MAGIC IS IN THE AIR - AIR MAX

For over 20 years, Nike’s beloved Air Max has inspired generations and become a cultural revolution.

I was the CGI artist and co‑art‑directed a playful Product AV for Nike’s kids‑only Air Max Motif (Air Max Day 2022). Working with the kid‑designed “air‑lien” characters, I helped shape a bouncy, magical aesthetic that made Gen Alpha’s first experience with the motif feel unique and joyful. I collaborated closely with the Intro team (rigging & primary animation) and ManvsMachine (models, base shading and the inflated shoe asset), and focused on look development, inflation/air FX, lighting and compositing so the characters and shoe felt tactile, alive and perfectly integrated into each shot.

Key contributions

Role: CGI artist & art direction on selected shots
Led look development for inflatable/air-driven surfaces and soft/elastic shading
Implemented deformation-driven materials, FX passes and animation polish to sell the “inflate/deflate” behavior (working from the Intro rigs)
Crafted lighting, shading tweaks and compositing to integrate characters, props and the product plate
Refined timing and camera edits to emphasize playful bounce and product moments