Concept art and digital painting (5 cr)

Objective

You have acquired intermediate skills in digital painting both in theory and practice.
You have improved your skills drawing by hand and digitally.
You understand the role of a concept artist within the game industry and their workflow process.
You can create concept drawings and key art in order to pitch a game idea or tell a story.
You can work from a script or Game Design Document and visualise character, environment, vehicles or asset concepts.

Content

What is the Concept Art workflow?
What is the role of the Concept Artist in game design?
How to create concept art and digital paintings?
How to create your own digital paint brushes?
How to create character studies and environment sketches for a production team?
How to use perspective and lighting to create Key Art?

Course material

Learning materials
– Lectures and demonstrations with accompanying downloadable documentation for reference.
– Downloadable Work sheets and exercises
– Links and tutorials on Learn.

Study forms and methods

The course mostly online. Contact lessons are on campus when the group has contact days.

If you have a comparable previous academic achievement (i.e., a higher education-level course completion), have studied for a year in, for example, a folk high school, and have work samples to present, or if you have skills equivalent to or exceeding the course level, for example, through work experience and have a portfolio to show, you may seek to have the course accredited. However, you must first discuss this with the course instructor.

RDI and work-related cooperation

RDI will be intergrated where possible

Timing of exams and assignments

Deadlines:
– In order to benefit from the dedicated feedback sessions students must have at least partially completed the assignments on review at that time.
– If a student misses the deadline for an assignment feedback session, no assurance of feedback at a later date can be given. Current works take precedence.
– If a student can not achieve a required deadline the lecturer must be informed and an extension will be negotiated.
– Unauthorised late return of course assignments will have an effect on final grading. (Between 1 and 2 points deducted)

Student workload

Students complete assignments independently. In class, student will receive feedback and deepen their expertise.

Course part description

OBJECTIVES:
– You have acquired intermediate skills in digital painting both in theory and practice.
– You have improved your skills drawing by hand and digitally.
– You understand the role of a concept artist within the game industry and their workflow process.
– You can create concept drawings and key art in order to pitch a game idea or tell a story.
– You can work from a script or Game Design Document and visualise character, environment, vehicles or asset concepts.

CONTENT
– What is the Concept Art workflow?
– What is the role of the Concept Artist in game design?
– How to create concept art and digital paintings?
– How to create your own digital paint brushes?
– How to create character studies and environment sketches for a production team?
– How to use perspective and lighting to create Key Art?

Further information

Further information
– Demonstrations and lectures provide relevant theoretical content.
– Students complete a series of story based assignments independently with the help of instructions provided on Learn.
– Students will receive dedicated feedback sessions on their assignments at regular intervals
– Students will deepen their expertise in research, composition skills, the use of colour and lighting to project emotion and contribute to storytelling within an image.

Evaluation scale

1-5

Assessment methods and criteria

Assessment Methods:
Collaborative Learning outcomes (Group works)
Peer review and self-evaluation
Register of Attendance
Adherence to schedules and deadlines
Activity Checklists
Performance Rating scale for classroom and homework assignments

Assessment Criteria
Students ability to develop ideas, logical thinking, creativity, ability to communicate one’s ideas both verbally and visually, quality of work, ability to follow instructions, ability to work to deadlines, level of attendance, activity and contribution to class, evidence of improvement in technical/design/aesthetic skills.

Grading. Fail, Incomplete, 1:pass, 2:pass+ 3:Commended 4:Highly commended 5:Distinction

Qualifications

Required studies of Drawing and painting, Composition and colour, Character and environment design, or equivalent skills.