From Pixels to Pinhead: A Character Artist’s Path

JOURNEY & GROWTH

FROM 400 TRIANGLES TO ICONIC CHARACTERS

» Tell us about your journey to becoming a Lead Character Artist. Over the past 10 years, you’ve worked on everything from cinematic trailers to low-poly strategy game characters. What were the key projects that shaped your path to Lead Character Artist?

Each project has different issues and priorities. Part of my job as a Lead is to set the quality standard and make sure all characters follow that path, so they feel like a part of the same world.

For instance, something hyper-detailed has no place in a low poly strategy game. In that setting, you need a recognisable shape and bold colors that players can instantly see and associate with the character. But when you’re making a character for cinematics with extreme close-ups, physics-enabled cloth, and detailed facial expressions, then you need to consider everything – from the stitching on their clothes and dirt on their boots to the pores on their face.

Each project taught me how to adapt, how to prioritize what matters, and how to deliver quality within different constraints. That’s what prepared me to lead.

» Your portfolio of characters spans from stylized to realistic, and from fantasy to horror to sci-fi. How has working across such diverse styles and genres shaped your approach to character art?

Every style brings its own challenges to solve, and those challenges inform your decisions down the road and mold you as an artist. From each style, you learn how to best balance the art and the story you’re trying to tell through the character’s visuals.

There are also different technical aspects that come into play with those art styles. For some, you need to be able to hand-paint textures in a cartoonish way. For others, you need to convince the player that the person they’re looking at is “real” – down to the skin, flesh, veins, and sweat. That range keeps you sharp. It forces you to think beyond your comfort zone, and approach each project with fresh eyes.

» Which skills or habits shaped your growth as a senior or lead?

Both the artistic and technical sides of being a 3D character artist are very important. You cannot have one without the other if you really want to produce top-quality characters.

This type of art has a huge technical side to it, so if you’re not consistent and disciplined, you won’t be able to advance – especially in a professional environment where just having a good-looking character is not enough. You need to understand rigging constraints, optimization, shader work, how animation will affect your model, how lighting will read on different surfaces… The list goes on.

As a Lead, those habits matter even more. As I already mentioned, you’re not just responsible for your own work – you’re setting the standard for the entire team.

REMOTE MHG EXPERIENCE

LEADING FROM SOFIA

» What made you want to work at Mad Head Games?

I still remember seeing a trailer for Scars Above and thinking to myself, “This game looks very promising. I’d have fun working on it.” Not realizing that, in some sense, that would become a reality a year later!

» What were your first impressions of the studio and its culture?

I was amazed by how warm and friendly everybody was. Hand on heart, I can say no one has gone to such lengths to make sure I felt welcomed and at home in such a genuine way. And it’s not just specific people – everyone who works at MHG is just that way, which is why I always have a great time when I visit the offices and meet my colleagues.

» What’s it like working remotely for MHG from Sofia, and how do you approach mentoring and collaborating with your team as a Lead?

When there’s good communication and structure to the way things are done, you can do the work from anywhere in the world. There hasn’t been a day where me or someone else not being in the same physical location mattered at all. The tools are there, the processes are clear, and the team is responsive. As long as those fundamentals are in place, distance becomes irrelevant.

As a lead, I make sure to stay present and accessible. We have monthly one-on-ones to ensure my team’s needs are met and we’re aligned on quality. Day-to-day, we communicate regularly and hold feedback sessions to keep everything on track. Just because you’re remote doesn’t mean you can’t be hands-on when it matters.

WORKING ON HELLRAISER & BEING A TEAM LEAD

RESPECTING THE SOURCE, PUSHING THE CRAFT

» You are part of the team that is bringing Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival to life. What is it like working on such an iconic horror IP, and what challenges did that project present?

There’s always the challenge of bringing those iconic designs to life in a way that feels fresh, but at the same time, you want to respect the source material and the visuals that Hellraiser fans will expect.

It’s a balancing act. Finding that sweet spot – where it feels both faithful and new – is the real challenge.

» Hellraiser is known for its extreme horror and iconic designs. How did you approach creating characters for such a beloved (and feared!) IP? What was the collaboration process like across departments to nail that vision?

We had an extended period of time to refine the most iconic character and to be sure that we hit the nail on the head (pun intended). It wasn’t just the character art team working in isolation – we collaborated closely with Concept, VFX, Lighting, and Tech Art to ensure every detail does justice to both the franchise and the gameplay.

We can only hope that the fans find the original and the new designs horrifying in a good way. There’s a lot of love and respect for the source material baked into every decision we made.

» As a Lead, how much opportunity do you have to impact other teams beyond Character Art – like Environment, Tech Art, or other disciplines? Can you share an example?

We collaborate extensively with all other departments, especially with the Animation and Tech Art teams. These characters need to not only fit in the environments, but also serve a specific purpose – whether that’s to scare the hell out of you or take a baseball bat to the head. That needs to be discussed, designed, and brought to life through our collaboration.

Game development is, and always will be a team sport.

» How would you describe the Art team at MHG?

We are a team full of talented, hard-working people who are extremely dedicated to their craft. Our goal is to push boundaries and deliver work of the highest quality. Therefore, we aren’t just showing up to do a job – we’re invested in making something great and leaving our mark.

» What would you say to experienced character artists considering joining MHG?

MHG is the place where you can make an impact and grow beyond what you thought was possible. Whether you want to deepen your specialization, step into leadership, or both – the studio actively supports that growth. And you’ll be doing it while contributing to iconic franchises that push creative and technical boundaries.

From low-poly soldiers to Clive Barker’s nightmares and Pinhead’s pins – Evtim’s journey as Lead Character Artist proves that range, discipline, and the right team can unlock doors you didn’t know existed.

Curious about character art roles at our studio or interested in joining the team? Drop us a line on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook – or just send us an email. Let’s talk.