2D GAME ARTIST COURSE

Let’s begin! You'll discover what it takes to be a 2D artist, learn the visual "cheat codes" that guide players, and pick up tips on using perspective, light, shadow, and colour to shape immersive game worlds.

• Overview of the 2D artist role
• Key skills and qualifications
• Introduction to game art and visual guidance
• Essentials of perspective, light, shadow, colour, and shape
• Case study: Return to Monkey Island

Assignment #1: Reverse Moodboard
Select a visually appealing game and create a moodboard that imagines the references used to achieve its style.

Explore the role of a concept artist, create compelling thumbnails, and understand exactly how and when the visual dev stage wraps up. Time to sharpen the pencils and get creative.

• Role of a 2D artist in visual development
• Concept art & thumbnails
• Expectations for the visual development stage & its conclusion

Assignment #2: Concept Thumbnails
Generate thumbnails for an environment and a character based on a brief or your personal project.

Dive into concept art creation by experimenting with thumbnails, nailing down perspective, light, and colour, and refining your ideas through feedback. Get hands-on with mood boards and learn how to finalize your concepts (with a few AI tips along the way). 

• Thumbnails & iterations
• Perspective, light, atmosphere, colour, and shapes
• Mood boards & references
• Finalising concepts
• AI usage: Best practices
• Presentation techniques & feedback

Assignment #3: Concept Pitch
Finalise a concept for your environment and character based on your previous thumbnails and pitch it in writing.

Art bibles — what they are, why they're crucial, and how they keep your game’s style on point. Get practice pitching your concept art and learn what it takes to work with a known IP. Plus, it’s time to show off your ideas in a mini pitch session!

• Understanding art bibles: Purpose & usage
• Ensuring style consistency & coherence
• Expectations from an art bible and art director
• Collaborating with IPs
• Workshop: Concept pitch

Learn how to craft immersive visual stories that speak louder than words, keep players hooked, and make every scene count without distracting from gameplay. Explore world-building techniques that build anticipation and use style to amplify your narrative.

• Visual storytelling & world-building
• Storytelling without words
• Building anticipation
• Prioritising player focus in scenes
• The medium is the message: Style and story in control
• Case studies: Guacamelee, Hollow Knight, Night in the Woods, Persona 5, Control, and The Last of Us

Assignment #4: Engaging Environment
Design a scene with storytelling and interactive elements in concept art, using a provided brief or your own pitch.

Explore how to adapt 2D designs for both 2D and 3D games. From creating smooth 2D sprites to tackling puppet animation, you'll learn what it takes to bring characters to life across different styles — featuring case studies of 2D and 3D games.

• 2D design for 3D
• 2D design for 2D
• 2D sprites & puppet animation
• Case study: Cuphead, Ori and the Blind Forest, The Sexy Brutale, Persona 5 

Assignment #5: Character Posing Sheet
Create an initial character posing sheet using the character from the brief, a previous assignment, or a new character, considering rigging and genre.

Get ready to design props and assets that aren't just functional, but essential to the story. You’ll dive into tilesets, asset optimisation, and collaboration with narrative and game designers — all while studying how The Sexy Brutale nailed it.

• Designing gameplay assets
• Tilesets & optimising by reusing assets
• Collaborating with narrative & game designers 
• Collectibles
• Important assets 
• Case study: The Sexy Brutale

Assignment #6: Gameplay Asset
Design a gameplay asset, collectible, or custom item based on the brief or your previous character design exercise.

In this class, we'll explore different UI approaches, uncover platform differences, and hear from a guest speaker about essential UI principles. Plus, we'll dissect popular mobile games to see how the pros do it.

• Exploring various UI approaches
• Platform differences in UI design
• Guest speaker: General UI principles
• Introduction to 2D VFX for artists
• Case study: Persona 5, Subway Surfers 

Assignment #7: UI Design & Animation (Optional)
Propose a UI design for the screen from your visual storytelling assignment or the brief, and animate at least one element of the UI.

Analyse art styles, stick to character traits, and expand beloved universes. Also, unpack the magic behind Kingdom Hearts as a case study. Transform your creative visions while staying true to the originals.

• Analysing the IP's art style
• Adhering to established character traits & environments
• Matching textures & materials
• Expanding the universe
• Case study: Kingdom Hearts

Assignment #8: IP Asset Showcase (Optional)
Combine insights from the art bible session to design a collectible, gameplay asset, and accessory for a game using a known IP.

In Class 10, you'll analyse epic sequences, explore key storyboarding principles, and discover how effective storyboarding can elevate video game production — plus, we'll look at some cool case studies.

• Analysing sequences
• Storyboarding principles
• Storyboarding in video game production
• 2D animatics & studio co-productions
• Case study: Deadlight, Sly Cooper, Samurai Jack

Assignment #9: Fight Sequence Planning (Optional)
Storyboard the intro sequence of an epic boss fight based on a provided brief or your own project.

Team up and turn ideas into eye-catching marketing. Learn how to create stunning marketing visuals and merch and craft meta content that resonates with your audience — because who doesn’t love a great cosplay or collectible? Let’s make your creativity shine across every platform.

• Collaborating across departments
• From pitch to final marketing image & merchandise
• Audience considerations: Cosplays, collectibles, and more
• Understanding meta content & social media planning

Assignment #10: Promotional Image Design (Optional)
Create a marketing image that captures your game’s tone and excites the audience, just like a trailer. Sketch a promotional image for your game or one from the brief.

In the final class, we’ll discuss crafting standout portfolios, smart job application strategies, and building your professional network while exploring the ins and outs of freelance versus in-house positions. You’ll also showcase your work in a peer feedback workshop as a fun good-bye activity.

• Portfolio pieces
• Job application strategies
• Building a professional network
• Freelance vs. in-house positions
• Workshop: Peer portfolio showcase

Assignment #11: Course Project
Compile a comprehensive 2D artist portfolio showcasing your course assignments, highlighting your creative skills, technical proficiency, and artistic growth in a professional format.