Valerie Danchenko, Designer in Toronto, ON, Canada
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Valerie Danchenko

Bio

Valerie is a Toronto-based senior game 2D artist and art director with 10+ years of experience in art and visual development. She's worked with top licensors like Disney and Pixar, contributed to record-breaking titles like Disney Magic Kingdoms and Disney Dreamlight Valley, and excels at crafting stylized visuals, leading teams, and shaping cohesive art styles. Valerie's portfolio speaks to both her creativity and leadership.

Portfolio

Work Experience

Graphic Designer and Illustrator

2025 - 2026
Toptal
  • Edited short-form videos for TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts, increasing engagement through platform-specific pacing, effects, and storytelling.
  • Designed media kits for influencers, streamlining sponsor outreach and improving presentation for brand partnerships and collaborations.
  • Created social media graphics that boosted audience interaction and communicated creator messaging in a clear, engaging format.
  • Developed branding guidelines for blog hero images and iconography, helping establish a cohesive visual identity across the platform.
  • Produced SEO-focused blog illustrations and visuals that supported higher search visibility, increasing website traffic and audience reach.
  • Designed UX-focused landing page graphics that simplified messaging and improved visitor conversion into active clients and partnerships.
  • Established the project’s initial visual direction and design system, shaping the long-term branding and creative consistency of the platform.
Technologies: Illustration, Branding, 2D Illustrations, Social Media, 3D Illustration, Motion Design, Animation, Vector Art, Video Editing, Marketing Design, Graphic Design, 2D Graphics, Social Media Kits

Art Director

2025 - 2025
Fluxscopic
  • Designed characters, environments, and props to establish the game's visual foundation.
  • Defined the game's visual identity and created a cohesive style guide.
  • Guided artists with feedback, paintovers, and style alignment.
  • Managed the art pipeline, timelines, and asset delivery.
  • Contributed to early game concepts and visual development.
Technologies: Photoshop CC, Miro, Jira, Concept Art, Art Direction, CLIP STUDIO PAINT, Illustration, Graphic Design, 2D Graphics, 2D Design, 2D Illustrations, Creative Production, Visual Design, AI Tools, Branding, 2D, Copywriting, Creative Writing, Brand Identity, Digital Illustration

Senior 2D Artist

2023 - 2024
Gameloft
  • Spearheaded the artistic efforts for 10 updates on the Disney Magic Kingdoms project, contributing to the game's high revenue at Gameloft.
  • Collaborated with major licensors, including Pixar, Disney, Lucasfilm, The Muppets, and 20th Century Studios, to create content that adhered to the style guidelines for over 35 intellectual properties.
  • Developed high-quality concept art for both in-game and marketing purposes, including character hero poses, props, tokens, architectural elements, and environments.
  • Designed splash screens to enhance the user experience and engage players, increasing player retention and interaction.
  • Improved the visual quality of 3D assets by applying detailed 2D polish.
  • Participated in weekly art reviews, critique sessions, and creative brainstorming meetings. Presented concept art ideas during project kickoffs, influencing the visual direction.
Technologies: Blender, Photoshop CC, Concept Art, CLIP STUDIO PAINT, Illustration, Graphic Design, 2D Graphics, 2D Design, 2D Illustrations, 3D Art, 3D Assets, Creative Production, Visual Design, Branding, 2D, Digital Marketing Design, Marketing Design, Performance Marketing, Brand Identity, Digital Illustration

2D Artist

2021 - 2023
Gameloft
  • Designed the layout for the cover art of Disney Dreamlight Valley, contributing to the game's visual branding.
  • Headed the development of new asset types and templates, including the Seasons newsletter, Seasons roadmap, and Seasons rewards, streamlining the content creation process.
  • Took over core responsibilities, delivering three splash screens and eight marketing backgrounds and preparing graphics for four live-stream events.
  • Created marketing art and graphic design assets for social media, email newsletters, and in-game pop-ups across over 20 in-game updates.
  • Provided feedback and mentorship to team members, fostering growth and improving artistic quality across the team.
  • Directed training and onboarding of new team members.
Technologies: Photoshop CC, Blender, After Effects CC, Concept Art, CLIP STUDIO PAINT, Illustration, Graphic Design, 2D Graphics, 2D Design, 2D Illustrations, 3D Art, 3D Assets, Creative Production, Visual Design, Branding, 2D, Digital Marketing Design, Marketing Design, Digital Illustration

Concept Artist

2020 - 2020
Relish Interactive
  • Followed the established art style of Weirdwood Manor while creating additional content for the game, ensuring alignment with the existing visual atmosphere.
  • Created artwork for various game elements, including props, level designs, backgrounds, and the visual style for multiple minigames.
  • Collaborated with a diverse team of artists, demonstrating adaptability, open-mindedness, and a proactive approach to meeting creative challenges.
  • Participated in weekly art reviews, incorporating feedback to enhance and maintain the visual quality of the game's content.
Technologies: Photoshop CC, Concept Art, CLIP STUDIO PAINT, Illustration, 2D Graphics, 2D Design, 2D Illustrations, Visual Design, 2D, Digital Illustration

Skills

Tools

Photoshop CC, CLIP STUDIO PAINT, Blender, Miro, Jira, DaVinci Resolve, Canva, After Effects CC, AI Tools

Industry Expertise

3D Illustration

Other

Marketing Art, Game Art, Illustration, 2D Graphics, 2D Illustrations, Visual Design, 2D, Digital Marketing Design, Marketing Design, Copywriting, Performance Marketing, Digital Illustration, Concept Art, Art Direction, Graphic Design, 2D Design, 3D Art, 3D Assets, Creative Production, 3D Design, Branding, Creative Writing, Brand Design, Brand Identity, Midjourney, marketing art, Social Media, Motion Design, Animation, Vector Art, Video Editing, Social Media Kits

Experience

  • Photoshop CC - 15 years
  • Illustration - 10 years
  • CLIP STUDIO PAINT - 5 years
  • 2D Graphics - 5 years
  • Blender - 5 years
  • Game Art - 5 years
  • Marketing Art - 3 years
  • Midjourney - 2 years

Tools

  • Photoshop CC
  • CLIP STUDIO PAINT
  • Blender
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