Video Games Art Production (evening - online)

Course details

Location

Live online

Start date

4th March 2025

Duration

20 weeks

Mode of study

Part time (Tuesdays and Thursday evenings: 6.30pm-9.30pm)

Fees

£3,250

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Course overview

You’ve played the game, now it’s time to create it! 

This intensive evening course will take your skills from player to game art pro, giving you the tools to create your very own environment and turn your gaming passion into a career. 

The course has been developed in answer to the growing demand for creative artists in the video games industry. It focuses on developing your artist skills and creativity, to equip you with the core skills in practice, such as environment art and digital sculpting. 

You’ll learn professional software like Unreal Engine 5, ZBrush and Maya hands-on with our industry-trained tutors who will share his tips and techniques used in studios today.  

We pack a lot into each class as a condensed version of our full-time course. You’ll also be able to practice your skills and start working on your showreel in your spare time. 

See also MA Game Art and Game Art short courses (12/18 weeks).

Why choose this course

  • Ranked 1st in the UK - and 9th in the world for Game Design and Development by The Rookies 

  • Based in London - home to some of the best video games studios in the world  

  • Partnering with Epic Games - the first Authorized Training Center in the UK and an Unreal Engine Academic Partner. Our certified tutors also run short courses for studios who want their staff to be trained in Unreal Engine  

  • We’re a member of TIGA, the trade association for the UK video games industry, with the vision to make the UK the best place in the world to develop video games. We were shortlisted for a Best Educational Institution TIGA Award in 2021 and 2022 

  • Industry briefs - work on industry-standard briefs and experience real-life scenarios, just like in a professional studio 

  • Professional input - our advisory board of experts, from the likes of Creative Assembly and Improbable, help keep this course relevant  

  • Successful alumni - you'll join our community of thousands of Escapees, many of whom have gone on to work at some of the world’s top studios including Rare, Rockstar, Ubisoft, Creative Assembly, Improbable and Framestore  

  • Aftercare package - we'll help you polish your portfolio and find the right job, with access to our studios and showreel clinics for 12 months  

  • Industry-standard software – you'll learn using professional software such as Unreal Engine 5, Maya and ZBrush  

  • Fast-track learning - studying a short course allows you to learn new skills quickly, in a fast-paced environment, so you can start applying for jobs as soon as you’ve completed the programme 

  • Intensive training - we pack a lot into a few evening classes, and we recommend that you work outside of classes for an extra few hours per week to complete your assignments 

  • Flexibility - study live online and in the evening to fit the course around your professional and personal life and other commitments 

  • Strong portfolio - along with an Escape Studios Certificate of Completion, you'll leave with strong creative and technical skills and great pieces for your portfolio 

  • Small class sizes - a convivial environment allows students to assist and inspire one another and benefit from personalised feedback from tutors. 

Course modules

  • Art direction and moodboards 

  • Introduction to Maya 

  • Block outs in Maya 

  • Introduction to Unreal Engine 

  • Modelling tools in Maya 

  • Curves and extras tools in Maya 

  • UVing in Maya 

  • Modelling and UVs in Maya 

  • Modelling and UVs in Maya 

  • Modularity and textures in Maya 

  • PBR materials 

  • Quixel Mixer 

  • Substance 3D Sampler 

  • Subdivision modelling 

  • ZBrush 

  • Substance Painter 

  • Substance Painter 

  • Baking 

  • Advance materials 

  • Lighting 

  • Lighting  

  • Substance Designer 

  • Substance Designer 

  • Substance Designer 

  • Grass and foliage 

  • Blueprints and extras 

  • Final presentation 

More information

Minimum requirements

We welcome and encourage applications from students with a variety of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.

To study this short course, you must:

  • Be over 18

  • Have a good understanding of written and spoken English

  • Feel comfortable using a computer.

If you’d like to discuss your circumstances before applying, contact us!

We can provide remote access to our workstations during teaching time. Due to availability restrictions, we highly advise you to have your own set up at home to study in your own time.

More things you’ll need:

  • A strong internet connection

  • Cloud storage or external hard drive to back up your work, 1TB+ recommended

  • A three-button mouse or graphics tablet. Please note, the Wacom Intuos Pro range of tablets have the best support for our remote desktop software and provide the best experience.

  • A computer microphone (and optionally a webcam)

  • Note-taking materials.

If you have any questions about learning online or if you need help with what to buy, get in touch at hello@escapestudios.ac.uk.

To apply, complete the relevant online application form linked below:

Our Admissions Team will get in touch to take you through the next steps.

If you have any questions about your application or our entry requirements, get in touch!

As part of the application process, you will need to agree to our terms and conditions for your place on the course to be secured.

Fees 

Live online: £3,250

Payment plans

We offer a range of payment plan options for all courses. Following an initial deposit at registration stage, your chosen payment plan will break down your remaining fees into equal instalments, to be paid over the course length.

Visit our admissions page for any questions about fees, funding and payment plans.

We pack a lot into each class of our evening courses, to be able to offer a learning option that is more flexible and fits in with your personal and work life. This means that contact time with your tutors will be intense learning and hands on. To make the most of this course, we recommend that you spend at least 10 hours working on your projects or practising your new skills in your own time each week. 

  • Unreal Engine 5

  • ZBrush

  • Maya

  • Quixel Mixer

  • Substance Painter

  • Substance Designer

  • Substance Sampler

“London is now the largest cluster for games studios in Europe. In the next three years, Games London is expected to bring in a further £45m for games businesses and create an extra 270 jobs.” (source Film London)

You’ll leave with an Escape Studios Certificate of Achievement, along with strong creative and technical skills and some great pieces of work for your portfolio, which you can add to with help from our Aftercare programme. Ready to apply for jobs in the industry!

Some of the opportunities you can consider once you’ve finished your studies include: 

  • Game Artist 

  • Environment Artist 

  • Prop Artist 

  • Material Artist 

  • FX Artist

  • Level Artist 

  • Lighting Artist 

  • Foliage Artist 

  • Technical Artist 

  • Visualisation Artist 

  • Real-Time Generalist 

  • Real-Time Generalist in Virtual Production 

  • Real-Time FX Artist 

  • Real-Time Cinematic Artist 

  • Unreal Engine Artist 

  • Producer 

After the course is over, you’ll have access to our Aftercare programme for portfolio advice and career support for 12 months, to help with your job applications and to refine your demo reel. 

Our students have gone to work as both specialist and generalist artists in studios creating games and real-time graphics, including PlayStation London Studio, Rare, Rockstar, Ubisoft and Improbable. Those not only apply to video games but are also used in VFX (film and TV production, virtual production), real-time immersive media (augmented reality, theme parks, rides, entertainment), cinematics, architecture visualisation, VR visualisation, simulations for medical professions and the automotive and engineering industries. Read some of our games Escapee success stories

Check out our Careers Guide for more information about career opportunities and progression routes.

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Meet our industry-experienced tutors

They all have industry experience and are experts in their fields. They are certified trainers for Unreal Engine. They’ve worked at studios including EA, Climax, Rebellion, Codemasters and Framestore.

Meet your tutors

Student work

To be a part of PlayStation and working on their next-gen games has been a thrilling experience! It feels so surreal to be working amongst such talented people, producing games that both myself and friends will love.

Katerina Zacharakis, Game Art Escapee
Producer at PlayStation