Fantasy character concept art of Yunache created by ARC Academy student Alexandra Severy

Concept Art

Immerse yourself in the process of inventing the history and rules of the game and unlock your creativity

  • Early Admission until March 31, 2026
  • Discount €400 off the tuition fee
  • Free Workshop Career guidance from industry professionals

Тhe Program

The goal of the Concept Art major at ARC Academy is to build the skills and knowledge in 2D art needed to launch a successful career in a game studio. The focus of the program is hands-on classes, as well as the final semester when students from all game majors (Game Design, Concept Art and 3D Art) come together to create a game prototype with a studio producer.

Classes are held on-site at our campus, with classes primarily in the evenings and on weekends to accommodate anyone with a busy schedule.

Concept Art

Conceptual art is the visualization of an idea, usually as part of the process of creating an entertainment product. This visual element can be a sketch or a digital image with varying levels of detail. The parts can be fantastical or realistic, depending on the specific project. Although not a finished product in itself, Concept Art serves as a visual foundation upon which to develop the product further.

Concept artists work on a variety of drawings or paintings of characters, props, buildings, worlds and more. Embracing a variety of techniques is essential to creating striking images.

Benefits

ARC Academy provides you with a wide range of knowledge and skills for game development. During the training, you will receive personal feedback and mentoring while working on projects. You will be able to use fully equipped rooms with professional software and hardware.

Industry recognized certificate

Experienced mentors

Practical game projects

Strong portfolio

For Whom

The program is suitable for future game artists who want to develop their professional skills in creating visual content for games. It provides the necessary preparation for a successful start in the industry.

In short, the degree is suitable for those who:

  • dream of working in game studios or as freelance artists;
  • want to create characters, worlds and props for games (props);
  • have a basic knowledge of traditional and digital art.

Approach

The on-campus programs are designed for motivated individuals who want to immerse themselves in a creative environment and grow through intensive, hands-on projects and teamwork. They are suitable for both beginners and those with some prior experience looking for career-oriented training.

Format: Classes take place in person at ARC’s campus in Sofia, within a dynamic and inspiring atmosphere.

Schedule: 8–10 hours per week of lectures and practical exercises, plus around 10 hours of independent work on assignments and projects.

Support: Direct mentorship from industry professionals, regular feedback, and access to an active community of students, alumni, and experts.

Skills

During the training you will deepen and improve your skills in drawing, 3D modeling and working with a variety of specialized software. The process includes mastering new tools, techniques and approaches.

You will learn to:

  • Create concept environments and game worlds, developing landscapes and architectural elements
  • Create character, creature and costume concepts as you hone a variety of visual styles
  • Understand the game development process – from idea to prototype
  • Work with software used in the game industry
  • Develop your Soft and Hard skills needed for a successful career
  • Meet industry demands as artists and how to start a successful career

Curriculum

The Concept Art major is a two-year (4 semesters) program. During the course you will acquire the knowledge, skills and techniques to work in the field of concept art, learning to use software to create a variety of worlds, characters and objects for the creative industries.

First semester

The first semester introduces students to the vast universe of concept art, giving them the opportunity to learn about the different aspects of creating the overall look of a creative project.

  • Intro
  • Production
  • 3D Art (Intro)
  • Composition
  • Perspective
  • Anatomy
  • Live Drawing
  • Digital Painting (Intro)
  • Traditional Animations (Intro)

Second semester

During the second semester, students in the Concept Art program will dive even deeper into the material. They will study more specialized subjects and learn how to use their newly acquired skills in creating 2D images.

  • Assistance
  • Soft Skills
  • Game Engines (Intro)
  • Chr. Concept Аrt
  • Env. Concept Аrt
  • Storyboard

Third semester

Students will have the opportunity to deepen their knowledge and technique in the study disciplines through practice.

  • Project Structure
  • Game Engines (Advanced)
  • UI/UX Design
  • Advance Chr. Concept Аrt
  • Advance Env. Concept Аrt
  • Visual Storytelling

Fourth Semester: Game Lab

Everyone’s training during the two-year program at ARC Academy culminates with a hands-on Game Lab phase. In it, students come together to create a real-life video game where everyone contributes the skills they have learned and the career roles they aspire to. Concept artists create the vision for the project that everyone else follows.

Lecturers

Our speakers in the program are working professionals with a variety of experience, from mobile games and indie studios to AAA titles. The learning process is interactive, hands-on and each student receives personalized feedback on their progress.

Anthony Christov Co-founder, ARC Academy

Ivan Koritarev Concept Artist

Emil Sergiev 3D Artist

Dilyan Nedelchev Concept Artist

Evgeny Tenev Lead Game Producer

Borislav Bogdanov Art Director

Ivan Spassov 3D Artist, Snapshot Games

Anton Markov CGI Artist

Fantasy concept art depicting a powerful demon queen character, designed for a game or fantasy world setting.
Portrait of Andrey, professional concept designer with experience in game development.

Andrey Gevechanov Concept Artist

Petar Atanasov 3D Artist, Chase A Cloud

Anatoli Bovyanski 2D Artist at Dreamshot

Radoslav Koynov Staff UX Designer, Fortis Games

Stefan Vassilev Senior Gameplay Programmer, Bloober Team

Olgierd Kolev 2D Artist, Gameloft Sofia

Nikolay Stanchev Senior Technical Artist, UPP a.s.

Teodor Kalamov Concept Artist, Haemimont Games

Bilyana Stremska Life drawing and gesture sketching

Alexander Nasonov Videogames Producer, iTales VR

Kameliya Minkova Senior Character Designer

Anastasia Zheleva 2D Artist

Game Lab

ARC Academy students complete their studies with a practical project, developing a video game as a team. Each participant contributes with their acquired skills, taking on a role that aligns with their career goals—ranging from designers to 2D and 3D artists. Under the guidance of mentors, they create their first game by following the real workflow of an indie studio. This approach not only enhances their technical and creative abilities but also prepares them for the dynamics of the professional environment.

All projects

Threads Of Insanity

Saviours Of Axabras

Candy Chaos

Yunache

Mesozoic Mayhem

Actia

Chainer

CAIM

Partners

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If you would like to find out more about preliminary, campus or distance learning programs, whether they are right for you and how they can help, contact us.

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