding member of new AAA IP team; led environment art, worldbuilding, and lighting across a 6-year development cycle.
- Architected modular systems and workflows balancing artistry with procedural scalability.
- Prototyped environment systems in three game engines to inform long-term tech and art direction.
- Partnered with level and movement designers to define gameplay spaces supporting mechanics, pacing, and player experience.
- Mentored leads and senior artists, fostering ownership, raising quality, and reinforcing team morale.
ZeniMax Online Studios — Cockeysville, MD, 2010–2018
Principal Environment Artist, previously Senior Environment Artist
- Planned, created, and managed over 12 architectural kits for the game's launch and expansions.
- Oversaw day-to-day operations of a 12-artist team alongside the lead environment artist.
- Developed the building destruction system for Cyrodiil with the lead PvP designer; created the iconic ruined Imperial City environment for ESO.
BioWare Mythic — Fairfax, VA, 2007–2010
Artist Specialist
- Created architectural assets and textures for the AAA MMORPG Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning, including both major cities.
- Developed concepts, environmental art kits, pipelines, and early character assets with a prototype team for validation, including Ultima Forever (launched 2013).
- Managed external teams across EA's global network — direction, feedback, and final asset delivery.
Previous Experience
- Environment Artist, Dynamic Animation Systems (Fairfax, VA, 2004–2007) — environments and effects for government simulations.
- Art Director, Elmer Interactive (Pittsburgh, PA, 2001–2002) — led game art production and team management for commercial releases.