Tatiana Zmeevskaya

Review

Please introduce yourself. What inspires you? What brought you to digital art?

Hi! My name is Tatiana, a digital artist from Russia currently living in the US.
I draw my inspiration from books, games, nature, and fellow artists. When I was a kid, I was very impressed by Disney animation. I didn’t know if it could be possible, but I wanted to become a cartoonist or an animator.
I started as a traditional artist using primarily pencil, watercolor, and gouache since digital tools were not available. And I still have a soft spot in my heart for traditional media, but digital art opened up a million new possibilities for me. It gives me a chance to make mistakes without starting over, and all of the colors are always available at my fingertips. It felt magical the first time I tried it, and that feeling never went away.

What were the biggest problems you faced when you started out as an illustrator?

I’m self-taught, so it was challenging to learn everything without feedback from more experienced artists. I also had a hard time painting backgrounds. It always felt so overwhelming. So I avoided them at all costs until recently.

Midnight-Visitor

This illustration was based on my character Aliciath. Since it is a splash art type of image, my original concept needed some refinement and extra details. I’m delighted with how it turned out.

How did your skills improve during the mentorship, and what were the tasks like?

With my mentor, we tackled various fundamentals like composition, anatomy, perspective, values, and color. I feel like I got a deeper understanding of all of these subjects now.
Monika guided Emmanuel and me through the illustration process, from thumbnails to final touches. And I can proudly tell that painting backgrounds do not intimidate me anymore. Through trial and error, I found a way how to paint trees. I got a better grasp of the female facial structure. I figured out how to render a variety of materials. And most of all, I learned how to be patient with myself.

How was the mentorship for you?

Honestly? I loved it! Monika is a fantastic mentor. She answerd all of our questions. She praised us and was never harsh with the critique. I worked very hard and was always looking forward to our new session to learn something new. I’m pleased with the progress I’ve made. No regrets.

Grove guardians

This was a fascinating and challenging piece for me. I had a chance to practice rendering different materials and to try out a different lighting scenario.

What made you decide to take a mentorship at CGVerse?

I was looking for guidance on improving my skills. Concept art mentorship felt like the right route to take. In search of a mentor, I stumbled upon the CGVerse school website and was blown away that I can choose from various subjects and learn from professionals who have hands-on experience in the industry.

What motivations do you have for the future?

I’ve been freelancing since 2016, and I’m currently on the hunt for an artist position in the game industry. I believe that learning is a lifelong journey. I will continue honing my skills and advancing in my career.