Game Art Specialization

Do you have a passion for building worlds? ACC's Game Art program can give you the tools training and industry skills to forge a career in 3D Modeling. Our program is designed and taught by veteran artists from the game development industry who have the experience, know how, and inside-track knowledge to help you frame your future as a game artist.

Turn two-dimensional (2D) drawings into three-dimensional (3D) virtual experiences. Imagine, build and bring to light new 3D worlds with 3D modeling. We have years of industry experience, and we’d love to share it with you to help you find a career in 3D graphics, too.

What IS Game Art Anyway?

Wikipedia defines Game Art as "a subset of game development. It is the process of creating the artistic aspects for video games. Video game art design begins in the pre-production phase of creating a video game. The video game artists are visual artists involved from the conception of the game and they make rough sketches of the characters, setting, objects, etc. These starting concept designs can also be created by the game designers before the game is moved into actualization. Sometimes these are concept designs are called “programmer art”. After the rough sketches are completed and the game is ready to be moved forward those artists or more artists are brought in to bring these sketches to life through graphic design.

The art design of a game can involve anywhere from two people and up. The larger the gaming company is the more people there are likely designing a game. Small gaming companies tend not to have as many artists meaning that their artist must be skilled in several types of art development, whereas the larger the company, although an artist can be skilled in several types of development, the roles each artist plays becomes more specialized."

Get Prepared For a Career in Game Art

According to Glassdoor, the average Austin game artist makes approximately $64,000 per year, about $8,000 more than the national average.

With An ACC Game Art Education...

You Can Become a:
  • Game Artist
  • 3D Modeler
  • Environment Artist
  • Surfacing Artist
You Will Learn:
  • 3D asset creation
  • ​Story-telling surfaces
  • Importance of units, size & proportions
  • Hard Surface Modeling
  • Organic Modeling
  • Modularity
  • Unwrapping
  • Materials and Expressions
  • File Management
You Will Be Trained In:
  • Autodesk's 3D Studio Max
  • Autodesk's Maya
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Pixologic's ZBrush
  • Allegorithmic's Substance Painter
  • Epic's Unreal Engine 4
  • Unity Game Engine

Game Art Associate Degree

The Game Art Specialization - Associate of Applied Science Degree with  is a 6 semester, 60 hour degree featuring 13 classes that are geared to ignite students to become entry-level 3D modelers in the Austin game, animation, and film industries and beyond. The Associate's degree includes 5 Core Curriculum classes. Please contact an advisor with any questions.
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.
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Semester 1
.
.
Course / Number
​​Description
Credits
GAME 1475
2D Design for Games
4
ARTV 1445
3D Modeling and Rendering I
4
ARTC 1309
Basic Illustration
3
SPCH 
​or 
EDUC 1300
Oral Communication
​or
*Effective Learning: Strategies for College Success
3
.
Total Hours
14
.
.
.
Semester 2
.
.
GAME 2338
Game Testing
3
GAME 1334
Video Game Art I
3
ARTV 1441
 3D Animation I
4
GAME 1270
Introduction to Game Design & Development
2
.
Total Hours
12
.
.
.
Semester 3
.
.
ARTV 2471
3D Lighting & Surfacing
4
.
Total Hours
4
.
.
.
Semester 4
.
.
ARTV 2445
3D Modeling & Rendering II
4
GAME 2309
Video Game Art II
3
.
English Composition I
3
.
Mathematics
3
.
Total Hours
13
.
.
.
Semester 5
.
.
ARTV 2375
3D Modeling & Rendering III
3
GAME 2378
Video Game Art III
3
.
Language, Philosophy, & Culture/Creative Arts
3
.SOCI 1301
or
​PSYC 2301
Intro to Psychology
or
​Intro to Sociology
3
.
Total Hours
12
.
.
.
Semester 6
.
.
GAME 2270
Portfolio Development for Game Art
2
GAME 2359
Game and Simulation Group Project
3
.
Total Hours
5
.
.
.
.
.Total Hours for Degree:
60

Game Art Certificate

The Game Art Level II Certificate is a 6 semester, 45 hour degree featuring 13 classes that are geared to ignite students to become entry-level 3D modelers in the Austin game, animation, and film industries and beyond. Please contact an advisor with any questions.
.
.
.
Semester 1
.
.
Course / Number
​​Description
Credits
GAME 1475
2D Design for Games
4
ARTV 1445
3D Modeling and Rendering I
4
ARTC 1309
Basic Illustration
3
.
Total Hours
11
Semester 2
.
.
GAME 2338
Game Testing
3
GAME 1334
Video Game Art I
3
ARTV 1441
 3D Animation I
4
GAME 1270
Introduction to Game Design & Development
2
.
Total Hours
12
.
.
.
Semester 3
.
.
ARTV 2471
3D Lighting & Surfacing
4
.
Total Hours
4
.
.
.
Semester 4​
.
.
ARTV 2445
3D Modeling & Rendering II
3
GAME 2309
Video Game Art II
4
.
Total Hours
7
.
.
.
Semester 5
.
.
ARTV 2375
3D Modeling and Rendering III
3
GAME 2378
Video Game Art III
3
.
Total Hours
6
.
.
.
Semester 6
.
.
GAME 2270
Portfolio Development for Game Art
3
GAME 2359
Game and Simulation Group Project
2
.
Total Hours
5
.
.
.
.
Total Hours for Degree:
45

Game Art Resources

THE GAME ART TEAM

Sara Farr
Professor

Sara is Full-Time Faculty & CDT Section Leader for Game Art

Colin Blankenship
Adjunct Professor

Colin is a CDT Advisor and 3D Tutor. He also coaches lacrosse in Austin.

Randy Polk
Adjunct Professor

Randy is Owner of Meta 3D Studios.

Stephen Connor
Adjunct Professor

Stephen is a digital artist, educator, and industry veteran.

Niall Farrell
Adjunct Professor

Niall hails originally from Kilkenny, Ireland, where he was raised by Leprechauns. When he’s not animating, he can be found with a pint of stout and tickling the strings of his guitar, playing some Irish tunes.

Geoff Mellon
Adjunct Professor

Geoff is a 3d Artist with over 17 years of experience in the game industry.

Andrew Collins
Professor

Andrew is an Art Director at Battle Cry.

CDT SUPPORT

Garry Gaber
CDT Department Chair/Professor

Deanna Whaley
CDT Admin Assistant/ Advisor

Colin Blankenship
CDT Instructional Associate/ Advisor

Get Advised for Game Art!