Game Art (BA/BS)
Game Art is a fast-growing industry where you take your passion for art and create stunning visuals for digital real-time environments like video games, movies, architectural visualization and more. Game Art covers a wide spectrum of visual aspects, including concept art, asset creation, environment art, character art and animation.
Preparing You for Success
As a game art student, you’ll learn to create optimized 3D content for videogames. Your classes will develop your artistic, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, the kind you’ll need to be successful in your professional career as a game artist. Industry-experienced faculty will guide you through crafting a professional portfolio, and you’ll be in close collaboration with students and faculty in our top-ranked game design program.
By the time you graduate, your experience may include:
- Hands-on learning with industry-standard software packages
- Personal and professional growth through game jams and other competitions
- An internship at a distinguished company working in game art or real-time visualization
- Opportunities to show your digital artwork to the public at the annual FUSE exhibit
Making Your Mark
The artistic eye and technical skills needed to be a game art professional are in high demand — not only for the video game industry but in any profession that uses visuals in a real-time environment. As a game artist, you’ll have the satisfaction of creating the characters, objects and scenery to build new worlds.
BA/BS Major Requirements
Required Courses - 53 hrs.
- IM 110: Introduction to Game Development - 3 hrs.
or IM 140 Introduction to Animation - 3 hrs. - ART 101: Drawing 1 - 3 hrs.
- ART 102: Drawing 2 - 3 hrs.
- IM 130: Game Art Fundamentals - 3 hrs.
- IM 150: Fundamentals of Interactive Design - 3 hrs.
- IM 226: Practicum - 4 hrs.
- IM 233: 2D for Game Art - 3 hrs.
- IM 230: Game Art Development - 3 hrs.
- IM 235: Environment Art - 3 hrs.
- IM 289: Game Production I - 3 hrs.
- IM 333: Character Art - 3 hrs.
- IM 335: Advanced Game Art - 3 hrs.
- IM 389: Game Production II - 3 hrs.
- IM 426: Practicum – 4 hrs.
- IM 459: Game Capstone Project I - 3 hrs.
- IM 489: Game Capstone Project II - 6 hrs.
Theory & History Requirment (Choose 2) - 6 hrs.
- IM 191: Appreciating Comics - 3 hrs.
- IM 243: History of Animation - 3 hrs.
- IM 355: New Media Theory - 3 hrs.
- IM 380: Critical Game Studies - 3 hrs.
- IM 450: Critical Issues in Interactive Media - 3 hrs.
- CFA 250: Film History - 3 hrs.
- CFA 320: Film Theory & Criticism - 3 hrs.
- CIS 300: Computers & Society - 3 hrs.
- COM 300: Communication Theory
- COM 386: Media Race & Gender - 3 hrs.
- COM 393: Small Group Communication - 3 hrs.
- HIS 352: Introduction to Digital Humanities - 3 hrs.
Total Hours - 59 hrs.
Student Work
Amanda Lardner
Sword and Shield
Game Res Prop Project
2022
Gregory Herron
Snowy Night
Game Res Prop Project
2022
Keelan Rodgers
Ballet
2D and 3D Figure Sculpt Study
2022
Course Sequence
Sample program plan information is provided for sample purposes only. Students should consult with their academic advisor about their individual plan for course registration and completion of program requirements.
First Year - Fall Semester | ||
---|---|---|
IM 226 | Practicum | 1 hour |
IM 110 or IM 140 |
Introduction to Game Development or Storytelling for Animation |
3 hours |
ART 101 | Drawing 1 | 2 hours |
CFA 100 | Intellectual and Cultural Events | 1 hour |
BCC | Core Course | 3 hours |
IM 233 | 2D for Game Art | 3 hours |
EHS 120 | University Experience | 1 hour |
Total | 15 hours |
First Year - Spring Semester | ||
---|---|---|
IM 226 | Practicum I | 1 hour |
IM 150 | Fundamentals of Interactive Design | 3 hours |
IM 130 | Game Art Fundamentals | 3 hours |
ART 102 | Drawing 2 | 3 hours |
BCC | Core Course | 3 hours |
BCC | Core Course | 3 hours |
Total | 16 hours |
Sophomore - Fall Semester | ||
---|---|---|
IM 226 | Practicum I | 1 hour |
IM 289 | Game Production I | 3 hours |
IM 230 | Game Art Development | 3 hours |
BCC | Core Course | 3 hours |
BCC | Core Course | 3 hours |
Elective | 3 hours | |
Total | 16 hours |
Sophomore - Spring Semester | ||
---|---|---|
IM 226 | Practicum I | 1 hour |
IM 235 | Environment Art | 3 hours |
BCC | Core Course | 3 hours |
BCC | Core Course | 3 hours |
Elective | 3 hours | |
Elective | 3 hours | |
Total | 16 hours |
Junior - Fall Semester | ||
---|---|---|
IM 426 | Practicum II | 1 hour |
IM 333 | Character Art | 3 hours |
IM 389 | Game Production 2 | 3 hours |
BCC | Core Course | 3 hours |
BCC | Core Course | 3 hours |
Elective | 3 hours | |
Total | 16 hours |
Junior - Spring Semester | ||
---|---|---|
IM 426 | Practicum II | 1 hour |
IM 335 | Advanced Game Art | 3 hours |
Theory & History Requirement | 3 hours | |
BCC | Core Course | 3 hours |
Elective | 3 hours | |
Elective | 3 hours | |
Total | 16 hours |
Senior - Fall Semester | ||
---|---|---|
IM 426 | Practicum II | 1 hour |
IM 459 | Game Capstone Project I | 3 hours |
Theory & History Requirement | 3 hours | |
BCC | Core Course | 3 hours |
Elective | 3 hours | |
Elective | 3 hours | |
Total | 16 hours |
Senior - Spring Semester | ||
---|---|---|
IM 426 | Practicum II | 1 hour |
IM 489 | Game Capstone Project II | 6 hours |
BCC | Core Course | 3 hours |
Elective | 3 hours | |
Total | 13 hours |