Even if you don’t know Volkovyi, you (and your Warframe) have probably already been swept off your feet by their designs – literally. As the source of inspiration for both Zephyr and Bursas, this amazing artist has been helping players achieve new heights in-game, and has been taking their artwork to even higher ones, for years.

In this Community Spotlight, we’ll be learning what makes Volkovyi tick. As a jack of all trades, they have created everything from profile icons (the ones that many DE staff use!), to incredibly detailed concepts, to TennoGen skins, and more! Stay tuned to learn all of their secrets of success in achieving total-Warframe dominati– well, maybe not. But stick around to learn more about this incredibly influential and talented community creator!

Give us a quick rundown of who you are and what it is that you do.

Okay well my name is Liger Inuzuka. That is my artist's alias that I've adopted many years ago and it just stuck. Since playing Warframe I've also added the alias Volkovyi. I consider myself to be a "multi-media" artist, just a simple term to suggest as an artist I am interested in a variety of mediums and subjects.

What I do currently is I am a private freelance artist, while finishing my last year of studies.

What made you choose the name "Volkovyi" for Warframe instead of Liger Inuzuka?

Simply put I chose that name because back in the first days of Open Beta, I couldn't have a space in my name. I dislike having underscores or dashes between Liger and Inuzuka, so I thought of a single-word name. Now, with my invested effort in Warframe, and love for Frost, it Volkovyi is now the name of my Frost as a character of his own! After three years of playing with friends, it’s hard not to come up with identities and stories of our own especially in the past before heavy development of lore and quests in the game.

What drew you to Warframe?

I first heard of Warframe when it was in closed beta. A friend of mine was in the closed beta and suggested it might be something I'd like. I must say back then the visual style of Warframe was what first caught my eye. The design of the Warframes was like nothing I've ever seen before in science fiction; an odd design between mechanics and biology. Biomechanical even.

The premise of being and playing as these mysterious robotic creatures appealed to me, as very little video games have the player play as anything but a human. I absolutely love the Warframes themselves.

A combination of a unique protagonist which are the Warframes, and quite simply the unique visuals of the design, is what drew me to Warframe and kept me here since. As an artist design and visuals are quite important to me you see.

What is your background with video games?

I believe it is partly due to my love for video games as well. In addition to simply observing what is good design, playing these games in a variety of experiences, and my recent studies as an interactive designer I believe has all come together to lend me a keen eye in visual arts and interactive design. While officially, I must answer no I don't have a background in the video games industry yet I do believe that one day I hope to be a valuable addition to the industry!

Being a voice for both the player, and the designer so to speak.

The best we have done thus far is collaborate with private clientele as a freelancer, worked under a studio or two in the past, and interviewed many developers on these past few Gamescoms. (The video games convention in Cologne, Germany.)

How does it feel having two of your concepts implemented in-game?

It feels rewarding, like a great honor! As a player it always felt like the developer team [at Digital Extremes] is invested in Warframe more so than I've seen or at least been part of in other video games in modern times. DE is doing a fantastic job of staying connected to their player-base and staying passionate about it, you really feel how much they care about Warframe and in turn the players care too.

In this way I felt incredibly honored to inspire DE in return if even for a little bit in creating Zephyr and later on the Riot Moa. While that may have been a while ago now, and even if my concepts have taken on different forms since, they continue to inspire me; and I can only hope I can continue to inspire them.

For your artwork and concepts, and everything else creative that you do, where do you draw your inspiration from? Your art style is absolutely stunning and very distinctive - do you have certain influences that have helped shape your style?

I absolutely do, it is a combination of my sources of inspiration and general personal themes in my art. I draw inspiration from media such as movies, video games, other artists, photography and of course real life. I enjoy fantasy, any source that can show creativity. It takes imagination and design to create fantasies. Next to that my love for robotics gives me appreciation for graphic design and science fiction. Over time I've grown from painting traditional illustrations to adding graphical design elements and styles to them, meshing the two together. Lastly, in a way I always feel the need to show some kind of energy, or boldness. Whether that be in the composition, colors, design, figure, movement, I want something about it to be energetic.

I have gained a lot of inspiration from certain video games that have very distinctive styles of visuals, such as Wipeout HD Fury with its high energy racing and graphic design. I must point out that game in particular because it is that which has marked my development in graphics and meshing of styles.

You’ve now created skins for Warframes, profile icons, and more. What is your favourite medium to create with?

I must admit I find the most comfort and pleasure in digital drawings and paintings, which is at my core as an artist. As far as favorite subject matter goes, I focus on robotics, the male figure, and design. Creating visually stimulating pieces will always be the forefront of my career, but never shall it be alone there. Since learning more about texture-painting and modeling I am brimming with excitement and ideas for more TennoGen content, I wish to create skins and pieces that are works of art in themselves. I have more ideas and aspirations than I have time to execute them.

What is your favourite Warframe to draw?

Oh my, that would have to be Frost and Loki. Frost is my favorite Warframe since the very first day I've begun playing, and Loki is the favorite Warframe of my comrade in-game also since the very first day. They are just irreplaceable to my friend and I. Next to them I enjoy drawing Nekros, Excalibur, and really most of the other male Warframes.

I would love to draw many more pieces with them if only I had the time.

If you could pick the theme for an upcoming Warframe, what would it be?

Hmm, there are so many ideas! Now that you mention it, I do have an idea for a Warframe that has been sitting on my drawing board for a long time now inspired by Slavic Mythology, the god named Triglav or Troglav.

The name means "three headed" in which would be a three-headed Warframe whose abilities change or influence the Warframe as his three heads rotate around his neck or shoulders. This was really my idea after seeing other mythological themes of Warframes, especially the Chinese ones, Wukong and Nezha. At first it sounded rather difficult, but after seeing the latest Warframes; Titania with built-in Archwing, Equinox that is two Warframes in one, and Inaros as a straight up mummy with matching sarcophagus, it feels like the future of Warframe will be one full of delightfully unique and extraordinary designs.

That sounds amazing! So, those were all of my questions for you. Is there anything else you wanted to discuss or share?

I can't think of what I would like to share publically, other than I look forward to working with and playing Warframe for a long time to come.