“I learned to solve problems, to look for different solutions and to hear feedback from others, to improve my work as well as to work as a team.”

Meet iAnimate Student Ricardo Pacheco

Student Spotlight features Ricardo Pacheco, a budding 3D Gameplay Character Animator on the lookout for his inaugural venture in the industry.

Driven by a passion for crafting unforgettable experiences, Ricardo aspires to channel the exhilarating energy of games like Devil May Cry and Metal Gear Rising into his animations, aiming to captivate audiences worldwide. iAnimate represents the best example of the great animations he loves and wants to achieve for his career.

Student Animation Journey

Ricardo Pacheco took the following Workshops at iAnimate:

• Creature Animation 1 with Marco Foglia (Agora Studio)
• Game Animation 1 with Brett Pascal (Electronic Arts)
• Game Animation 2 with Harvey Newman (Proxima Studio)
• Game Animation 3 with Ricky Wood (People Can Fly)
• Motion Capture and Game Animation 2 with Brent George (Agora Studio)
• Character Rigging 1, 2, & 3
• Blender Animation with Mark Masters (Archetype Entertainment)

Ricardo Pacheco's creative process for his iAnimate assignments involves several key steps:

• Character Analysis: He begins by thoroughly analyzing the characters, considering their physical attributes, abilities, and skills, among other factors.
• Reference Creation: Based on this analysis, Ricardo conceptualizes the character's movements and creates references to guide the animation process.
• Blocking: He then translates these ideas into a blocking stage, ensuring that it contains all necessary information such as correct timing and number of poses.
• Spline: Once satisfied with the blocking, Ricardo transitions to the spline stage, where he meticulously refines the animation, addressing any errors and adding polish.
• Feedback Incorporation: After receiving feedback, he revises the animation based on the input, making final adjustments and tweaks to ensure it meets the desired standards.
• Final Touches and Delivery: Ricardo completes the animation by adding any final touches before delivering the finished product.

Ricardo Pacheco attributes his standout as an artist to the holistic learning experience at iAnimate. Beyond mastering animation techniques, he gained valuable problem-solving skills and the ability to explore diverse solutions. Moreover, he emphasizes the importance of receiving and implementing feedback from peers, which has been instrumental in enhancing the quality of his work. Learning to collaborate effectively within a team environment has further honed his abilities, making him a versatile and adaptable artist poised to excel in the industry.

You can reach Ricardo via:

Student Spotlight Q&A with Animator Ricardo Pacheco

iAnimate: What do you think of your Online Animation Instructor(s), and how do they help you?

Ricardo: They were all great and committed to the craft of animation, as well as a great attitude to share all the industry principles and values, while strongly enforcing a positive way of solving problems 

iAnimate: How did iAnimate help you to evolve your animation skills as a character animator?

Ricardo: It changed everything! Thanks to the workshops, my workflow became a lot better and reinforced my skills as an animator

iAnimate: What kind of animator do you consider after taking your student workshop/s?

Ricardo: I consider myself a ''flexible'' animator who is willing to use different tools, different perspectives, and challenges.

iAnimate: What kind of project do you want to work on?

Ricardo: I would love to work in the Games Industry