INTRODUCTION
Hi! I’m Vika, a 2D illustrator and concept artist working on video games and other creative projects.In my work, I focus not only on the visual appearance of an image, but also on the purpose it serves and the problem it helps solve.
For example, this illustration of me as a bunny sets the tone for the rest of my presentation. Just look at how inspired and relaxed this little bunny is!
What Should I Do?
I create visual designs that help shape the personality and atmosphere of a project.
My main areas of expertise include:
— Game Environment & Location Concept Art;
— Character & Prop Design;
— 2D Game Assets, Sprites & UI Art;
— Personal Digital Illustrations.
How Do I Do It?
I enjoy working at different stages of a project—from exploring its overall mood and visual style to creating specific elements like characters, props, and UI. For me, it is important that all these elements don’t just exist in isolation, but coalesce to create a cohesive visual identity.
Throughout my creative journey, I’ve had the chance to explore a wide range of art styles. This experience has taught me how to adapt to a project’s visual direction while simultaneously contributing a unique identity to it.
ACADEMIC PROJECTS
Character, Level & Props Concept
«The Architects»
Game Screenshots
A 3D retro-futuristic action-management game featuring combat based on geometric spells.
The TaskMy role involved developing the project’s visual style and aesthetic, designing the environments and combat arenas, and creating character concepts and final in-game sprites for playable characters, enemies, and NPCs.Additionally, I coordinated and provided feedback to a team of four 3D artists, helping to maintain visual consistency and ensure an efficient production workflow.
Worldbuilding & Environment Concepts
Concepts of fake game screenshots
I began by assembling a mood board, starting with the broad concept and narrowing down to the specifics—from the overall atmosphere and aesthetic of the settings to individual design elements and visual solutions.I developed the environmental concepts keeping the in-game camera perspective in mind from the outset, which made the designs more practical and focused. This allowed the team to quickly establish a clear visual direction and a shared understanding of how to proceed with the project.
The process of working with 3D tools
So my focus wasn’t just on designing individual environments, but on finding a cohesive visual language that would tie them all together.
Characters
One of the key elements of the gameplay is interacting with characters and developing relationships with them between battles.
This made it particularly important to ensure each character was unique and compelling, both in appearance and personality. I wanted players to intuitively grasp who each character was before even initiating a conversation.
Concurrently, all the characters needed to share a cohesive visual style and clearly reflect the faction to which they belonged.
The main focus was on highlighting the contrast between the two factions. The Architects' designs were meant to convey a sense of stability, purity, and advanced technology, while their opponents' designs emphasized chaos and organic forms.This contrast lies at the heart of the game’s central conflict: sterile, rigidly controlled «good» versus living, untamed «evil».
I paid special attention to the main character and her weapon, as her design needed to be translated into 3D, so I focused on large and medium-sized shapes to ensure her design remained visually cohesive and readable from the game’s zoomed-out camera perspective.
