Game Art Education - What do I need?
Hi Polycounters,
I have been doing game art for almost a year, and I think it might just be a career for me. I like doing anything creative, stuff like math and science seems to restrictive. I will be going into grade 9 next year, and as a homeschooler I have the time to take art courses for sketching etc.
I feel that now is the time to start building a portfolio, because I am homeschooled and so I will not get a diploma at high school. I am currently looking at game art schools, and traditional art schools to go to, but of course collage is still a few years away. I am going to take some drawing courses and such over the next few years, traditional art courses, to prepare me for collage, and I was wondering what I should take. Basic sketching and drawing of course, but what else? What do I need to get into a game art school.
Also, I know it collage is a few years in the distance, but has anyone here gone to VANARTS? Does anyone have anything good/bad to say about their "game art and design"course? I live near Vancouver so this seems to me like a good choice.
What do I need in my portfolio to get into a good game art collage? Is there any good game art schools around the Vancouver region? What do I need to get into one of those art schools?
Thanks guys,
Benton
I have been doing game art for almost a year, and I think it might just be a career for me. I like doing anything creative, stuff like math and science seems to restrictive. I will be going into grade 9 next year, and as a homeschooler I have the time to take art courses for sketching etc.
I feel that now is the time to start building a portfolio, because I am homeschooled and so I will not get a diploma at high school. I am currently looking at game art schools, and traditional art schools to go to, but of course collage is still a few years away. I am going to take some drawing courses and such over the next few years, traditional art courses, to prepare me for collage, and I was wondering what I should take. Basic sketching and drawing of course, but what else? What do I need to get into a game art school.
Also, I know it collage is a few years in the distance, but has anyone here gone to VANARTS? Does anyone have anything good/bad to say about their "game art and design"course? I live near Vancouver so this seems to me like a good choice.
What do I need in my portfolio to get into a good game art collage? Is there any good game art schools around the Vancouver region? What do I need to get into one of those art schools?
Thanks guys,
Benton
Replies
If you really want to go, you could go to a local community college and get a degree in traditional art, it will always help.
Check out this thread: http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=100413
There is often this preconception with education that its what you need to do... that's how the world works... Its actually surprising how many more people get jobs that don't go into higher education. Its got nothing to do with the education itself, but simply boils down to being focused on a goal and moving towards it.
www.vfs.com
Because it's going to say "game art" on it and until that becomes more structured and recognised by both the game industry and other industries it becomes a pigeon-hole. The industry is way too young and moves way too fast for anything that doesn't teach fundamentals to be as useful.
The film school isnt just film... though the reason I say dont go into a game related program (speaking from experience as well) is that they are full of BS courses that pretend to teach you all about game development, but they dont teach what you need to know. What they are good at is taking your money however. These are for profit schools and they will try to make it sound "cool" and "hip" but rarely actually deliver whats necessary.
For game art you dont need a school, because most everything is there for you on the internet.
Learn the software, a school is often just going to give you a book you can already buy and possibly link to some videos some one else made. The instructors, if they are bad which most probably are, will either tell you to do something the wrong way or only go into the basics. The basics are so simple and readily available online, that it would be like someone charging to show you how to ride a bike.
If you are interested in game development, I would say focus on environment art while reading about level design. Use game editors for existing games to create levels with escalating challenges. This way you can find yourself an entry level position doing the art and possibly moving over to design.
I believe a degree wont get you a job, but a good portfolio will. Just be careful with for profit schools, there are a few good ones in a sea of bad ones.
If there is an artist you like, or an studio you have your eye on... try to contact them via email or face book, ask for advice or what they think would be good to learn for someone starting out. It creates a connection and it comes from the people that matter, not someone who learned just enough to show you whats already in a software manual.
This is just my opinion though, and based off my own experiences and understanding.
learn to draw/paint a bit to a certain level I think it helps a lot - basically will find what to do for this by asking
Start learning software and modeling along with tuts and doing all that. Find exactly what you want, go into that.
You should be able to draw decent enough to move on in 2 years (altho, the younger you are at least for me the harder it was to stay structured and believe in the long road going to the right place without seeing the end.. So maybe longer) and then you can do 3d stuff for a year and you'll be able to start building your portfolio. I think thats a good path butttt if you're set on school, and its not that its a bad choice, theres a lot of positives to it.. IDK about vanarts. Those final results I mean they are fine but not that great.
But basically if you want to go to an industry related school you can call them and ask what they want to see in portfolio for you to be accepted.. Its usually just good drawings.
Are you open to moving elsewhere for school? LA has a good one but costs butt load of money.