Game Art

BA (Hons) Undergraduate Degree

UCAS Code I620

Start Date 01/09/2026

Duration 3 Years

UCAS Points 104-120

Places for September 2026. Start your journey today!

Course Overview

Are you passionate about games and eager to transform your creativity into a rewarding career? Futureworks offers an engaging Game Art degree designed to equip you with a versatile skill set, making you a sought-after talent in the industry.

If you’re currently studying art or a related creative subject in sixth form or college and want to elevate your artistic and design abilities whilst diving deep into the world of game development, this degree is perfect for you.

Our curriculum provides a comprehensive array of technical skills, allowing you to specialise in key disciplines within the games industry. You’ll be guided by our expert tutors, all of whom are active professionals in the field. This ensures our course content stays up-to-date with the latest industry trends, so you’re always learning skills that are relevant and in-demand.

Modules

What will I study?

3D Modelling for Game Art
3D Character Art
Digital Painting
3D Environment Art
Game Engines
Visual Design

Art Fundamentals (40 credits)

An introduction to the fundamentals of applied artistic knowledge, covering core principles such as form and volume, perspective, figure, gesture, light, and colour, alongside observational and life drawing workshops.

Introduction to 3D Modelling for Game Art (40 credits)

Designed to introduce you to basic modelling techniques with an industry-standard 3D modelling package and familiarise you with 3D modelling workflows. It aims to provide a solid foundation of game engine ready asset creation and enable you to create a portfolio of 3D modelled work.

Visual Design Fundamentals (20 credits)

This focuses on the foundational concepts of design, analysis successful practices, the theories behind good design, shape language, environmental design, character design and prop design which are all used in the creation of concept art. Framing the learning around constant iteration and development of ideas, formulating good design ideas and peer to peer feedback.

Historical Contextual Studies (20 credits)

This module encourages you to engage with the history of their mediums, with a chronological study of the history of art and their movements (placing the techniques you are learning against the backdrop of their historical development) and how these movements have influenced the visuals of games. Key skills like writing, research, referencing, and presentation skills are also developed.

3D Character Art (40 credits)

You will explore the forms of the human body, familiarising yourselves with the creation of a character through digital sculpting, detailing, retopologising, baking and texturing phases. This both strengthens the core understanding of anatomy as well as enriches the appreciation of how the production pipeline works.

3D Environment Art (40 credits)

Enhance your practical skills in 3D modelling and texturing software and analyse the process for preparing game art assets for use within a game engine. You will construct a level using a game engine, incorporating modular modelling, trim sheets and PBR (physics-based rendering) texturing.

Intermediate Visual Design (20 credits)

This module expands your visual design skills and introduces more advanced levels of concept design methodology and theory as well as allowing you to specialise in your chosen field within the realm of visual design and concept art.

Game Art Specialism (20 credits)

In this module you will be tasked with taking a project from beginning to end, writing your own brief, creating a project schedule and working independently. You will be guided through an independent brief which you will negotiate with your tutor which will allow you to choose your own game art specialism. This module will teach you how to write briefs, formulate schedules and manage your project.

Practical Research (20 credits)

To best prepare for the production elements of your Final Year Project (FYP), you will write your FYP brief along with rigorous research, testing, development, and self-education, relating to your brief requirements and developing skills sets. Along with this, you will write an academic journal, tracking their progression and reflect on their decisions and progress.

Major Project (40 credits)

This module is the actual execution of what was researched, developed, and practiced in the Practical Research module. Continuing to enforce the importance of project management, scheduling, and risk assessments, you will utilize all the practice from the previous module to create your best work. Effectively you will undertake work in this module that you want to pursue professionally in industry.

Professional Set Brief (20 credits)

You will choose from a variety of professional set briefs, either co-written with an external games development studio, or written by your tutor. The assignment would be an example of how briefs maybe written in that studio, with the specified requirements, terminology, milestones, expected deliverables. Briefs would be split into categories to allow you to follow your chosen specialisation but would run with the same strictness that would be expected in a studio environment.

Advanced Visual Design (20 credits)

This module aims to investigate and evaluate game art created by contemporary artists, building upon your visual design skills through the creation of a professional 2D game art portfolio. It enables you to create your own project briefs that are appropriate for and complement your chosen specialism and provides an opportunity to prepare portfolios in readiness for job interviews for game art roles within the industry.

Professional Development (20 credits)

A module focusing on getting you a job: everything from CVs, websites, showreels and portfolios, to how and where to network, interview practice and how to find work as a freelancer.

“I’ve had a fantastic time studying game art at Futureworks, brilliant mentorship and guidance from the tutors has given me the skillset needed to fulfil my dream job as a concept artist. The course was really interesting and taught me all the essential skills and workflows needed to be a useful asset to any studio.”

Lucas Street
Concept Artist at Conductr
BA (Hons) Game Art

Careers

Where can this degree take me?

With such a broad range of artistic abilities under your belt, it is difficult to list all the roles in this growing industry that are available. However, successful graduates from the Game Art degree will be in pole position to become 2D Artists, 3D Environment Artists, 3D Character Artists and 3D Technical Artists. With opportunities becoming widely available both in the UK and overseas, this is the course that could allow you to become part of the next generation of inspirational Game Artists.

Gallery

We are proud to showcase our students work

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Complete the short form below and we'll be in touch within a few days to get you started on your application journey.

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Entry Requirements

To be considered for this course, you will require 104-120 UCAS points.

This could be gained via a number of qualifications, for example:

BCC or above at A2 Level
DMM or above at Extended Diploma Level
M or above at UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma Level
A proven interest in this area

You can apply for this course by applying directly to Futureworks. Alternatively, you can apply via the UCAS system. The UCAS codes for this course are as follows:-

UCAS Code: I620

Institution Code: F98

If you have any questions please call us  on 0161 214 4602 or email admissions@futureworks.ac.uk

If your application is successful, you will be invited to an interview where you will have the opportunity to talk about your work, influences and interests. A guide will be sent with your interview details to help you prepare for your interview. Ideal applicants will have a keen interest in art, design, and video games. You will be asked to bring any relevant examples of work with you, in the form of a portfolio. The portfolio is required for this course and applications will not be considered without the provision of a portfolio.

In addition to the interview, you will be asked to complete an art test. This will not take too much of your time and is designed to assess your creativity. You can complete the test at home and email your image to the Programme Leader.

For your portfolio we recommend including some observational drawing, ideally life drawings. For any work that is large format or difficult to scan please take clear well-lit photographs of the pieces.

As well as including work done for school or college we like to see personal art so feel free to include original character work, personal illustrations or original fan art (i.e. art not copied from something). Experience in digital drawing/painting or 3D is not necessary prior to starting the degree, but if you have explored any of these avenues already then we’d love to see them. We like to see 8 or more finished pieces and take the presentation of the work into account.

Game Art

BA (Hons) Undergraduate Degree

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