Interview with Denitsa Tasheva – Game Dev (Advanced)

Denitsa is part of ARC Academy’s Game Dev Advanced program. From a small artistic child, who used the walls at home as her first canvases, today she is about to disprove the expression “Artist ? house does not feed”. Guided by this thought, she initially enrolled to study medicine in Plovdiv, with the desire to help people. While studying this specialty, her love for art did not fade, and a desire arose in her to combine her two vocations – the creation of worlds and characters and medicine. So she stopped working in the game industry and started looking for options for studying abroad.

How Denitsa got to ARC Academy and why she decided to seek her development here in Bulgaria, you will find out from the interview with her:

Introduce yourself in a few sentences. Tell us about your hobbies, favorite movies/books, etc.

My name is Denitsa and I am part of the Game Dev Advanced program at ARC Academy.

I’m introverted, with a love for coffee and an overly sarcastic sense of humor.

Ever since I can remember, I have always drawn. My first “art” appearances were on the walls at home, which my parents didn’t like very much… Oops. I’ve also been playing games for as long as I can remember – from flash games on the Cartoon Network site, through Sims and Tomb Raider, to Mass Effect and Cyberpunk 2077. In my spare time, depending on the mood, I like to hang out with friends, read – with an interest in thrillers, fantasy, psychology, and philosophy, and travel whenever possible.

How did you get into ARC Academy and the gaming industry?

I turned to the game industry at a slightly later stage of my life. In fact, I studied medicine in Plovdiv – after all, “Creator house does not feed”. But at some point, I realized that I wasn’t happy at all and I didn’t like the path I was on. Then I thought about how to combine my love of art, creating worlds and characters, and helping people at the same time. So I decided on the game industry and started looking for options abroad.

Then, by some strange coincidence, while browsing social media, I came across ARC Academy and their scholarship contest. However, there was a day and a half until the submission deadline. I really liked the assignment and decided to do what I could at the last minute. I later got an email that I wasn’t in the top 5 but I was offered a certain scholarship… and the rest is history.

What inspires you to create?

I can find inspiration everywhere – from the words of my favorite author to a walk in the mountains. You just have to open your eyes and see, not just look.

What inspires me the most is the fact that you can create something out of nothing, from scratch – be it a character, a story, or a whole new world. A character that people can relate to and discover that they are not alone. A story that can teach you something, inspire you, and help you make sense of your wacky existence. A world to immerse yourself in, escape from reality for a moment, and feel part of something fantastic.

What are your favorite lectures at ARC Academy? 

My favorite lectures are Composition with Antoni Hristov, Character Design with Svetoslav Petrov, and Environment Design with Tsvetelin Krastev. The lecturers have a lot of experience, and the best thing is that they also have a lot of desire to teach you. You get advice and knowledge from people in the industry with serious professional experience and those working in large companies.

Tell us what your future goals are?

As Confucius said, “Choose a job you love, and then you won’t be forced to work a day in your life.”

My short-term goal, now in my second year at ARC Academy, is to find out what I am most drawn to in the game industry, as we have new subjects we are studying.

So far I’m focused on Character concept art, but I can’t wait for the lectures on worldbuilding and storytelling this year.

Although I am now working as a freelance artist, I would like to become part of a gaming studio, either in Bulgaria or abroad. The thought of one day working at a studio whose games you’ve played and love is motivating.

Describe how your ARC Academy lectures go?

In some cases, we have a lecture mainly focusing on theory, we get homework, and the next time the lecturer reviews our work and helps us to correct mistakes and gives us advice. In other cases, the lecture starts with a theoretical part and then a practical part, again getting feedback.

Each lecture is conducted differently. What they have in common is that you always get new knowledge and it’s always interesting and fun.

Due to the pandemic, we had to switch to online training temporarily. It’s a good option and it’s quite comfortable, but I don’t think it can replace face-to-face learning and contact with lecturers and fellow students.

If you also want to start your career in the game industry, you can enroll in the early application for the 2022/2023 class until March 31st. All enrollees during this period will have the opportunity to participate in the mentoring program. It will run throughout the summer, with students receiving assignments and feedback from their mentors.