AGL — Aidan G. Larson logo

3D Artist · Unreal Developer · VR/AR

Aidan Larson

3D visualization and digital design out of Philadelphia — sculpting, texturing, and shipping real-time worlds in Unreal Engine 5, with AI tooling wired straight into the pipeline.

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01 — About

Topology first, atmosphere always.

I'm a 3D Visualization & Digital Designer and VR/AR specialist based in Philadelphia, finishing a B.S. in Digital Media and Virtual Production at Drexel University (Dean's List).

My pipeline runs full-stack: modeling and sculpting in 3ds Max, Maya, and ZBrush, texturing in Substance Painter and Designer, and real-time build-out in Unreal Engine 5 — shipped to headset at a locked frame budget.

On occasion, I build AI directly into that pipeline: generative 3D with Tripo, Meshy, and Hunyuan Pro, physics-based animation in Cascadeur, and Claude Code with MCP — including a custom Unreal MCP integration — for in-engine scripting and agentic modeling workflows.

Toolset

3D & Sculpt
MayaMaya3ds Max3ds MaxZBrushZBrushBlenderBlender
Texturing
Substance PainterSubstance PainterSubstance DesignerSubstance Designer
Real-time
Unreal Engine 5Unreal Engine 5UnityUnityUEFNUEFN
Compositing / VFX
NukeNukeHoudiniHoudini
Capture
Motion captureMotion capturePhotogrammetryPhotogrammetry
Agentic tooling
Claude CodeClaude CodeChatGPT CodexChatGPT Codexcustom Unreal MCPcustom Unreal MCPMaya MCPMaya MCPBlender MCPBlender MCPTripoTripoHunyuan ProHunyuan ProCascadeurCascadeur

02 — Study · Facility / VR

Cobbs Creek Golf Facility

Architectural visualization and a standalone Quest 3 putting simulator built at EwingCole — 3ds Max to Unreal Engine 5 via Datasmith, packaged at a locked 90fps for client-facing design review.

Skills used

  • Real-time VR development
  • Blueprinting
  • Modeling
  • Texturing
  • Environment design

03 — Study · Horology

Citizen Eco-Drive Study

A full product visualization pass on a Citizen classic — skeleton movement, guilloché dial, calfskin strap and engraved caseback, broken down into its render passes from wireframe to final PBR. Hover or drag across the frame to drop a loupe onto the surface and inspect the micro-detail.

Skills used

  • Modeling
  • Texturing
  • Lighting
  • Rendering

frame data

lens
50mm · f/4
shader
brushed steel · sapphire
plate
tiled platform

plates

render passes

04 — Study · Consumer Audio

JBL Flip Study

A materials-first product build: woven mesh, soft-touch rubber and machined trim. Scroll through the section and the control deck wipes across the body render along a diagonal seam — or lock a plate below to read the shading notes.

Skills used

  • Modeling
  • Texturing
  • Lighting
  • Rendering
Scroll-driven wipe
JBL Flip product visualization — body and grilleJBL Flip product visualization — control deck

JBL-01 · Body & Grille

05 — Study · Environment Art

Abandoned Nissan S13 Environment Study

A Nissan 180SX left to the ivy inside a collapsing corrugated shed. The set was built and dressed once, then lit twice — a hard practical work-light rig at night and a soft overcast pass by day. Switch the lighting state and step the shot list.

Skills used

  • Modeling
  • Lighting
  • Texturing
  • Foliage
  • Environment design

shot 01 / 03

S13 diorama environment render — Work Light Three-QuarterS13 diorama environment render — Door GapS13 diorama environment render — Rear RevealS13 diorama environment render — Overgrowth CloseS13 diorama environment render — Head-OnS13 diorama environment render — Establishing Wide

N-01

Work Light Three-Quarter

35mm · practical rig · 1/60

Two halogen stands do all the work — hard speculars on wet paint, everything past the shed falling to black.

06 — Study · Character Facial Design

Human Realism design

A likeness study taken from sculpt to shaded turnaround — pore-level skin detail, a strand groom rebuilt as cards for headset, and refractive eyes that hold up in profile. Drag across the plate to rotate the head, or step to a locked view.

Skills used

  • Modeling
  • Sculpting
  • Hair simulations
  • Texturing
  • Rendering
Digital human character study — front viewDigital human character study — three-quarter viewDigital human character study — profile view

T-00

YAW 00°

drag to turn

07 — Capstone · VR Experience

Through the Fog

My senior capstone: a VR recreation of the initial frontline assault on the Cliveden mansion in Germantown, Philadelphia — October 4, 1777. Step through the phases of the engagement as the player would move through it in headset.

Skills used

  • Real-time VR development
  • Modeling
  • Texturing
  • Lighting
  • Environment design
  • Animation
  • Blueprinting
  • Agentic systems testing

Agentic build

Agents in the pipeline

For this project I experimented with building custom MCPs for Maya, Blender, and Unreal Engine — driven from Claude Code and GPT Codex. That unlocked automated systems that assisted in building parts of the immersive experience, from modeling, rigging and retopology through to in-engine build, scripting and blueprinting.

  • Maya MCP

    modeling, rigging & retopology

  • Blender MCP

    modeling, rigging & retopology

  • Unreal MCP

    in-engine build, scripting & blueprinting

Through the Fog — Cliveden assault VR scene, The ColumnThrough the Fog — Cliveden assault VR scene, ClivedenThrough the Fog — Cliveden assault VR scene, The GroundsThrough the Fog — Cliveden assault VR scene, First AssaultThrough the Fog — Cliveden assault VR scene, Flank Approach

PH-01

The Column

05:00 · Germantown Road

Continental columns and artillery trains forming in the pre-dawn fog — wagons, guns and infantry dressed for the march on Cliveden.

Prototype · Pre-VR

Animation & weapon handling

An early-stages animation and weapon-handling demo, built to prove out the feel of the experience before moving into VR.

  • Animation blending
  • Weapon handling
  • Pre-VR test

DEMO-01

08 — Contact

Let's build something in real time.

agl55@drexel.edu

Elsewhere

MUSTANG · FINAL LIT PASS

Ford Mustang — final lit render with floor reflection
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© 2026 Aidan Larson — Philadelphia, PA

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