Tomas Engl: From 3D donuts to Blizzard universe

It was during my final year of high school. I stumbled across a YouTube video about 3D character creation, got curious, and quickly discovered Blender. From there I was hooked. At first, I followed tutorials – the classic Blender donuts, small houses, simple models. But soon enough, I started experimenting with my own projects.

Honestly? Terrible (laughs). I remember building a T-Rex in just two days – it wasn’t perfect at all, but I was thrilled I could even make something like that. I spent hours after school glued to the screen. It wasn’t professional, but it gave me the feeling that I was getting better.

Not exactly. My high school was more about digital media – Photoshop, InDesign, print graphics. 3D was something I discovered on my own. But since I loved it so much, I decided to continue at university, specifically VŠKK in Prague. My family wasn’t very happy about it, because it’s a private school and not cheap, but I told myself I’d cover it on my own.

Honestly, not that much in terms of classes. I mostly just studied for the tests and moved on. But the people around me – that’s what mattered. Being surrounded by classmates who were drawing, modeling, coding – that pushed me forward. You don’t want to sit idle when everyone around you is creating.

I came across a job posting and decided to send in my very rough portfolio – mostly filled with strange creatures. To my surprise, they got back to me. After a quick video call, I found myself working on a VR game. It was a bit punk – they even mailed me a headset so I could work from home. But as a first job, it was perfect: solid pay, real VR experience, and learning by doing.

After about a year and a half things went south. A more experienced artist joined the company, and suddenly I was told my work was “getting worse.” It wasn’t – it was just a comparison. At one point, a colleague even said they’d stop paying me until I improved. Luckily the owner didn’t let it go that far, but they cut my pay in half. Combining school, work, and this toxic environment was too much, so I left.

Even during school I kept reaching out to studios, because I wanted to experience a real pipeline and a professional team. About six months before All Animal even had an internship program, I wrote them asking if I could join. And eventually – it worked out.

Usually I start by checking the tasks I’ve been assigned and setting priorities for the day. Sometimes it’s modeling, sometimes texturing or smaller supporting tasks for bigger projects. What I really like is that I’m not just stuck with one thing – I get to see different parts of the pipeline and learn how they connect. And of course, there’s always someone to ask when I get stuck, which makes it a lot easier to grow.

It’s been eye-opening. Before, I didn’t really understand how professional workflows are set up – everything I did was kind of improvised. Here I’ve learned how clear processes actually help creativity, because everyone knows their role and how the pieces fit together. I also really appreciate the feedback culture – people are honest but supportive. It pushes you to get better without feeling discouraged.