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I am Dariya Merkhanova, an animation director, illustrator, and production designer with a strong background in 2D/3D animation and visual storytelling. I collaborate with writers, sound designers, and fellow artists to bring imaginative worlds to life across Kazakhstani and international projects. I studied at the Kazakh National Academy of Arts and have led production design on short and feature projects, exhibited works in Europe and Australia, and guided teams through complex animation pipelines. I bring leadership, a collaborative spirit, and a passion for culturally resonant storytelling.…I am Dariya Merkhanova, an animation director, illustrator, and production designer with a strong background in 2D/3D animation and visual storytelling. I collaborate with writers, sound designers, and fellow artists to bring imaginative worlds to life across Kazakhstani and international projects. I studied at the Kazakh National Academy of Arts and have led production design on short and feature projects, exhibited works in Europe and Australia, and guided teams through complex animation pipelines. I bring leadership, a collaborative spirit, and a passion for culturally resonant storytelling.

Dariya Merkhanova

Animation Director, Film Director, Production Designer, +2

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I am Dariya Merkhanova, an animation director, illustrator, and production designer with a strong background in 2D/3D animation and visual storytelling. I collaborate with writers, sound designers, and fellow artists to bring imaginative worlds to life across Kazakhstani and international projects. I studied at the Kazakh National Academy of Arts and have led production design on short and feature projects, exhibited works in Europe and Australia, and guided teams through complex animation pipelines. I bring leadership, a collaborative spirit, and a passion for culturally resonant storytelling.…I am Dariya Merkhanova, an animation director, illustrator, and production designer with a strong background in 2D/3D animation and visual storytelling. I collaborate with writers, sound designers, and fellow artists to bring imaginative worlds to life across Kazakhstani and international projects. I studied at the Kazakh National Academy of Arts and have led production design on short and feature projects, exhibited works in Europe and Australia, and guided teams through complex animation pipelines. I bring leadership, a collaborative spirit, and a passion for culturally resonant storytelling.

Available to hire

I am Dariya Merkhanova, an animation director, illustrator, and production designer with a strong background in 2D/3D animation and visual storytelling. I collaborate with writers, sound designers, and fellow artists to bring imaginative worlds to life across Kazakhstani and international projects.

I studied at the Kazakh National Academy of Arts and have led production design on short and feature projects, exhibited works in Europe and Australia, and guided teams through complex animation pipelines. I bring leadership, a collaborative spirit, and a passion for culturally resonant storytelling.

Skills

Experience Level

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Intermediate

Intermediate

Language

Russian

Advanced

Kazakh

Fluent

English

Advanced

Polish

Intermediate

Work Experience

Art Director at Qazaq Animasia

July 1, 2025 - November 1, 2025

Developed the visual world for the short film, participated in the development of characters and locations, color script and the subsequent process of developing backgrounds. Supervised the entire visual part of the film, guiding background designers and concept artists.

Animator at Tartaria Animation Studio

January 1, 2025 - July 1, 2025

Finished as a finishing animator during the layout process in creating animation for a feature film. Later completed final animation of objects and visual effects (VFX).

Director of Animation Movie at Yrysy aq Animation Studio

February 1, 2024 - September 1, 2024

Directed a full-length animated movie, overseeing all aspects of production from initial concept development to final release. Managed the animation pipeline, coordinating pre-production (storyboarding, concept design), production (character animation, scene layout), and post-production (editing, sound design) phases. Supervised the animation process, providing feedback on animation quality, timing, and character performance to ensure consistency and high standards. Managed project timelines, budgets, and resources, ensuring the movie was completed on schedule and within financial constraints.

Intern at Akademia Sztuki w Szczecinie

October 1, 2023 - February 1, 2024

Collaborated with international students and faculty, gaining exposure to diverse filmmaking techniques. Developed and directed short film projects, managing all aspects from concept to post-production. Attended workshops on advanced topics in media art and film direction.

Animator at Tasqyn Animation Studio

June 1, 2023 - September 1, 2023

Used Moho to create high-quality 2D vector animation sequences. Animated characters, scenes, and objects for an animated show. Worked on pre-production and helped with marketing oriented animation videos.

Illustrator at Abai TV Channel, Mazmundama show

March 1, 2023 - June 1, 2023

Created original illustrations and visual concepts for an animated show, contributing to character designs, background art, and promotional materials. Also created illustrations that later were used for animation in TV episodes. Used industry-standard illustration software like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Procreate to design high-quality 2D assets.

Barista, Cashier and Waiter at Healpies, healthy nutrition confectioner

January 1, 2023 - March 1, 2023

Customer service oriented role focusing on hospitality, cash handling, and maintaining high hygiene and service standards in a fast-paced environment.

Environmental Artist & Animator at Ordagen

March 1, 2022 - November 1, 2022

Created detailed and visually immersive environments for animated TV show, focusing on narrative-enhancing design. Collaborated with directors, animators, and artists to ensure environment complemented character animation and storytelling. Worked on pre-production and post-production stages, contributing to layout design, set dressing, lighting, and atmospheric effects. Managed and organized assets to ensure smooth workflow and seamless integration into the overall animation pipeline.

Film Production Designer at Self-Employed / Freelance

February 1, 2022 - Present

Served as production designer for several student and professional projects, overseeing visual style of sets, props, and costumes. Managed budgets and resources to deliver cohesive visual design within constraints.