Each artwork in this collection was created between 2018 and 2025 and draws inspiration from a distinct retro computing aesthetic. From a piece influenced by The Matrix to a Frutiger Aero inspired render, a Y2K retrofuturistic artwork, and a Windows 95-themed piece, these 3D artworks span multiple eras. Some creations were even made within a Windows XP Virtual Machine using a 1997 copy of Bryce3D. Every artwork in this collection is either a 3D still or animation, many created entirely from scratch.

Let's Go For A Swim... 🌊 is a 2025 animation, inspired by Frutiger Aero aesthetics, that calls back to the early-2000s when Windows XP had recently released. We were glued to the family computer, chatting with our friends on AIM, making personal websites, visting forums, and downloading music off Limewire and Kazaa. It was a simpler time and being online was so new and exciting.

Please play with sound on🔊, music by Alyzea: Logged On For Hours, soundfx by Ruggiero.

Everything in this animation was created from scratch besides the windmills, which were downloaded and modified. Cinema 4D, ZBrush, Substance Painter, Redshift, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe After Effects were used to create this animation. Two video ratios were created to ensure the artwork's versatility across various screen sizes.

Trilobyte: Specimen 001 was created in 2024 and was inspired during a visit to NYC's Museum of Natural History while observing trilobite fossils. The artwork concept is based around the combination of trilobites, one of the earliest arthropods, with some of the earliest and most famous ideas about tech. Inspiration was taken from The Matrix, following its color palettes, cinematography, and some of its themes. For the design of the Trilobyte, ancient trilobite fossils were heavily referenced. 480 million years ago, trilobites were very plentiful in the ocean, just like bytes of computer data are inside the computer. In the artwork, a Trilobyte is pictured swimming around the dark, virtual space of the computer, transferring their data from place to place. Focus was put on the Trilobyte by displaying it via CRT monitors to showcase its design and further accentuate its small yet salient presence within its ecosystem of technology.

The 3D models within this artwork were modeled or designed using Cinema 4D and ZBrush, and textured in Substance Painter and Redshift. No pre-made 3D models were used for the creation of this artwork. Two formats were created to ensure the artwork's versatility across various screen sizes.

Bound was created in 2025 and was inspired by Y2K and retrofuture aesthetics as well as the state of the internet as of early 2025.

The state of the internet lately isn't as community-oriented as it used to be. Since the rise of AI, the internet has been flooded with spam, making it harder for artists who are creating culture to get noticed. Additionally, social media feels more controlled by politics and marketing algorithms than ever—Meta ended fact-checking, Instagram is removing custom AR filters, X/Twitter automatically follows far-right figures, Chinese-owned TikTok is facing a potential U.S. ban, and Web3 has become inundated with inflammatory personalities.

The internet used to promote original websites, customization, and self-expression. Now, users are bound to a handful of corporatized apps that lack personalization, sell data to corporations, and primarily store it on servers owned by Amazon. For many, this has been a disappointing shift, especially for those who have grown up online and made countless friends through the internet.

Lately, Ruggiero has been spending more time on Discord and messaging apps, attempting to seek out smaller communities and individualized connections with varying degrees of success. She’s also been making efforts to meet people in real life, where conversations feel less confined and politicized. While the internet has changed, the need for genuine connection has not. Whether online or in person, finding spaces that prioritize culture, creativity, and conversation feels more important than ever. Hopefully, with time, the grip of apps that selfishly prioritize their own narrative can be broken, allowing for a more open and community-driven digital space.

The programs used to create this artwork are as follows: ZBrush, Substance Painter, Cinema 4D, Redshift, and Adobe Photoshop. No pre-made 3D models were used for the creation of this artwork.

I miss AOL is a mash-up tribute to Web 1.0 and early 2000s technology. This animation features various iconography, from Dollz to an Angelfire mug, an AOL desktop, and a Razr phone. All themes are heavily inspired by Ruggiero's childhood growing up online.

This animation was created in 2018 using Cinema 4D, Octane Render, Houdini, and After Effects. The song used is called "56K" by artist RAC.

a deep look at time was created in 2024 and was deeply inspired by early Windows 95 and MS-DOS aesthetics.

It’s funny how time works—experienced in the present while weaving through memories of the past. Some moments remain vivid, as if they happened yesterday, while others fade completely. Over time, there’s a tendency to search for the little details in lasting memories, realizing their significance grows with age. Small things about loved ones who have passed or influential experiences that shaped identity become even more meaningful.

Certain memories stand out—like playing on an MS-DOS computer as a young child, possibly as early as three years old. Navigating Windows 95, waiting for games to load from a CD or floppy disk, remains a distinct recollection. The colors and interface of Windows 95 still serve as a nostalgic reminder of those moments. This early introduction to computers became a lasting influence, shaping a lifelong connection to technology.

This artwork was created with Cinema 4D, Octane Render, ZBrush, Aesprite, and Adobe Photoshop. No pre-made 3D models were used for the creation of this artwork.

Each of these artworks was created in 2024 using a 1997 copy of Bryce 3D on an emulated Windows XP OS, with minor color adjustments made in Photoshop. Special attention was given to color, form, and shape, with the intent of exploring the intricacies of primitive 3D software and its tools. Shoutout to LGR on YouTube for inspiring this exploration. You can view more of Ruggiero's Bryce artworks on this page.

MetaChess 3000, created in 2024, was inspired by the Windows 3.1 Chess Wallpaper, Trapper Keeper binders, and ChessMaster 3000 (one of Ruggiero's first computer games). Although this artwork was created using Cinema 4D, Redshift, and Adobe Photoshop, it was influenced by earlier works Ruggiero created in Bryce3D. This artwork blends together early '90s, Y2K, & modern-day aesthetic sensibilities, while also introducing a meta layer by exposing some 2D and 3D tools used during its creation.