CGMasters – Character Design for Film and Games

Develop what makes a quality character

This advanced course will explore the key aspects of creating character concept art within the games and film industries. Beginning with principles of design and the iteration process of generating ideas, the course focuses on exploring the essence of a character by developing that character’s attitude and digging deep into what makes the character feel real and grounded. The course will explore a range of techniques and methods so students can experiment with different software and adapt it into their individual workflows. By the end of the course, students will understand the standard pipeline used in the entertainment industry for creating character concept art, and learn how to execute a powerful character from start to finish–with focus on details, lighting, communication, and clarity. At the end of the course, students will be able to show completed work for the full design process, resulting in a final character concept for their portfolios.

Photoshop (or equivalent), Wacom Tablet (or equivalent). Optional: Pure Ref, Blender, Keyshot

Week 1 | Creating a Narrative and Gathering Reference
Week 2 | Sketches – Rough Ideation
Week 3 | Narrowing Ideas
Week 4 | Detail Pass Part 1
Week 5 | Detail Pass Part 2
Week 6 | Support Studies
Week 7 | Branding, Decal Pass
Week 8 | Building A Presentation