Ruslan Biriukov

Product Manager

Bulgaria13 yrs 9 mos experience

Most Likely To SwitchHighly Stable

Key Highlights

Pioneered a unique 3D-to-2D overpaint pipeline.
Developed a library of over 200 facial expressions.
Featured in 3DWorld Magazine for artistic excellence.

Stackforce AI infers this person is a Senior 3D Character Artist specializing in game development and technical art direction.

Contact

Skills

Core Skills

Technical Art DirectionCharacter Design

Other Skills

ZBrushBlenderAnatomyWorkflow OptimizationArt Quality AssuranceMentorship / Training3D CoatPhotoshopSubstance PainterCharacter SculptingCharacter DesignsMayaArtificial Intelligence (AI)Conceptual ArtGame Design

About

Senior 3D Character Artist with 11+ years of experience in game dev, specializing in stylized characters. My core expertise lies at the intersection of Tech Art and Character Design: I focus on anatomy, emotional posing, and seamless 2D/3D integration. At Plarium, I pioneered a hybrid 3D-to-2D overpaint pipeline for Elf Islands, which bridged the gap between departments, increased visual quality, and significantly accelerated production. With a strong foundation in Fine Arts (Traditional Painting, Sculpture, and high-precision OOAK Miniature), I bring academic rigor to digital production. I am passionate about mentoring, technical documentation, and building robust shader and pose libraries. Expertise: • Stylized Character Design & Anatomy • Technical Art Direction & Pipeline Optimization (3D/2D) • Mentoring, Workshops, and Documentation Awards & Features: • 3DWorld Magazine (Issue 282, 2022) – Interview & Feature "The Vampire Fish" • 3DTotal Excellence Award - Vampire Fish • 3DTotal Excellence Award - Pet Parrot • PetContest 2018 – 1st Place Winner "Pet Parrot" Open to professional challenges and collaborations. Feel free to reach out.

Experience

Plarium

3 roles

Technical Art Lead / Senior 3D Character Artist

Promoted

Nov 2022 – Present · 3 yrs 5 mos

Job description
High-end Character Sculpting & Modeling (ZBrush, Blender) with a focus on anatomical accuracy and stylization.
Character Expression & Posing: Developed a massive library (200+) of facial expressions and dynamic poses to define character acting. The implementation of a centralized asset library ensured stylistic consistency across the entire project, streamlining the production process.
Artistic & Technical Quality Control: Responsible for the final review of models and textures, ensuring visual consistency, correct proportions, and adherence to style guides.
Workflow Optimization: Developed and implemented a specialized "3D-to-2D Overpaint" pipeline, significantly accelerating production for environment and character assets.
R&D and Mentorship: Authored comprehensive internal documentation on Stylized Anatomy and Character Posing. Conducted specialized workshops for the art departments to standardize visual quality and anatomical accuracy across the project.
Cross-department Collaboration & Mentorship: Provided expert feedback and mentored team members; collaborated with Leads to bridge the gap between 2D and 3D departments.

ZBrushBlenderAnatomyWorkflow OptimizationArt Quality AssuranceMentorship / Training+2