Terézia Mičková's creative journey: Crafting a medieval environment

What was the assignment for this project?

Terézia: ‘The assignment was to create a small-scope, realistic 3D environment with a medieval theme. I took my inspiration from the Chillon Castle in Switzerland. I also gathered inspiration from our class trip to the Gravensteen castle in Ghent and supplemented it with online research to ensure historical accuracy. It was an opportunity to create a portfolio piece that reflects the skills and knowledge acquired during the course.’  

‘While working on the project, I focused on improving my ability to replicate real-life references, create believable assets, and enhance my lighting and composition skills.’  

Can you walk us through the process of creating this art piece?

Terézia: ‘The process began with extensive research, collecting references from real life, and online sources. I used Maya for modelling the assets, Substance Painter and Substance Designer for texturing, and Unreal Engine for assembling the final scene. There I focused on lighting and composition, which are crucial in creating believable environments. Unreal Engine's real-time capabilities allowed me to make adjustments on the fly without waiting for rendering.’  

How did you like working on this project?

Terézia: ‘I'm quite proud of the end result. The cohesiveness of assets and textures in the scene creates a captivating medieval world. I did not miss any opportunity to show my progress to lecturers and classmates, who were always there to give me great tips or useful feedback on how I could improve my project further. Regular meetings, along with participation in the Environment Guild, provided these valuable insights.’ 

‘Moving forward, I aim to refine my skills in accurately following real-life references for even more realism in future projects.’   

What are your future plan?

Terézia: ‘Recently, I showcased my work at Portfolio Day, presenting it to various companies. I'm seeking a work placement as an Environment Texture Artist. While I currently believe that I possess the necessary skills, I know there's always room for improvement and I want to keep getting better at what I enjoy doing.' 

'This upcoming block I am bringing together various elements into a cinematic project where I will focus on learning compositing and the production pipeline of film making. I'm eager to learn and grow, with a primary specialisation in environment art for now.’ 

For those interested in exploring more of Terézia's work, you can find her on LinkedIn and ArtStation.