Martin Ehiyanov – from student at ARC Academy to 3D Character Rigger в Snapshot Games
Meet Martin Ehiyanov, who graduated from ARC Academy in June. He currently works at Snapshot Games, and in his interview, you can learn more about what it takes to be a Junior 3D Character Rigger and how training at ARC helped him get there.
Which program did you complete at ARC Academy, and when?
I graduated from the 3D Art program this summer, in June 2023.
Where are you currently working?
I am currently a Junior 3D Character Rigger at Snapshot Games.
What do your job duties involve?
My work duties include preparing a 3D character for animation by placing a skeleton (Rig) which the animators then animate. I work closely with the 3D Character Artists and even more closely with the animators. Constant communication between me and the animators ensures the high quality of each animated model. The scaffolding or Rig is constantly changing with the demands of the animators and the studio. The Rig should be as simple as possible, but at the same time functional enough for the animator to create the animation as quickly as possible. Besides Rigging, my duties include the implementation of an already animated character in the Game Engine (Unreal Engine). The implementation involves creating an animation system and placing the character in the current version of the game.
What projects are you/have you worked on so far?
My projects are constantly changing, but the main one I’m currently working on is related to my professional development. Side projects always drag me, but they need to be prioritized. The biggest project I’ve worked on is Mesozoic Mayhem, the game we released upon graduation from the academy.
Before that, I’m most proud of three personal projects I’ve worked on:
- The first completely realistic female model which is entirely ready to play. It took me eleven months to learn everything. I created it before I started my studies at ARC Academy.
2. The model of “Ubbe”, which I presented as a final project for the first year at the academy. He took a month. Almost ten times less time.
3. Russian Sniper VSSK Vykhlop, which I finished as one of my last models before starting at Snapshot Games. It turned out pretty well and I learned a hell of a lot of little things from it and how to improve my models for the future.
What was your favorite part of your studies at ARC Academy?
My favorite part of the training was sharing and exchanging experiences with colleagues. I started doing 3D before the Аcademy, but until then I haven’t had the opportunity to exchange experiences with almost anyone because I didn’t know people who were doing the same thing.
How did studying at ARC Academy help you get started in the studio?
The studies at the Academy made me more confident in my skills, showed me the different professions and gave me a solid foundation of how a game studio works. Secondly, I was helped by the lecturers, who are exceptional professionals in what they do. They have a huge amount of experience, a keen eye and enough patience to explain and give feedback to make us better for the future.
If you have an interest in 3D art and a desire to build 3D models of characters, environments, and more, apply to ARC Academy’s 3D Art program now.
More from ARC:
How to Become a Concept Artist
How to Make Concept Art that Stands Out
What are the Different Types of Game Concept Art?
How to Learn Concept Art for Beginners
