Accredited degree in concept art with mentorship from established artists

Establish how to translate concepts and ideas into compelling characters, creatures, props, and environments for film, games, and publishing. Master industry software, including Photoshop, Blender, and ZBrush, and delve deep into production pipelines and creative workflows, building a comprehensive skillset focused on helping you flourish in the creative industries.

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Why study concept art at Bletchley Institute, powered by CG Spectrum:

• Gain the creative, technical, interpersonal, and conceptual skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the industry
  
• Study with more flexibility (100% online)
  
• Create industry-level work that recruiters will notice
  
• Graduate in less time than a typical degree - 2 years instead of 3
• Join a global community of 4000+ students, grads, and industry artists

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This degree is offered through CG Spectrum Institute. CG Spectrum Institute (Provider ID PRV12023) is registered with the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), ensuring students receive a high-quality education and graduate with reputable qualifications.

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Concept Art Major

Designed and taught by experts to prepare you for the creative industries.

The Bachelor of Digital Art majoring in concept art covers advanced creature, character, props, and environment design using both 2D and 3D techniques. You will also acquire essential interpersonal skills and both practical and conceptual industry knowledge.

• Learn matte painting, photo-bashing, and paint-over techniques as well as how to render and light your work for a more polished finish.
• Work with client briefs to ensure you're prepared for roles in the industry.
• Discover industry-standard practices, procedures, and workflows.
• Develop valuable interpersonal skills such as communication, problem-solving, and leadership.
  
• Dedicated time to building your professional portfolio and getting job-ready.

The below course outline reflects a full-time course load, which comprises three subjects per trimester and three trimesters per year over a two-year duration. Part-time study options are also available.

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Course Pathways

Develop industry foundations with our 6 month Diploma, or continue into the full Bachelor's Degree to build more comprehensive skills.

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Curriculum

By industry. For Industry.

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Trimester 01

Developing Visual Concepts: Props and Characters‍

Develop the skills and theoretical knowledge for visual concept development, creating props, characters, and creatures while covering line, value, color theory, human anatomy, clothing, perspective, proportions, and material physics. You will examine a range of artistic styles as the basis for developing and refining your own style and use this evolving knowledge to create concept pieces for inclusion in your personal folio.

Film and Games Principles, Concepts and Innovations: Learning from History

A firm grasp of the historical foundations, theories, innovations, and principles shaping contemporary practices is vital for film and game artists. This subject uses case studies and documented evidence to delve into the historical, social, technical, and theoretical factors impacting the creative industries. You will analyze how innovations and technologies from one sector (e.g., games) are applied to the other (e.g., film), driving continuous transformation and progress.

Industry Overview: Pipeline and Production Processes

Game designers require a thorough understanding of production pipelines and processes to ensure efficient and timely project development. This subject introduces you to essential terminology, frameworks, and stages of these creative fields, emphasizing their interconnectedness. Examine the entire production journey, from inception to distribution, and delve into workflow frameworks unique to animation, VFX, and game studios, facilitating industry comparisons.

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Trimester 02

Rendering Techniques & Character Drawing

Light and color serve as foundational elements in creating compelling concept art and illustrations; they set the mood, define materials, and shape environments. In this subject, you will delve into lighting theory, examining different lighting and surfacing parameters and applying them to various scenarios. You will also have opportunities to practice your life-drawing skills by observing the human figure.

Art and Design Concepts and Principles

Delve into the theories and principles of color, light, and composition and their relevance in art movements, film, and video games. Analyze compositions and artworks, examining the integration of line, shape, space, depth, content, and style, recognizing their significance in creative endeavors. Through collaborative online discussions, you will get to compare and contrast historical and contemporary artworks, shedding light on the evolution of art and design theories and practices.

Communicate! Mode, Purpose and Context

This subject offers a broad overview of professional, ethical, and culturally sensitive communication in both oral and written contexts. Explore the significance of mode, context, and purpose, and investigate communication theories, models, and frameworks for facilitating interactions, transactions, and critiques. You'll gain insights into paralanguage, responsive listening, active collaboration, and delivering and receiving respectful feedback.

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Diploma Exit

Students can choose to exit the bachelor's degree after trimester 02 with a diploma or continue their studies through to trimester 06 and earn their bachelor's degree.

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Trimester 03

Layout, Level Design, and Composition

Study the theories and practices of artistic composition and filmic framing, uncovering the conventions used by film and game developers for effective mood and narrative communication. Apply this knowledge to craft intricate environment concepts, master perspective, and emphasize lighting, mood, and asset integration to breathe life into immersive worlds. Additionally, you’ll prototype game level designs, considering both aesthetics and technical aspects for the final game engine output.

Concepts and Principles of Story and Visual Narrative

Discover the ways stories are crafted through single, multiple, or moving images. Beginning with the origins of storytelling, you will examine the fundamental concepts and principles that underpin visual storytelling. Literary elements like story arcs, hero's journey, Aristotle's three-act structure, linear and non-linear plots, visual metaphors, motifs, and symbolism are explored, and you'll get to analyze plot structure and character development.

Identifying and Solving Problems

In Identifying and Solving Problems, you will tackle everyday challenges with a foundation in theoretically sound problem-solving. Delve into the principles of creative reasoning, encompassing argument presentation and addressing unconscious bias. You will also explore frameworks for analyzing and reviewing artistic works, along with identifying and resolving creative, technical, and ethical issues in creative projects.

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Trimester 04

Characters, Creatures, and Enhanced Workflows

Learn the theories behind crafting archetypal characters for storytelling, exploring how hero, villain, and creature attributes shape compelling designs. You will enhance these skills by preparing matte paintings, using 'photo-bashing' techniques and integrating object and character paintovers into your prototyping process. This subject challenges you to complete character projects, from brainstorming and conceptualization to referencing genre-specific traits to the execution of final visual designs.

Concepts and Principles of Lighting and Cinematography

Delve into two essential elements of compelling storytelling in film and games: cinematography and lighting. Cinematography and lighting are used to evoke specific moods or aesthetics; cinematography employs shot framing and camera angles, while lighting uses direction, quality, color, and environment. You will study the theoretical concepts and principles of lighting and cinematography, applying them to visual storytelling and photography in both real-world and digital contexts.

Managing Projects and Creative Assets

Realizing and delivering a film or game — on time and within budget — requires strategic thinking and strong organizational skills. Build your knowledge in complex management processes, asset pipelines, and project management systems that streamline the delivery of complex creative projects. You'll also study the processes and tools used to pass digital information through the pipeline, including how assets and shot sequences are managed.

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Trimester 05

3D Concept Art Workflows

Employ leading 3D modeling software for 2D concept art workflows, including designing, sculpting, lighting, texturing, and rendering artworks for 2D paintovers. These tools accelerate workflow efficiency by enabling multidimensional visualization before final composition decisions. Starting with sculpting basic forms to generate quick digital renders, you will finish with a full understanding of a professional 3D pipeline for visualization before creating more complex human forms and environments.

Leading with Integrity

This subject delves into self-assessment, team dynamics, conflict management, performance optimization, and effective leadership. With a creative business emphasis, examine ethical, inclusive practices and their impact on the performance of a business. You will also analyze case studies, hypothetical scenarios, and leadership strengths and weaknesses, learning from others' experiences to define success for individuals and companies.

Establishing and Sustaining Your Business

Gain valuable insights into the financial and legal obligations and responsibilities associated with running creative businesses and projects. Examine case studies and simulated scenarios representative of sole trading enterprises, partnerships, and large studios. You will also learn about budgeting and finance, taxation, superannuation, cashflows, profit and loss, bidding, IP, trademarking processes, and how to quantify your creative value.

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Trimester 06

Concept Art Capstone Portfolio

Throughout your degree, you will have built a comprehensive body of theoretical, technical, creative, and cognitive disciplinary knowledge and skills relating to concept art for film, games, and publishing. You’ll get to reflect critically on and review your catalog of work to plan, edit, and curate your best pieces into a cohesive portfolio/showreel that showcases your professional, artistic, and technical abilities and helps you confidently prepare to apply for roles in the industry.

Stepping Into Industry: Becoming a Proactive Practitioner

Adaptability and openness to new technologies are crucial in the dynamic industry of film and games. In Stepping Into Industry, you will employ a PESTLE (political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental) analysis to explore current and future trends in the creative sector and identify potential career paths. You are encouraged to reflect on their strengths, values, and adaptability, helping shape your future career choices.

Marketing Yourself and Your Work

Learn essential marketing concepts and how to shape a personal brand that aligns with your beliefs and values in order to stand out in a global digital market, whether working as a freelancer or at a studio. Acquire an understanding of target markets, customer needs, integrated marketing, handling challenges, and exploring motivations for success. You will also gain insights into managing the diverse, cross-cultural landscape of film and games.