Learn Concept Art & Illustration for the Film and Game Industry

The Concept Art Essentials course is designed to help aspiring artists develop the skills needed to begin creating professional-level concept art for films, video games, and other visual media.In this short course, you'll build your understanding of concept art and illustration essentials and see what it takes to make a career of your craft.

Why Choose Our Concept Art and Illustration Courses:

Mentorship from Award-Winning Artists: Learn directly from top industry professionals who have worked at major studios.
Build Your Foundations: Introduction to essential skills like composition, perspective, colour theory, and lighting.
Industry-Standard Tools and Techniques: Receive training using the tools and methods used by professionals in the field.
Concept Art Processes: Learn to ideate, iterate, and refine concepts, focusing on storytelling, visual cohesion, and clear communication.

By the end of the course, you'll be equipped with a solid foundation in concept art and an understanding of what it takes to be a successful concept artist. This course is suitable for beginners who want to explore the concept art field or artists looking to improve their skills.

Get Started

Our Difference

Master Your Skills. Master Your Future.

Our mission is to ensure graduates are the best trained and best prepared for a successful career in their chosen field.

Industry Mentors Learn from the best! Our instructors are seasoned industry pros and bring real-world knowledge to the classroom, ensuring you're equipped with the skills that studios demand.

Outcomes Our goal is to make you job-ready. You'll graduate with technical skills and a deep understanding of the animation industry, making you a valuable asset to any studio.

Community Join an active community and network with peers, mentors, and industry professionals. Our strong industry connections can help you access job opportunities post-graduation.

Course Information

Everything You Need To Know

Quick Overview

Course Structure

What You'll Learn

Tuition & Payment

Qualification Industry certificate

Study Load

20hrs/week

Program Length

3 months

Delivery Mode Online live classes
Custom video lectures
Personalised mentor feedback

Skill Level

Beginner
Basic drawing and anatomy skills

Start Dates

January 6, 2025 February 3, 2025 March 3, 2025

Your pathway to the film and games industry

This short course is equivalent to term one of the Foundations course. On completion of the Essentials course, if you decide to progress further with your studies, you'll enroll straight into term two of the corresponding Foundations course which means you'll already be one-third of the way through your studies! Continue your learning journey towards an exciting career in the industry by enrolling into the Foundations Career Track.

essentials-career-pathway

Want to take your education higher?

Did you know that the subjects you complete in the career track courses can be used to apply for credit toward our accredited degrees and diplomas in the same discipline?

The skills and knowledge you build in any industry-certificate course can be transferred into academic credits through our Advanced Standing and Credit Transfer process. So, if you decide to take your studies to the next level, know that your prior learning will be recognized.

Compare your options and find out which course is right for you.

GET STARTED

Term 1: 12 weeks

Foundations 1: Essentials of Concept Art

Begin your concept art journey by establishing a solid understanding of line work, color, value, and lighting and how they help bring your art to life. Delve into visual design basics and build a strong foundation in character and narrative design to create visually compelling art. Through hands-on projects, you'll take your ideas from reference gathering, thumbnailing, and sketching all the way to polished, rendered artwork that showcases your unique creative vision!

*This course is equivalent to the first term of the Concept Art & Digital Illustration Foundations course. If you choose to continue your learning journey, you'll be eligible to join the Foundations course in Term 2 (and already be one-third of the way through your studies!).

What You'll Learn

Communicating effectively through the use of line, value, and color
Explore character design and visual storytelling through ideation and narrative archetype
Develop foundational skills in reference gathering, thumbnailing, and sketching
Learn to polish and present your work professionally

Weekly Breakdown

Introduction to Line Drawing
Introduction to Value
Introduction to Color & Colorization
Visual Design Basics
Character Design Basics
Narrative Design Basics
Ideation and Reference Gathering
Introduction to Thumbnails
Introduction to Sketching
Clean Line, Value Mapping & Rendering
Color Application
Introduction to Polishing

Monthly

Upfront

SAVE 10%

Group Class

$1,222 USD/mo

$3,333 USD

CG Spectrum’s small group classes provide an ideal learning environment for aspiring artists to grow their skills and connect with peers. With a maximum of 4 students per class, the intimate setting ensures personalized attention from experienced industry mentors.

4 students max class size

Students are assigned mentor

Group interaction & collaboration

Private 1:1

$1,711 USD/mo

$4,667 USD

Learning 1-on-1 with CG Spectrum provides personalized guidance from industry experts, tailored feedback, and flexible scheduling. This focused approach helps students master skills, build competitive portfolios, and prepare for careers in games, film, and animation.

Private dedicated mentor

Students choose their mentor

More dedicated time per week

Brandon Reimchen

Brandon brings almost 20 years of experience as a video game concept artist with a long client list that includes EA, Activision, Capcom, Gree, and Disney Interactive.

Known for Resident Evil

Tyler James

Award-winning artist Tyler has worked with major clients like Cryptozoic and Blizzard on titles including Heroes of the Storm, Warhammer, Rift, Star Wars, Hex, Warcraft, and RWBY.

Known for Heroes of the Storm

Brian Huang

Brian is an illustrator and concept artist for video games with expertise in art direction, visual development, and concept art. His credits include World of Warcraft, Diabolo, and Starcraft.

Known for Diablo III

Fang Jing

Possessing a degree in concept art, Fang has produced many concept designs for projects including Minecraft Dungeons and Prison Architect. She currently works at Sony Playstation Studios.

Known for Concord

Humza Khan

Humza has worked for EA, Microsoft, Activision, LucasArts, Wargaming, Ubisoft, Fischer Price, Hasbro, Mattel. Credits include: Call of Duty, The Division 2, and the Sims.

Known for Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell

Bernie Kang

Now art director at Phoenix One, Bernie created creatures, characters, weapons and FX concepts for cinematic trailers for World of Warcraft and more while at Blizzard.

Known for World of Warcraft

Mike Thompson

Award-winning artist Mike has worked with clients such as Marvel, Hasbro, Dimension Films, HBO, Electronic Arts, Warner Bros, Mattel, DC Comics and Cartoon Network.

Known for Black Panther

Peter Ocampo

Peter is a freelance concept artist and has worked at DNEG as an in-house concept artist on diverse projects for film and TV. He has a particular passion for designing dark horror creatures.

Known for Annihilation

Jonathan Li

Jonathan currently works as a Concept Artist at Square Enix. He has a passion for narrative arts and loves creating worlds, characters, and the stories they can tell.

Known for Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers

Kinman Chan

Known for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Joel Carpenter

Known for Kitti Katz

Catalin Laie

Known for Brother in Arms 3

Dio Lee

Known for Halo Infinite

Student Testimonials

Get The Education Your Deserve

"Thank you CG Spectrum for giving me exactly what I needed to get started in this competitive industry.

I started the Concept Art & Illustration Course to create a stunning portfolio to apply for an internship. Without CG Spectrum I would never have been able to create a portfolio on a level that got me an amazing internship in Beijing."

Victoria-Pascual
Victoria P | Concept Art & Illustration

"Not just for people wanting to break into the industry, it's also for professionals already in it.

I am a concept artist at Paradox Interactive in Sweden, and I wanted to expand my illustration skills, so I decided to take the Digital Illustration Course. I am loving it!! If you're a professional and want to learn a new skill, I would say go ahead! Expand your set of skills!

Ahmed-Albastaki-BW
Ahmed A | Concept Art & Illustration

"I was approached by Skybound North, and after a couple of months freelancing, I was offered an in-house job on a new animation project.

I went to a game art school after I graduated, but it wasn’t really what I was looking for. At the same time, I had started CG Spectrum’s concept art course, which is where I met my mentor Brandon Reimchen. He was an amazing teacher!"

april-prime
April P | Concept Art & Illustration

"Thanks to CG Spectrum, I am a lot closer to my dream of being a concept artist.

The curriculum structure is very reasonable, with both academic basic theories and useful suggestions for career paths. Thanks to my mentors, Brian Huang and Victoria Sarkissian, who not only taught me drawing skills and design techniques, but more importantly, they also gave me the confidence to continue working hard."

xinliu-rounded
Xin L | Concept Art & illustration

"I have nothing but great things to say of CG Spectrum!

I was a bit unsure when I signed up for the concept art course because I had no prior experience, but it changed my life. I had a great mentor, Brandon, who would always push me to do better and I learned valuable things in each class."

erika-horinkova-headshot
Erika H | Concept Art & Illustration

"I have never experienced such an explosive evolution in my art since attending CG Spectrum.

I have learnt an incredible amount, not only from my amazing mentor Eric Wilkerson but from the entire CGS community. Being part of such an amazing program has opened my eyes to techniques that have streamlined my process and increased my confidence tenfold. I highly recommend the Advanced Illustration Course. Buckle up, and knuckle down – this could be the course that changes everything for you."

oliverh-rounded
Oliver H | Concept Art & Illustration

"I've never improved as an artist so quickly.

Great course! They teach you what you need to know and don't waste your time with stuff that just fills out a course. It was specific to what I needed to know. The classes are very personable and the mentors are industry professionals that never hesitate to put in the effort to help you out. I definitely would recommend this to people interested in getting into the industry."

tomgarden-rounded
Tom G | Concept Art & Illustration

FAQ's

Questions? We Have Answers

What are the prerequisites for this course?

Drawing Skills
For this course, basic drawing competency is required. If you are unsure if you qualify, please contact our admissions team.

Age Minimum
The general minimum age to be able to enroll in our industry certificate courses is 16. We require parent or guardian consent during the enrollment process for applicants under 18.

Students under 16 will require a further assessment before they can officially enrol. This may include an interview with a course advisor and the creation of a study plan to ensure they have considered how they will manage a college-level workload.

English Proficiency
We expect our students to have a good understanding of written and spoken English. There’s no specific ’level'; however, you must be able to understand video tutorials in English (no subtitles) and speak with your mentor in English during your live Q&A session.

Computer Literacy
To be successful in this program, you will need basic computer skills and a computer that meets the minimum specifications (see next question).

What are the digital painting software and hardware requirements?

Software:

You will purchase Photoshop (photography plan only) for the length of your studies.

Hardware:

You will need a computer that meets the minimum system requirements for Photoshop, and a graphics tablet (see digital painting software and equipment).

Please note: As the software we use is regularly updated, please check the specs against the latest available version at the time of enrollment.

What careers can I explore post-graduation?

This short course will get you started on your creative journey, but in a competitive industry, we advise continuing your studies with the full career track.

The concept art career track includes the Concept Art Foundations and either the Concept Art Specialization or Digital Illustrator Specialization. It is designed to better prepare you for a job in the industry and help increase your employment opportunities.

The career track ensures you build strong foundational skills before moving on to more complex techniques and workflows. You will also dedicate time to career development and preparing a polished portfolio while you gain invaluable industry insights.

Some of the junior digital painting jobs you could pursue after completing the full study pathway include:

Discover more about these digital painting jobs, tips, and salary expectations on our careers page:

EXPLORE DIGITAL PAINTING JOBS

Concept Art Essentials

Learn the Fundamentals of Concept Art Guided by Top Industry Artists