Develop world building skills
Whether for film, video games, or digital feature animation, this class will focus on what it takes to create a compelling environment from the ground up. We will explore fundamentals such as perspective, drawing, storytelling, painting, creating atmosphere, establishing lighting, and how we can combine all these different elements into a full scene. By the end of this class, students will have the process and structure to give them the confidence they need to create more solid environments.
Registration Now Open
Registration Period
Oct 09, 2024 -
Jan 29, 2025
Course Start
Jan 24, 2025
Course Format
Standard
Skills Level
Intermediate
Duration
8 weeks
Q&A
Once a week
Feedback
Individual recordings
Lecture Type
Pre-recorded
Assignment
Due each week. Expect to spend 8-10 hrs/wk viewing lectures, Q&A, and time on assignments.
PREREQUISITES
Digital Painting and Environment Sketching or good drawing and digital painting foundations
MATERIALS
Photoshop or Painter, Wacom tablet (or equivalent)
The more you know, the better.
Week #1
Introduction to Photoshop, Brushes & Tools
Here we will take a comprehensive look at the process in which students will paint environments. We will go over the start of designing environments, and we will study fundamental tools and theories in order to create compelling environments. From there, we will establish a process that is comfortable for you and discuss how to think critically when encountering problems.
Week #2
Graphic Reads and Design Principles
Because environments can naturally be complicated, it is important that our environments read well graphically. We’ll talk about what makes a good graphical image as well as some basic design principles we can use to make our environments interesting. This will include topics like: composition, keeping things in “3’s,” as well as learning to analyze the masters.
Week #3
Learning Some Fundamentals
Keep things simple in the beginning! We will discuss some terminology when it comes to environments and build more on design principles, review some perspective terms, and also discuss camera basics. We will then walk through some of the basic steps to create an environment.
Week #4
Shape Language
We will discuss ways to improve our visual library, which will be important for us in terms of coming up with creative ideas. We will also discuss line, shape, and form. With these three tools, we will be able to create anything in our environments.
Week #5
Values
Values can be one of the most powerful tools in terms of creating environments and digital paintings. Here we will discuss some lighting terminology to better understand how we can apply them to environments, and we will also discuss some of my favorite go-to brushes and lighting types to use when painting.
Week #6
Color & Light
Color can be very intimidating but learning how to simplify our color choices is key to making it work. We will break down color into my 4 favorite categories and talk about some of my favorite ways to practice color. We will talk about using photography and how it can be a powerful tool to help us understand color. In addition, we will take a look at some old masters to help give us some guidance for ways we can approach using color.
Week #7
Creating Form
Now that we will have covered a lot of the basic tools for creating environments, we can now discuss how we balance all the tools at once to paint with more confidence. We will discuss the theory of additive/subtractive painting, painting in a XYZ coordinates system, and ways to add some texture to our paintings.
Week #8
Let's Just Paint
You now have all the tools to create an environment painting, so now let’s just have fun and paint! Our goal here is take whatever idea we may have in our mind and communicate it effectively on the digital canvas.
STUDENT GALLERY
Take your skills to the next level
LECTURES BY
Kalen Chock
Course Start: Jan 24, 2025
Austin is a freelance visual development artist based in Virginia. Austin started drawing when he was young. After graduating high school, went to study Illustration at Ringling College of Art and Design. Since then, he has worked with DreamWorks, M2 Animation, Fireball, Gold Valley Films, Echo Bridge, and other clients. He was a background designer and painter for the show The Mighty Ones on Hulu. Currently, he is working as a Location designer for the show Warhammer based on the game.
Instructor's Gallery
PRICING SCHEDULE
Even though our courses are the most affordable for the quality of education, these finance options allow you to focus on your goals instead of the barriers that keep you from reaching them.
3x Payments
$233
2x Payments
$349.50
Full payment
$699
Winter TERM REGISTRATION
Now Open
Oct 09, 2024 -
Jan 27, 2025
COURSE BEGINS on Jan 24, 2025
What makes this learning experience unique?
PERSONALIZED FEEDBACK
Receive personalized feedback on all assignments from the industry’s top professionals.
LIFETIME ACCESS
Enjoy lifetime access to the spectrum of course content, including lectures, live Q&As, and feedback sessions.
CERTIFICATION
Show off your Certification of Completion when you turn in 80% of course assignments.
FLEXIBLE LEARNING
Learn anywhere, anytime, and at your own pace with flexible, online course scheduling.
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