One Mile Apart - 3D Enviornment

Political 3D Art Piece Exploring Identity at the U.S.–Mexico Border

I created a 3D environment based on my childhood home, split down the middle to represent two worlds only a mile apart — life in the U.S. versus life in Mexico. Using environmental storytelling and symbolic assets, I contrasted the hostility and discrimination faced on the U.S. side (broken windows, racist graffiti, stolen flags) with the warmth, resilience, and resourcefulness of the Mexican side (colorful patchwork textures and vibrant lighting).

The piece was modeled in Maya, textured in Substance Painter, and assembled in Unreal Engine, with final rendering and editing completed in Premiere Pro. My workflow included research into real discriminatory incidents and cultural references, blending stylized surfacing with realistic detail to evoke emotion and narrative clarity.

This project served as both a political statement and a personal reflection on my experience growing up Mexican-American in Laredo, Texas. It was inspired by artists like Luz María Sánchez and shaped by mentorship from industry professionals. The final result is a video turnaround that invites viewers to reflect on identity, migration, and resilience, while demonstrating my passion for environment and concept design as tools for storytelling.