Concept Art

The program allows you to immerse yourself in the process of inventing the history and rules of the game and unlock your creativity.

About the 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.

Certificate recognized in creative industries

Lecturers with hands-on experience

Practical game projects and teamwork

A strong portfolio when applying for a job

Who Is It Suitable For?

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.

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.

The 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 and 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

Petar Atanasov 3D Artist, Chase A Cloud

Anatoli Bovyanski 2D Artist

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

The application process

You will go through the following steps:

Step 1

Application

You complete an online form which includes information about you, your CV and your motivation for studying at ARC.

Step 2

Personal meeting

It is an opportunity to tell about yourself and your future wishes and plans for career and education.

Step 3

Practical Task

As a final step, you will be given an assignment with specific conditions depending on your chosen program.

Tuition fees

On-campus learning (4 semesters)

On-campus

€ 2 400/per semester EU students

€ 2 880/per semester Non-EU students

One-time admission fee: € 350

*All fees are per semester and include VAT.

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

Yunache – Game of Class 2024

Candy Chaos – Class of 2024

Actia – Class 2023

Mesozoic Mayhem – Class 2023

Chainer – Class of 2022

CAIM – Class of 2020/2021

Partners

Apply and turn your passion into professional skills!

Learn more

Got a question?

Book a free consultation with the ARC team

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.

Contacts