Cecil was born in Seoul, Korea where he grew up most of his childhood and began learning basic art training at local atelier during high school winter breaks, Cecil always liked painting still-life using watercolor. While he was deciding whether he should study painting instead of studying engineering or history journalism, His family decided to move to US when he was 17. Kims family settled in Irvine where Cecil started to take art classes from Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa. After 2 years of exloring different avenues in art and design, Cecil got accepted into Art Center College of Design where he graduated with Honor in illustration with scholarship in 1996. First job was at Imaginary Forces where Cecil worked with Creative Directors to pitch film opening sequences and special FX imagery. With a portfolio of production illustration and FX storyboards, Cecil landed his first staff production job at SquareUSA in Marina Del Rey, California as a cinematic storyboard artist to work on Parasite Eve.

Parasite Eve team saw Cecil’s potential in game level concept design, Cecil began sketching several game levels include NYPD HQ level. Towards the end of PE production, Cecil moved to Honolulu, Hawaii to join Final Fantasy IX team for 2 1/2 years where he created almost 150+ game level maps for the giant project includes memorable Lindblum Castle. Cecil returned to LA to join Sony Santa Monica Studio in 2000 where he serves as a Visual Development Lead / Lead Concept Artist working on best-selling titles such as award-winning God of War I, II, III and Twisted Metal Black. Now Cecil leads a team of 7 concept artists in Sony Santa Monica Studio.

In 2002, Nathan Ota introduced Cecil to Otis College of Art and Design to teach freehand perspective class. Cecil now focuses on developing Concept Art Track in Digital Media Dept where Cecil created a series of studio classes focusing on IP developing, character & environment design, storytelling and lastly, Thesis Classes for senior concept art majors. Cecil also teaches VisCom 6 at prestigious Art Center College of Design for Entertainment Design Program since spring 2011.

Seminars and workshops were China Game Developer Conference 2009, Shanghai and Red Engine School of Design 2010, Art Institute of Inland Empire 2009 and more.

Cecil’s artwork also can be seen in music industry on album covers of various musicians includes French heavy metal band “Dogoba”

In 2011 British Academy of Film and Television Arts awarded Cecil Kim and Sony Santa Monica Studio art department “Best Artistic Achievement” on God of War III.

to see more from Cecil Kim go to:
www.cecilkim.com

also check out Cecil’s new studio website
www.sectionstudios.com