FAQ

Personal

Introduction

I'm Maria, a 24 years old landscape artist from Siberia.
Initially a Game UI Designer by education, I'm currently trying to make it as a full-time independent digital artist!

What are your hobbies?

Besides drawing, I like backpacking, cooking, 3D Modeling and learning languages. I speak German, Russian, Ukrainian and English fluently! Currently learning Malay and Chinese.

I can also code and play chess on a noob level. Would love to learn to sing.

What was your dream as a child?

Up until grade 11 I wanted to become a surgeon. Changed my mind last moment and applied to an art school!

Are you self-taught? How long have you been drawing?

It's hard to measure, as I've been drawing since childhood.
I started drawing digitally in 2011 in SAI, but it was an inconsistent hobby up until 2018 when I decided to pursue an art career in gamedev.

Drawing

What software do you use for drawing/3D?

Drawing:
Clip Studio Paint

3D modelling:
Maya (modelling and everything else)
Zbrush (sculpting)
Unity (game engine)
Marmoset (rendering)
Substance (texturing)
Blender(rendering)

I recommend Blender, it's free, you can learn on YouTube.

What graphic tablet do you have?

XPPen Artist Pro 16 Gen2

What canvas size do you use?

2500 x 2500 px and above

How long does one drawing take?

6 to 15 hours

What brushes do you use? Can I see speedpaints?

I post my brushes, speedpaints, tutorials etc on my Patreon only!

Art School

What school you went to? Can you recommend it?

I went to Animation and Game faculty at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences in Germany. It's a 3.5 year bachelor fully in English for USD600/year. Living expenses around USD950/month.

You can pick techor art specialization, and learn anything from 2D animation, game UI to VFX and coding. The program is quite self-teaching orinted, but it was definitely worth it for me, as it was the only affordable option I found in English
It's hard to get in, though(less than 10% of applicants get accepted).

Do I have to go to art school to work in gamedev?

Short answer is no.
Connections (and skill) get you hired, not your education. But school is where most people FIND the connections to be hired. Also, if you ever plan to work abroad, having a degree is almost certainly a requirement for a working visa. I recommend getting a degree if you have the opportunity and can do it without going into debt.

How did you choose Germany? Do you speak German?

First world country, in European Union, cheap degree, in English, high salaries – my criterias are simple.

I spoke zero German when I moved, I learnt it over years of living there.

I am X years old, can I still learn how to draw?

Yes, I know many seniors in the industry who started drawing late.

Travel

How do you travel so much?

I used to travel a lot for studies on a scholarship, e.g. I won DAAD PROMOS for 6 months in Canada, Go EAST for a Robotics summer in Kyrgyzstan, then I was invited to a conference in Jordan and Iraq.

I spend an obscene amount of time googling programs, schools etc. You can do Au-pair or House sitting. That being said, I work remotely and it helps.

I always travel around where I currently study. I never travelled far unless it was for a scholarship.

I backpack, stay in hostels (some under 3$/night), use couchsurfing, cook my own food, use local overnight buses. Once I went to Italy for one week for 85$/week total (with flight, living, food, sights etc). It's possible, it's worth it for me.

How many countries did you visit?

48/193 countries as of August 2025. My life dream is to visit them all.

Favorite country?

Malaysia

How do you learn languages?

I do everything: learn grammar, memorize vocabulary, read texts, watch Netflix or YT with subtitles, take group classes, immerse etc.

Trivia

Favorite game

Return of the Obra Dinn

Favorite anime

Death Parade, Death Note, Code Geass, Your Name, One Piece.

I'm pretty basic

Favorite music

I like folk, soft rock, indie-pop smth like Celtic woman, Evanescence, Skylar Grey, Billie Eilish, 30 Seconds to Mars, Halsey idk

RU/UKR: Мельница, Флёр, Один в каноe, Polnalyubvi, Green apelsin, Океан эльзы, Зристина Соловій