Leland Smith, also known as MaskedOrchid, is a digital artist passionate about creating rich, meaningful, creative worlds, characters, and environments. Studying at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute to earn a BA With a Degree in Computer Science and Games, Art, and Simulation ( Game development ), Leland Smith plans to work in the Game Industry, being able to do the art and programming to bring games to life.
My art started when I was younger when I fell in love with paleoart, speculative evolution, dragons, and aliens. I adored combining science and animals to draw creatures that could survive and create little stories with them. In 2016, I played a game called “Journey” by ThatGameCompany and adored the game. I was inspired by how much art and design can be in video games and how video games can blend the concepts of entertainment and the arts, allowing the player to be an active part of the experience. From then on, I knew I wanted to work in the game industry, creating games full of art and thought.
I have transitioned to digital art, using programs like Krita, Procreate, and various free drawing software to create my art. I use Krita to draw my animations, and Blender or Fusion 360 are my go-to for 3D art, models, texturing, and 3D animations.