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.

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Concept Art Education

Creating Concept Art is about conveying an idea in a visual form,  usually as part of the process of creating an entertainment product. This visual forum could be sketches, drawings, or images with a varying level of detail. Pieces could be stylized or realistic, depending on the project at hand. Albeit not being an end product itself Concept Art serves as the visual base on which a product is further developed.

Concept artists must create drawings or paintings of various assets, including characters, props, buildings and others. Adopting different techniques is important to create impressive images.

 

Why choose Concept Art?

The overall aim of the Concept Art program at ARC Academy is to build the skills and knowledge in the field of 2D art needed by students to become successful members of a game studio. The program’s highlight is the final semester when students from all programs (Game Design, Concept Art, 3D Art and Game Programming) come together to create a game prototype with a studio producer. Studying takes place on-site at our campus, with classes mostly on evenings and weekends to suit anyone with a busy schedule.

What you get?

Studying at ARC Academy provides you with a wide area of knowledge in game development but the main benefits for you upon graduation are:

Certificate recognized by the game industry

Professional lecturers from game studios

Personalized feedback

Halls equipped with the necessary software and hardware

Working on a real game prototype with a studio producer

Strong Portfolio, ready to be used for job applications

Who is the Concept Art program for?

This program is for those who have a passion for drawing and like to create worlds with their hands. The Concept Art Program is for art lovers and people with a rich imagination. If you enjoy translating ideas into visuals you are at the right place. The Program is suitable for people who would like to develop their skills in drawing and painting combined with knowledge of appropriate software.

Learning Outcomes

By the time you finish this course you should have acquired the following knowledge and skills, which you’ll be able to use right away in your work or add to your resumé:

  • You will learn to create conceptual images of environments and worlds for games, developing landscapes, urban settings, natural sceneries, and architectural elements.
  • You will create conceptual images of characters, creatures, and costumes, refining your skills in designing various visual styles, attributes, and character features.
  • You will gain a comprehensive understanding of the game creation process – from the initial idea to the development of a prototype (demo).
  • You will master the use of industry-standard software like Adobe Photoshop.
  • You will develop both your soft and hard skills, essential for a successful career in the gaming industry.
  • You will be fully prepared to meet the industry's demands as a concept artist and launch a successful career in this field.

What would you study?

Curriculum

The Concept Art program at ARC Academy is 2-year (4 semesters). Within the education, you will acquire knowledge, skills and techniques for working in the field of concept art, learning to use software to create a wide variety of worlds, characters and objects for creative industries.

Select way of study

First semester

The first semester introduces students to the vast universe of concept art, allowing them to learn about various 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 Concept Art program, dive deeper into the subject. They will have the opportunity to study more profiled subjects and learn how to use their newly acquired skills in creating 2D images. The subjects during the 2nd semester are:

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

Third semester

During the third semester, you will have the opportunity to deepen your knowledge.

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

Fourth Semester: Game Lab

The 2-year program at ARC Academy ends with a practical phase called Game Lab. Students unite in the creation of a real video game, where everyone contributes with the acquired skills and career roles that he seeks to develop. Concept artists create the vision of the project that everyone else follows.

Lecturers in the program

Our classes are taught by seasoned professionals who are willing to transfer industry know-how to the younger generation. The teaching process is interactive and mostly practice-oriented. That is why lecturers closely follow each student’s progress and provide personalized feedback.

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

To reach the admission with us, you need to go through the following steps:

Step 1

Application form

The application includes: personal information, your CV and a motivation for studying at the Academy.

Step 2

Personal meeting

It is an opportunity to tell us about yourself and your future desires, for your plans for career and education. During the meeting, the following application documents will be reviewed: portfolio and proof of English.

Step 3

Practical Task

As a final step, you will be given a task with specific conditions, depending on the program you have chosen.

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Foundations in Digital Arts

  • 5 months
  • Preliminary course
  • Distance

This program combines traditional art (anatomy, perspective, composition and color theory) with digital techniques in Adobe Photoshop and Blender. It is an ideal preparation for aspiring artists who want to build a strong foundation before specializing.

Learn more

Tuition fees

Learn more about Fees and funding

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

Distance learning (3 semesters)

Distance

€ 2 880/per semester One-time admission fee: € 350

Contact us to learn more about the possibility of a refund within 1 month after the start of the program.

Learn more about Fees and funding

Alumni stories

Thousands of students have gone through the ARC Academy experience. Here are a few of their stories:

All Stories

Teodor Kalamov

Concept Artist, Haemimont Games

“Our tutors were professionals with experience in the field and they introduced me to the expectations and realities of the industry. I was kind of armed with the knowledge to figure out how to prepare and what to put in my portfolio, which ultimately helped me land a job.”

Mihail Ivanov

2D Concept Designer, Evolution Engineering Bulgaria

“I started working even before I graduated from the Academy, but the professionalism of the lecturers, the advice and knowledge they gave me during the training unlocked in me the desire to develop, learn and improve every day. With this attitude comes self-confidence and confidence in what you do and you show it when you apply for a job position. Everything else is a matter of a lot of work and a little luck.”

All Stories

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

All projects

Partners

Apply now and start your gaming and creative career with ARC Academy!

Apply during Early Admission (until March 31) to take advantage of special opportunities for the 2025/2026 academic year.

Ready to take your education further? Head to our secure application process and submit an application for admission.

More about our Admissions

Got a question?

Book a free consultation with the ARC team

If you’d like more information on the application process, admission requirements or enrollment, feel free to write to us and a team representative will get in touch with you shortly.

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