Games Art FdA
- Level(s) of Study: Undergraduate
- Typical Offer: 64 UCAS tariff points
- UCAS Code(s): I630
- Start Date(s): September
- Duration: Two years, full-time
- Study Mode(s): Full-time
- Campus: Confetti Nottingham
Introduction:
Our FdA Games Art is designed for those who want a career in the growing games industry. Game artists create the visual elements of an interactive computer game, crafting assets like 2D graphics, 3D characters and environment models, surface textures and user interface components. This course will give you the opportunity to experience a range of techniques and software used in the games industry, while developing specialist skills to support career goals within your chosen art role.
The modules of this course will allow you to form a solid understanding of the role of the artist in the current global games industry.
This course is taught at Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies in Nottingham.
Key features
- Be trained on the latest industry-standard software and hardware such as Autodesk suite, Adobe Creative Cloud and games engines such as Unreal and Unity.
- The course includes elements of project management and industry workflow that will enhance your career aspirations.
- Study in IT suites with industry standard software, designed to provide a professional games studio environment.
- Benefit from regular guest lectures and workshops from industry professionals working in both AAA and independent markets.
- Have access to Confetti’s annual Industry Week, where previous guests have included Splash Damage, Rockstar and Playstation.
- Take part in enrichment activities including expo trips and game-jams.
What you’ll study
This Games Art foundation degree is designed for those who want a career in the growing games art industry. The game artist creates the visual elements of an interactive computer game, crafting assets like 2D graphics, 3D characters and environment models, surface textures and user interface components.
A game artist may also be involved in conceptualising ideas to help communicate the proposed visual elements during the pre-production phase. This game art degree will give you the opportunity to experience a range of techniques and software used in the games industry, whilst developing specialist skills to support career goals within your chosen art role.
Designing a game world (20 credit points)
This module will allow you to learn and develop the skills required to imagine and visualise imaginary worlds and the characters and assets within them, representing them with verisimilitude. You will develop concept art skills in order to explore ideas and produce client ready speculative art.
Building a game world (20 Credit Points)
This module will teach you how to explore 2D and 3D solutions to environment design and apply technical knowledge to these tasks. You will develop your concept art skills in order to explore ideas and produce client ready speculative art. You will also enhance your 3D repertoire to develop your concept and ideas as fully realised 3D Levels. This module will also include written elements in the form of media reviews (prose and moving image) as well as artist reviews.
Industry Collaboration: Pre-Production (20 Credit Points)
This module challenges students to pre-produce your first AWLE Project. Taking a brief from client to final presentation encourages you to engage with an ambitious creative pipeline, creating and developing final designs for characters and assets for an existing IP.
Industry Collaboration: Production (20 Credit Points)
This module challenges you to produce your first AWLE Project. Taking a brief from client to final presentation encourages you to engage with an ambitious creative pipeline. Building on the work completed in the Pre-Production module, you will now use industry-standard software to finalise your designs to present to clients.
Games artist toolkit (20 Credit Points)
This module comprises two elements – Life Drawing and 3D Software. Together, they enhance and expand upon core skillsets fundamental to the origination and execution of engaging computer-generated imagery. Drawing introduces approaches to studies in drawing central to the enterprise of visual expression with an emphasis on life drawing.
Critical & contextual studies (20 Credit Points)
This module introduces you to theoretical frameworks through which to consider, contextualise and challenge your creative practice. Understanding the historical, cultural and theoretical context in which computer-generated imagery situates is crucial to broadening perspectives and enriching your abilities to discuss, develop and disseminate your ideas with confidence.
Building Alliances (40 Credit Points)
Experience of collaboration is a key expectation of students of Games Design. This unit challenges you to engage in teamwork in the pre-production, production and promotion of an Game Concept. You are required to identify your strengths as they align with specific studio roles; for example, concept artist, production designer, character designer, pre-visualiser, modeller, texture artist, sculptor etc.
Real Worlds (40 Credit Points)
This module challenges you to pre-produce and produce your second AWLE Project. Taking a brief from client to final presentation encourages you to engage with an ambitious creative pipeline.
Games Artist Toolkit (20 Credit Points)
This module comprises two elements – Character Design and 3D Software. Together, they enhance and expand upon core skillsets fundamental to the origination and execution of engaging computer-generated imagery.
Industry Practice (20 credit points)
During this module you will undertake an overarching, self-directed game development project, working both individually and collaboratively on creative work - allowing you to directly apply the research, knowledge and skills learnt throughout the programme in the context of the workplace.
This module aims to develop overall professionalism and provide the knowledge and resources to begin a career in the creative industries. This module aims to develop these skills and knowledge by challenging you to develop a range of self-directed projects along with analysis of the processes involved along the way.
How you’re taught
At Confetti our classrooms are unique. As part of their course, our students get the chance to go out into industry and Do It For Real at locations across the UK!
Teaching and learning experiences will include:
- lectures
- seminars
- workshops
- group tutorials
- personal tutorials
- presentations and pitches
- teamworking
- independent learning
- visiting industry professionals.
Assessment
Assessment is 100% through coursework. You will receive feedback throughout. Forms of assessment include:
- practical assessments
- portfolio building
- case studies
- lab report
- reflective journals
- formal essay
- presentations.
To progress through the course you must achieve 120 credit points each year. Your final degree mark will be based 100% on your final year work.
Industry Week
As a game art degree student, you will take part in Confetti’s Industry Week – a unique event that brings over 100 top names from the music, games, TV and film industries to Confetti for workshops, masterclasses, lectures and seminars. From artists to games developers, Industry Week is your chance to be inspired, make contacts and learn from the pros.
Our students have had the opportunity to meet and receive advice from established names, such as Ian Livingstone, and professionals from Square Enix, Splash Damage, Rockstar and PlayStation to name just a few.
Degree Showcase
Every year we welcome family, friends and industry professionals to watch, listen, test and play the fantastic work of our degree students.
Contact hours
Year 1 lectures/seminars/workshops (30%), independent study (70%).
Year 2 lectures/seminars/workshops (28%), independent study (72%).
How you’re assessed
Year 1 coursework (100%).
Year 2 coursework (100%).
Careers and employability
After completing your foundation degree, you’ll have the chance to top up to BA (Hons) Games Art at NTU or go straight into industry.
Students who complete the programme can progress to relevant employment, self-employment or to further study. Graduates of this course can apply their expertise in vocational areas such as:
- games artist
- concept artist
- lead artist
- 3D modeller
- character artist
- 2D artist
- technical artist
- texture artist
- UI artist
- environment artist
- storyboard artist
- games designer
- graphic designer for games.
Connecting with industry
Industry professionals visit the course to guest lecture and share their experiences. You will also attend workshops from industry professionals working in art roles for both AAA and independent markets, giving you the opportunity to make contacts and build your portfolio and CV.
Work placement and internship opportunities
One of the features of this course is the strong opportunity for work-based learning that is embedded into the curriculum.
You will be provided with the opportunity to work in partnership with local, national and sometimes international games developers and related creative media industries. Current and on-going industry links via Confetti and module leaders will provide ample opportunities for a regular guest speaker programme from a variety of organisation within the games industry.
Campus and facilities
On this course you'll study at Confetti HQ and have access to:
- Industry Spec Workstation PC’s
- Specialist software including Unreal Engine 4, Autodesk Suite (3DS Max, Maya, Mudbox), Adobe Creative Suite, Zbrush, Quixel 2.0
- Wacom Cintiq 13HD Touch Tablets
- Wacom Cintiq Pro16: Creative Pen Display
- Games Consoles
Entry requirements
- 64 UCAS Tariff points
- GCSE - English and Maths Grade C / 4
To find out what qualifications have tariff points, please use our tariff calculator.
Other qualifications and experience
We may also consider credits achieved at other universities and your work/life experience through an assessment of prior learning. This may be for year one entry, or beyond the beginning of a course where applicable, for example, into year 2. Our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy outlines the process and options available for this route.
Getting in touch
If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form
Meeting our entry requirements
Hundreds of qualifications in the UK have UCAS tariff points attached to specific grades, including A levels, BTECs, T Levels and many more. You can use your grades and points from up to four different qualifications to meet our criteria. Enter your predicted or achieved grades into our tariff calculator to find out how many points your qualifications are worth.
Getting in touch
If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form
This course is not suitable for International applicants.
Fees and funding
Preparing for the financial side of student life is important, but there's no need to feel anxious and confused about it. We hope that our fees and funding pages will answer all your questions.
Getting in touch
For more advice and guidance, you can contact our Student Financial Support Service.
Tel: +44 (0)115 848 2494
This course is not suitable for International applicants.
How to apply
Application for this course is through the UCAS application form.
Ready to join us? Then apply as soon as you can. Just click the Apply button at the top of the page and follow the instructions for applying. Make sure you check the entry requirements above carefully before you do.
Selection for this course takes place through UCAS application form.
Application deadline
This course starts in September and applications should be submitted by the UCAS deadline.
Applications received after this date will only be considered if places are still available, after all applications received by the deadline have been assessed.
Mature students
We welcome applications from mature students (over the age of 21) for this course. We will assess applicants of this nature on an individual basis.
If you are a mature student, you will still need to apply to us by UCAS form, but you don't necessarily need to meet our minimum entry requirements.
Writing your application and personal statement
Be honest, thorough and persuasive in your application. Remember, we can only make a decision based on what you tell us. So include all of your qualifications and grades, including resits or predicted grades,
Your personal statement is a really important part of your application. It's your chance to convince us why we should offer you a place! You've got 4,000 characters to impress us. Make sure you use them to show how your skills and qualities are relevant to the course(s) you're applying for. For more hints and tips, take a look at our page on how to write a good personal statement.
Keeping up to date
After you've applied, we'll be sending you important emails throughout the application process - so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.
You can get more information and advice about applying to NTU on our Your Application page.
Getting in touch
If you need any more help or information, please email our Admissions Team or call on +44 (0)115 848 4200.
This course is not suitable for International applicants.