Three Core Pillars We Actually Focus On
Most concept art programs throw everything at you at once. We don't. Instead, we break down complex visual development into three learnable areas that you can genuinely practice and improve.
Form Construction
Learn how to build believable three-dimensional forms on a flat surface. You'll work with simple shapes first, then progress to complex mechanical and organic structures. This isn't about copying—it's about understanding volume and space.
Visual Communication
Your art needs to tell someone else how to build what you're imagining. We focus on clarity, silhouette reading, and conveying material properties so your designs work as production blueprints, not just pretty pictures.
Design Problem-Solving
Real projects come with constraints and requirements. You'll practice designing within limits—creating characters for specific game mechanics, environments that support narrative needs, and props that fit established art directions.
How The Program Actually Works Day-To-Day
You're not watching endless tutorial videos here. Our structure puts you in front of a canvas with specific assignments, tight deadlines, and regular feedback cycles that mirror how production studios operate.
Classes meet twice weekly online, with structured critique sessions where you learn as much from reviewing other work as from creating your own. Between sessions, you're executing assignments that build on each previous lesson.
- Live instruction and demos twice per week in evening Sydney time
- Individual portfolio reviews every fortnight to track progress
- Access to assignment archives and reference libraries 24/7
- Peer critique workshops to develop evaluation skills
What You'll Be Working On Each Month
The curriculum moves through foundational technical skills first, then applies them to increasingly complex design challenges. Each module includes specific deliverables you'll add to your portfolio.
Core Drawing Fundamentals
Perspective systems, form construction, value control, and material rendering. These aren't optional—every assignment from this point forward assumes you can execute these basics consistently. Expect a lot of geometric object studies and material studies.
Character Design Principles
Anatomy basics, costume and armour design, character proportions and silhouette development. You'll design characters for specific game archetypes and narrative roles, working through multiple iterations based on feedback.
Environment and World Design
Architectural design, landscape composition, establishing mood through lighting and atmosphere. Projects include level layout thumbnails, environment keyframes, and modular asset designs for game production workflows.
Props and Vehicle Design
Functional design thinking, mechanical systems, surface detailing, and creating assets that fit established art directions. You'll work on weapon designs, vehicle concepts, and prop sets that tell environmental stories.
Your Eight-Month Path Through The Program
We've run this program four times now, and students who stick with the pace and hit the deadlines typically see genuine portfolio improvement by month five. Here's what that timeline looks like in practice.
Foundation Building (Months 1-2)
You'll be drilling fundamentals—lots of perspective boxes, form studies, and value exercises. It's not exciting work, but it's necessary. Most students feel like they're going backwards for a few weeks before things click.
Applied Character Work (Months 3-4)
Once you can construct forms reliably, you'll start designing characters. Expect multiple revisions as you learn to balance aesthetic appeal with functional design requirements and visual communication clarity.
Environment Development (Months 5-6)
You'll tackle spaces and worlds now, working on both intimate interior scenes and sweeping landscape compositions. This is where lighting and atmospheric perspective become crucial to your work.
Portfolio Completion (Months 7-8)
The final stretch focuses on portfolio development—selecting your best work, creating presentation sheets, and potentially developing one larger capstone project that showcases your range across multiple design types.
Learning From Someone Who's Done The Work
The program is led by Callum Bridgwater, who spent seven years as a concept artist at Melbourne-based studios before shifting to education. He's worked on mobile games, indie titles, and one AAA project that actually shipped.
Callum's teaching philosophy centres on honest assessment and practical skills. He won't sugarcoat critiques, but he will show you specifically how to fix problems. His background means he knows what production teams actually need from concept artists.
Studio Experience Includes:
- Character design for mobile RPG with 2M+ downloads
- Environment concept art for indie action-adventure title
- Prop and asset design for AAA fantasy game (NDA-bound)
- Freelance work for advertising and illustration projects
What Past Students Have Gone On To Do
We don't promise job placements or guaranteed career outcomes. But we do track where our graduates end up. Here's what the last two cohorts are doing now, about 12-18 months after completing the program.
| Student Background | Current Role | Key Skills Applied |
|---|---|---|
| Graphic designer, 5 years experience | Junior Concept Artist at Brisbane indie studio | Environment Design |
| Traditional illustrator, career transition | Freelance character designer for mobile games | Character Development |
| Animation student seeking specialization | Concept artist for Sydney animation studio | Visual Development |
| Self-taught artist, no formal training | Props artist for indie game team (remote) | Asset Design |
| IT professional exploring creative shift | Still in IT, does concept work for personal projects | Form Construction |
Next Cohort Begins July 2026
We're accepting applications now for our fifth program run. Classes are capped at 16 students to keep critique sessions manageable, and we typically fill spots three months before start date.