College, and major etc?

Filler · Apr 2006

I'm interested in going into the game industry and game art, and was wondering what colleges you guys are attending/attended (perferably people who are doing art, computer art, 3D, all of that), and what kind of classes your taking.

I'd like to get in the industry, but instead of going to one of those 'game developer' colleges you see on TV all the time (totaly not appealing at all...), I think it might be better to take actual art classes, and build off of that. If you cant draw it, how are you going to model it, right?

I'm not going right into a 4 year, so I got some time (I am a senior this year, and will be graduating). I'm going to do 2 years of general education at a community college first, then transfer to... well somewhere.

Neo_God · Apr 2006

My suggestion? Don't go to an AI School or any school affliated with AI. You pay way too much for very little.

Vito · Apr 2006

As many industry people will tell you, go get a traditional art degree. Learn sculpture and painting and lighting and animation and anatomy. Find a state university out-of-state with a solid art program. Doesn't matter where, just get out from under your parents' wing. Learn to deal with people outside of your social class, race, gender and technical capacity. Take as many non-art classes as you can manage: biology, astronomy, geography. Become a well-rounded person. You can always learn new tools if you know the techniques behind them. You can't always broaden your horizons once you get in the working day rut.

Incidentally, I attend the University of Texas at Austin after moving here, sight unseen, from New York. And I'm a Geography major.

aesir · Apr 2006

Im an animation major, art minor, and possibly bussiness minor at Loyola Marymount University.

I'd defintely agree with anyone who says that you should work on your traditional skills just as much as you work on your 3d skills.

I also like the fact that Im going to a university rather than a plain art school. Not only does it give me the chance to take classes outside of art like bussiness classes, but its also a pretty good environment. Im definitely not getting teachers that are on par with those you might find at Ringling or Vancouver Film school, but almost all of your improvement is up to yourself anyways, so Im not unhappy with where I am.

Either way, weigh your options and find out what is gonna work best for you.

JKMakowka · Apr 2006

[ QUOTE ]
As many industry people will tell you, go get a traditional art degree. Learn sculpture and painting and lighting and animation and anatomy. Find a state university out-of-state with a solid art program. Doesn't matter where, just get out from under your parents' wing. Learn to deal with people outside of your social class, race, gender and technical capacity. Take as many non-art classes as you can manage: biology, astronomy, geography. Become a well-rounded person. You can always learn new tools if you know the techniques behind them. You can't always broaden your horizons once you get in the working day rut.

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow... get out of my brain

That is more than 100% true! (not only what I made bold)

Edit: In addition : Don't chase 'what-you-think-an-employer-wants' like a rabbit, try to become a qualified person who is satisfied with his/her own qualifications and you will be just as qualified for any job you want.
(As an example that might not really apply to gameartists, but more in other areas: Lot's of people think that some experience in a forein country is good for you(r resume) and while I generally agree, it is those who only do it because it is written in their resume later, who really missed the point (my EX-girlfriend is just doing that

)

Paul Jaquays · Apr 2006

Find a college with a great undergrad astudio art program taught be teachers whose work you like and respect. The program should emphasize representational art over non-representational. The work of the art faculty should represent this. That takes some research. If going for a 2-year degree, complete it, but weight it heavily towards foundational art skills supplemented by as much drawing and painting as you can get.

In your free time, practice your game-art making skills.

From that point forward, consider the game making aspect of your education. Do consider http://guildhall.smu.edu for the game certificate (masters' degree requires a BA). It's a solid program with proven results of moving graduates into the game industry. Program is an intense 21 months.

Austin Community College has a game making focus and like SMU, has strong involvement and support by the game making industry.

The IDGA has a list of game schools in their breaking in section.

I work with Guildhall, so if you have questions about the art program, feel free to ask on forum or off.

And the whole, move out of your parents' home thing is optional. You can be your own person regardless of where you live. As long as you get along with your parents, Free room and board while going to school can be worth every penny you don't pay.

Filler · Apr 2006

Awsome responses, I'm glad that I was right in thinking about getting a more traditional art education.

In my time at the local community college I was planning on taking some art classes, some which are pre-requests for the more advance classes that would deal with the anatomy, etc.

The whole getting away from home thing sounds good, but the idea is also frightening to me... I'd say 90% of my graduating class, is going to be attending the same college I am, for their 2 year general education. And the idea of leaving, and maybe even moving out of state away from them is kinda nerve racking. Unfortunently none of my friends share the same interest in terms of what to study in college... so after those 2 years I would indeed, be entirely on my own. If I go out of state that is.

JKMakowka · Apr 2006

Don't be a sissy

aesir · Apr 2006

[ QUOTE ]
Don't be a sissy

[/ QUOTE ]

sprunghunt · Apr 2006

I would also suggest very strongly that inbetween the Art subjects that you take some;

marketing and project planning subjects

This gives you some mental ammo when you're talking with your producer or publisher. A bit of coding helps when you're liasing with the programmers too.

Vito · Apr 2006

That's a good idea, too. UT, for example, offers a "Business Foundations" set of courses, taught in the Business School, that includes that kind of stuff.

animatr · Apr 2006

hey there!
I went to Digipen and got hired before I even graduated. (Monolith). Most people say stay away from "game schools", but it all boils down to personal motivation. Any school can only take you so far. State schools and community colleges are waaay cheaper though. you will spend a lot more money at specialized schools. If you think you have the drive to do lots of 3d in your spare time, then go the cheap route, but Digipen really whips your ass into gear. once i started working, i found it was way easier than school.

dunno if that helps, but there ya go

Jeremy Lindstrom · Apr 2006

I would say any program schools like Ai, IADT, Full Sail, are pretty much what you put into it is what you can get out of it... I'm about half way through with my Bachelors in COmputer Animation, and I really don't expect much from the piece of paper but it's nice to work and get experience on the Avid, motion capture equiptment, green screens, etc for my demo reel and meeting some of my teachers have been pretty famous folks, my storyboards class was taught by Pat Broderick, he worked for Marvel for many years and was the production and storyboard artist for the "Jimmy Neutron" movie.

It's alot about what you put into it and the networking of people you get while you are in school.

Now, yes those traditional schools will benefit you as well, but if you don't put 110% into them you won't get much out of it, now I've seen people in my classes that can't draw crap, but I've also worked so far on projects with others that I admire and it's very rewarding.

But, if you can get the education cheaper and more traditional, I'd say go for it, I only choose the school I did because I was interested in a specific direction and they offered classes at a time of night that benefitted me, as the regular colleges didnt in my area..

So I agree and disagree about speciality schools. It's alot about what you put into it.

Jeremy Lindstrom · Apr 2006

Not that you are interested, but here's the classes to get the bachelors in computer animation.. minus the gen ed classes...

CONCENTRATION COURSES
Course # Course Title Credits
ANM 1011 History and Business of Animation 4
AGR 1012 Fundamentals of Graphic Design 4
ANM 1021 Animation Drawing Basics 4
ANM 1051 Photoshop for Animators 4
ANM 1151 Introduction to UNIX 4
ANM 1301 2D Animation I 4
ANM 1401 2D Animation II 4
ANM 2101 3D I:Modeling 6
ANM 2201 3D II: Animation 6
ANM 2401 Movement for Animators 4
ANM 3101 3D Studio I 4
ANM 3151 3D Studio II 8
ANM 3201 Life Drawing 4
ANM 3251 Drawing for Animators III 4
ANM 3301 Ink and Paint 4
ANM 3350 Animation Studies Elective 4
ANM 3381 Advanced Animation Techniques 4
ANM 3451 Textures,Terrain and Fractals 4
ANM 3501 Production Studio I 8
ANM 4000 Self-Promotion 4
ANM 4501 Production Studio II 8
ANM 4601 Externship 4
ART 1201 Drawing for Animators I 4
ART 1401 Drawing for Animators II 4
SCR 1301 Storyboards and Scripts 4
STU 1301 Studio Techniques I 4
STU 1401 Studio Techniques II 4
STU 2101 Studio Techniques III 4
STU 2201 Studio Techniques IV 4
Total Concentration Credits 132

gauss · Apr 2006

i majored in industrial design, and some of the bigger names in the industry have done the same. i don't mind pointing out that people such as Miyamoto-san majored in industrial design

there's a strong focus on working as a part of a team, working under restrictions and guidelines, etc... it's worth looking into.

College, and major etc?

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