Game – Art Program (G119)

2020-20212021-2022
  • Program Name:
    Game – Art
  • Code: G119
  • Credential:
    Ontario College Advanced Diploma
  • Method of Study:
    Full-time
  • Duration:
    3 years (6 semesters)
  • Centre:
    Arts, Design & Information Technology
  • School:
    Design
  • Location: Waterfront Campus
  • Starting Months: January, September
  • Domestic Tuition:
    $8,741.00 *
  • Fall 2020 Delivery Method:
    Online (on-campus activities will resume as soon as it is safe to do so)
Print ProgramAttend an Info SessionBook a Campus Tour

Compare up to 3 programs

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Overview

Program Overview

Video games have become one of the leading forms of artistic expression in the 21st century. Game art requires a combination of talents, hard work and passion. The Game – Art three-year advanced diploma is a rigorous program of study that focuses on the principles and techniques of video game art creation required to break into the industry.

Full Description

Video games have become one of the leading forms of artistic expression in the 21st century. Game development requires a combination of talents, hard work and passion. The Game - Art three-year advanced diploma is a rigorous program of study that focuses on the principles and techniques of video game art creation required to break into the industry.

Students will develop both 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional artistic abilities by learning concept art, sprite and pixel art, modelling, texturing, animation and level design. Taught by faculty with industry experience and mentored by local game industry leaders, students will develop games for commercial, educational and other purposes.

Students will have the unique opportunity to develop commercial quality games in a simulated video game studio environment, at times working with industry partners and game programmers. In the second year, students choose whether to specialize in game modelling or game animation.

Prior to graduation, each student will assemble a portfolio/demo of their creative work demonstrating their ability in game development and highlighting their chosen area of specialization. It is anticipated that graduates of the Game Development program will find employment in the game industry at entry-level positions.

Your Field Education Options

Students with approved portfolios are eligible for non-mandatory external field placements in Semester 5 and/or Semester 6.

Program Learning Outcomes

The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

  1. Analyze the differences in game genres in order to develop games that meet the needs of specific markets.
  2. Analyze the history of video games to compare various approaches to game development.
  3. Support the development of games by identifying and relating concepts from a range of industry roles – programming, design, and art.
  4. Contribute as an individual and a member of a game development team to the effective completion of a game development project.
  5. Develop strategies for ongoing personal and professional development to enhance work performance in the games industry.
  6. Perform all work in compliance with relevant statutes, regulations, legislation, industry standards and codes of ethics.

Courses

Required Courses

YEAR 1

SEMESTER 1

 
Code Course name
DESN1037 Drawing I
DESN1084 2D Digital Art I
DESN1118 Introduction to Modelling
DESN1130 Interactive Prototyping I
DESN1083 Studio Lab 1
COMM1007 College English

SEMESTER 2

 
Code Course name
DESN1038 Drawing II
DESN2015 2D Digital Art II
DESN1119 Introduction to Animation
DESN1131 Interactive Prototyping II
DESN1086 Studio Lab 2
GHUM1029 Design Culture

GAME MODELLING SPECIALIZATION

YEAR 2

SEMESTER 3

 
Code Course name
DESN2012 Environment Modelling I
DESN1132 Game Art and Architecture I
DESN2014 Level Design I
DESN2010 Texturing and Shading I
DESN2013 Studio Lab 3
GNED General Education Elective

SEMESTER 4

 
Code Course name
DESN2018 Environment Modelling II
DESN1133 Game Art and Architecture II
DESN2016 Level Design II
DESN2011 Texturing and Shading II
DESN2017 Studio Lab 4
GHUM1089 Sequential Arts

YEAR 3

SEMESTER 5

 
Code Course name
DESN3014 3D Sculpting I
DESN3016 Organic Modelling I
DESN3018 Technical Art for Game Engines 1
DESN3020 Cinematics I
DESN3010 Studio Lab 5
DESN3022 Game Portfolio Design

SEMESTER 6

 
Code Course name
DESN3015 3D Sculpting II
DESN3017 Organic Modelling II
DESN3024 Technical Art for Game Engines 2
DESN3021 Cinematics II
DESN3012 Studio Lab 6
GNED General Education Elective

GAME ANIMATION SPECIALIZATION

YEAR 2

SEMESTER 3

 
Code Course name
DESN2019 Body Mechanics 1
DESN2020 Rigging I
DESN2014 Level Design I
DESN1136 Motion Capture 1
DESN2013 Studio Lab 3
GNED General Education Elective

SEMESTER 4

 
Code Course name
DESN2022 Body Mechanics 2
DESN2021 Rigging II
DESN2016 Level Design II
DESN1137 Motion Capture 2
DESN2017 Studio Lab 4
GHUM1089 Sequential Arts

YEAR 3

SEMESTER 5

 
Code Course name
DESN3018 Technical Art for Game Engines 1
DESN3029 Character Animation 1
DESN3027 Character Acting I
DESN3020 Cinematics I
DESN3010 Studio Lab 5
DESN3022 Game Portfolio Design

SEMESTER 6

 
Code Course name
DESN3024 Technical Art for Game Engines 2
DESN3030 Character Animation 2
DESN3028 Character Acting II
DESN3021 Cinematics II
DESN3012 Studio Lab 6
GNED General Education Elective

General Education Electives

Detailed course outlines

Career & Postgraduate Study Opportunities

Your Career

Graduates of this program will have acquired the necessary skills to be employed in various game and digital media studios, with careers in:

  • Character art
  • 2D environment art
  • 3D environment art
  • 3D modelling
  • 3D animation
  • Character modelling
  • Level design
  • Cinematic animation
  • Special effects
  • Texture design
  • User interface design
  • Quality assurance

Educational Pathways

Game - Art Program Educational Path Diagram

Future Study Options

Graduates may be eligible for admission into George Brown postgraduate programs. Students who successfully complete this program with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher may be eligible for direct admission into the Game Design program.

Tuition and Fees

Domestic Tuition

$8,741.00 *

Additional Costs

* Amounts listed are the total of tuition, materials (non-refundable), student service and ancillary fees for the first two semesters of programs starting in Fall 2019. Fees are subject to change for programs starting in Fall 2020 and at later dates.

The fees include a subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud, a Wacom Intuos Pro Medium Tablet, Digital Tutors subscription and a membership to IGDA.

International students: Visit the International Fees and Related Costs page for more information.

International Students

Visit the International Fees and Related Costs page for more information. 

Financial Assistance

This program is approved for OSAP funding, provided the applicant meets OSAP eligibility criteria.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this website is subject to change without notice. It should not be viewed as a representation, offer or warranty. Students are responsible for verifying George Brown College fee requirements.

How to Qualify and Apply

Admission Requirements

Applicants are selected on the basis of their academic achievement, including the required courses, and any other selection criteria outlined below.

* Qualified applicants will be invited to complete the application questionnaire and submit a portfolio electronically. Details on the application questionnaire and portfolio requirements will be communicated at a later date to qualified applicants, as part of the review process.

** Mature Student status (19 years of age or older and no OSSD)

Please note that George Brown is committed to ensuring that applicants will succeed in their program of choice and meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to the program. Applicants may be required to have grades higher than the minimum requirements stated.

Course Exemptions

College or university credits may qualify you for course exemptions. Please visit georgebrown.ca/transferguide for more information.

International Students

Visit the International Admissions page for more information.

Apply to

Domestic students should apply through Ontario Colleges

International Students

Visit the International Admissions page for more information regarding country specific admission requirements.  

How to Apply

Domestic students should apply through Ontario Colleges

International Students

Visit the How to Apply page for more information on how and when to apply. 

International students should apply through the George Brown College Online Application System.

Student Success

David Kolodko, 2017 Graduate

“At George Brown my professors were all people who worked, or are still working, in the industry allowing me to learn about it in its current form. Even now, working in the industry myself, some of the professors I had are now my coworkers. They taught me all the aspects of the development pipeline on top of my specialization helping me work comfortably between departments in the studio. Most importantly, I not only learned the software I need but learned how to learn, enabling me to quickly adapt to all sorts of complex and proprietary software and engines.”

Alexandra Kornilova, 2016 Graduate

“I grew up gaming. It's always been a huge part of my life, and I knew this was where I would end up eventually. The instructors at George Brown are all industry veterans and have a ton of experience. They keep up with the latest game technology. In fact, I'm working with one of my professors at Ubisoft right now."

Read more about Alexandra’s journey here.

Contact Us

School of Design

Phone: 416-415-5000, ext. 3129

Email: game@georgebrown.ca

For more information about George Brown College, you may also call the Contact Centre at 416-415-2000 (TTY 1-877-515-5559) or long distance 1-800-265-2002.

International Students

Contact one of our international recruitment representatives specializing by country of origin by either booking a virtual meeting or submitting an inquiry. For more information visit the International Contact Us page

Visit Our Campus

This program is part of our School of Design, located at our Waterfront Campus, at 3 Lower Jarvis St., Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

School of Design Building

The School of Design resides in a new 103,000-square-foot facility in the Daniels Waterfront – City of the Arts development. This state-of-the-art building supports academic programs and industry projects with features such as:

  • Virtual and augmented reality lab
  • Usability and testing lab
  • Future Ways of Living lab
  • Peer tutor lab
  • Digital Sandbox
  • Incubators
  • Prototyping and workshop spaces
  • Design and innovation showcase spaces

Come and have your questions answered, learn about the program content and career options, meet your friendly professors and staff, and experience what it is like to be in a George Brown College classroom at one of our information sessions. You can also book a campus tour.

Sign up and learn more about your options, our programs, and life at George Brown.

Game – Art Program (G119)

2020-20212021-2022
Print ProgramBook a Campus Tour

Compare up to 3 programs

Add to ComparisonOpen Comparison

Overview

Program Overview

Video games have become one of the leading forms of artistic expression in the 21st century. Game art requires a combination of talents, hard work and passion. The Game – Art three-year advanced diploma is a rigorous program of study that focuses on the principles and techniques of video game art creation required to break into the industry.

Full Description

Video games have become one of the leading forms of artistic expression in the 21st century. Game development requires a combination of talents, hard work and passion. The Game - Art three-year advanced diploma is a rigorous program of study that focuses on the principles and techniques of video game art creation required to break into the industry.

Students will develop both 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional artistic abilities by learning concept art, sprite and pixel art, modelling, texturing, animation and level design. Taught by faculty with industry experience and mentored by local game industry leaders, students will develop games for commercial, educational and other purposes.

Students will have the unique opportunity to develop commercial quality games in a simulated video game studio environment, at times working with industry partners and game programmers. In the second year, students choose whether to specialize in game modelling or game animation.

Prior to graduation, each student will assemble a portfolio/demo of their creative work demonstrating their ability in game development and highlighting their chosen area of specialization. It is anticipated that graduates of the Game Development program will find employment in the game industry at entry-level positions.

Your Field Education Options

Students with approved portfolios are eligible for non-mandatory external field placements in Semester 5 and/or Semester 6.

Program Learning Outcomes

The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

  1. Analyze the differences in game genres in order to develop games that meet the needs of specific markets.
  2. Analyze the history of video games to compare various approaches to game development.
  3. Support the development of games by identifying and relating concepts from a range of industry roles – programming, design, and art.
  4. Contribute as an individual and a member of a game development team to the effective completion of a game development project.
  5. Develop strategies for ongoing personal and professional development to enhance work performance in the games industry.
  6. Perform all work in compliance with relevant statutes, regulations, legislation, industry standards and codes of ethics.

Courses

Required Courses

YEAR 1

SEMESTER 1

 
Code Course name
DESN1037 Drawing I
DESN1084 2D Digital Art I
DESN1118 Introduction to Modelling
DESN1130 Interactive Prototyping I
DESN1083 Studio Lab 1
COMM1007 College English

SEMESTER 2

 
Code Course name
DESN1038 Drawing II
DESN2015 2D Digital Art II
DESN1119 Introduction to Animation
DESN1131 Interactive Prototyping II
DESN1086 Studio Lab 2
GHUM1029 Design Culture

GAME MODELLING SPECIALIZATION

YEAR 2

SEMESTER 3

 
Code Course name
DESN2012 Environment Modelling I
DESN1132 Game Art and Architecture I
DESN2014 Level Design I
DESN2010 Texturing and Shading I
DESN2013 Studio Lab 3
GNED General Education Elective

SEMESTER 4

 
Code Course name
DESN2018 Environment Modelling II
DESN1133 Game Art and Architecture II
DESN2016 Level Design II
DESN2011 Texturing and Shading II
DESN2017 Studio Lab 4
GHUM1089 Sequential Arts

YEAR 3

SEMESTER 5

 
Code Course name
DESN3014 3D Sculpting I
DESN3016 Organic Modelling I
DESN3018 Technical Art for Game Engines 1
DESN3020 Cinematics I
DESN3010 Studio Lab 5
DESN3022 Game Portfolio Design

SEMESTER 6

 
Code Course name
DESN3015 3D Sculpting II
DESN3017 Organic Modelling II
DESN3024 Technical Art for Game Engines 2
DESN3021 Cinematics II
DESN3012 Studio Lab 6
GNED General Education Elective

GAME ANIMATION SPECIALIZATION

YEAR 2

SEMESTER 3

 
Code Course name
DESN2019 Body Mechanics 1
DESN2020 Rigging I
DESN2014 Level Design I
DESN1136 Motion Capture 1
DESN2013 Studio Lab 3
GNED General Education Elective

SEMESTER 4

 
Code Course name
DESN2022 Body Mechanics 2
DESN2021 Rigging II
DESN2016 Level Design II
DESN1137 Motion Capture 2
DESN2017 Studio Lab 4
GHUM1089 Sequential Arts

YEAR 3

SEMESTER 5

 
Code Course name
DESN3018 Technical Art for Game Engines 1
DESN3029 Character Animation 1
DESN3027 Character Acting I
DESN3020 Cinematics I
DESN3010 Studio Lab 5
DESN3022 Game Portfolio Design

SEMESTER 6

 
Code Course name
DESN3024 Technical Art for Game Engines 2
DESN3030 Character Animation 2
DESN3028 Character Acting II
DESN3021 Cinematics II
DESN3012 Studio Lab 6
GNED General Education Elective

Detailed course outlines

General Education Electives

Detailed course outlines

Career & Postgraduate Study Opportunities

Your Career

Graduates of this program will have acquired the necessary skills to be employed in various game and digital media studios, with careers in:

  • character art
  • 2D environment art
  • 3D environment art
  • 3D modelling
  • 3D animation
  • character modelling
  • level design
  • cinematic animation
  • special effects
  • texture design
  • user interface design
  • quality assurance

Future Study Options

Graduates may be eligible for admission into George Brown postgraduate programs. Students who successfully complete this program with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher may be eligible for direct admission into the Game Design program.

Tuition and Fees

Domestic Tuition

$9,484.00 *

Additional Costs

* Amounts listed are the total of tuition, materials (non-refundable), student service and ancillary fees for the first two semesters of programs starting in Fall 2018. Fees are subject to change for programs starting in Fall 2019 and at later dates.

International students: Visit the International Fees and Related Costs page for more information.

International Students

Visit the International Fees and Related Costs page for more information. 

Financial Assistance

This program is approved for OSAP funding, provided the applicant meets OSAP eligibility criteria.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this website is subject to change without notice. It should not be viewed as a representation, offer or warranty. Students are responsible for verifying George Brown College fee requirements.

How to Qualify and Apply

Admission Requirements

Applicants are selected on the basis of their academic achievement, including the required courses, and any other selection criteria outlined below.

* Qualified applicants will be invited to complete the application questionnaire and submit a portfolio electronically. Details on the application questionnaire and portfolio requirements will be communicated at a later date to qualified applicants, as part of the review process.

** Mature Student status (19 years of age or older and no OSSD)

Please note that George Brown is committed to ensuring that applicants will succeed in their program of choice and meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to the program. Applicants may be required to have grades higher than the minimum requirements stated.

Course Exemptions

College or university credits may qualify you for course exemptions. Please visit georgebrown.ca/transferguide for more information.

International Students

Visit the International Admissions page for more information.

International Students

Visit the International Admissions page for more information regarding country specific admission requirements.  

How to Apply

Apply To

Domestic students should apply through Ontario Colleges

International Students

Visit the How to Apply page for more information on how and when to apply. 

International students should apply through the George Brown College Online Application System.

Student Success

David Kolodko, 2017 Graduate

“At George Brown my professors were all people who worked, or are still working, in the industry allowing me to learn about it in its current form. Even now, working in the industry myself, some of the professors I had are now my coworkers. They taught me all the aspects of the development pipeline on top of my specialization helping me work comfortably between departments in the studio. Most importantly, I not only learned the software I need but learned how to learn, enabling me to quickly adapt to all sorts of complex and proprietary software and engines.”

Alexandra Kornilova, 2016 Graduate

“I grew up gaming. It's always been a huge part of my life, and I knew this was where I would end up eventually. The instructors at George Brown are all industry veterans and have a ton of experience. They keep up with the latest game technology. In fact, I'm working with one of my professors at Ubisoft right now."

Read more about Alexandra’s journey here.

Contact Us

School of Design

Phone: 416-415-5000, ext. 3129

Email: game@georgebrown.ca

For more information about George Brown College, you may also call the Contact Centre at 416-415-2000 (TTY 1-877-515-5559) or long distance 1-800-265-2002.

International Students

Contact one of our international recruitment representatives specializing by country of origin by either booking a virtual meeting or submitting an inquiry. For more information visit the International Contact Us page

Visit Our Campus

This program is part of our School of Design, located at our Waterfront Campus at 3 Lower Jarvis St.

Come and have your questions answered. Learn about the program content and career options, meet your friendly professors and staff, and experience what it is like to be in a George Brown College classroom at one of our information sessions. You can also book a tour of the campus or explore our virtual tour.

The new home of the School of Design

In 2019 the School of Design moved to the Daniels Waterfront—City of the Arts complex at our Waterfront Campus. This 103,000-square-foot facility houses our design programs and serves as a research hub. It also includes the following features:

  • Virtual and augmented reality lab
  • Usability and testing lab
  • Future Ways of Living lab
  • Peer Tutor lab
  • Digital Sandbox
  • Incubators
  • Prototyping and workshop spaces

Sign up and learn more about your options, our programs, and life at George Brown.

Explore related programs:
Digital Design – Game Design (Postgraduate) (G405)
Game – Programming (T163)
Graphic Design (G102)