Concept Art Fundamentals
These aren't classroom exercises or hypothetical projects. Every piece you see here came from students who started with fundamental skills and built something worth showing.
Most of these artists had never touched digital art software before enrolling. Some came from retail jobs, others from accounting backgrounds.
Created by Jasper Thornfield
Jasper worked in hospitality management before switching careers at 31. This environment piece was his final project after seven months of study. He spent three weeks iterating on the lighting alone because he wanted to nail that late afternoon atmosphere.
Created by Deirdre Blackwell
Deirdre started with zero drawing experience. Her first attempts at figure drawing were rough, honestly. But she showed up every week and worked through the fundamentals. This character design demonstrates proper anatomy, costume logic, and material rendering.
We've refined this approach over years of teaching people who've never opened Photoshop. The sequence matters because each phase builds actual capability.
First two months focus entirely on seeing correctly and translating what you see onto canvas. Value scales, form studies, basic perspective. Boring but essential.
Composition rules, colour theory application, visual hierarchy. Students start making intentional choices rather than hoping things look good by accident.
Choose your track: environment design or character work. Dive deep into genre-specific techniques, workflows, and industry expectations for your chosen path.
Final three months dedicated to creating finished portfolio pieces. Weekly critiques from working professionals, multiple revision rounds, proper presentation standards.
Age doesn't matter. Prior art background doesn't matter as much as you'd think. What does matter: showing up consistently and being willing to produce mediocre work for months before it gets good.
Our youngest successful graduate was 19. Oldest was 47. Both landed junior positions within four months of completing the programme. The 47-year-old actually adapted faster because she had better work discipline.
You need about 15 hours per week outside of class time. That's non-negotiable. People who try to squeeze by with 5-6 hours rarely finish with portfolio-quality work.
Following up with graduates from our 2024 cohort. These outcomes vary widely, but they're real.
Environment Design Track
Finished the programme in November 2024. Spent two months applying to studios while working part-time at a bookshop. Got three interviews before landing a junior position at a mobile games studio.
Character Design Track
Took him eight months instead of six because he had to repeat the anatomy fundamentals module. Currently freelancing while applying for studio positions.
Environment Design Track
Completed December 2024. Applied to 42 positions before getting an offer. Turned down two opportunities because the commute wasn't feasible before accepting her current role.
We run two cohorts per year with a maximum of 24 students each. Applications open in May 2025. Programme duration is six months with option to extend if you need additional time on portfolio work.
Application deadline: June 30, 2025 | Programme dates: August 4 - January 30, 2026