WSQ Modular Courses for Game Artists

Course details

Introduction to Traditional Arts and Design

This course explores the nature of drawing as a language skill and the use of drawing by production artist and animators. Applied drawing goals and critical thinking skills are given special consideration. Students are introduced to basic professional habits in drawing practice, drill, and play. Design principles, basic research, and the design process are introduced and applied to a series of practical problems. This course also explores basic drawing materials, drawing strategy, drawing sequence, linear drawing methodology, practice and theory.

Requirements

"O" Level and above

Introduction to 3D Modeling and Rigging

This course emphasizes constructing basic 3D models according to a brief. The skills include analyzing a concept drawing; breaking it down into model elements and simplifying the design where possible; using professional skills to model the design using relevant tools; optimizing the model to minimize mesh complexity in order to reduce render times; and simplifying the mesh by hand or by using third party tools or plug-ins.

Requirements

"O" Level and above

Introduction to Character Animation

This course introduces students to the principles of animation through classical animation techniques. Students explore the art of creating convincing movement through effective timing, spacing, and drawing. Works of master animators are screened and analyzed frame-by-frame to illustrate the principles covered in class, and students will put their knowledge to work through a series of exercises. The ultimate goal of both this course and its sequel is to introduce methods by which animators “act” and bring characters to life through sequential images.

Requirements

"O" Level and above

Advanced Traditional Arts and Design

This comprehensive course will focus on drawing and design for every element that may show up in a game. The material will run the gamut of storytelling, internet and library research, thumbnailing, four-value comps, color comps, style guides, and finally, production quality backgrounds and model sheets. A special emphasis will be placed on continuity of design between all of the aforementioned elements.

Requirements

"O" Level & above and completion of the module “Introduction to Traditional Arts and Design”

Basic Life Drawing

This course introduces students to the challenges of drawing the human form for animation. Students examine life drawing for animation in addition to methods for attaining these goals. The course emphasizes capturing skeletal structure, muscle form, emotion, and gesture. By drawing clothed and nude models of both genders, students learn to apply lessons in anatomy to the figure, significantly expanding their understanding of human kinetics and structure. Additionally, students practice extrapolating basic human life drawing strategies to other animals.

Requirements

"O" Level & above and completion of the module “Introduction to Traditional Arts and Design”

Advanced Figure Drawing

This course builds upon the anatomy and drawing courses students have already taken. Students continue to improve their ability to capture kinetics in humans and animals. By engaging in a series of exercises designed to enhance their visual memory, students build the foundation for drawing accurate figures from their imagination. They also explore putting the figure into an environment, figurative composition, and introductory sequential figurative composition.

Requirements

"O" Level & above and completion of the module “Basic Life Drawing”