My Biggest Failures as a Game Artist (And What I Learned from Them)

In this post, you’ll learn:

• Why I was rejected by top game studios in my country

• How I built my portfolio during the war

• The truth about breaking into the game art industry without a degree

• What I did next after dozens of “no”s

Rejected, Laughed At, Ignored — My Life as a Game Art Applicant

I often felt like that one contestant on a talent show — the one who couldn’t sing but believed he would be a star. The judges just smiled awkwardly and said, “We can’t offer you anything.” That’s how every application to a top game studio in my country ended for me.

No reply. Or worse — rejection with silence.

Since the age of 5, I’ve been drawing and writing poetry. But instead of art school, I studied to become a teacher, because — like many others — my family didn’t believe in art as a “real job.” Despite everything, I still became an artist.

Through self-education. Through freelance. Through failure.

No Degree? No Chance — The Harsh Reality of Studio Hiring

Some studios in my region proudly announce they hire junior artists with just five portfolio pieces. Meanwhile, I — with over 6 years of freelance experience, a top-rated profile, and international clients from the USA, Canada, France, and Italy — wasn’t even considered.

And why?
Because I don’t have a formal art degree.

The idea that you need a diploma to work in creative industries still baffles me. This is not brain surgery or aerospace engineering. You can learn art theory, color, and history on your own — and I have dozens of books to prove it.

But if you don’t have money for education, you’re automatically considered “less valuable”? That’s the reality I kept running into.

War, Darkness, and Creating a New Portfolio from Zero

During the war, when I had no electricity, no internet, and no work — when bombs were falling every night — I rebuilt my entire portfolio from scratch.

In 1.5 years, I completed 3 illustration courses, taught myself speed and rendering, and created a professional anime-style portfolio. I applied again.

Still rejected.
Still “not good enough.”

I asked myself: Is my art really that bad?
And even if it isn’t — will they always see it that way?

From Rejection to Reinvention: What I Did Next

Instead of giving up, I did what most people don’t talk about.
I studied marketing.

I read books, including one by Scott Belsky, the founder of Behance, where he describes how painful building a creative business can be. I bought over 40 books, 12 courses, and invested my time into learning how creative professionals actually get noticed.

I created this blog to tell the truth behind the glossy Instagram posts and Behance portfolios.

I Don’t Want to Make Someone Else Rich

Let’s be honest. I no longer want to work for a game studio CEO so he can afford yachts and apartments in California. I want to create my own thing — my stories, my art, my audience.

That’s why I started this journey. That’s why I keep going.

Final Thoughts: If You’ve Ever Been Rejected, You’re Not Alone

This is not just my story. It’s the story of any artist without connections, without a diploma, without a safe country to live in — who still wants to make it.

If you’re reading this and nodding along, stay in touch.
We’re not done yet.