Entertainment Design Course Listings

The Advancement Review (AR) is a formal portfolio review designed to evaluate competency in foundation studio art abilities at the fourth semester Sophomore level, or when the student has earned between 40 and 65 total academic units. Students submit a series of images to the AR, which is held twice-a-year. A panel of faculty evaluate submissions, and the student is presented the results showing scores of: Outstanding, Excellent, Good, Satisfactory, or Deficient in areas that include: Anatomy, Perspective, Digital Painting, Constructive Drawing, 3D Design, and Concept Design/Visual Development. Students are required to obtain designated tutoring for all categories scored "deficient" prior to re-submitting during the next AR submission period. Once all categories have received a minimum score of satisfactory or higher, the AR requirement will be credited as "passed". Failure to pass all categories of the AR will result in the student being withheld from entering senior status.

This is an advanced course in visualization, art direction and production design with an emphasis on the organization of all the pictorial components in a visual system supporting a narrative content. The conceptualization of design choices, the calibration of stylistic parameters and other world building techniques will be explored through the creation of detailed concept art and the elaboration of a complete style guide.

This course explores various places that entertain the public. The goal is to research and envision a desired experience, and then plan and design a place to achieve that experience through making of illustrations, props and models using appropriate materials. Places might include, theatrical productions, theme parks, rides, performing arts and event venues.

In this course students will be introduced to the most current workflows in concept design and visual development. Students will work with the newest advancements in technology, including virtual reality based modeling programs and advanced special-effects platforms. Students will learn how to follow and keep up with current trends in digital technologies, by experimenting with software they are unfamiliar with and by learning to teach themselves new techniques when necessary. The software used in this course will change as technology improves and as trends change. In this course students will gain experience with the newest art making technologies, in order to prepare them for unique job opportunities in the entertainment industry.

This is an advanced studio course in Themed Entertainment design. Students will build on skills learned in Themed Entertainment Design 1 as they design themed locations meant to immerse the public in themed based locations. Students will continue to develop two-dimensional designs and illustrations that apply to the themed entertainment industry. Emphasis will also be placed on building three dimensional objects, models, and other sculptural elements used to support immersive storytelling in location-based entertainment. Places can include immersive installations, theatrical productions, theme parks, performing arts and event venues.

Senior Portfolio 1 is taken after the completion of all foundation, sophomore, and junior level classes. This is a directed studies course that provides students with the opportunity to create the physical pieces that will become the core of their first working portfolio. The class is offered as a transition from the academic experience to a professional life as a designer in the Entertainment Industry. Students select their own topic or theme for a body of work, the progress of which will be monitored through individual appointments between the student and Senior Portfolio faculty. Intensive group critiques take place throughout the term to allow for class interaction. All coursework is done outside the classroom. Prerequisite: ED001, completion of Junior level classes, senior status.

A directed studies course that provides, through faculty supervision, the time, opportunity, and advisement for each student to create the physical pieces that will become the core of their first working portfolio. The class is offered as a transition from the academic experience to a professional life as a designer in the Entertainment Industry. Students select their own topic or theme for a body of work, the progress of which will be monitored through individual appointments between the student and Senior Portfolio faculty. Intensive group critiques are spaced throughout the term to allow for class interaction. All coursework is done outside the classroom.

This course is an introduction to drawing the human form that explores observational and imaginative drawing techniques using graphite and charcoal. Students work from the draped and undraped model. Emphasis is on accurate representation of the figure utilizing observation with the elements of gesture, measurement, construction line, volume, proportion, and surface anatomy. Materials include graphite and charcoal.

This course is designed to introduce the student to three-dimensional thinking and composition as it applies to the human form. Students will learn to render form using effective visual observation and measuring techniques, while working from live models. The use of linear and volumetric proportional systems is stressed, as is the construction and understanding of form. Technical procedures of clay modeling, basic use of tools, and proper use of the armature (its orientation in relation to the model) will be addressed. Materials used: oil clay.

This is a studio course meant to introduce students to Entertainment Design and the creative practices and problem-solving techniques used in the Entertainment industry. This course provides foundations skills commonly used in the creation of concept art. There is an emphasis on the visual development process and approaches to drawing and painting that provide students with an ability to clearly communicate the form and function of characters, objects, and environments. Students will learn basic xyz and constructive sketching techniques. Students will use inspiration and reference to develop their ideas into thumbnail designs, resolved sketches and diagrams, and finished concept illustrations.

This course is an introduction to the art of cinematography. Students will learn fundamental techniques of visual storytelling for film & television through the lens of the cinematographer. Emphasis is placed on storytelling with light, continuity, compositional strategies within the frame, and understanding the lens. Students will use cameras and create concept art as they learn to master cinematic compositions. Additionally, students will be required to watch and analyze films in order to learn visual storytelling from master film makers. Students are encouraged to work with digital and traditional materials to complete all assignments.

This course introduces students to the rendering and painting of digital images from life and the imagination. A focus on developing observational skills and working from life will build a foundation for original imaginative work. Topics covered include Photoshop tools and best practices, fundamentals of light and shadow, color theory reference research, and basic design and composition as well as the use and creation of custom brush sets. The course will include demos, lecture, and in class exercises & critique coupled with homework.

This class focuses on representing the construction of a 3D object in a 2D image. The class will cover the basics of observational drawing, traditional drawing technique, perspective, and foundational design for concepting and building objects in game art. The class introduces one, two, and three point perspective to accurately construct the appearance of 3D forms. Other topics covered are camera lenses and field of view, the importance of camera placement, and placing shadows based on light sources through perspective guides. Throughout this course, students will learn the role of drawing and design in the game industry. Students will build a sketchbook composed of lessons, observational drawings and original illustrations over the course of the semester. The emphasis will be on building their visual library so they can effectively express their own ideas.

This course introduces students to the basic principles and techniques of 3D modeling, lighting, texturing, and software navigation. The course is designed with the absolute beginner in mind, providing an overview of common tools and techniques used by concept artists in the entertainment industry. The course will teach students the importance of working with basic modeling and lighting techniques, which can be used to create complex and accurate concept art, speed up their visual development pipeline, and prepare them for work in the entertainment industry.

An understanding of human anatomy is the most fundamentally important aspect in creating believable characters and creatures for any field of entertainment. This course will help students to construct anatomically sound and aesthetically pleasing human and humanoid figures.

This course is designed to further develop the students understanding of perspective. Areas covered will include multipoint and curvilinear perspective, cast shadows, reflections, forced perspective and distortion. The goal of this course is to further the students ability to accurately conceive and create environments from imagination using quick-sketch empirical methods in addition to traditional mechanical processes covered in fundamentals of perspective.

This course investigates facial structure, proportions of the face and describing likeness, describing the figure using light and shadow, foundations of painting in gouache, color theory and color harmony, anatomical studies, foreshortening, composition, and the figure in the environment. Students learn to make visual and artistic decisions in the context of historical and contemporary figure drawing and painting styles.

This course offers an intense investigation and deep dive into character design principles. Students will design unique and imaginative characters suited to the game and entertainment industry as a whole. Students begin with preliminary sketches and construction drawings, which are then refined to create finished character concepts consisting of turnarounds, facial expressions, callouts, and more. A variety of styles are explored. Emphasis is on working from one’s imagination, expanding their visual library, and strengthening their drawing and presentation skills.

This course offers an introduction to the conceptual process of environment design for video games. Environment concept artists for the game industry skillfully combine real world logic and design techniques to create unique and compelling environments, interiors, exteriors, props, and vehicles for a variety of stories and historical eras. This requires a dynamic understanding of industrial design and illustration skills to cohesively understand how things are built, and to visually communicate proper design elements through drawing, and show narrative aspects of the design. Students will create original design solutions through silhouettes, thumbnail sketches, and renderings to support a comprehensive visual narrative. Students will obtain a solid understanding of how to create original environments utilizing traditional methods, available technology, and 3D visualization techniques to create layouts.

This introductory course provides students from all majors with the essential skills and workflows of digital sculpting. Using ZBrush students will explore both organic and hard surface sculpting techniques. The course empowers artists to integrate digital sculpting into their creative workflows, whether for 2D concept art, high-resolution 3D models, or rapid prototyping. Key areas of focus include fast iteration, file management, rendering, and preparing models for 3D printing.

Experimental Animation's "Fabrication" class offers students a comprehensive learning experience that encompasses essential skills in Real-World mold making, casting, character and prop sculpting, and miniature set construction. These skills are frequently encountered in fields such as Stop Motion, Visual Effects Animation, and Environment Design. Throughout the course, students will develop proficiency in both traditional and digital mediums. The curriculum combines traditional craftsmanship with hands-on experience in woodworking and foam cutting tools, as well as painting and airbrushing techniques to realistically simulate a variety of real-world textures and materials. Additionally, students will be required to explore modern technology through an introduction to 3D-CAD, 3D-Sculpting, and 3D-Printing. The culmination of students' learning journey involves designing and creating a captivating set and a compelling character for their final project. This project serves as a platform for students to showcase their creative and technical abilities, demonstrating the skills they have acquired throughout the course.

In this course students will learn the fundamentals of landscape painting in addition to concepts and skills that are commonly used when creating environment designs for outdoor locations and client work. Students will learn to study light and simplify complex organic forms into manageable designs using limited value systems and color theory. Students will study on site from life, and they will learn to use reference so they can practice landscape painting in a studio setting. These resources include understanding how to work from photography and online resources such as mapcrunch and pinterest. The primary software used is Photoshop, but other digital painting software can be explored.

The Art of Costume is a cross-disciplinary studio course that explores character silhouette, costume, and the draped figure. The content of the class considers both the aesthetic and cultural ramifications of costume, and studies the dressed human form and its context through historic and contemporary periods. The course studies as its topic not only the most basic of subject matter in art history, but also reaches into the fields of theater, film, fashion, costume design, and skins for games.

In this course students will learn the skills to texture and light objects and characters as well as model more efficiently and accurately. Students will use texture editing systems to adhere and manipulate textures onto form. Students learn to model in polygons as well as model within the surfaces offered within Zbrush software (i.e., subdivision surfaces).

This course focuses on storytelling with pictures. Students learn the relationship between character and story development, and how to compose images and arrange them in sequence to present a coherent and emotionally effective story. Students also work on public speaking skills by pitching their story to the class.

An insider’s introduction to the world of Toy Design. This course will cover the basic concepts of toy line development and design. Action Figures, Vehicles, Playsets and Role-play items drawn from intellectual property (I.P.) applied across many different age categories and play patterns. Learn to develop the B-Sheets/Concept Drawings, Inputs/Control Drawings and Presentation images that are the mainstays of industry. More importantly learn how to bring play, fun and learning to cool products that inspire and enrich kids (and adult) imaginations and lives.

This course teaches students to develop and create a sequential series of staged drawings (that is, the visual script of each scene in a film). The course covers how to effectively portray the essence of a story by means of quick and accurate sketches. A brief overview of script writing is included. The script's plot, situations, and conflict are developed from rough sketches to finished presentations. This course also examines staging, cinematography, drama, action notes, dialogue, pacing, timing, and sequencing the story's action.

This is an advanced studio course in Environment Design. Students will build on skills learned in Environment Design 1 to design environments that can be used in film and television, feature animation and themed locations. An emphasis will be placed on the visual development process starting with inspiration, then proceeding with thumbnail sketches, refined sketches, final drawings, and renderings. Students will learn to incorporate 3D software in the development process for efficiency and increased productivity. Additionally, students will learn how to communicate ideas with orthographic views, isometric views, and cut-away views.

This is a lecture and studio course introducing principles of matte painting; an intensive study of techniques used for film, games and editorial illustration. Students will use a combination of traditional and digital painting concepts. Knowledge of color theory and multiple-point linear perspective are essential. Photo-realism in painting is discussed with examples from both art and film. Approaches to painting realistic architecture, nature, and interiors/exteriors and props will be explored.   Comprehension of key terms and concepts are taught, with projects designed to develop practical software skills and aesthetic development.

This course is a continuation of Character Design I. Students create and construct model sheets of unique and imaginative animated characters. The focus is on design uniformity, composition, and effective use of color. Personal style and interpretation are developed. Craft and rendering techniques are perfected while students strive to execute quality portfolio pieces.

This course is a continuation of 3-D design 2. Students will gain further abilities to create fantastical creatures, props and objects.  

This course focuses on mastering the essential concepts, tools, and workflows of 3D modeling in the visual development pipeline. Students will become comfortable with the complex interface of the 3D modeling software, so that they will have an easier time creating assets for concept designs in the film/tv and themed entertainment design industries. The focus is on 3D tools and practices used by concept artists to create complex designs in the pre-visualization phase of the design process and to create models that can be used as the structure of concept drawing and painting. Efficiency in model design, construction, and lighting are stressed.

This internship lab provides students with a supervised, practical learning experience in a work setting that is relevant to their major. Through virtual assignments and workplace projects + training the student will apply what they have learned in their LCAD classes in order to solidify professional goals, test possible career choices, build their networks, and gain a better understanding of employer expectations. This lab is to be taken concurrently with an internship for-credit and is designated as CREDIT/NO CREDIT for up to three (3) units of academic credit. This lab may be repeated one time for credit (a total of 6 units)