Game Art BA(Hons)

During the first year of your Game Art degree, you'll build the basic skills demanded by the industry, and learn about game artists' major roles and techniques. Working with industry-standard software, methods and processes, you'll develop your drawing skills, better understand anatomy, and apply these abilities to 3D modelling and related elements. 

You'll learn traditional and digital art skills – both 2D and 3D – alongside concept, environment and character art to build digital worlds and characters. 

Modules

Concept Art 1

In this module, you'll be introduced to the techniques and styles used in the creation of concept art for games.

You’ll explore colour theory and composition, digital painting, storyboarding and graphic design principles while learning about contemporary and historical trends in the history of game art. You’ll also gain an understanding of common visual communication models used in the making of concept art.

Character Art 1

Undertaking a series of practical sessions, including life drawing classes, you’ll learn the core principles of character art, while gaining an understanding of anatomy and proportion.

You’ll then apply these principles to the development of your own character art and explore methods of character sculpting within the game development pipeline. 

Environment Art 1

This module introduces you to the basic principles of environment art for games. You’ll undertake a series of practical assignments, exploring key techniques in 3D art, scene setup, modelling, UV mapping, texture creation, materials and shading.

You’ll then apply these methods to produce high-definition assets for use in the game development pipeline.

Concept Art 2

Strengthening your understanding of concept art and visual culture, in this module you’ll undertake practical assignments to develop your 2D art skills.

You’ll learn where concept art fits within the development pipeline, as well as explore methodical approaches of making concept art - such as semiotics.

You’ll also develop key skills in using industry-standard software, digital tools and materials, including collage and digital speed painting to produce effective visual designs.

Character Art 2

Building on your knowledge of creating character art for games, you’ll sharpen your skills in figurative art, anatomy, line, tone and proportion through life drawing sessions. 

You’ll also develop your technical and artistic skills in 3D character development using a range of software and digital tools.

Environment Art 2

Through a series of practical sessions, you’ll develop the skills to create technically accurate and exciting environment art for games.  

In addition, you'll learn about hardware limitations, export-based pipeline, and baking methodologies for game assets, including texturing techniques, rendering, lighting and shadows.

You'll grow your confidence in game art and your skills in using professional digital tools. You'll provide art assets to a collaborative project with game students of different disciplines, giving you valuable experience in an industry-style development pipeline.  

An additional specialist practice project lets you hone your skills in a particular area of game art and create high quality work for your portfolio. 

Modules

World Building: Pre-production

Working in a multi-skilled team, you’ll devise a concept for a digital ‘world creation’ project. You’ll also develop a broader understanding of key game art principles, including world-building and exploratory concept work, prototyping, pre-production, and the early phases of production.

Developing Concept Art Vocabularies

In this module, you’ll bring your existing understanding of concept art and visual culture into a game production context. Working in a team, you’ll develop your 2D skills and explore new and experimental media.

You’ll also develop your proficiency in using industry software and tools to improve your skills in collage and digital speed painting as well as explore new 3D approaches to making concept art.

Developing Character Art Vocabularies

Deepening your knowledge of character art for games, you’ll continue to use a combination of digital tools and life drawing sessions to sharpen your observational skills in anatomy and proportion.

You’ll also advance your knowledge of game development pipelines and processes, including using the iterative development model as a method to critically evaluate your own work.

Developing Environment Art Vocabularies

You’ll research and experiment with a range of techniques and practices in the creation of environment art for games.

With guidance from your tutor, you’ll choose an area of focus and produce a research brief proposal. You’ll then create a portfolio and a written analysis of your own work.

Art Research Practice

This module will focus on using practice-based research as a tool to develop your practical production skillset, as well as build skills in pipeline and workflow research.

You’ll choose an area of game art or animation practice to research and identify appropriate technical pipeline resources and workflow examples to inform your development. Research of your chosen production pipeline will be evidenced through a written report and portfolio of work.

World Building: Production

Working in a multi-skilled team, you’ll continue to develop your ‘world creation’ project that you started during the previous study block.

You'll deliver content in line with production milestones and prepare to release your product and reach your target audience.

Portfolio Development

In this module, you’ll work on a self-devised portfolio piece with a view to submitting it to an industry competition.   

From researching to execution, you’ll hone your skills and gain confidence as you develop your project within your chosen specialism. Experimenting with different techniques, you’ll build your portfolio and create a piece of work that conforms to industry norms. 

You can choose to take an optional placement year after your second year on a three-year programme, or after your third year if you’re studying for a degree with an Integrated Foundation Year. 

You’ll be responsible for finding your own placement, with support from the RealWORKS employability team. 

Choosing this option will enhance your industry experience and skills while studying. 

How you’ll study during your placement year 

You’ll spend time working in a professional context, as part of a business or organisation. This can be in one role, or up to three, and must be for a minimum of 24 weeks. 

You’ll develop in-demand workplace skills, deepen your insight into industry and grow your network of contacts, all of which could help you get ahead in your career after graduation. 

Throughout this year, you’ll develop a portfolio of work that includes critical self-reflection on what has been learned from the experience. You’ll be required to evidence your experiences, the skills you’ve learned and your professional growth. 

With specialism, independence and professional practice at the front and centre of this year, you'll join a multi-skilled team on a game development project. Working in a studio, you'll contribute art assets using industry-standard methods and pipelines.

You'll also create distinctive and polished work for your growing portfolio by working on specialist game art. We'll then help you commercialise this work and prepare you for the transition to professional life.

Modules

Future Skills

With your career in mind, you’ll develop a commercial awareness and entrepreneurial mindset.

You’ll explore employability options, including researching the skills required to set up your own business, establish yourself as a freelancer, or for use as an employee in a business or organisation.

Professional Portfolio

Deepening your knowledge of enterprise opportunities within the industry, you’ll receive mentoring on how to apply for work in industry, including CV and portfolio advice to help you graduate with an industry-ready portfolio.

Technical Art Practice

In this module, you’ll explore the role of a technical artist and where they fit in the game production pipeline.

You’ll also delve into the different aspects of technical art, including production processes, tools, 2D, 3D, procedural modelling and VFX. 

Future of Games

You'll critically examine the current climate of contemporary games and digital culture, while exploring cultural and technological changes that are likely to influence the future of the games industry.

In doing this, you’ll confront a range of issues relating to sustainability and ethical production, equality and civil rights, and personal identity and ideology. 

Major Collaboration

At this stage of your Game Art degree, you’ll deliver a substantial collaborative project. Working in a multi-skilled group, you’ll design and build a digital product or service.

Contexts vary, but the project might include enterprise solutions, mobile apps, installations, games, web applications, robots, immersive experiences or software development tools.

Why study an Integrated Foundation Year route? 

If you’re taking on a new subject that you haven’t studied in depth before, have been out of education for a while or have a non-standard educational background then an Integrated Foundation Year degree may be the right choice for you. It is a four-year degree with an Integrated Foundation Year to start, which allows you to explore the primary elements of your subject before progressing on to the remaining three years of the BA(Hons) degree. 

What you'll study in your Foundation year

If you choose this pathway, you'll study five core modules in your Foundation year. These are all designed to help you explore the foundational elements of your subject. You'll gain relevant technical skills, learn to experiment and take risks, develop an understanding of professional practice, have opportunities to work across disciplines and collaborate with other students on live project briefs. 

Modules

Explore

You'll begin your foundation year by working collaboratively with others to explore themes of the future. You'll take risks, experiment through play and be supported to break through barriers.

Technique

You'll take subject-specific workshops and develop essential technical and practical skills in your area of study. You'll also enhance your analytical and organisational abilities.

Apply

You'll work with your peer group to think beyond discipline by addressing a societal or global issue. You'll then showcase your work to your peers and deliver and accompanying evaluation of your process.

Industry

You'll enhance your creative and practical skills in your subject specialism by responding to typical industry briefs, underpinned by focused research and experiments. You'll also gain industry insights through guest lectures and workshops.

Launch

You'll develop your unique identity in your specialism through the production of a self-initiated body of work. Your final project will be the bridge to your next year, fully supported by evaluative reviews and critical analysis of the work you have created.

After the Foundation year, you progress into Year One of the full three-year degree, equipped with a deeper knowledge of your subject, a clear understanding of your strengths, and develop a practical and technical skillset and the confidence to excel in your chosen subject. 

If you apply for and enrol onto a degree with an Integrated Foundation Year, you’ll have the option to switch onto a five-year version including a placement year. That means you’ll complete the first three years of your course before completing a placement in industry in your fourth year and returning to Falmouth for the fifth year of your programme.