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Curated collections of Workshops organized by subject matter, such as Environment Art, Character Design or Effects Animation.

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Maria Barbadillo

Lead FX Artist at Squeeze Animation Studios

Maria Barbadilloa is a Lead and Senior FX Artist with extensive experience across animation, cinematic VFX, and theme park productions. She currently works as a Freelance Senior FX Artist at Arx Anima, creating dynamic effects that enhance storytelling and immersive experiences.


Previously, Maria led the FX department at Squeeze Animation Studios, overseeing major projects including Clash of Clans cinematics and a Minions sequence for the Orlando theme park. Her credits also include PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie at Mikros Animation, Tadeo Jones 3 at Lightbox Animation Studios, and blockbuster films such as Thor: Ragnarok and Deadpool 2 at Framestore.


Maria is passionate about visual storytelling, team leadership, and mentorship, and enjoys sharing her knowledge by teaching visual effects to emerging artists.

  • I had the privilege to work with Maria for two years as she was my FX Lead. Knowledgeable, efficient, and funny as hell, she's still one of the best artists I've had the chance to work with. I can't wait to get my hands on this tutorial.

    - Maxime Ricbourg
    Houdini FX Technical Director at Squeeze Studio Animation

  • I had the privilege of working with Maria on several projects. She has a great mix of artistic talent stemming from her love of traditional arts and technical know-how, which makes her a fantastic artist for any team. As a lead is where she truly stands out: she’s super supportive, great at explaining things, and always makes the team feel inspired and taken care of.

    - Federico Sella
    FX Supervisor at Bardel Entertainment

  • I worked with Maria for over three years. She always proved herself as a true leader. She managed workload dispatch, provided simulation setups, and shared clear guidelines and support, while keeping up with the pressure of high-speed deliveries. She delivered a long-term strategic vision for the FX department and supervision for large-scale feature animation production. All her technical knowledge and management experience are wrapped in a charming personality that makes even the most stressful production feel like an enjoyable experience.

    - Sergey Kononenko
    Director of Computer Graphics at Squeeze Animation Studio

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