CONCEPT ART & ILLUSTRATION YEAR 2 – DESIGN & IMAGE MAKING

  • Length: 1 year
  • Class size: About 15 participants
  • Applictaion date: Mid April 2024
  • Apply with: Individual portfolio and mandatory assignments, letter of intent and grades from high school or university (or other documents of merit)

WHAT IS CONCEPT ART & ILLUSTRATION?

A Concept Artist is a professional category that primarily exists within Entertainment Arts, i.e. art that is used in various parts of production within the entertainment industry, such as games, feature films, animated films, series, illustration, etc. A Concept Artist often works in the pre-production phase for games and films, designing and visualizing ideas (concepts) of how something should look, for example: a character, object, vehicle, creature, or environment. Concept Artists usually work completely digitally both with 2D and 3D, as part of a team in the studio but can also work freelance.

Illustration: In this industry (games and movies) the word Illustration means more elaborately painted pictures. These images can be part of a larger production in order to convey a sense of the project to a team during the course of the development, so-called ”key art”. Illustrations can also be images used for marketing purposes as promotional art, before a pitch or when the finished product, such as a game, is to be marketed. It can also mean splash art, matte painting, art for board games (card art), full-page illustrations for books, graphic novels, etc. An illustrator works freelance more often than concept artists do.

https://conceptartempire.com/entertainment-art/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concept_art

https://www.nfi.edu/concept-art/

https://www.cgspectrum.com/career-pathways/digital-painting

COURSE OBJECTIVE

The aim of this course is to develop the necessary knowledge and skills required to be able to work within the game and film industry – creating concepts and designing images for various purposes, as well as more elaborate images, so-called illustrations. During Year 2 – Design & Image Making, the knowledge of fundamentals is used to visualize characters, objects and environments of your own design in which being able to correctly draw, light, and create surfaces from the imagination is a key practice.  

Concept Art & Illustration 2 aims to develop the following abilities:

  • Idea generation and working in different design processes
  • Designing and creating concepts for different purposes and media
  • Working within the framework of given assignments via prompts and briefs
  • Understanding and using figurative language and composition to communicate visually
  • Being able to carry out more elaborate images – full illustrations
  • Working with digital rendering in both a realistic and stylized way. The emphasis in the course is, however, is practicing realism

Furthermore, the course also aims to:

  • Deepen your artistic basic knowledge (fundamentals) in various applied tasks
  • Orient you in different aspects of the industry and prepare you for possible career paths in the entertainment arts

COURSE OUTLINE

Autumn semester

  • Design process – ideation, research, iteration
  • Shape language & shape design
  • Stylization
  • Prop design 
  • Character and costume design 
  • 3D (Blender) as a tool for 2D-art
  • Vehicle design
  • Animal anatomy
  • Creature design
  • Sculpture – modeling figures and creatures

Spring semester

  • Architecture design – interior and exterior
  • Environment design
  • Digital techniques – photobashing, etc.
  • Storytelling in design and image making
  • Illustration assignments – making whole pictures
  • Worldbuilding assignments
  • Storyboarding
  • Group projects
  • Soft skills & working methods for larger projects

And more: 

  • Professional guest teachers from the industry
  • Visits to studios, schools, museums, etc.
  • Industry knowledge – orientation of professional roles and possible paths into the industry
  • Marketing, portfolio building and copyright rules
  • Intro to freelance work and self employment

CURRICULUM YEAR 2 & IMAGE GALLERY

INTRO TO DESIGN PROCESSES & SHAPE DESIGN

At the beginning of year 2, we have an introduction to different tools you can use in the design process. We go through this:

  • Research – approaches and tools. Making reference boards and mood boards. 
  • Ideation process – Tools and approaches to generate exciting and good ideas. 
  • Sketch process / Iteration – how to work with exploratory and iterative sketch work to achieve good designs and solve problems. 
  • Shape design – Create good, interesting, dynamic and readable shapes and silhouettes
  • Thumbnails – Create different types of silhouettes and thumbnails for various purposes. 
  • Shape hierarchy and readability in the design – practice using big-medium-small shapes etc. 

Shape language – investigating how shapes and symbols communicate and give meaning in images and designs.

PROP DESIGN

  • Design objects for different items such as tools, weapons, utility items, etc
  • Construct, light them and render the objects
  • Research, sketch process, iteration, silhouettes etc. for prop design concept art.

CHARACTER DESIGN

  • Constructing and posing the body with boxes and cylinders 
  • Constructing and posing the body with skeleton and muscels
  • Practice exaggerated body features
  • Costume design, research approaches  and studies of fabric, etc.
  • Facial expressions
  • Sketch process, iteration, silhouettes etc. for character design concept

3 D

3 D is not a huge part of the course  as we mostly focus on 2D. We consider the 3D that we teach as a tool in the process of creating 2D images. We teach basic things in the free software Blender that you can use to create bases to work on in 2D.

VEHICLE DESIGN

  • Design different types of craft for different purposes
  • Try both construction in perspective by hand and in 3D software
  • Lighting and rendering vehicles
  • Research, sketch process, iteration, silhouettes etc. for vehicle design

ANIMAL ANATOMY

Animal anatomy builds on the knowledge from human anatomy that we teach  in year 1. We do exercises where we study and draw skeletons, muscles and poses / gesture  for various animal groups: 

  • Fish, amphibians and reptiles
  • Birds and dinosaurs
  • Quadrupedal mammals
  • Exercises to apply anatomy to fantasy creatures

CREATURE DESIGN

  • Learn to take inspiration from and combine the anatomy of different animals.
  • Research, sketch process, iteration, silhouettes etc. for creature design concept art.

SCULPTURE

  • Maquette construction
  • Working with super sculpey clay
  • Creatures & characters

INTERIOR & EXTERIOR DESIGN

  • Practice designing interiors, set designs for different purposes
  • Practice designing exteriors, buildings, for different purposes
  • Research, sketch process, iteration, silhouettes etc. for architecture

ENVIRONMENT DESIGN

  • Thumbnailing exercises for environment
  • Research and design different nature types / biomes
  • Create environments from different sections for different purposes
  • Practice using Photobashing as a tool

ILLUSTRATION

What we call illustration means working a lot and thoroughly with a single image. The image is the end product itself, unlike concept art where the art is used in the production process. Much focus is placed on the sketching process, composition and creating mood and conveying emotions with the image. 3D can be included as part of the work.

  • Book illustrations, cover art
  • Splash art : dynamic poses and compositions
  • The video game music assignment: collaboration with the school’s game music education. We make illustrations from their pieces of music. A lot of focus on creating the right mood.
  • Key art
  • Matte Painting

GROUP ASSIGNMENT

  • Tools to achieve good group dynamics and collaboration
  • Train yourself to work in groups, plan and meet deadlines
  • Making concepts for fictional game ideas
  • Create joint style guides and strive for a consistent graphic expression
  • Practice presenting and pitching your work

TEACHERS

Each course in Concept Art & Illustration has full-time teachers who work with planning, teaching and giving feedback. We are also there for our participants on more individual levels and follow up their development throughout the school year with individual evaluations. Classroom hours are between 9.00-15.00 everyday and we are present in classrooms and studios both for teaching and feedback. After 15.00 you are expected to finish assignments if need be, or study on your own. Your teachers are well versed in our subjects, passionate about fundamentals and are well acquainted with concept art & illustration.

 

GUEST TEACHERS AND LECTURERS

During the year, we regularly take in guest teachers and lecturers who are professionals in the game and illustration industry. This gives insight into professions and possible paths forward in game development, 2- and 3-D graphics, illustration, comic creation, animation, etc. In recent years we have had the pleasure of meeting:

  • Johan Egerkrans (Illustration) 
  • Simon Stålenhag (Freelance illustration etc)
  • Even Mehl Amundsen (Freelance illustration etc)
  • Atey Ghalian (Illustration & concept art, CEO Envar studios)
  • Thomas Chamberlain-Keen (Illustration & concept art )
  • Martin Bergqvist (Concept art)
  • Simon Fetscher (Concept art Mood Visuals)
  • Mikael Eriksson (Concept art Goodbye Kansas)
  • Alexander Forsberg (Freelance illustration) 
  • Viktor Becker (AD/Concept Art– Zoink Games)
  • Henrik Rosenborg (Freelance  illustration)
  • Veronika Fedorova (Freelance illustration)
  • Mattias Adolfsson (Freelance illustration)
  • Daniel Jonsson (Character 3D-artist Machine Games)
  • Louise Meijer (Concept artist and Art director)  
  • Pontus Ullbors (AD & Concept art Landfall games + Freelance illustration)
  • Anders Larsson (2D-graphics, UI, Fatshark)
  • Nicolas Krizan (Illustration)
  • Linda Chuu Bjurhager (2-D-animation, storyboarding)
  • Leopold Baranowska (Vis dev, storyboard m.m.)
  • Gabor Steizinger (animation)
  • Andrea De Dominics (Concept art)
  • Ellen Barkin Söderholm (Freelance Illustration) 

STUDY VISITS AT STUDIOS

During the year, we make several study visits to studios for games, VFX, animation, etc. There we often get to meet concept artists, ADs and other professional roles who explain how their jobs are done and what their everyday life looks like. This is to get an insight into what it is like in different industries and orientate on different career paths. We feel this is one of the best ways in which our students become oriented towards possible paths forward.

We have visited different studios such as:

  • Dice
  • Envar studio
  • Avalanche
  • Massive Entertainment
  • Paradox
  • ILP (Important Looking Pirates)
  • Mood Visuals
  • Goodbye Kansas
  • Starbreeze
  • Tarsier Studio
  • Slugger Film.
  • King Malmö
  • Elemental Games

STUDY VISITS AT SCHOOLS

We also visit various unversities and higher vocational educations to inform about possible ways forward. Among other, we have visited:

  • The Game Assembly
  • Futuregames
  • Playground Squad
  • The Animation Workshop
  • Konstfack
  • Hyper Island
  • Högskolan i Skövde
  • Sörängens folkhögskola 

VISITS TO MUSEUMS AND DRAWING EXCURSIONS

We also make a number of museum visits to relevant and interesting exhibitions and collections. Examples of museums we visited are the National Museum of Art, the National Museum of Natural History,  Glyptoteket, the Nordic Watercolor Museum, the Zorn Museum, The Blue Planet, The National Treasury,  the Gothenburg Art Museum, the Natural History Museum in Gothenburg, the Aros Art Museum in Denmark, etc. We also go on various excursions to draw and paint.

WHO IS THE COURSE FOR?

Concept Art & Illustration is a course tailored for those who want to work professionally with image creation in the game or film industry (Entertainment Arts). It also serves as a preparation for further studies, in above all, game graphics at colleges and universities of applied sciences, offering the student solid skills in image and design skills, in particular. This course is also suitable for those who want to focus on more traditional illustration, animation or sequential storytelling.

It is required that applicants to this course demonstrate a strong foundation in the fundamentals of art, in order to be accepted to Design & Image Making, such as offered in our first year course – The Fundamentals.  You may apply directly to Year 2, but we consider it an advantage, and in many cases a necessary, to attend the first year here with us. This course also has a relatively fast pace, because we try to get a lot done in one year, therefore it is essential that you can cope with this and that you have a strong motivation for your studies.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTERWARDS?

Since Concept Art & Illustration started in 2016, many of our students choose to continue their education in game development. Of those who have applied to higher vocational schools such as The Game Assemble and Futuregames, approximately 95% have been accepted on their first attempt. Many of our former students are now working in Entertainment Arts in one way or another. Several now work in the gaming industry and others have chosen to work freelance with concept art and illustration.

We have good contact with our Alumni and some of them are now working at:

  • Fatshark
  • Envar Studio
  • Starbreeze
  • King
  • Sharkmob
  • Paradox
  • Myrkur Games
  • The Gang
  • Dupp Film

OUR DEAR ALUMNI:

Former students have applied to and been accepted to:

  • The Game Assembly, i Malmö and Stockholm
  • Future Games, Stockholm
  • Yrgo – Gothenburg
  • Playground Squad, Falun
  • Konstfack – Graphic design & illustration
  • Animation Workshop i Danmark – Character animation  Graphic Storytelling
  • Idea Academy – Rome
  • Industrial design – Umeå University
  • Architectural education at Chalmers University of Technology
  • Animation och Bilderbok at Sörängens folk high school

STUDIO SPACE & EQUIPMENT

The Studio: Everyone who attends Concept Art & Illustration gets their own work space in one of the school’s studio rooms. This space, as well as all of the classrooms and facilities on campus is available to you around the clock during the school year. You will be equipped with a desk, office chair, shelf unit, material cart, lamp, power outlet and extension cords.


Digital equipment: You are expected to bring your own computer, drawing pad and/or drawing tablet that you use for digital assignments, as the school does not provide these. You are also required to have Adobe Photoshop, or other compatible program, on your computer. Make sure you have home insurance that covers your equipment in case of damage or theft.

STUDIO SPACES

OUR CLASSROOMS

FUNDAMENTALS CLASSROOM – YEAR 1

CONCEPT ART CLASSROOM – YEAR 2

THE CROQUIS CLASSROOM / THE GYMNASIUM

COSTS DURING THE COURSE

Material fee: The school provides all the required art materials during the year which you will need in order to execute our assignments, as well as color prints of your work. We charge a material fee to cover these costs.
For those who attend Year 1, the material fee is SEK 3,000 per academic year.
For those in Years 2 and 2+, the fee is SEK 1,000 per academic year.

Costs for travel and field trips: This cost varies from year to year, but we estimate a budget of
SEK 3 000 per academic year is necessary in order to participate in all of our outings.
We plan our trips in accordance with the wishes of the participants.

Service charge: The school also charges a service fee for costs that are not covered by government grants. This fee includes a variety of miscellaneous costs such as meals during joint activities, coffee, tea, newspapers, copies and printouts, accident insurance, etc. For more information, look under the link “To study here – Costs for the current fee”.

Financial aid / Study funding: The course is a folk university course at post-secondary level with classification B1 at CSN. The fact that it is post-secondary means that it entitles it to study funds from the post-secondary quota (same as vocational colleges, universities and universities). This quota gives the right to study funds for 240 weeks (approx. 6 full-time academic years) if you are a swedish citizen.

Student merit: Since Year 2 is classified as a post-secondary course it means you  have to be finished with your high-school degree in order to be admitted here. The grades are not the deciding factor in what we look for. Your portfolio work, personal letter and eventual interview are what we use to determine if you will be admitted. 

Curriculum: As a separate educational body from the Swedish school system, we are able to choose content and design our own course plans, independent of any state-established curricula. We consider this a huge advantage in that we can shape our curriculum based on what we believe our students need and in order to solidly prepare them to seek higher education or to begin working in the entertainment industry. 

Certificate of completion: Another big advantage with folk high schools, for educators and students alike, is that we do not use a grading system on individual assignments or at the end of the course. It is therefore your own desire for learning and developing that is the driving force to success, not grades. This also means that we can focus on each student’s skills and goals based on where they are in their own development. During the year you will have individual reviews on your progress and at the end of the year you will receive a certificate of completion listing the subjects that you have studied. How well you have demonstrated these tasks are not reflected in the certificate but more so in the work you have completed.

FAQ:s

“Can I apply directly to Year 2?”

Yes, you can – but you must be able to demonstrate a strong artistic knowledge in The Fundamentals in order to be able to absorb the content in Year 2 – Design & Image Making. We only admit those whom we judge to have a corresponding ability to those who have gone through our Year 1 course, therefore we recommend that most applicants apply for Year 1 first. Attending Years 1 and 2 together offers a very thorough education in which you will experience substantial growth in a relatively short period of time.

“Do you need to have completed Year 1 in order to be admitted in Year 2?”

It is not a requirement, but we tailor our courses to build on each other. We consider Year 1 as the ideal preparation for Year 2, but it doesn’t mean you are unable to learn these skills from other sources. When applying externally, we look closely at your skill level when it comes to the fundamentals and try to make an assessment as to whether you will be able to absorb the content in Year 2. If we judge that you have what it takes, you can still go directly to Year 2.

“Will I automatically enter Year 2 if you have attended Year 1?”

No, you must apply again. There is a slightly simplified application procedure if you have completed Year 1 with us than if you apply directly for Year 2. When you apply internally, we mainly look at the applicant’s performance in Year 1. For instance, you must successfully have completed 80% of the course which includes attendance and assignments, as well as being able to demonstrate and apply the fundamentals we have studied. Other considerations that weigh heavily is the students overall development during the school year, their motivation for and capacity for working with concept art and illustration in the future. 

“What is required to be admitted?”

As with all of our courses, the most important aspect we look at is the applicant’s motivation for the course. Our courses are challenging and require students to have a strong desire for what we are offering as well as willingness to apply what we are teaching. We are also looking at the students’ potential to advance and be able to create a future in this profession. And, as we have stated earlier, strong fundamentals are required related to observational skills, drawing skills, knowledge of perspective, anatomy, light and shadow, painting, color theory and digital painting.

“How many applied in 2023?”

For Concept Art & Illustration Year 1, 100 people applied for 20 places.
For Year 2, about 30 people applied for the 15 places.

Do you have questions about Concept art & illustration 1 – the fundamentals?

Please contact Linda Thomas: linda.thomas@hjofolkhogskola.se