3DTotal: Hi Ilya, could you introduce yourself to our readers and tell us at what moment in your life you
start taking notice of 3D and realized that’s what you wanted to do for a career?
Ilya: Hello everybody, my name is Ilya Nedyal and currently I’m working as a freelance 3D artist. My passion for 3D started at a very early age, I was around 15 when I started doing models for GTA3 and UT2003. At the age of 17, I landed my first job in the game industry doing cinematic vehicle models for Ghost Recon 2.

3DTotal: Wow that’s very impressive to be working on such a big game at the age of only 17. What sort of training, schooling did you have to get you to that point?
Ilya: I’m all self-taught. I started reading books about 3ds Max and found it very interesting at the time. So

basically the books were my starting point, and then I moved into models and more professional work.

3DTotal: Before becoming a freelance artist, you previously worked for Streamline Studios (which closed in 2009), as well as several other companies. Out of these which would you feel has been, in terms of experience, the most beneficial to your development as an artist?
Ilya: In my experience, working for SLS has been the most beneficial. They were doing lots of next-gen props, and it’s was back then when the entire “Next-Gen” thing happened for me.

3DTotal: Ok cool so what’s been the most constructive piece of advice you’ve been given?
Ilya: I don’t remember any specific piece of advice, but with each new model, I’m learning something new and gaining experience.

3DTotal: Having several well-know games titles under your belt, from the likes of Unreal Tournament to Terminator Salvation and Saints Row, which has been the most challenging?
Ilya: The most challenging title was Unreal Tournament. It was the first project where I needed to make not only low poly models, but also a completely detailed high poly model for normal map baking. It took me some time to figure it all out. But in the end it was a start-up project for all the models I did after it.

3DTotal: If there was one project you could have worked on, what would it have been? And how would you have added your stamp to it?
Ilya: If you would have asked me the same question a few months ago I would said working for Crytek and working on their awesome-looking games. But I’m already working for them so I would have to say a Metal Gear franchise. I really like their graphics style, and I think I could contribute to them with a few awesome vehicles or robots.

3DTotal: Over the many years I’ve been doing interviews I don’t think I’ve seen so many incredibly detailed models in one person’s portfolio as I have in yours. What kind of programs do you use in creating them and how long on average would you spend on a model?
Ilya: I’ve spent a lot of time on my portfolio, doing renders of all the models I did in past. It took me around three-four months to render all the images. I use 3ds Max for hard-surface modeling and ZBrush for detailing things. In general, for a detailed high poly model it takes me around a week of work, and then two-three days for low poly, UVWS and baking.

3DTotal: You’re not only a remarkable modeler but also a dab hand at texturing, but which area do you find the most challenging and why?
Ilya: For me the most challenging part is making a clean, new texture look good. I find damaged and old textures are always easy as there is always something you can add to the texture. But with a clean texture it’s sometimes hard; they always look too clean.

3DTotal: So which has been the most challenging project you’ve had to create textures for?
Ilya: The most challenging… To be honest I have been busy modeling stuff and not texturing it, but of

the textures I’ve made so far, I can’t clearly say which was the most challenging. They have all been on about the same level.

3DTotal: Well it has been a really pleasure chatting with you today, and I wish you all the best for the
future. I would like to wrap this interview up with on last question if I may. If it wasn’t for computers what
do you think you would have been doing at this present time in your life?
Ilya: It was a pleasure to answer your questions. I would say if it wasn’t for computers, I would still be doing something related to art. Maybe a concept artist. I was learning art before, until I got my first PC.