ABOUT
Justin Kunz is a painter, illustrator, concept designer, and educator. His artwork has been exhibited in museums and galleries; published in books, magazines, calendars, web sites and annual reports. Kunz has provided key visual imagery for video games, coins, medals, figurines, and an award-winning film, Nine Days. As a Senior Artist at Blizzard Entertainment, he created concept artwork, 3D assets, textures and effects for the environments in World of Warcraft, as well as early concept artwork for Overwatch. As a member of the Artistic Infusion Program, he has created dozens of numismatic designs including at least 18 coins and medals produced by the United States Mint in gold, platinum, silver and bronze, such as the Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin. Currently an Associate Professor of Illustration at Brigham Young University, Kunz lives with his wife and children in the foothills of Mt. Timpanogos, Utah.
Awards & Honors
Krause Coin of the Year Award for Best Gold Coin, World Money Fair, Berlin, Germany, 2019
Award of Excellence, Alliance of Covenant Artists 2019 Fall Exhibition
Award of Merit, Alliance of Covenant Artists 2019 Fall Exhibition
Best Associate Award of Excellence, Associate Signature Division, Oil Painters of America 26th National Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils, Cincinnati, Ohio, 2017
Masters Award, Zion Art Society, 2017 Inaugural Exhibition
Honorable Mention, Illustration West 54, Society of Illustrators—Los Angeles, 2015
Most Original Award of Excellence, Associate Signature Division, Oil Painters of America 24th National Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils, St. Augustine, Florida, 2015
Second Place, Praiseworthy Arts Easter Invitational Art Exhibition, 2014
Third Place, Springville Museum of Art Spiritual and Religious Art of Utah Exhibition, 2013
Award of Merit, International Portrait Competition, Portrait Society of America, 2008
Visitor’s Choice Award, 7th International Art Competition, Church History Museum, 2006
Master Award, Concept Art Category, Painter, Ballistic Publishing, Adelaide, Australia, 2006
Award of Merit, 82nd Annual Utah Spring Salon, Springville Museum of Art, 2006
Director’s Award, 81st Annual Utah Spring Salon, Springville Museum of Art, 2005
First Place, Freedom Festival Art Exhibition, Provo City Freedom Festival, 2000
Clients
10x Media
Ateam Entertainment
Blizzard Entertainment
Brigham Young University
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Covenant Communications
LEGO
Nickelodeon
The Odd 1’s Out
Sony Pictures
The United States Mint
Upper Deck
The Walt Disney Company
& private collectors
Education
Master of Fine Arts, Painting, Laguna College of Art + Design
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Illustration, Brigham Young University
Photo by Jessica Richardson
I am interested in creating pictures that tell great stories with imagination, and express the extraordinary beauty I see in this world. - J. Kunz