Entertainment Design

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)

Beverly Arce is an illustrator, designer, and Visual Development Artist who has been active in the entertainment industry for nearly a decade. They have worked with a variety of publishers and studios in both illustration and animation. Work credits include: Disney/Marvel Animation, AGBO Films, HarperCollins publishing, Gallery Nucleus, Octopie studios, Lionsgate, and more. They really (really) like Tolkien and re-watching 90's anime.

My career has focused on developing and refining my skills for creating highly detailed models and textures for medical 3D illustrations and animations. I have built my skill set as an artist from a traditional foundation into a network of mentors embedded in the entertainment industry. The education I receive from them is celebrated daily within the work that I do. My ability to grow with industry standards continues to be one of my most valued assets.

With 18+ years of work experience in the medical device industry creating a variety of medical based visuals. I have a passion for maintaining and learning industry standard workflows for 3D development. I enjoy the process and development of 3D animation, illustrations and building XR optimized for the Oculus Quest. I'm proficient in figurative and scientific anatomy as well as traditional and digital execution. I have experience leading a team with building XR (Extended Reality) pipelines and scaling resources to support and service corporate XR deliverables.

Now with the opportunity LCAD is giving me to come back and teach again, I look forward to doing my part to help the students continue to grow into the dawn of their professional careers.

I'm a primarily based 3D artist with a focus on creating props and hard surface assets for the gaming and film industry. While my passion is bringing virtual worlds to life, my goal is to produce high quality assets that help to create immersive and engaging experiences for players and viewers alike. I've had the honor of contributing to projects at Little Bang Inc. and Normal VR!
Originally from Philadelphia, I recently moved to Orange County in my pursuit of the arts. When I'm not working, I enjoy playing cozy games, reading novels, and going on hikes in the local area!

Maria Ferreira Kercher is a visual development artist specialized in material behavior and cultural stylization for animation. She is a professional Costume Designer and an adjunct professor for LCAD Game Art and Entertainment Design programs.

Her expertise is featured in the book, "Talking Threads: Costume Design for Animation, Games, and Illustration", through Design Studio Press.

Maria has also worked as character designer for indie games as well as illustrator for live-action films and brings specialized experience helping connect foreign cultures with an American audience through well researched costume design.

Born and raised in Brazil, she fell in love with the idea of breathing life into a fictional world and came to the U.S. to study animation. Now based in Seattle, Maria is focused on expanding her knowledge of materials and world cultures to better connect audiences to each other.

Juan Garrido is a Digital and Tradition painter with 14 years of experience working with various Animation Studios in Los Angeles as a BG Painter for many TV animated series. Clients include Disney, Netflix, Warner Brothers and many more. When he isn’t painting at the computer desk, he can be found traveling and painting Plein Air landscapes on site, usually in gouache. He has a passion for the Arts but also for passing along the years of knowledge to his students. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Illustration from Art Center College of Design (Pasadena).

Marty Kline has been in the business of creating what “no one has ever seen before” since pixels were “this big”. As the recipient of the 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award for Illustration from his own Local 800, the Art Directors Guild, he has worked in motion pictures, television, video games and themed entertainment for over 40 years. A graduate of Carnegie Mellon and a recipient of an MS in Materials Science, he is also a graduate of Otis College of Art and Design. He is a founding member of the Visual Effects Society as well as recipient of a Ford Foundation Fellowship for the study of Fine Art Lithography.

As Senior Visual Effects Art Director for Sony Pictures Imageworks, he supervised the art of effects on Contact, Stuart Little, Spider-Man, and Beowulf. Other credits include concept illustration for Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Dune, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Back to the Future, Parts II and III, The Flintstones, Batman Returns, Jurassic Park and Forrest Gump. He has done video game Art Direction for THQ Games and created user interface designs for Microsoft.

He was born in Brooklyn, NY. That’s significant.

He participated in EPCOT design and Fantasyland redevelopment at Walt Disney's design group, WED Enterprises.

Published in Perspective Magazine, The Journal of the Art Directors Guild, March April 2018; Stuart Little, The Art, The Artists, and the Story Behind the Amazing Movie, 2000, Edited by Linda Sunshine, Marty Kline on Matte Painting, pp. 84-85; and https://www.awn.com/vfxworld/concept-art-and-vfx-managed-collaboration.

John Lam is an alumni of Laguna College of Art and Design where he found his passion for game art and began his roots in 3D sculpting. With a passion for creating creatures and characters, he specializes in high fidelity 3D sculpting for a variety of industry pipelines from: toys, 3D scan and game. After an internship with Blizzard Entertainment, John has gone off to do work for Toyota, Dreamworks, Funko and more.

Bernard Lee was born and raised in Southern California, graduated with a BFA in Illustration from Syracuse University and worked for a time in New York City. As a former Art Director, he has had the privilege of collaborating with countless talented illustrators on award-winning projects. He now spends his days creating illustrations for the publishing, editorial and entertainment industries, and teaching as an instructor in California. His work has been seen in annuals and shows around the world.

Lisa Liang received a BFA with honors in Illustration from ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California. Upon graduation, she worked at ILM, creating matte paintings for films such as Pirates of the Caribbean and Evan Almighty. From there, she designed concept environments for games such as, Call of Duty, Star Trek Online, Neverwinter Online, among others.

She began her teaching in 2015 when she developed an advanced digital painting tutorial on Pluralsight, and her passion for environments led her to create fine art works for exhibitions in galleries, museums and national parks. Currently, in addition to working on commercial and independent projects, she teaches at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.

Rodolfo Montalvo has been working as a children’s book illustrator and writer for nearly a decade and has multiple published books and several more on the way. His published works have been produced in collaboration with imprints that include Atheneum of Simon & Schuster, Viking of Penguin Random House, and Roaring Brook Press of Macmillan.

Rodolfo is currently an adjunct faculty at Laguna College of Art and Design in the Entertainment Arts and Illustration departments, and an affiliate faculty at Antioch University, Los Angeles in the Creative Writing MFA Program.

To learn more about Rodolfo and to view his illustration works go to www.rodolfomontalvo.com.

Michael Overman is an accomplished Creative Director, Art Director and Show Designer with 17 years of experience in Themed Entertainment. He is a graduate of Art Center College of Design with a BFA in Illustration with emphasis in Entertainment Design. Michael demonstrates a passion to create astounding attractions, places and experiences. He strives to lead design and champion creative, all while providing quality art direction from concept through production to installation. He has collaborated, designed, worked and installed many multi-million dollar experiences, attractions, lands and parks both domestically and internationally. He currently works for Hasbro as a Creative Manager in Location Based Entertainment. And has also worked for other Fortune 500 companies such as Walt Disney Imagineering, Universal Creative and 20th Century Fox.

Michael worked on notable projects and held roles as Art Director on ""Test Track presented by Chevrolet"" Epcot, Walt Disney World Florida. Field Art Director on ""Roaring Rapids and Challenge Trail"" Adventure Isle, Shanghai Disney Resort China. Lead Creative Designer on ""Iron Man Experience"" Tomorrowland, Hong Kong Disneyland China. Creative Director on ""Blue Sky Zone"" Genting Skyworlds, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia. Creative Director on ""Avatar: The Experience” a traveling exhibit. Show Designer on ""Epic Universe"" Universal Orlando Resort, Florida scheduled to open in 2025. Michael received two Thea Awards in 2017, both for Outstanding Achievement, Theme Park: Shanghai Disneyland and Attraction: Camp Discovery, Shanghai Disneyland.

Andrew Pena is a Background Designer at Warner Brothers by day and a plein air painter the rest of the time. He paints because it keeps him sane and it's his form of meditation. Whether it is a landscape, cityscape, or interior painting, he loves to focus on the light and shapes that give each location its feeling.

Todd Smith is a seasoned artist who has worked as a concept illustrator and fine artist since 1998. He has worked in film and television in addition to showing his work in galleries. Todd studied Art History at UCLA, Drawing and Painting at Claremont Graduate University, and Entertainment Design at Art Center College of Design.

Andrew Dat Tran is a Laguna College of Art + Design Entertainment Design alum and works in games, film, and television. He has contributed to clients including Marvel, 343 Industries, Turtle Rock Studios, AMC Networks, Comedy Central, Adult Swim, and more. Andrew currently works as a Background Painter at Titmouse Inc., as an adjunct professor at LCAD, and as a Freelance Concept Artist and Illustrator. He loves working in Blender and Virtual Reality and is always on the lookout for new fun tools to create and play with. Andrew is passionate about technology, education, and storytelling, and is a perpetual student who’s always learning.

Renae Wang is a California-based artist working in oil. Her subject matter focuses on nocturnal landscapes and “non-places” like gas stations, diners, and airports. Her work is characterized by exaggerated colors, vibrant artificial lights, and immersive compositions with first-person point of view. These nocturnal paintings explore the universal human condition of isolation, as well as its relationship with public spaces of transience. The viewer either becomes the one observing a solitary figure or the one being isolated.

Renae started receiving professional art training at an early age. She recently received her master’s degree in Painting from Laguna College of Art and Design. Prior to that, she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and had built her traditional art skills at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, the oldest art institution in the United States. During her graduate and undergraduate studies, Renae was granted multiple awards for her figure painting skills, which includes the Earl T. Donelson Figure Painting Award, the Susan MacDowell Eakins Figure Painting Award, the Taft Award, and the Campbell Scholarship. Her work in the Annual Student Exhibition at the Academy is collected by art connoisseurs in the Greater Philadelphia region.