Course Recommendations

2D COURSE RECOMMENDATIONS BY TECHNIQUE

DRAWING

General: Build mileage and an understanding of form and volume, improve line control, increase drawing speed and accuracy. Build habits for visual analytical thinking and a visual library.

Absolute Beginners Dynamic Sketching 1 Dynamic Sketching 2 Artist Essentials: Drawing from Reality Dynamic Figure Sketching

Environments: Need a strong drawing foundation based on good understanding of perspective, shape language and diverse scenarios before adding paint/color.

Fundamentals of Perspective Perspective Environment Sketching Environment Sketching for Production

Characters: Need a thorough knowledge of underlying anatomical structure in order to create both realistic and stylized characters that are believable.

Analytical Figure Drawing (Christian, Rey, or Ron) Figure Drawing: Anatomy of Style Animal Drawing Fundamentals of Character Design Head Drawing and Construction Creature Design for Film & Games Drawing & Rendering Techniques for Hardware Design
DRAWING FROM IMAGINATION

General: Provides thorough understanding of shapes, forms, and the use of references, which allows for better renditions of subjects created from imagination.

Absolute Beginners Artist Essentials: Drawing from Reality Design Mentorship Dynamic Sketching 1 Dynamic Sketching 2 Dynamic Figure Sketching Fundamentals of Design 2D Animation Essentials

Environments: Need a strong drawing foundation before adding paint/color.

Fundamentals of Perspective Perspective Environment Sketching Environment Sketching for Production Fundamentals of Architecture Design Themed Environment Design

Characters: Need a thorough knowledge of underlying anatomical structure, as well as how to visualize human and animal forms from different angles, in order to create both realistic and stylized characters that are believable.

Analytical Figure Drawing Animal Drawing Fundamentals of Character Design Character Design for Animation Creature Design for Film & Games Drawing & Rendering Techniques for Hardware Design Head Drawing and Construction Comics: The Art of Storytelling
DRAWING LAYOUT

General:

Background and Layout for Animation Composition for Concept Art and Illustration Comics: The Art of Storytelling Style and Story for Illustration
VALUES

General:

Digital Painting Fundamentals of Environment Design Anatomy of Clothing The Art of Color & Light Figure Drawing: Anatomy of Style Environment Concept Design Environment Painting & Design
COMPOSITION

General:

Fundamentals of Design Environment Sketching Composition for Concept Art and Illustration Background and Layout for Animation The Art of Color & Light Fundamentals of Environment Design Environment Concept Design Environment Painting & Design Comics: The Art of storytelling 3D for 2D IP Development for Production 2D Motion Graphics in After Effects Style and Story for Illustration Artist Essentials: Drawing from Reality
INTEGRATING ENVIRONMENTS & CHARACTERS

General:

Design Mentorship Fundamentals of Design Composition for Concept Art and Illustration The Art of Color & Light Narrative Illustration & Characters Key Frame Illustration for Production Comics: The Art of storytelling Environment Sketching for Production Visual Development and Art Direction Mentorship IP Development for Production
SHAPE LANGUAGE

General:

Design Mentorship Dynamic Sketching 2 Fundamentals of Design Fundamentals of Architecture Design Artist Essentials: Drawing from Reality Dynamic Figure Sketching

Environments:

Fundamentals of Design Environment Sketching Fundamentals of Architecture Design Environment Sketching for Production Themed Environment Design Drawing & Rendering Techniques for Hardware Design

Characters:

Fundamentals of Character Design Character Design for Animation Character Design for Production Art Direction for Character Designers Creature Design for Film & Games Drawing & Rendering Techniques for Hardware Design Character Design Mentorship with Carlos Grangel
VISUAL NARRATIVE

General:

Character Design Mentorship with Carlos Grangel Comics: The Art of storytelling Creating Comics and Graphic Novels Dynamic Figure Sketching IP Development for Production Key Frame Illustration for Production Narrative Illustration & Characters Mobile Game Art 1: Buildings and Props Storyboarding for Animation Style and Story for Illustration Visual Development and Art Direction Mentorship 2D Motion Graphics in After Effects
PRODUCTION PIPELINES / WORKFLOWS

General:

3D for 2D Background and Layout for Animation Character Design for Production Environment Sketching for Production Key Frame Illustration for Production Themed Environment Design Fundamentals of Architecture Design Visual Direction and Art Direction Mentorship Character Design Mentorship with Carlos Grangel IP Development for Production Mobile Game Art 1: Buildings and Props
DIGITAL PAINTING / RENDERING

General:

Digital Art Foundations Digital Painting Narrative Illustration & Characters Drawing & Rendering Techniques for Hardware Design

Characters:

Animal Drawing Figure Drawing: Anatomy of Style Costume Design Anatomy of Clothing Digital Portrait Painting Creature Design for Film & Games Character Design for Film & Games

Hardware (i.e. vehicles & mechs):

Drawing & Rendering Techniques for Hardware Design Character Design for Film & Games

Environments:

Fundamentals of Environment Design Environment Painting & Design Digital Painting Themed Environment Design Environment Concept Design The Art of Color & Light Key Frame Illustration for Production Advanced Matte Painting for Production
DRAWING WITH TRADITIONAL MATERIALS

General:

Absolute Beginners Dynamic Sketching 1 Dynamic Sketching 2 Analytical Figure Drawing (with Rey Bustos) Figure Drawing: Anatomy of Style Creature Design for Film & Games
STORY DEVELOPMENT

General:

Story Development for Artists: From Idea to Reality Storyboarding for Animation Comics: The Art of Storytelling Storytelling and Storyboarding Mentorship Creating Comics and Graphic Novels 2D Animation Essentials
COLOR & COLOR THEORY

General:

Fundamentals of Character Design Fundamentals of Environment Design The Art of Color & Light Style and Story for Illustration
WORLDBUILDING

World building encompasses visual storytelling as well as story development/writing techniques that create an imaginary world that is effectivately integrated to fit the main storyline it supports. Unless you understand the world as a whole in which your characters live, you won’t be able to create realistic and consistent characters. Worldbuilding elements include: integration of physical elements, weather, geography, population, culture, time period, architecture etc.

Story Development for Artists: From Idea to Reality Themed Environment Design Creating Comics and Graphic Novels Visual Development and Art Direction Mentorship IP Development for Production Mobile Game Art 1: Buildings and Props
EXPERIENCE DESIGN

Experience design includes design techniques and processes used to create destinations with the end goal being a good, immersive viewer experience.

Themed Environment Design Mobile Game Art 1: Buildings and Props
VISUAL DEVELOPMENT

Visual development artists are responsible for everything that goes into creating the aesthetic and atmosphere of a new world.

Design Mentorship Environment Concept Design Environment Sketching Fundamentals of Design Fundamentals of Architecture Design The Art of Color & Light Visual Development and Art Direction Mentorship
PHOTOBASHING

Characters:

Costume Concept Design Character Design for Film & Games (David Paget)

Environments:

Environment Concept Design Key Frame Illustration for Production
3D-2D WORKFLOWS

General:

Intro to Blender for Concept Art 3D for 2D Artists

Characters:

Costume Concept Design Character Design for Film & Games (David Paget)

Environments:

Environment Concept Design Key Frame Illustration for Production

3D course recommendations by technique

TOPOLOGY / RETOPOLOGY

General: Build a foundation and an understanding of Maya’s UI, modeling, animation, and an introduction to what will be your most powerful toolset.

Intro to Maya Intro to Production Modeling Hard Surface Modeling for Films Biomedical Imaging in 3D

Characters: Build good modeling practices and good mesh flow. Understand how vertices and edges are placed to create the mesh surface before rendering, deformations, animation, etc.

Anatomy for Production Character Facial Sculpting Hard Surface Modeling for Characters Character Creation for Games Character Creation for Film/Cinematics Stylized Character Creation: Cartoon to Comic Realism Stylized Character Arts for Games Advanced Stylized Character Art for Games Mentorship

Environments: Build good modeling practices and good mesh flow. Understand how vertices and edges are placed to create the mesh surface before rendering, deformations, animation, etc.

Weapons and Props for Games Vegetation & Plants for Games Unreal 5 Modular Environments Organic World Building in UE5 Creating Stylized Game Assets
SCULPTING

General:

Zbrush for Concept & Iteration Hard Surface Modeling for Films Advanced Stylized Character Art for Games Mentorship

Characters:

Anatomy for Production Sculpting Anatomy: From Animal to Creature Character Facial Sculpting Character Creation For Film/Cinematics Stylized Characters in 3D Stylized Character Arts for Games

Environments / Prop Modeling:

Weapons and Props for Games Vegetation & Plants for Games Organic World Building in UE5 Creating Stylized Games Assets
PIPELINE / WORKFLOW

General: Needs to build good work flows and general industry / production practices

Intro to Maya Intro to Production Modeling Intro to Unreal 5 Nuke Compositing for 3D Artists VFX Set Extentions Advanced Stylized Character Art for Games Mentorship

Characters: Build good workflows and have an understanding of working on a project from start to finish.

Sculpting Anatomy: From Animal to Creature Hair Creation for Games Character Texturing for Games in Substance Character Creation for Film / Cinematics Character Creation for Games Applied Rigging Techniques for Production Stylized Characters in 3D Stylized Character Arts for Games

Environments / Prop Modeling

Vegetation & Plants for Games Weapons and Props for Games Environment Art for Games in Unreal Engine Unreal 5 Modular Environments Organic World Building in UE5

Houdini / FX

Intro to FX Using Houdini Procedural Modeling for Production in Houdini
LAYOUT / COMPOSITION

Games Environments:

Vegetation and Plants for Games Unreal 5 Modular Environments Organic World Building in UE5 Level Design for Games Environment Art for Games in Unreal Engine

Other:

Biomedical Imaging in 3D
LEVEL DESIGN

Environments:

Intro to Unity Level Design for Games Unreal 5 Modular Environments Organic World Building in UE5

FX:

FX for Games
SHAPE / DESIGN LANGUAGE

General:

Intro to Production Modeling

Environments:

Vegetation and Plants for Games Unreal 5 Modular Environments Organic World Building in UE5 Level Design for Games Environment Art for Games in Unreal Engine

Characters:

Anatomy for Production Sculpting Anatomy: From Animal to Creature Hair Creation for Games
TD / RIGGING

Film / TV

Intro to Rigging Character Facial Rigging for Production Applied Rigging Techniques for Production Hard Surface Modeling for Films

Games

Rigging for Games
ANIMATION

General

Intro to Maya

Character

Intro to Animation in Maya Body Mechanics Animation Foundation 101

Camera

FX / Simulation

Acting for Visual Storytellers Crowd Simulation
TEXTURING / SURFACING / SHADING

General

Biomedical Imaging in 3D Intro to Maya Substance Basics Advanced Stylized Character Art for Games Mentorship

Characters

Sculpting Anatomy: From Animal to Creature Character Texturing for Games in Substance Texturing and Surfacing for Film/Cinematics Character Creation for Film/Cinematics Stylized Characters in 3D Stylized Character Arts for Games

Environments

Intro to Substance for Environment Art Shading and Material Creation for Games in Unreal Engine Advanced Substance for Environment Art Weapons and Props for Games Vegetation and Plants for Games Environment Art for Games in Unreal Engine Creating Stylized Game Assets Unreal 5 Modular Environments Organic World Building in UE5
LOOK DEVELOPMENT

Grooming

Grooming for VFX

Film / VFX

Lighting & Shading For Film Production
FX / HOUDINI

Procedural Modeling / FX

Abstract FX in Houdini VEX Using Houdini

Games

FX for Games

Fluid / Particles

Abstract FX in Houdini FX for Games Houdini Production Studio: Fluid FX

Rigid Body Destruction

Houdini Production Studio: Destruction FX
LIGHTING / POST-PROCESSING

General

The Art of Lighting for Games Lighting & Shading For Film Production Nuke Compositing for 3D Artists Biomedical Imaging in 3D Houdini Production Studio: Destruction FX VFX Set Extentions Houdini Production Studio: Fluid FX
RENDERING

Characters

Character Texturing for Games in Substance Grooming for VFX Character Creation for Film/Cinematics

Environments / Props

Hard Surface Modeling for Films Weapons and Props for Games Creating Stylized Game Assets

Compositing / Lighting

Nuke Compositing for 3D Artists

FX / Houdini

Houdini Production Studio: Fluid FX
MOTION GRAPHICS

General

Organic Design in Houdini Abstract FX in Houdini
COMPOSITING

General

Nuke Compositing for 3D Artists Abstact Effects in Houdini VFX Set Extensions
STYLIZED 3D

Characters:

Stylized Characters in 3D Stylized Character Arts for Games Advanced Stylized Character Arts for Games Mentorship

Environments/props:

Creating Stylized Game Assets
HAND-PAINTED TEXTURES

Characters:

Stylized Character Arts for Games Advanced Stylized Character Arts for Games Mentorship

Environments/props:

Creating Stylized Game Assets
PROP MODELING

General:

Intro to Production Modeling ZBrush for Concept & Iteration Weapons & Props for Games Props for Gameplay Creating Stylized Game Assets Procedural Modeling for Production in Houdini