Today we’d like to introduce you to Neal Biggs.
Neal, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
In second grade, my mom was called into the school to meet with my teacher. The issue was that I would finish my schoolwork quickly and then would start to draw… which was fine… but I would hum… loudly.
In fourth grade, I won an award for a drawing of Abe Lincoln.
In sixth grade, I won another award for a drawing of a coat of arms. My mom had to discuss it with the principal because it featured a knight’s helmet chugging a beer. Apparently, that was inappropriate.
In middle school, I got really into comic books, so I started drawing a ton of superheroes… mostly the Hulk, Venom, Wolverine, and other X-Men. My mom complained that I always drew monsters and never any pretty girls. So I drew her Psylocke, wearing only a towel… and thus entered puberty. Thanks, Mom!
In high school, my Spanish teacher held me after class because I wasn’t doing well. I knew the problem: I spent all my time drawing instead of studying. So, I studied for a little bit and aced the next test. After that, I would just receive a slight nudge when she caught me drawing in her class.
In college, I would review the syllabus of a class I didn’t want to take to find out how little I needed to do to pass. Once I got the grade I needed, I’d stop going so I could spend more time in the art studios or working to afford college. I don’t think my Drawing 1 professor care for me. I had the audacity to ask if I could work ahead. In her defense, I hadn’t turned in a single assignment in over a month. The next day, I turned in all the assignments. The hardest one was to draw a saltine cracker… that should hopefully explain why I wasn’t doing them. I did learn that sometimes you just have to do the work.
During my senior review, my Illustration professor called me “the Walmart of illustrators.” I was offended at first, but he meant it as a compliment… meaning I was a one-stop shop for anything art-related.
After college, I couldn’t find an art-related job. I’d either get a response saying I needed more experience or that I was overqualified. Not knowing how to handle that kind of feedback, I kept working at Applebee’s and entered their management program. I had already worked full-time as a line cook and trained their managers to put myself through college. All those years of drawing in class, and I was rewarded with a budding career at Applebee’s.
Eventually, my wife came across a Craigslist ad for a 3D animator position… yes, Craigslist. I had no experience and no real reason to be applying for that job. But I got it. So, I took a pay cut from Applebee’s and started my career as a 3D animator. In reality I was more like a receptionist for a 3D software salesman. For the first few months, I mostly just answered phone calls and took messages.
Not wanting to end up back in kitchens, I spent my nights reading through manuals of the 3D software I was using. YouTube wasn’t really a thing yet. I put in the work. As projects trickled in, I got better and better at 3D. Each project had its own unique hurdles I had to figure out. The better the work got, the more projects came in, and the more staff we hired.
Roughly eleven years later, I had helped grow that company from just me and the owner to a team of about twelve artists and a handful of support staff and software salespeople. The experience I gained there was priceless. I worked with and trained some amazing artists. We had the privilege of working with great clients… everything from background art for the FX series Archer, to medical animations for Elsevier, to architectural visualization projects, and a huge variety of product renderings and animations.
In 2018, I decided to branch out on my own and started Big5 Studio. I’ll admit, it was a little intimidating at first, leaving a stable job and starting something new while supporting a young family. But looking back, it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. With help from a few former colleagues who had since moved on to other companies, I was able to find new clients quickly. Since then, I’ve been fortunate to enjoy a steady stream of work with clients locally, across the country and even a few international projects. In recent years, I’ve also started mentoring students, which has been a really rewarding experience.
When I first launched Big5, my goal was to eventually grow it into a large 3D studio here in the Kansas City Area. As I settled in to my new role I made the decision to simply stay as a Freelancer. I’m able to personally support my clients’ needs and keep my prices lower than a full studio’s. If larger projects come in, I’m fortunate to be able to reach out to other artists for support.
I realized that spending more time with my wife and young kids was far more important than managing a big team and working 60-plus hour weeks. These days, I still put in long hours, but the work/life balance is much better. I’m grateful to work with excellent clients and to have the opportunity to bring their ideas to life through 3D while spending time with my family.
If you need guidance with your 3D project just reach out. I’m happy to help.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The biggest obstacles I’ve faced usually came down to people telling me I shouldn’t do what I knew, deep down, I was meant to do.
When I was exploring career options, I was really drawn to 3D and medical illustration. I still remember meeting with my college art advisor. She told me I’d never get a job in 3D because the field was saturated with people wanting to work at Pixar, and that I shouldn’t bother. She suggested I focus on drawing or printmaking instead. I chose printmaking… but eventually switched to illustration. Fun fact: there are FAR more jobs in 3D than in printmaking.
Some of my professors said they were “holding me to a higher standard” and gave me lower grades than my classmates. I’m not guessing, they told me directly. My drawing professors wanted my work to look like theirs. They’d point to big ink smears on paper and talk about the implied emotion of the piece… I just saw laziness.
Long story short, I now do exactly what first inspired me… 3D and anatomy.
3D work is inherently challenging. I’ve had countless conversations trying to explain what I do, and most people still assume I’m just a graphic designer or photographer. In reality, a 3D artist wears a lot of hats: graphic designer, photographer, 2D artist, sculptor, coder (not a great one), tech support, developer, web designer, accountant, marketer… and finally, 3D artist. Every piece of software I use gets frequent updates, so there’s always something new to learn.
Now the big issue is AI. I’m still figuring out how I feel about it, but I think generative AI, in its current form, needs serious regulation. I see it as theft. If artists had been asked for consent and compensated fairly, it would be a different conversation. Instead, I’m seeing a flood of sloppy AI-generated work especially in the medical illustration field, and for a field that depends on accuracy, that’s deeply concerning.
There will always be obstacles… but if you trust the process and keep moving forward, things have a way of working themselves out.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a 3D artist specializing in high-quality product and medical rendering and animation. Over the years, I’ve worked with a wide range of clients across industries, helping them bring complex ideas to life through clear and visually compelling imagery. I’m best known for my work on the FX series Archer and for my detailed 3D anatomical models, which have been used in medical education, publishing, and research.
My passion for anatomy runs deep. I’ve always been fascinated by how the human body works and how visual storytelling can make that complexity understandable. Each project challenges me to balance scientific accuracy with strong visual design, to make something that’s not only correct but captivating.
What sets my work apart is my focus on quality and attention to detail. I approach every render and animation with the same goal: to make the final image feel as real, precise, and thoughtfully crafted as possible. Whether it’s a medical visualization or a product renderings, I strive to combine art, science, and storytelling in a way that informs, engages, and inspires.
At Big5 Studio, my mission is simple. I create work that helps people see and understand things more clearly.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
Google.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.big5studio.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nealbiggs/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nealjbiggs/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nealjbiggs/
- Twitter: https://x.com/biggsneal1
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@NealBiggs
- Other: https://www.artstation.com/nearl
