Miha is available for hire
Hire MihaMiha Rinne
Verified Expert in Design
Designer
Tampere, Finland
Toptal member since June 30, 2023
Bio
Miha is a senior game developer, art director, 3D modeler, 2D/3D animator, and game designer with three decades of experience in creating game art, 3D and traditional animations, and managing teams with clients such as Housemarque, Rovio, and Maze Theory. His broad skill sets and extensive experience give Miha the perspective to analyze the project's needs and implement them with solutions that best fit the available schedules, tools, and resources.
Portfolio
Work Experience
3D Designer with CAD and Unity 3D Experience
2023 - 2023
Aerial Industries Pte. Ltd
- Converted a NURBS model—with hundreds of components created from a CAD model—into a polygon mesh on Maya and reduced the polycount so that it was possible to take it into the Marmoset toolbag.
- Animated the vehicle that was converted into a mesh for takeoff landing, added animated parts, and exported the animation into Marmoset viewer.
- Created an interactive turntable and rendered video file from the animated scene imported into Marmoset viewer and wrote an animation guide for the client to help further modify the animated scene.
Technologies: CAD, Unity3D, Graphic Design, Visual Design, 3D Design
3D Designer for Interactive Children's Book
2023 - 2023
Christopher D'Angelo
- Configured and rendered animated video clips from Maya scenes for demonstration purposes. Composed video clips from the rendered images in Adobe After Effects.
- Set up the scenes, including camera and lights for rendering, creating its final look based on the feedback from the customer, and the animated camera pans with the lighting.
- Combined the character animations in the time editor and added additional movement and facial animations where the scenes needed them.
Technologies: 3D Animation, Motion & Animation Design, Unity, UI Motion, 3D Design, Animation, Unity3D, Adobe After Effects, Motion Graphics, Game Sound Design
3D Designer
2023 - 2023
Christopher D'Angelo
- Modified rigged character mesh, added animation controls, new hands, fingers, and facial expressions, and exported it to Unity.
- Modeled in 3D and textured cartoony props to use with the characters in the scene. Also animated some of the props.
- Created several prototype 3D animations for a character with an animation control setup I made, some with animated facial expressions using blend shapes, and exported and tested them in Unity.
Technologies: 3D Animation, Motion & Animation Design, Unity, UI Motion, 3D Design, Animation, Unity3D, Digital Art, Motion Graphics
Cartoon Illustration Designer
2023 - 2023
Vertical Recordings LLC
- Created (inked and colored) cartoon illustration designs in high resolution for the client to be used as a spray painting template for a video performance.
- Handled character design and sketched several cartoon illustrations based on ideas given by the client.
- Sketched several ideas for video performances, with explanations of how they would be carried out.
Technologies: Graphic Design, Cartoons, Cartoon Illustration, Digital Illustration, Cartoon Character Design, Character Illustration, Character Design, Visual Design, Artwork, Sketching, Concept Sketching, Digital Art
3D Character Artist
2022 - 2022
Maze Theory
- Created two NPC characters on a short-term contract for Peaky Blinders VR: King's Ransom.
- Used industry tools (ZBrush, Maya, Substance Painter, Unity, Photoshop) for all stages of character creation.
- Handled work stages, including sculpting, remodeling existing topology, painting skin textures, creating materials, and rigging.
- Created alternate texture sets for PS2VR and Steam versions (not yet released).
Technologies: 3D Design, 3D Character Modeling, Character Rigging, Rigging, Maya, Autodesk Maya, ZBrush, Substance Painter, Unity, Unity3D, TopoGun, xNormal, PBR Workflow, PBR Texturing, Real-time Rendering Engines, 3D Design, 3D Art, 3D Visualization, 3D Product Modeling, Digital Art
Director
2022 - 2022
Deep Space Studios
- Directed and animated a music video for Ina Forsman on commission.
- Animated, inked, and colored all keyframes, from animatic to penciling to inks to final pass, using Cintiq.
- Managed and supervised a team of artists to deliver background paintings and VFX.
- Managed and updated a list of needed shots, their priority status, and place in the timeline.
Technologies: Animation, 2D Animation, Toon Boom, Storyboarding, Inking, Traditional Animation, Anime, Management, Direction, Art Direction, Cartoon Animation, Cartoon Character Design, Cartoons, Comic Art, 3D Design, Character Design, Creative Direction, Real-time Rendering Engines, 3D Design, Illustration, Visual Design, Character Illustration, Graphic Design, Digital Illustration, 3D Visualization, 2D Modeling, Artwork, Sketching, Concept Sketching, Digital Art, Film & Television, Video Editing, Motion Graphics
Senior 3D Artist
2021 - 2021
Valo Motion
- Contributed to 3D game modeling and design for XR motion games for arcades and motion parks.
- Used industry tools such as ZBrush, Maya, Substance Painter, Unity, and Photoshop.
- Handled workflows, including sculpting, modeling, concept art, texturing, lighting, and creating post-processing profiles on Unity.
- Collaborated with a team on the game design of arcade games and their UI using highly customized technology.
Technologies: 3D Design, 3D Modelers, 3D Games, Game Art, Concept Art, PBR Texturing, Texturing, Maya, Autodesk Maya, Unity, Unity3D, Photoshop CC, ZBrush, xNormal, UI Design, Art Direction, Real-time Rendering Engines, 3D Design, Augmented Reality (AR), 3D Art, Graphic Design, Digital Illustration, 3D Visualization, 3D Product Modeling, Concept Sketching, Digital Art
Creative Director
2019 - 2020
Deep Space Studios
- Created a playable game demo with a small team using Unreal Engine.
- Managed and supervised a team of five people with different tasks.
- Oversaw the project, including schedules and budget.
- Communicated and pitched the project to publishers and investors.
- Created the game design bible and concept artwork for characters, environment assets, and project storyboards.
- Modeled and animated the main character, Dragon NPC, and some enemy NPCs, as well as planned the production pipeline.
- Created realistically shared hair and fur using PBR textures and shaders in a complicated pipeline from Maya to Unreal Engine.
- Handled the character creation pipeline, which involved sculpting, modeling, concept art, texturing, lighting, and creating post-processing profiles.
- Contributed to character animation, including working with Unreal blueprints, locomotion, motion blending, and control/animation design.
- Directed and implemented the level design and worked with scripts and enemy AI to fine-tune the gameplay.
Technologies: Unity, Unreal Engine, Autodesk Maya, ZBrush, Substance Painter, TopoGun, xNormal, Photoshop CC, CLIP STUDIO PAINT, Animation, Art Direction, Character Design, Creative Direction, 3D Design, 2D Games, 3D Games, Game Development, 2D Graphics, Direction, Management, Concept Art, 3D Animation, Animation Design, Character Animation, Face Rigging, Character Rigging, Rigging, Shaders, Level Design, Game Design, Gameplay Development, 3D Textures, Texture Art, Real-time Rendering Engines, 3D Design, 3D Art, Illustration, Visual Design, Character Illustration, Graphic Design, Digital Illustration, Cartoon Illustration, 3D Visualization, 3D Product Modeling, Artwork, Sketching, Concept Sketching, Digital Art
Senior 3D Artist
2018 - 2018
Koukoi Games
- Developed 3D game modeling and additional concept design for in-game assets and characters for Om Nom Run (iOS).
- Used industry tools such as ZBrush, Maya, Substance Painter, Unity, and Photoshop.
- Did modeling, texturing, and rigging an animated game character (chicken on a bicycle).
- Contributed to modeling and texturing various in-game environment assets.
Technologies: 3D Design, 3D Modelers, 3D Character Modeling, Character Rigging, 3D Textures, Concept Art, Maya, Autodesk Maya, ZBrush, Photoshop CC, Unity, Unity3D, Texturing, Texture Art, Real-time Rendering Engines, 3D Design, 3D Art, Illustration, Visual Design, Character Illustration, Digital Illustration, 3D Visualization, 3D Product Modeling, Sketching, Concept Sketching, Digital Art
Art Director
2016 - 2017
University of Helsinki
- Served as the art director and lead artist on an experimental medical game project designed to treat depression for a neurological research center, Helsinki University.
- Engaged as the lead in an art team for a game developed in the neuroscience research center. Took charge of the concept art, modeling, and animating 3D characters for a Unity-based game.
- Led a small team of junior artists for a multiplayer 1st person shooter game prototype.
- Established the art direction and collaborated on building a working prototype.
- Wrote and drew a long graphic novel, "D'Moleyk—The Mole Age," occasionally in the evenings and weekends for Tähtivaeltaja magazine.
- Sculpted, modeled, created concept art, textured, rigged, and animated characters.
- Used industry tools such as Zbrush, Maya, Substance Painter, Unity, and Photoshop.
Technologies: Unity, Maya, ZBrush, Substance Painter, Photoshop CC, Animation, Art Direction, Character Design, 3D Design, Unity3D, 3D Games, Game Development, PBR Workflow, PBR Texturing, 3D Animation, Rigging, Character Rigging, Animation Design, Real-time Rendering Engines, 3D Design, 3D Art, Illustration, Visual Design, Character Illustration, Graphic Design, Digital Illustration, 3D Visualization, 3D Product Modeling, Artwork, Sketching, Concept Sketching, Digital Art
Animator
2016 - 2016
Yle
- Worked on a 1-season adaptation of my graphic novel, Journeys Into Game Industry, for Yle broadcasting service.
- Created fully-animated, traditional animation segments singlehandedly, including storyboarding, animatics, keyframes, and in-betweens like coloring and backgrounds.
- Handled animated inserts added into live-action segments using several techniques.
- Served as a production artist; designed and illustrated props, t-shirts, inserts, posters, and more, to be used by the set decorators or worn by the actors.
Technologies: Toon Boom, CLIP STUDIO PAINT, Cartoons, Cartooning, Cartoon Animation, Cartoon Illustration, Cartoon Character Design, Traditional Animation, Animation, 2D Graphics, Character Design, Illustration, Visual Design, Character Illustration, Graphic Design, Digital Illustration, Artwork, Sketching, Concept Sketching, Digital Art, Film & Television, Video Editing, Motion Graphics
Senior Game Developer
2010 - 2014
Housemarque
- Conducted the concept design, modeling, texturing, and level design for Furmins for iOS.
- Acted as the lead level designer, providing additional graphics and story supervision for Alienation for PS4.
- Worked on character animation, storyboarding, level design, and game prototyping for unannounced projects.
- Collaborated with the art lead to find the correct balance between art and function on level design on Alienation (PS4).
- Storyboarded game events and created concept art, modeling, game assets, and animations for multiple unreleased game prototypes.
- Prototyped different ideas and interactions for level prototypes for Furmins (iOS) and Alienation (PS4).
Technologies: Autodesk Maya, Mudbox, Photoshop CC, 2D Games, 3D Games, Game Development, Texturing, 3D Texturing, 3D Modelers, 3D Animation, Rigging, Game Design, Level Design, Concept Art, Animation Design, Animation, 3D Design, Character Design, Real-time Rendering Engines, 3D Design, 3D Art, 3D Visualization, 3D Product Modeling, Sketching, Concept Sketching, Digital Art
Level Designer
2009 - 2009
Rovio
- Contributed to an unreleased N-series platform game for Nokia.
- Created and implemented 3D-level design and level assets.
- Handled the workflow, including 3D modeling, texturing, scripting, and playtesting.
Technologies: 3ds Max, Photoshop CC, 3D Design, Real-time Rendering Engines, 3D Design, 3D Art, 3D Visualization, 3D Product Modeling
Animator
2008 - 2008
Toast
- Created animated VFX assets for a McDonald's TV commercial under a tight deadline.
- Built a 3D model of the balloon casket from the set photo references.
- Animated the 3D model on a scene from the director's instructions.
Technologies: 3D Animation, 3D Design, 3D Modelers, 3ds Max, Animation, 3D Design, 3D Art, Rendering, 3D Visualization, 2D Modeling, 3D Product Modeling
Character Animator
2008 - 2008
Housemarque
- Created a prototype player character and enemy animations for Dead Nation (PS3) and Outland (PS3).
- Built character and enemy animations created on Maya using two different rigs.
- Created prototype animations, including the player character running and climbing (Outland) and the zombie character lumbering and attacking the player (Dead Nation).
Technologies: Maya, Autodesk Maya, Character Animation, Animation Design, Animation, 3D Design, Character Design, Real-time Rendering Engines, 3D Art, 3D Visualization, 3D Product Modeling
3D Character Modeler
2007 - 2007
Recoil Games
- Served as a contract 3D character artist on an early prototype of Earth No More, a joint venture of Recoil Games and 3D Realms for the Xbox 360, PC, and PS3.
- Modeled the character on 3ds Max and sculpted a high-res version of it to be used for normal maps on Mudbox.
- Created textures from a high-res model, rigged the character, and animated it.
Technologies: Animation Design, 3D Character Modeling, Rigging, Character Rigging, Digital Sculpting, Texturing, 3D Texturing, Mudbox, 3D Design, Real-time Rendering Engines, 3D Design, 3D Art, 3D Visualization, 3D Product Modeling
Character Artist and Animator
2004 - 2007
Sulake
- Contributed to Virtual Magic Kingdom (VMK), a massively multiplayer online game released by The Walt Disney Company.
- Created and animated 3D character models of various Disney characters that appear in Disneyland attractions.
- Created and animated 2D pixel sprites of various Disney characters that appear in Disneyland attractions.
Technologies: 3ds Max, Photoshop CC, 3D Character Modeling, Animation Design, Character Rigging, Texturing, 3D Texturing, 2D, 3D Design, 2D Games, Pixel Art, 3D Rendering, Cartoon Animation, Animation, 2D Graphics, 3D Design, 3D Art, Visual Design, Character Illustration, Graphic Design, Digital Illustration, Cartoon Character Design, Rendering, 3D Visualization, 2D Modeling, 3D Product Modeling, Sketching, Concept Sketching, Digital Art
Senior Game Developer
1999 - 2004
Housemarque
- Worked as the lead character artist for Transworld Snowboarding (Xbox).
- Managed a small team of character artists and supervised the character model and texturing quality.
- Established the character creation pipeline and topology, as well as texturing and rigging.
- Planned, designed, and performed motion capture at the Infogrames mocap studios in Sheffield, UK. Edited motion capture for in-game animations.
- Planned and executed professional photo shoots of real-life snowboarding athletes to make their digital 3D avatars based on the photo shoot materials.
- Created game design documents and prototyped a playable demo on Xbox.
- Created character animations for smaller projects outsourced to Housemarque, as well as several quick pitch documents and prototypes.
- Created all 3D character in-game animations for an unreleased PS2 game prototype using Maya.
Technologies: Maya, Autodesk Maya, 3ds Max, Photoshop CC, 3D Character Modeling, Motion Capture, Animation Design, Rigging, Character Rigging, 3D Texturing, Texturing, Game Design, Game Design Documentation, Prototyping, Animation, 3D Design, Character Design, Creative Direction, Real-time Rendering Engines, 3D Design, 3D Art, Character Illustration, Digital Illustration, 3D Visualization, 3D Product Modeling, Sketching, Concept Sketching
Level Designer and Artist
1998 - 1998
Carts Entertainment
- Created concept design, 3D models, and levels for Thrust, Twist 'n' Turn (PC).
- Created the look for the levels, from concept art to Photoshop mock-ups.
- Modeled and textured all the level assets and road pieces for all the levels.
- Created level design and tested multiple levels, contributed to additional game tuning by modifying car parameters, and handled game progression.
Technologies: 3ds Max, Photoshop CC, 3D Modelers, Level Design, 3D Texturing, Texturing, Concept Art, Art Direction, 3D Design, Real-time Rendering Engines, 3D Design, 3D Art, Graphic Design, Digital Illustration, 3D Visualization, 3D Product Modeling, Artwork, Sketching, Concept Sketching
3D Character Artist and Animator
1998 - 1998
Detonium Interactive
- Created and animated character models for Puzzlemania (PC).
- Built 3D character models and their textures and rigged them.
- Animated 3D character models to correspond to each game scenario.
Technologies: 3ds Max, 3D Character Modeling, Animation Design, Rigging, Character Rigging, Texturing, 3D Texturing, 3D Lighting, 3D Rendering, Animation, 3D Design, 3D Design, 3D Art, 3D Visualization, 2D Modeling, 3D Product Modeling, Digital Art
3D Character Artist and Animator
1996 - 1998
Probe Entertainment (Acclaim)
- Contributed to Spirit Master, a canceled PlayStation beat 'em up, and provided additional weapon modeling for Batman & Robin (PS1).
- Started as a texture artist and created background textures using Photoshop.
- Created prototype 3D models, their textures, and animations using 3D Studio R4.
- Created an in-game character model using 3ds Studio Max and textured it using an in-house texturing tool and Deluxe Paint.
- Rigged and animated an in-game character model using Nichimen World on the Silicon Graphics workstation.
- Edited motion capture for the in-game animated sequence using Nichimen World on the Silicon Graphics workstation.
- Created additional pixel art animations for the game using Deluxe Paint.
Technologies: Autodesk 3ds Max, Alias Wavefront, Adobe Photoshop, Pixel Art, Motion Capture, Rigging, Character Rigging, 3D Character Modeling, Texturing, Graphics, Animation Design, Animation, 3D Design, Real-time Rendering Engines, 3D Design, 3D Art, 3D Visualization, 3D Product Modeling, Sketching, Concept Sketching, Digital Art
Graphic Artist and Animator
1995 - 1996
Housemarque
- Contributed to Alien Incident (PC) as a lead pixel artist and provided several in-game animations.
- Served as a game designer, concept artist, and pixel artist on game pitches and prototypes.
- Managed a small team of pixel artists during the Alien Incident project.
Technologies: 2D Games, 2D Graphics, Pixel Art, 2D Animation, Game Design Documentation, Animation, Character Design, Visual Design, Character Illustration, Graphic Design, Digital Illustration, Cartoon Character Design, 2D Modeling, Artwork, Sketching, Concept Sketching, Digital Art
2D Pixel Artist and Animator
1994 - 1995
Terramarque
- Served as the character animator for Elfmania Datadisk (Amiga) using Deluxe Paint.
- Shot and directed actor for rotoscoping and implemented rotoscoping for sprite animation.
- Designed and created animated character portraits for P.I.D. (Amiga), as well as some additional game art assets using Deluxe Paint.
Technologies: Pixel Art, 2D Games, Game Art, 2D Animation, Animation, 2D Graphics, Visual Design, Character Illustration, Graphic Design, Digital Illustration, Cartoon Character Design, 2D Modeling, Artwork, Sketching, Concept Sketching, Digital Art, Rotoscoping
Skills
Tools
Autodesk Maya, Photoshop CC, CLIP STUDIO PAINT, Toon Boom, TopoGun, Maya, ZBrush, Substance Painter, xNormal, Unreal Engine, Mudbox, 3ds Max, Autodesk 3ds Max, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After Effects, CAD
Industry Expertise
Film & Television
Other
Unity, 3D Modelers, Animation Design, Game Design, Level Design, Rigging, Character Rigging, 3D Animation, Animation, Art Direction, Character Design, 3D Design, Unity3D, 2D Games, 3D Games, Game Development, 2D Graphics, Virtual Reality (VR), 3D Rendering, Cartoon Character Design, Cartoons, Cartoon Illustration, Real-time Rendering Engines, 3D Design, Augmented Reality (AR), 3D Art, Illustration, Visual Design, Character Illustration, Graphic Design, Digital Illustration, 3D Visualization, 2D Modeling, 3D Product Modeling, Artwork, Sketching, Concept Sketching, Digital Art, Game Design Documentation, Game Sound Design, Creative Direction, Anime, Teaching, Rendering, PBR Texturing, Management, Digital Sculpting, 3D Character Modeling, 3D Textures, Character Animation, Traditional Animation, Direction, Multimedia, 2D Animation, Storyboarding, Inking, Game Art, Concept Art, Texturing, UI Design, Face Rigging, Shaders, Gameplay Development, Texture Art, PBR Workflow, 3D Texturing, 2D, Pixel Art, Cartoon Animation, Comic Art, Cartooning, Motion Capture, Prototyping, 3D Lighting, Alias Wavefront, Graphics, Motion & Animation Design, UI Motion, Video Editing, Motion Graphics, Rotoscoping
Experience
Tools
Collaboration That Works
How to Work with Toptal
Toptal matches you directly with global industry experts from our network in hours—not weeks or months.
1
Share your needs
Discuss your requirements and refine your scope in a call with a Toptal domain expert.
2
Choose your talent
Get a short list of expertly matched talent within 24 hours to review, interview, and choose from.
3
Start your risk-free talent trial
Work with your chosen talent on a trial basis for up to two weeks. Pay only if you decide to hire them.
Top talent is in high demand.
Start hiring