Summary
Ilya Nazarov is an Art Director and a Lead Concept Artist with 20+ years of experience on Game of The Year award winning games. Worked on huge franchises including Starfield, Fallout, Lord of The Rings, Nintendo. Extremely well rounded and experienced in many styles, genres, environment, character, creature, vehicle, prop concept art, kit design, lighting, UX/UI, marketing illustration and cover art.
Currently Art Directing Echoes of Elysium - a stylized indie survival game from gaming startup Loric Games. Building, leading and supporting the art team. Establishing art style guides, production pipelines and schedule for all art assets types, creating the majority of game's concept art, the website, helping with UX/UI, design, audio and more!
I'm a huge gamer! Some of my favorites include Spirit Farer, Subnautica, Skyrim, Life is Strange, Half-Life, Overwatch, Grim Fandango, Outer Wilds, Papers Please, Returnal, Red Dead Redemption, Bloodborne and Stardew Valley.
Resume PDF
ViewSkills
Software proficiency
Productions
- Video GameEchoes of Elysium
- Year2025
- RoleArt Director
- CompanyLoric Games
- Video GameStarfield
- Year2023
- RoleLead Concept Artist
- CompanyBethesda Game Studios
- Video GameFallout 76
- Year2018
- RoleSenior Concept Artist
- CompanyBethesda Game Studios
- Video GameFallout 4
- Year2015
- RoleSenior Concept Artist
- CompanyBethesda Game Studios
- Video GameFallout Shelter
- Year2015
- RoleSenior Concept Artist
- CompanyBethesda Game Studios
- Video GameMiddle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor
- Year2014
- RoleConcept Artist
- CompanyWarner Bros Games
- Video GameThe Lord of the Rings: The War in the North
- Year2011
- RoleConcept Artist
- CompanyWarner Bros Games
- Video GameDonkey Kong Country Returns
- Year2010
- RoleArtist
- CompanyRetro Studios, Nintendo
- Video GameMetroid Prime 3: Corruption
- Year2007
- RoleArtist
- CompanyRetro Studios, Nintendo
- Video GameMetroid Prime 2: Echoes
- Year2004
- RoleArtist
- CompanyRetro Studios, Nintendo
Experience
- Art Director at Loric GamesSeptember 2023 - Present
• Building, leading, supporting and mentoring the indie game startup art team.
• Designed a beautiful and efficient game art style for Echoes of Elysium. Game visuals are praised by players, publishers and investors and are created quickly by a small art team.
• Established art style guides, production pipelines and schedules for all art assets - characters, environments, vehicles, kits, props, lighting, animation, UX/UI and VFX.
• Created the vast majority of the game’s concept art and mentored artists on creating additional concepts and asset designs.
• Created the game key art, logo and covers, the game website, Steam Next Fest trailer, spearheaded UX/UI, helped with game design, audio, Steam page and more.
• Collaborated closely with design, engineering, production, publisher and outsource teams.
• Worked with founders on IP development, market research, and pitching the game to publishers. - Lead Concept Artist at Bethesda Game StudiosRockvilleJune 2011 - September 2022
• Led the concept art team across three studios. Created concept art for every asset type, set visual benchmarks, developed pipelines with game design, tech art, outsourcing and other departments. Coordinated the concept art schedule with production and worked with directors on IP development. Held reviews, team events and mentored junior artists.
• Created concept art for environments, characters, creatures, weapons, vehicles and props for Starfield, Fallout 76 and Fallout 4. Created key concept art for Fallout 4 marketing campaign and Starfield and Elder Scrolls 6 announce trailers. Created in-game ads and illustrations. Worked on game covers for Fallout Far Harbor, Fallout Shelter, and book covers for Art of Fallout 4. Helped develop the art style for Fallout Shelter.
• Set up all in-game natural outdoor lighting and weathers for Fallout 76 and Fallout 4. - Concept Artist at Warner Bros. GamesSeattleJune 2009 - May 2011
• Created environment, character and prop concept art and marketing illustrations for Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor and The Lord of The Rings: War in the North.
- Artist at Retro StudiosAustinMarch 2004 - June 2008
• Designed, modeled, textured and lit game levels and characters, created UX/UI and concept art for Metroid Prime 3 and Metroid Prime 2. Pre-production on Donkey Kong Country Returns.