Yanislav Ivanov, a student at ARC Academy – about the basic skills a concept artist should possess

Yanislav Ivanov is a Concept Art program student at ARC Academy. He is a former gamer who dared to step out of his comfort zone and began to pursue his dreams and goals. Find out more about his choices and his path to the Academy in the interview.

What inspires you and how did you get into the creative field?

League of Legends splash art. To me, they exemplify what can be achieved with the mastery of the latest illustration tools. It was the beginning that played a bad joke on me because it set high expectations against which I compare my skills and how fast I am developing. It took a long time to readjust my expectations. Over time, as you explore the different areas of illustration and design, you begin to find interest in a variety of things that you previously did not find beautiful or interesting. An example of this is anatomy – the combination of studying anatomy in art plus being a fitness enthusiast opened up a new interest for me, how complex a machine the human body is and in general the mechanisms of all living things. Now I’ve become that weirdo who finds “beauty in everything” just because I need to understand as much as possible to be able to portray it.

How did you find ARC Academy and why did you decide to apply?

I came across ARC Academy from Instagram. I looked around and saw that the tutors are very good artists from the industry, even some I follow on Instagram. That was a super important reason for me to apply because I’ve always enjoyed artists who are at a very high level. And to have the opportunity to learn from them is a dream because in Bulgaria this option is very limited.

What do you like most about studying?

The freedom to portray my ridiculous ideas and get detailed feedback from the speakers. Also, the focused study of the necessary skills needed to work as a concept artist, because it requires not only abstract artistic ideologies but also hard basic skills developed at a competent level. It always makes me happy when a lecturer corrects my idea and makes it 100 times better.

What does a concept artist do and what is the most important skill they should have?

A concept artist is a person who creates a visual idea based on the writer’s or game designer’s idea, which is initially only in words. The work may consist of creating sketches or more detailed images. Concept art originally came from the industrial world, with engineers making quick sketches to see how different mechanisms worked and which one was best for the subject at hand. This is exactly what today’s concept artists do – to create a realistic monster, you need to understand the different animal mechanics and choose the right one for the problem – for example, how would a creature move on ice or lava?

The most important skill for a concept artist is like for any other artist – a proper system of learning and understanding. Passively practicing the basics only maintains the level, to improve it must be focused and most likely unpleasant because you are out of your comfort zone.

How do you dream of developing in the industry?

For me, the skill is important first, then I think I will be happy with most of the options for work in the industry, but the end result should probably look like what I see on Instagram – freelancing. If not for that, I won’t complain about working in a studio for sure. Developing the skill, and then getting a job is a matter of a focused portfolio for the type of work you want and luck.

What advice would you give to someone wondering whether to apply to the academy?

I don’t think the academy is for total rookies. Some basic skills are very important, so try to learn the basics first and then apply them to ARC. By putting in the work yourself first, you’ll see if it’s really something you want, and then with more skills, you’ll be able to get more out of the academy and make it worth the investment. Very basic skills are widely available and I don’t think one enrolls in an academy just for the basics.

If you, like Yanislav, find beauty in every little detail in a game, apply during the early application and become part of the ARC Academy Pre-Program for the 2024/2025 academic year.