contact

︎ Jo.L.Maier[at]gmail.com

“Mixing analog and digital tools for creating beautiful artwork is what I strongly believe in.”

vita

20124 - now: Co-Founder & Creative Director
at Studio Zweisiedlerkrebs.

• Art Direction
• Game Design
• Illustration & Animation

2018 - now: Freelance Illustrator & 2D Artist

• 2D artist for interactive light projection Salzsammler by Salzsammler Studios
  
• 2D artist for serious narrative game Starlight Stadium by OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)
• UI designer for Yet Another Indie Game Studio’s Vertical Slice Telecom Tycoon
• Illustrator for Albert-Ludwigs-Univercity Freiburg, Project Heros - Held:innenbaukasten
  
• Concept artist for game indie studio Ludopium, unannounced project
• Illustrator for several publishers, e.g. Edition Pastorplatz, Transcript Verlag
• Concept artist and animation support for Trübes Wasser by Elena Wiener

2023 - 2025: Lecturer in Life Drawing
University of Applied Science, Cologne.

• responsible for life drawing classes from 6-15 people
• teaches human anatomy and drawing principles
• gives feedback and mentoring

2021 - 2023: Art Director
Bonus Level Entertainment

• responsible for an art team of 2-4 artists
• organized and mentored art team
  
• communicated within departments
• developed the art style for two game projects Saga of Sins & Heartwarming
• created 2D assets (characters, environments, props, modular tile sets)
• implemented assets into unity, created prefabs & decorated levels

2018 - 2021: Lecturer in Game Art & Design
at Bib International College
in Bergisch Gladbach.

• responsible for game classes from 8-30 people
• taught art design techniques and design theory
• created learning materials and syllaby
• gave feedback and mentoring

2017 - 2020: Co-Founder & Concept Artist
at Cube Factory.

• responsible for 2d concept art
  
• created UI and UX
• responsible for marketing assets
  (print, images & trailer)

2014 - 2018: Student of Game Art
at University of Applied Science (TH)
in Cologne.
degree: Bachelor of Arts.

2007 - 2013: Student of Architecture
at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
in Karlsruhe.
degree: Diploma.

born in Karlsruhe,
Germany.

illustration

• exhibitor at ILLU25, Cologne Germany
  
• exhibitor at ILLU23, Cologne Germany 
• exhibitor at 56th Bologna Illustrator’s Exhibition 2022
  
• exhibitor at Hamburger Kinderbuchpreis 2021 
  
  
• Spuren im Schnee
  Annete Betz Verlag 09/2024,
  ISBN-13: 978-3-219-12020-2
  Children’s Picture Book     

• Mental Health | Atmospheres | Video Games - New Directions in Game Research II
  Transcript Verlag 10/2022,
  ISBN-13: 978-3-837662-64-1
  Cover Design
  
  
• Sommerwaldfunkeln
  Edition Pastorplatz 03/2022,
  ISBN: 978-3-943833-51-5

        Cover Design 

games

Merkmal: Radikal!, in Production
serious multiplayer game
by Studio Zweisiedlerkrebs
funded by Film-und Medienstiftung NRW 

• nominee: 
  // Creative Projects NRW - 2025
  // Sächsischer Staatspreis für Design - 2025

Starlight Stadium, 2024 
serious narrative game
organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)

Heartwarming, 2023 - vertical slice
2D-puzzle platformer
developed by Bonuslevel Entertainment

Saga of Sins, 2023  
2D-action-platformer
developed by Bonuslevel Entertainment
published by Just for Games

Kyklos Code, 2018
3D-action-platformer
developed by Cube Factory

• nominee: 
  // Ubisoft Blue Byte Newcomer Award 2017   
  // German Game Developer Award - Prototype 2018

• honorable mention:
  // Independant Game Festival - Student Game 2018

Macbeth’s Fate, 2019
digital Macbeth adaptation, walking simulator
developed by Josefine Maier

film

Manufactura, 2025
2D animation short film/ light projection Mapping
by Studio Zweisiedlerkrebs
official selection for Genius Loci, Weimar 

Käääse!, 2025
2D animation short film
by Studio Zweisiedlerkrebs

• official selection:

        // MONSTRA - Animation Festival 2025
            - Super Short Films  
        // Kaboom Animation Festival 2025
            - Schmutz Cinema: Your Yuck is My Yumm
       // Leiden Shorts 2025 - International Competition
        // Animation Festival Munich 2025 - Animated Short
        // Fest Anča 2025 - Animated Short
 
Catcalls, in pre-production:
by Studio Zweisiedlerkrebs

Trübes Wasser, 2020:
2D animation short film (Elena Wiener)

• winner NRW Förderpreis:
// 67. Internationale Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen - NRW Competition 

• honorable mention Jugendjury:
  // 33. Filmfest Dresden 2021 - National Competition
  
• official selection:

        // Tricky Women/ Tricky Realities 2021
        // Filmfest Bremen 2021 - Competition: Innovation
        // Athens Animfest 2021
        // Cinanima 2020 - Student Competition
        // Ajayou 2020 - Competition: Grand Prize
        // Balkanima 2020 - Student Competition
        // cinemaway 202 Femme Filmmakers Festival 2020
        // Aurora Film Festival 2020

Hirsch und Weg, tba:
2D animation short film (Elena Wiener)