Michael Tompert is Designer-in-Chief of Raygun Studio, a digital imaging and CGI studio in Palo Alto, California. A native of Stuttgart, Germany, Michael got his start in the graphic arts as a typographer's apprentice. He came to the United States in 1984 and earned a BFA in Graphic Design from the Academy of Art in San Francisco. While honing his 3D and Photoshop skills as a user-interface designer in Silicon Valley, Michael developed his signature photorealistic imagery style.

In early 2002 Apple convinced him to leave the freelance world and become a part of the esteemed Apple Graphic Design Team in Cupertino. An Apple fan from the early days, Michael is proud to have been responsible for much of Apple's retouching, as well as the creation of icons, logos, prototype images, 3D visualizations, and original art used to launch the G5 and iPod, the iTunes Music Store, iLife, Panther, and Tiger—the products that defined the dramatic rebound of Apple.

The fusion of photography, retouching, and CGI interested him most and triggered Raygun Studio in 2005. With representation by Kate Chase at Tidepool Reps, Raygun has quickly grown a client list of design firms and agencies, including BBDO, Butler Shine, Chiat Day, Goodby, Crispin Porter, JWT, Ogilvy, Tolleson and Y&R.