10 WEEKS • ONLINE • INSTRUCTOR-LEAD • SKILL-FOCUSED

Environment Art:

World Building 101

REGISTRATION CLOSED

MASTER SKILLS & SOFTWARE

10 week live, online skill-focused training for artists

Whether you are in school or self taught, learning all the skills you need to prepare yourself to succeed as an Environment Artist can be daunting.

In this course, Henry Kelly will help you simplify that task by demonstrating proven strategies that he uses in production every day.

This World Building 101 course will consist of ten weeks of LIVE demonstrations and reviews. You'll learn core game artist skills and be part of a community of artists all working to achieve next level quality in their work.

Most importantly, You'll learn how to leverage amazing software like Substance Designer and professional workflows to create a portfolio ready real-time environment that will impress.

Want To Preview The Course?

Take a FREE Class with Henry Kelly!

Learn more about Henry, his work, his process and his workflow.
See how he uses CryEngine to build an environment from scratch.

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YOUR PATH TO SUCCESS

What you'll learn

In this course, students will create a game level from scratch using Render-Ready game engine CryEngine 5. The course will cover 3D modeling, object placement and layout basics, foliage systems, and lighting systems. The course will help students better understand level and environment workflows, as well as how level designers, game designers, and environment artists fit into the game pipeline.

Estimated time for course work: 8-10 hours per week

Skill Level: Intermediate

Course Format: Standard

Duration: 10 Weeks + 2 Weeks Of Access
Lecture Type: Live weekly
Assignment: Deadlines each week
Feedback: Live weekly

By the end of the course, you'll:

Know how to model for 3D Environments and apply a modular approach to scene creation.

Know how to create optimized and realistic vegetation and foliage for outdoor environments.

Have designed your own spectacular materials using the latest software, such as Substance Designer, and the latest procedural techniques.

Have setup and lit your own scene in the newly revamped and render-ready game engine of Cry Engine 5.

A GREAT POINT FOR INTERMEDIATE ARTISTS

Build a portfolio of real-world projects

This course is perfect for:

Mid-level environment artists looking to take the next steps in their career
Skilled artists who want to focus on building specific skills
Game artists who want to add to their portfolio while receiving feedback along the way

This course is the best way to start or expand a real portfolio while getting started as an environment artist. Working with one of the top working professionals in the game industry, you'll build your own game level using the latest software in the industry. Don't know what those are? Don't worry, your mentor will teach you 1-on-1. You'll graduate with an enhanced portfolio and an active ArtStation profile.

CURRICULUM

Our Industry-Standard curriculum is built together with today's best artists to bring you the highest quality training possible. Achieve your dreams today.

WEEK 1

Creating Foliage

Techniques to obtain textures
Create materials to use in assets
Create smaller foliage pieces for a scene

WEEK 2

Engine Function

Create a new level
Import assets into the level
Set up materials and textures

WEEK 3

Terrain Materials

Create materials used for terrain, grass, mud, etc.
Use Substance Designer
Use online sourced photos

WEEK 4

Trees

Use SpeedTree to create tree sets
Import trees into the engine
Use Marmoset to create LOD billboards

WEEK 5

Basic Scene

Create the basic scene
Block out the level
Prepare for production

WEEK 6

Foliage & Roads

Continue with foliage
Create a road / Use a road tool in the engine
Difference between static mesh roads and decal roads

WEEK 7

Rivers

Learn about the river tool
Set up river tools and river meshes
Build rivers in the scene

WEEK 8

Rocks & Cliffs

Focus on ZBrush
Create rocks and cliffs
Fine tune and polish the scene

WEEKS 9 & 10

Capstone Project

Explore lighting
Optimize for performance with LOD's and drawcalls
Take beauty render shots

HOW WE DO IT

Life as a Skill Track student

This course is what we call a Skill Track. That means, you work closely with an expert in the field who demonstrates the tools, workflows, techniques that you'll need to know to excel as an artist?

Skill Focused

Skill Tracks rely heavily on lectures and demonstrations whereas Bootcamps & Career Tracks focus primarily on you and your work.

Flexible Commitment

Are you just looking to pick up a skill? Just want to learn how an artist works? If so, then Skill Tracks are the perfect solution.

Live Weekly Meetings

Stay connected! Yes, we're ONLINE but you meet with your instructor every week to learn new skills.

Pick Up New Software Skills

Want to pick up the software skills you need to thrive in a Bootcamp or on-the-job? Skill Tracks are a great way to achieve this.

Your first day

Meet your mentor, access the curriculum, and join a community of 3000+ students and mentors on the Artist Awake workplace. At GAI, the relationships you form with your mentor and peers help you learn faster.

During the course

Create more. Each course is focused around projects to emulate real work and industry-recognised workflow pipelines. And if you get stuck, ask your mentor.

Graduate on your schedule

Every GAI course is self-paced so there's no need to quit your job. Typically, students finish a Skill Track in 10-12 weeks with an expanded personal portfolio. All graduates receive lifetime access to the Artist Awake network and community.

About your Instructor

Henry Kelly

As an Environment Artist at Rebellion Development, Henry Kelly loves his work contributing to exciting AAA titles. Henry has worked in the past at Gymcraft LLS, where he started as Freelance Environment Artist and was promoted to Lead Environment Artist. Even before game art was his primary occupation, Henry took on freelance work creating assets for several games. Throughout his career, he has contributed to titles such as FreeDriver VR (released), Dinosaur Battlegrounds VR and an unannounced Survival game.

His accomplishments in the game development industry is a testament to his strong personal drive and lifelong passion for game art. Despite a lifelong struggle with severe ADHD (undiagnosed until relatively recently), which caused him to be excluded from school multiple times, Henry taught himself everything he knows, from making 3D models and learning how to create assets to using a game engine and setting up lighting to an advanced understanding of pipeline import workflow.