Games Art with Foundation

Games art is the visual creative discipline at the heart of the games industry, responsible for every element of a game's appearance: the characters, environments, props, user interfaces, and visual effects that create the world players inhabit. It combines traditional artistic skills, including drawing, composition, and colour theory, with the technical competence to create real-time three-dimensional assets that perform well on modern hardware. Games artists must understand both the artistic and technical constraints of their medium, producing work that is visually compelling within strict technical boundaries.

At the University of Westminster, this four-year, full-time programme begins with a foundation year, which provides students from non-traditional art and design backgrounds with the creative and technical foundations needed before progressing to the main degree. As you advance through the programme, you will develop skills in character design, environment modelling, texture and material creation, and the workflows used in professional game development. The programme includes a sandwich year and work placement opportunities, giving you professional industry experience before you graduate, which in a competitive creative sector is crucial for building a portfolio and professional network.

The typical entry tariff is 104 UCAS points.

Games art graduates work as character artists, environment artists, concept artists, texture artists, technical artists, and art directors in game studios of all sizes, from major console and PC developers to mobile game companies. The skills developed are also relevant in visual effects, animation, virtual reality, and the broader interactive media sector. Many graduates build portfolios that reflect both artistic range and technical proficiency, and this combination is what the industry most consistently seeks.

Postgraduate options include games art, animation, and digital arts programmes for those who want to develop further.