Computer Games Art

Computer games art is the creative and technical discipline that produces the visual content of video games, from character models and environment assets to textures, lighting and visual effects. While games programming focuses on code and systems, games art focuses on the look, feel and aesthetic experience of the game world, requiring practitioners who are both skilled visual artists and technically fluent in the tools and pipelines of the games industry. The quality of games art has become a major competitive differentiator in an industry that now rivals cinema in scale and cultural reach.

At Anglia Ruskin University this three-year, full-time programme teaches you to move from initial concept and design through to game-ready assets, working with industry-leading software including Unreal Engine 5, Autodesk Maya, ZBrush and Adobe Substance Painter. You will develop skills in 3D modelling, texturing, rigging, environment design, concept art and visual effects, building the technical and artistic range that games studios expect from junior artists. You will work through the full production pipeline, understanding how art assets are created, optimised and integrated into game engines, and you will build a professional portfolio that demonstrates your abilities across different visual disciplines and game genres.

Graduates of games art programmes find employment as 3D modellers, environment artists, character artists, texture artists, concept artists, technical artists and visual effects artists across console, PC, mobile and online game studios. Many also apply their skills in adjacent sectors including film and television visual effects, architectural visualisation, product design and virtual and augmented reality development. Some graduates go on to postgraduate study in games design, animation or fine art, while others build freelance practices or move into art direction and senior creative roles after gaining industry experience.