mentors' coalition
learn from artists who design for games and films every day
Gilles Beloeil
Senior Concept Artist, Illustrator & Painter
Time zone: EST (UTC-5)
THE STORY
Gilles has been a professional Concept Artist and Illustrator in the video game industry since 2007, with a career closely tied to the Assassin’s Creed and For Honor franchises. Before transitioning fully into games, he spent six years in the Visual Effects industry, working as a Lighting Technical Director and digital matte painter — a foundation that continues to shape his strong sense of lighting, mood, and cinematic composition. Since 2010, Gilles has also been painting with oils, further deepening his understanding of traditional techniques and visual storytelling. Alongside his production work, he has been teaching concept art and digital painting since 2015, guiding artists toward clearer thinking, stronger fundamentals, and industry-ready execution. His work has been featured in multiple volumes of Digital Art Masters, and he is a co-author of the acclaimed book Art Fundamentals published by 3DTotal. He is currently a Principal Concept Artist at Wizards of the Coast.
selected works
Alejandro Burdisio (Burda)
Illustrator, Art Director & Senior Concept Artist
Time zone: ART (UTC-3)
THE STORY
Alejandro Burdisio (Burda) Alejandro Burdisio, known artistically as Burda, has been a professional illustrator and concept artist for over 30 years. Though his academic roots are in architecture—a discipline that remains a fundamental pillar of his design process—he is a largely self-taught artist who began his professional journey at the age of 18. This blend of structural knowledge and artistic intuition has led him to work on world-class productions, including the Warhammer franchise and the acclaimed Netflix series Love, Death + Robots. His signature aesthetic is a masterful exploration of "Universo Chatarra" (Junkyard Universe), a series that defines his role as a leading voice in the Dieselpunk genre. Inspired by the textures and characters of daily life, Alejandro mixes reality with retro-futurism, dystopia, and a touch of the absurd. Whether he is reimagining vintage cars or complex industrial cityscapes, his work is less about pure sci-fi and more about an emotional connection to the past, transformed through shape, color, and a unique sense of humor. At TOXIGRAPH, Alejandro bridges the gap between technical construction and artistic expression. His mentorship is designed for artists looking to achieve structural believability and high-end cinematic mood without losing the freshness of the original sketch. From his initial, expressive drawings of both hard-surface and organic subjects to his final, atmospheric color renders, Alejandro guides students through the full creative process. He trains artists to deconstruct the world around them—architecture, signage, and everyday objects—and reassemble them into grounded, story-driven concepts.
selected works
Eddie Bennun
Senior Art Director & Concept Artist
Time zone: EET (UTC+2)
THE STORY
Eddie Bennun is a Senior Art Director & Concept Artist with over two decades of experience in the game industry, shaping visuals for some of the world’s most influential game franchises since 2010. His work is grounded in clarity, functionality, and strong visual storytelling — ensuring every design decision serves narrative, worldbuilding, and production needs. Beyond studio work, Eddie has been mentoring artists for decades, guiding both emerging and established professionals toward stronger fundamentals and industry-level execution. He has led workshops and master classes for institutions such as Gnomon, spoken at FZD School of Design, and presented at international conventions and universities across Europe. His work and insights have been featured in publications including Kotaku, IAMAG, and 80 Level. Through TOXIGRAPH, he translates real production standards into structured mentorship — training artists to think clearly, design intentionally, and build portfolios that stand up to professional scrutiny.
selected works
Leonardo Borazio
Illustrator & Concept Artist
Time zone: (CEST, UTC+2)
THE STORY
Leonardo Borazio is a master of mood and atmosphere. Based in Milan, he has spent over a decade defining the visual language of some of the most iconic worlds in modern entertainment. From the dark, visceral landscapes of Lords of the Fallen II to the sprawling, gritty realism of Path of Exile II, Leonardo’s work is where epic scale meets intimate storytelling. His career is a testament to versatility at the highest level. Whether he is crafting pre-production concepts for AAA titans like Ubisoft (Paris & Reflections) and NetEase, or illustrating legendary tales for Wizards of the Coast (Magic: The Gathering), Leonardo focuses on the soul of the image: the lighting, the mood, and the "lived-in" feel of a fantasy world. The Painterly Soul in a Digital Age What sets Leonardo apart is his "painterly" DNA. In a world of clean digital lines, his work carries a heavy, textured brushwork that feels traditional and grounded. This unique sensibility is why he was tapped to translate massive IPs into new mediums, contributing his vision to the upcoming How to Train Your Dragon (2025) live-action movie and the epic TV series Those About to Die. The Mentorship Vision: Mastering the Key Shot Leonardo doesn't just design props or draw blueprints; he captures the inspiration behind the project. As a mentor at TOXIGRAPH, he focuses on the art of the Inspirational Key Shot—those cinematic, high-impact images that set the emotional tone for an entire production. He brings his deep experience in lighting and composition to help students move beyond simple design and into the world of "Visual Narrative." He teaches how to use light as a tool, how to build believable materiality, and how to create the "Hero Image" that sells a vision to a director or a studio. Under his guidance, students learn to build worlds that don't just look good, but feel like they have a thousand years of history behind them.
