Games Art

Games art is a specialist design and visual arts discipline concerned with creating the visual content that makes video games come alive, including characters, environments, vehicles, weapons, props, and all the visual elements that constitute a game's aesthetic world. It is a craft that combines drawing and traditional art skills with mastery of three-dimensional modelling, texturing, lighting, and the technical processes needed to produce assets that function within real-time game engines. Games art is central to the success of games as commercial and creative products, since the visual quality and coherence of a game's world are critical to the experience it delivers.

At Nottingham Trent University, this three-year full-time programme develops your skills across the full range of games art disciplines through studio practice and project-based learning in a professionally equipped environment. You will study drawing and observational art skills alongside digital tools for 3D modelling, texturing, rigging, and animation, developing the technical versatility to work across the different specialisms that games art studios require. You will also gain an understanding of game engine environments, production pipelines, and the collaborative processes through which games are made, preparing you for the realities of working in a team-based industry.

Portfolio development is central to the programme, since it is your body of work rather than simply your degree that will open doors in the games industry.

Games art graduates work as character artists, environment artists, concept artists, technical artists, and generalist 3D artists in games studios across the full spectrum of the industry, from mobile and independent development to console and PC productions. Nottingham Trent's industry connections and the practical focus of the programme support graduates in making the transition from study to professional work. Further study at postgraduate level is also an option for those wishing to specialise in particular areas of visual effects, game art, or digital media.