As associate art director at the VR game developer nDreams, Alina Fedaseyenka is an experienced game art professional. She is best known for pioneering the highly acclaimed artistic approach of the award-winning VR action shooter Synapse, which saw her nominated for the Creative Award at the Guildford Games Awards.
Now hard at work on unannounced upcoming projects at the nDreams Studio in Farnborough, she's taking time out to give a talk at Vertex 2024. We caught up with her ahead of the event to learn more about her influences, why she recommends resisting the urge to bend to rules, and what she'll be speaking about at Vertex.
Vertex 2024 is our live art event at London's Business Design Centre on 19 April. Join us to learn from professional artists working in film, games and VFX, including speakers from Pixar, nDreams and Maxon. Tickets for Vertex 2024 are on sale now.
Vertex speaker Nana Dhebuadze Q&A
Ahead of Vertex 2024, Alina told us about how she developed her love of art and how she aims to boost artists confidence in themselves with her talk at this year's event.
Where did you grow up and how has this influenced your art?
"I grew up in Minsk, Belarus, in an artistic family. Our home was adorned with the paintings created by my great-grandfather, a national artist of Belarus, which certainly left a significant mark on my artistic sensibilities. Growing up amidst art from early childhood influenced my decision to pursue this path, despite my parents' concerns about the potential challenges of my choice!
"Answering the second part of your question, I believe our identities are formed based on diverse influences, starting from societal norms and finishing with the natural and architectural elements in our surroundings. Much like everyone else, my understanding of aesthetics, colour, shapes, and themes has evolved uniquely, moulded by my upbringing. In addition to that, our robust art school tradition, rooted in the USSR, has contributed to my journey of self-realisation as an artist"
How did you get started in art and what keeps you going?
"I’ve been drawing from an early age, and now that I reflect on those times, I feel like it was my way to escape from reality and into my own little world. I enjoyed creating characters as well as their backstories, often translating them into mini comics that would describe their epic adventures. I could spend hours doodling stuff and forgetting about the whole world!
"By now, I believe self-expression through an art form is in my blood; I can't imagine myself without it. While my personality has evolved over the years, this remains a constant in my life."
Is there a piece of art from your portfolio that you really love?
"Yes, and the piece I would highlight is my student work called The Guardian. The reason it holds a special place in my heart is that it marked my first serious project, even though it was done during my studies. It involved creating both a protagonist and an antagonist along with their setting. I still remember vividly how excited and how immersed I was in the process!"
What advice would you give to your younger self?
"I would advise sticking to your truth and resisting the urge to bend to all the rules, as it won't lead you anywhere meaningful. The world of art offers a wide range of mediums, styles, and approaches, making it easy to feel lost or lose confidence, especially with the constant exposure to the talents of the industry worldwide through social media.
"While staying informed about the latest trends is essential, try to ease up and measure your progress against yourself, not others. Everyone's path is unique, and progress is not a straight line!"
What will you be talking about at Vertex?
"In my talk, I’ll dive deep into the journey we undertook with Synapse, our acclaimed PSVR2 title that scored multiple nominations and awards, including the title of Best VR Game of the Year at the TIGA awards. The focus will be on boosting confidence among artists and instilling a strong belief in their creative abilities."
Find details of more speakers at the Vertex 2024 website.
You can see a wider selection of Alina's work on Synapse’s Artstation and her personal Artstation.
