BA (Hons)
Learn with academics with experience and success in the concept art industries
Master techniques from life drawing to motion capture ready to break into industry
Connect with companies in the capital of the UK and kick-start your career while you study
Hone your skills in concept art in the capital of the UK and learn the techniques you need to break into the creative side of the games and film industries.
If you’re a highly artistic and creative individual with a passion for games and film, look no further than a degree that is designed to push the boundaries of your imagination. The BA (Hons) Concept Art for Games and Film course is perfect for someone looking to enter the creative industries as a concept artist.
In this highly specialised course you’ll study life drawing, environment painting, character concept design, 3D modelling and rendering. You’ll learn how to apply these skills in the creation of beautiful and practical characters and worlds. As you progress you’ll develop your artistic skills by adding digital sculpting and advanced environmental artwork to your growing skillset.
On successful completion of study, we will issue the following award: BA (Hons) Concept Art for Games and Film
Throughout the course you will develop the technical and creative skills necessary to become a film or games concept artist. You’ll learn how to combine traditional art techniques with digital art skills to produce industry standard concept art.
In your second and third years, you will work as a concept artist in a collaborative project with other concept art students to design and develop more ambitious briefs. This is an amazing opportunity to experience what it is like working for a games or film studio.
During your final year, you’ll draw on all your skills to realise a final project with a live brief. Through research you’ll channel your ideas into your project and portfolio artwork. We discuss career development throughout the course to prepare you for work in the film and games sector.
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The tables provide an indicative list of the modules that make up the course for the current academic year. Each module is worth a specified number of credits. Our teaching is informed by research, and modules change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline. We aim to ensure that all modules run as scheduled. If for any reason a module cannot be run we will advise you as soon as possible and will provide guidance on selecting an appropriate alternative module.
This module aims to develop your skills in observational drawing by furthering your knowledge of lighting, fabric implications, and soft and hard surfaces. You will also explore how to reproduce traditional media for professional portfolio purposes.
Module code: FVFX40518
This module will introduce students to the study of environment concept design techniques, beginning with rough concept sketches through the creation of several pieces of finished environment concept art. Students will learn about the importance of composition, reference gathering and use, shape theory, digital painting techniques and combining 2D and 3D practices.
Module code: FVFX40520
This module introduces you to the pipeline for creating games art assets. You'll learn how to model and texture assets using the latest industry standard techniques and software. You'll be introduced to high detail modelling and the painting of PBR materials. By the end of the module you'll be modelling assets ready for today's PC and console games
Module code: GAME40400
This module introduces students to the basic design principles associated with Character design, focusing on elements such as story, character, construction, visual shape language, nonverbal communication and emotion, in order to create effective characters for a variety of industries.
Module code: FVFX40150
Students will have the opportunity to specialise in their chosen field, working as part of a team of concept artists to produce artwork for a series of given briefs. They will develop their communication skills along with time management and working to a tight deadline to produce multiple iterative designs.
Module code: GAME50503
Students will work in a junior role in a team comprised of departments as in a games studio. They will work with other juniors and level 6 seniors to make a vertical slice of a game as either an artist, designer or tech/scripter.
Module code: GAME50170
Unique characters and creatures, are a key aspect of many films and games. This module will allow students to undertake an in-depth study into character and creature design and workflow where creativity and originality is the way forward. This module introduces the digital sculpting workflow with a huge emphasis on artist s ability to transfer traditional skills into to digital world. You will build upon the knowledge learned in Character Concept Design 1. From rough sketches and thumbnails students will realise their designs through a digital sculpt.
Module code: FILM50126
The laboratory work considers methods of rapid interpretation of form and function to develop skills that are pertinent to the concept industry. Students will explore the use of traditional media and develop skills in deconstruction/reconstruction of the human body, speed drawing, dynamic poses, perspective and composition.
Module code: FVFX50516
Building upon the knowledge learned in Environment Concept Design 1, students will explore ways to refine their techniques, tackle vehicle/prop design, break cliché, experience typical industry tasks and bring a cinematic sensibility to their work.
Module code: FVFX50539
This module will enable you to reflect upon your own skills and knowledge gained from University study and from your own life experiences in order to identify how this knowledge and skill can be utilised to optimise employment opportunities. Topics explored include personal assessment and career goals, how to look for employment opportunities, interview techniques & communication skills, and developing a personal portfolio website.
Module code: FVFX60509
Students will study a range of industry workflows to complete fast and effective concept designs such as greyscale paint overs, 3D supported drawing, painting hair, fur and clothing, and digital character design.
Module code: FVFX60506
This module aims to build upon the experience gleaned from the role of a junior designer within the Game industry. It will provide an insight in to the role of a Senior Designer within a creative team. The majority of individuals will work as a freelance conceptual artist and find that they are working across the artistic genres. This module allows the students the choice of studying Senior concepts for the Game industry.
Module code: GAME60508
Through research and development students are required to develop a unique and innovative game concept design. The module aims to build upon the elements learnt in Advanced Concept Art 1 and prepare students for industry through the study of, and realisation of; presentation of work through a showreel, creating motion within concept art for presentation techniques, strong composition of environments and characters, and creating more open negotiated briefs targeted at companies and job application or competitions.
Module code: FVFX60507
Here you'll get an opportunity to further push your skillset in digitally sculpting the human form in Zbrush. As you push the boundaries of your creativity you'll be given the opportunity to explore the process of creating creatures and monsters.
Module code: GAME60509
The Concept Art Project module gives students an opportunity to develop the showcase piece of work for their portfolio. You can focus your work on your career aspirations. Whether its stylised characters, grotesque monsters, cyberpunk environments, props from the past, or futuristic vehicles or something more technical. Youll work with a supervisor to create a highly developed concept art artefact with industry standard software whilst receiving lectures on portfolio development and employability.
Module code: GAME60519
112-120 UCAS Tariff points
As part of the recruitment process for this course, we also ask students to submit a portfolio during the interview phase. Check out our top tips for what to include in your Concept Art portfolio.
For equivalent entry requirements in your home country, please see the information on our country pages.
Check our entry and English language requirements for your country.
Everyone needs a space to relax, wind down, and take a break from study, and we have just that. In our den you'll find all the things you need to help chill you out including lockers, comfy booths, food prep space and more.
Integrate yourself with the buzz of digital technologies in The Hall, a space dedicated to discussion and meetings. This flexible space can be configured to suit the needs of up to 30 students, with electrical points and multiple seating areas.
One of the main teaching spaces within the Digital Loft, Knowledge 1 and 2 has banks of dual screen monitors running industry-standard graphics cards.
The Den includes:
Our graduates have secured employment in roles such as concept artist, illustrator and 2D/3D games artist, including character and environmental artist. Companies include Playground Games, Fireproof Studios, Jagex, Antimatter Games, Testology and Mirror Image Design. Other graduates are working as freelance concept artists within the games and film industries.
All students have access to Career Connect, our dedicated careers team.
You will be taught through a combination of lectures, seminars, workshops and laboratory practicals. Seminars enable you to discuss and develop your understanding of topics covered in lectures in smaller groups of around 16-18 students. In addition, you will have timetabled meetings with your personal tutor at least twice a year. You will be taught in first-class learning spaces throughout your course. Many of our courses are accredited or recognised by professional, statutory or regulatory bodies.
Your course will provide you with opportunities to test your understanding of your subject informally before you complete the formal assessments that count towards your final mark. Each module normally includes practice or ‘formative’ assessments, for which you receive feedback from your tutor. Practice assessments are developmental and any grades you receive for them do not count towards your module mark. There is a formal or ‘summative’ assessment at the end of each module. This includes a range of coursework assessments, such as essays, reports, portfolios, performance, presentations, final year, independent project and written examinations. The grades from formal assessments count towards your module mark.
In addition to the excellent support you will receive from your course teaching team, our central Academic Skills team provides group and one-to-one help to support your learning in a number of areas. These include study skills (including reading, note-taking and presentation skills); written English (including punctuation and grammatical accuracy); academic writing (including how to reference); research skills; critical thinking and understanding arguments; and revision, assessment and examination skills (including time management).
Our Student Inclusion Services support students with additional needs such as sensory impairment, or learning difficulties such as dyslexia.
Examination feedback may take a variety of formats. However, as a minimum, generic feedback will be made available to all students who take written examinations.
For the course starting on 25 September 2023 the tuition fees are:
UK and Channel Island students: This tuition fee is agreed subject to UK government policy and parliamentary regulation. If the UK government passes appropriate legislation, the fee for subsequent years of study may increase in each academic year. But this increase will not exceed the rate of inflation as measured by RPIX**. Any change in fees will apply to both new and continuing students. The University will notify students of any change as early as possible. Further information about fee changes would be posted on the University’s website once this becomes available.
**RPIX is a measure of inflation equivalent to all the items in the Retail Price Index (RPI) excluding mortgage interest payments.
International students: Tuition fees will remain the same for each year of your course, as long as you complete it in the normal time-frame (i.e. no repeat years or breaks in study).
Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees.
If you receive funding from Student Finance you may be eligible to apply for additional benefits. Details can be obtained by visiting: www.gov.uk
As an undergraduate student at Staffordshire, you may be eligible for additional financial support through one of our scholarships and bursaries. You can visit our funding page to find out more and check your eligibility.
If you are offered a place at Staffordshire University, your offer will be subject to our rules, regulations and enrolment conditions, which may vary from time to time.
Students of Staffordshire University enter into a contract with us and are bound by these rules and regulations, which are subject to change. For more information, please see: University Policies and Regulations.
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