LCAD
LCAD’s BFA program in Game Art provides a safe and collaborative environment in which you may reach your full creative potential and make the interactive worlds you have always dreamed about.
Our Game Art program is driven by an inspiring community of talented students who challenge one another and by faculty who will motivate you to create work you never thought possible.
Our instructors are a combination of awe inspiring game industry veterans who lead students in cutting edge game techniques and spectacular creatives from other walks of life who will keep you thinking about different approaches to designing in the real world.
Chair of Game Art
Jason is a designer and educator with a background in architecture and mechanization. He began his journey with LCAD in 2016 when he enrolled in the MFA in Game Design program. Since graduation, he has taught in both the graduate and undergraduate game programs and ultimately took on the role of Chair for the BFA Game Art program in the summer of 2020. He has rendered services in a number of different realms ranging from architecture, brand development, animation, games, and of course, academia. With two decades of teaching experience, Jason has influenced and aided thousands of students towards their goals and aspirations and into their careers.
The Art of Costume is a cross-disciplinary studio course that explores character silhouette, costume, and the draped figure. The content of the class considers both the aesthetic and cultural ramifications of costume, and studies the dressed human form and its context through historic and contemporary periods. The course studies as its topic not only the most basic of subject matter in art history, but also reaches into the fields of theater, film, fashion, costume design, and skins for games.
In this course students will learn the fundamentals of landscape painting in addition to concepts and skills that are commonly used when creating environment designs for outdoor locations and client work. Students will learn to study light and simplify complex organic forms into manageable designs using limited value systems and color theory. Students will study on site from life, and they will learn to use reference so they can practice landscape painting in a studio setting. These resources include understanding how to work from photography and online resources such as mapcrunch and pinterest. The primary software used is Photoshop, but other digital painting software can be explored.
This course offers an introduction to the conceptual process of environment design for video games. Environment concept artists for the game industry skillfully combine real world logic and design techniques to create unique and compelling environments, interiors, exteriors, props, and vehicles for a variety of stories and historical eras. This requires a dynamic understanding of industrial design and illustration skills to cohesively understand how things are built, and to visually communicate proper design elements through drawing, and show narrative aspects of the design. Students will create original design solutions through silhouettes, thumbnail sketches, and renderings to support a comprehensive visual narrative. Students will obtain a solid understanding of how to create original environments utilizing traditional methods, available technology, and 3D visualization techniques to create layouts.
This course offers an intense investigation and deep dive into character design principles. Students will design unique and imaginative characters suited to the game and entertainment industry as a whole. Students begin with preliminary sketches and construction drawings, which are then refined to create finished character concepts consisting of turnarounds, facial expressions, callouts, and more. A variety of styles are explored. Emphasis is on working from one’s imagination, expanding their visual library, and strengthening their drawing and presentation skills.
This course investigates facial structure, proportions of the face and describing likeness, describing the figure using light and shadow, foundations of painting in gouache, color theory and color harmony, anatomical studies, foreshortening, composition, and the figure in the environment. Students learn to make visual and artistic decisions in the context of historical and contemporary figure drawing and painting styles.
The Senior Capstone experience is designed to foster intellectual, conceptual, and artistic self-reflection by the graduating senior as they contemplate, articulate and expound on the meaning, value, and purpose of their Senior Portfolio Project. There are two major components to the class: the writing of a major essay (with drafts and related assignments) comprising a detailed, in-depth, analytical explication of the student’s Senior Portfolio Project or Thesis Film focusing on the student's creative intent and processes involved, followed by a formal oral defense of the same. The student must receive a passing grade on both the essay and the oral defense in order to pass the class and graduate. Senior Capstone must be taken concurrently with the student’s final Portfolio/Thesis class so that the work being done in one class simultaneously informs the work being done in the other. This class is graded pass/no pass. A passing grade in Senior Capstone is required in order to graduate with a degree. Senior Capstone may not be taken as Independent Study.
This is an analytical approach to Literature found across the globe. The coursework will include readings, discussions, reactions, and essays, all focused on writers who have helped to mold the contemporary works of World Literature. Readings will include novels and short stories.
From memoirs to fantasy and superheroes, graphic literature has come a long way in recent decades. This survey course takes a look at graphic literature and what it means to communicate story in visual images.
Human Sexuality is a course that combines lectures, films, discussions and research regarding our sexuality from physiological, psychological and sociological perspectives. Topics include history, anatomy, reproduction, cross-cultural perspectives, gender roles, myths, safety and variations in sexual expression.
Art: The lifeblood of creative expression. A world without art is a difficult scenario to imagine. But, behind any major art project is a transaction that requires business skill and legal knowledge. Students preparing for a career in the arts should be aware of their legal rights and responsibilities. This course will provide a detailed overview to the artist in the areas of copyright, trademark and right of publicity law. But that’s just part of the picture: the business aspect of managing an art portfolio and being able to uncover opportunities is essential to any successful career that uses art as its primary income source.
Human Diversity explores biological variation in modern humans, biological concepts of species and subspecies and the race concept from a social perspective. Following completion of this course you should have a greater understanding of the misuse of the term "race," an appreciation of human biological diversity, and a grasp of the adaptive nature of human variation.
This course will examine storytelling as our most powerful means of understanding ourselves and the world around us. Literature becomes the lens through which to view the human mind and the scientific mechanisms by which it operates—focusing on how we, as individuals, may come to understand (or misunderstand) ourselves. Students will learn the basic premises of psychology through the way humankind has told stories through great works of literature. Led by primary texts, students study story as touchstone to explore our human nature, just as the science of psychology does, finding truth and meaning about ourselves through the fictional lives of others. Some specific psychological topics will include identity, memory, crisis, depression, psychopathology, healing, and resilience, covered through the lens of the great writers and storytellers that came before us, including many not often taught.
This course provides an overview of the theories of human origins. Areas emphasized include human genetics, selective pressures, Darwinian gradualism, continental drift, migration patterns, mammals, comparative anatomy, and the fossil record. A quantitative approach is employed.
Designed to introduce students to a sociological understanding of how we build and live in communities. With a strong emphasis on the psychology of power structures, social institutions, social reasoning, and social constructivism, this course helps students to understand the role of the individual within the larger society. With a broad scope into the science of groups, topics may also include urgent current events to build a vivid understanding of the social interactivity in everyday life.
From the mystics of the East to the Classical philosophy of the west, this survey course takes a look at our cultures' attempts to understand the world we live in and how to live the good life.
This course is designed to provide students with a broad introduction to the coastal oceans of Orange County. As a part of the course work, students will observe and analyze physical processes and distribution of organisms in the intertidal and shallow zones, and document their findings. These findings will be translated into digital educational materials that will be made available to the public. Students will also investigate coastal processes, coastal marine ecosystems (kelp forests, the intertidal zone) and the impact of humans on the coastal ocean. Students will study the marine mammals that call the Orange County coast home, for migratory seasons, or for all of the year.
This course is an ecological survey of the native flora and fauna of our surrounding wilderness area. Students will collaborate as a research team to participate in the ecological restoration of a coastal sage scrub community, develop research questions, document results, and propose further research. The canyon offers a unique outdoor class environment, applied research opportunity, and a rewarding experience of engaged stewardship in our ecological community.
Economics, mathematics, and sociology combine to form the study of financial literacy. Knowing how to handle money, investments, retirement, and much more are covered in this course. Though money offers a shifting ground, this course should give you the ability to adapt to changing conditions.
This course explores the basic psychological concepts underlying human behavior and development. Students may gain an understanding of the history of the science of psychology and how it has advised our culture over the last century.
A survey of the cinema of the Americas, this examines film -- its filmmakers, time periods, themes, and genres as a touchstone for understanding the greater culture of American time and place, including the social conditions from which the art emerged and why it was important.
This course reviews basic concepts and processes in arithmetic as well as key concepts and questions in geometry. The course explores questions in the philosophy of mathematics regarding the nature of numbers, space, infinity, and truth, as well as topics of concern to artists such as proportion, the Golden Mean, and the mathematics of light.
This is a survey course of the Literature of the United States, and may focus on a specific author (or group of authors), time period, theme, or culture.
Dystopian novels are powerful and imaginative works that highlight a future we do not want to see. But they are more than just sci-fi. By exaggerating and distorting the logic of our present system, authors make strong political statements about the times we live in. This course will explore some of the pillars of dystopian literature and focus a critical eye on modern connections.
In the rapidly evolving world of creative industries, mastering the art of business and budgeting is crucial. This course is designed to bridge the gap between creative passion and business acumen. Through a blend of theoretical understanding and practical application, students will learn to navigate the financial aspects of their creative endeavors, from budgeting for projects to understanding the economics of the creative industry. This course empowers creatives with the knowledge to make sound business decisions, manage resources effectively, and sustain their artistic ventures in a competitive market.
How do environments influence our experience of the world? The spaces we occupy can be understood as characters in the stories of our lives. This course will examine the intersections between psychology, narratives, and environment. Environment is understood in its fullest sense, encompassing the built and natural world. encompassing intimate spaces, architecture and design, landscape, and the natural world. Students will read theory and research on environmental and narrative psychology, in connection with contextualizing material drawn from fiction, poetry and philosophy. A range of topics will be covered including: psychology of intimate versus public spaces, architecture and design, landscape, the natural world and the stories we tell to make sense of our relationship to it, and the psychology of climate change. As storytellers, students will gain deep insight into the ways in which the spaces we occupy, both in our lives and in our imaginations, shape the ways in which we make sense of our world.
Myths are the dreams of the people. And familiar faces and patterns — that is to say, archetypes — run rampant in these myths. To be familiar with myths and archetypes is to understand the foundations of what makes humans human. Through readings, lectures, discussions, and writing exercises, students will learn to recognize and analyze archetypal motifs that appear across cultures and time periods and understand their significance in shaping human thought and behavior. By exploring the power of myths to connect us with our past and illuminate the present, students will gain insights into the complexities of the human experience, and develop a deeper appreciation for the foundational stories that stir our emotions and inspire our actions.
The Science of Sight is a comprehensive overview of the visual phenomenon of eyesight incorporating information from disciplines of anatomy and health, history, psychology, sociology, natural science and computer science. Though topics outside of the discipline of art will be introduced, the primary intended audience are those who intend to focus their career in the visual arts. The class consists of lectures, mini-experiments, viewing of short films, group discussions, and student presentations. Guest lecturers for specific topics are encouraged when available.
No trait is more uniquely human than our ability to tell stories. Our ability to weave meaning into stories makes us human and gives us the social barometer for how one is expected to interact with the world.
The primary goal of this course is to provide practice in the basics of script writing, with a simultaneous exploration of various theories and techniques related to creating scripted stories and storytelling techniques. Students will become familiar with common terminologies and structures: beat sheets, treatments, outlines, pitches, One Act, 3-act, 4-act, Teleplays, Screenplays, Documentaries, Multi-media, Graphic Novels, etc. Students will be introduced to a variety of styles and devices via assigned readings by accomplished authors, with guided in-class discussions and group analyses of the craft at work in each piece (aspects such as structure, conflict, plot, character, point of view, setting, dialogue, voice, tone, narrative form). Students will be required to complete a variety of writing assignments and similarly take part in close critiques of each other's new writing, both in class and via written feedback composed away from class, providing textual analysis from both aesthetic and technical standpoints, articulating both emotional and intellectual responses to the works. Accomplished guest authors will visit the class to provide additional mentoring and inspiration. Excursions to public readings will augment classroom instruction. Class work may culminate in a formal publication and/or public performances (e.g., as part of LCAD's Literary Companions Reading Series). By the end of the semester students will have broadened their understanding of the genre from a writer's perspective, improved their mechanics in regards to craft, and perhaps even taken several giant steps closer to discovering their own unique voices and visions as authors. Similar to how the College Preparatory Writing classes are structured (and how other courses accommodate both undergraduate and graduate students in the same class), LCAD?s Creative Writing Workshops will be able to simultaneously accommodate students taking the course as an Introductory Workshop (at the 100 level, practicing the basic craft essentials) and those in the more Advanced levels (200, 300, 400, working on more complex aspects of technique and voice, longer pieces, or a collection of works). While all levels will benefit from group feedback and critiques, individual assignments will be appropriate to the enrolment level.
The primary goal of this course is to provide practice in the basics of non-fiction writing, with a simultaneous exploration of non-fiction's various theories and techniques. Students will become familiar with techniques and challenges related to a variety of non-fiction writing: biography, personal essay, memoir, historical profiles, newspaper reporting, magazine features, and critical reviews. Students will be introduced to a variety of styles and devices via assigned readings by accomplished authors, with guided in-class discussions and group analyses of the craft at work in each piece (aspects such as structure, conflict, plot, character, point of view, setting, dialogue, voice, tone, narrative form). Students will be required to complete a variety of writing assignments and similarly take part in close critiques of each other's new writing, both in class and via written feedback composed away from class, providing textual analysis from both aesthetic and technical standpoints, articulating both emotional and intellectual responses to the works. Accomplished guest authors will visit the class to provide additional mentoring and inspiration. Excursions to public readings will augment classroom instruction. Class work may culminate in a formal publication and/or public performances (e.g., as part of LCAD's Literary Companions Reading Series). By the end of the semester students will have broadened their understanding of the genre from a writer's perspective, improved their mechanics in regards to craft, and perhaps even taken several giant steps closer to discovering their own unique voices and visions as authors. Similar to how the College Preparatory Writing classes are structured (and how other courses accommodate both undergraduate and graduate students in the same class), LCAD's Creative Writing Workshops will be able to simultaneously accommodate students taking the course as an Introductory Workshop (at the 100 level, practicing the basic craft essentials) and those in the more Advanced levels (200, 300, 400, working on more complex aspects of technique and voice, longer pieces, or a collection of works). While all levels will benefit from group feedback and critiques, individual assignments will be appropriate to the enrolment level.
The primary goal of this course is to provide practice in the basics of fiction writing, with a simultaneous exploration of fiction's various theories and techniques. Students will be introduced to a variety of literary styles and devices via assigned readings by accomplished authors, with guided in-class discussions and group analyses of the craft at work in each piece (aspects such as structure, conflict, plot, character, point of view, setting, dialogue, voice, tone, narrative form). Students will be required to complete a variety of writing assignments and similarly take part in close critiques of each other's new writing, both in class and via written feedback composed away from class, providing textual analysis from both aesthetic and technical standpoints, articulating both emotional and intellectual responses to the works. Accomplished guest authors will visit the class to provide additional mentoring and inspiration. Excursions to public readings will augment classroom instruction. Class work may culminate in a formal publication and/or public performances (e.g., as part of LCAD's Literary Companions Reading Series). By the end of the semester students will have broadened their understanding of the genre from a writer's perspective, improved their mechanics in regards to craft, and perhaps even taken several giant steps closer to discovering their own unique voices and visions as authors. Similar to how the College Preparatory Writing classes are structured (and how other courses accommodate both undergraduate and graduate students in the same class), LCAD?s Creative Writing Workshops will be able to simultaneously accommodate students taking the course as an Introductory Workshop (at the 100 level, practicing the basic craft essentials) and those in the more Advanced levels (200, 300, 400, working on more complex aspects of technique and voice, longer pieces, or a collection of works). While all levels will benefit from group feedback and critiques, individual assignments will be appropriate to the enrolment level.
“Art Spotlight” is designed to zoom in to examine a specific artist, movement, or issue within the arts, or compare two or more artists, movements, or issues. The subject matter is narrow and the studies intense—like a spotlight. Example Art Spotlights include: Comedy Writing, Lyrics and Poetry, Postmodernism, the Grotesque, etc.
The primary goal of this course is to provide practice in the basics of writing in multiple genres, offering students a wide range of options for expressing their stories and words regardless of the forms they may take. While traditional structures and vehicles such as songwriting and spoken word performance art would be included, this class is meant to help encourage daring and difficult works that may push the boundaries of established forms and formalities. This may include multiple-disciplinary literature, literary artwork, installations, interactive works, intertextuality, and new media. Students will be encouraged to explore different avenues for their writing, understanding that there is no single "right way" to communicate a story, and that sometimes new inventions of form and even format is called for. Students will be required to complete a variety of writing assignments and similarly take part in close critiques of each other's new work, both in class and via written feedback composed away from class, providing textual analysis from both aesthetic and technical standpoints, articulating both emotional and intellectual responses to the works. Accomplished guest authors will visit the class to provide additional mentoring and inspiration. Excursions to public readings will augment classroom instruction. Class work may culminate in a formal publication and/or public performances (e.g., as part of LCAD?s Literary Companions Reading Series). By the end of the semester students will have broadened their understanding of the genre from a writer's perspective, improved their mechanics in regards to craft, and perhaps even taken several giant steps closer to discovering their own unique voices and visions as authors. Similar to how the College Preparatory Writing classes are structured (and how other courses accommodate both undergraduate and graduate students in the same class), LCAD?s Creative Writing Workshops will be able to simultaneously accommodate students taking the course as an Introductory Workshop (at the 100 level, practicing the basic craft essentials) and those in the more Advanced levels (200, 300, 400, working on more complex aspects of technique and voice, longer pieces, or a collection of works). While all levels will benefit from group feedback and critiques, individual assignments will be appropriate to the enrolment level.
Taking place either in New York City (with excursions to surrounding areas) or The West Coast (San Francisco mainly, with perhaps Oregon and Washington hops). 10-14 nights in June-July; cost approx. $4,600 for airfare and hotel (with all taxes and surcharges included), transportation between cities, all museum/gallery/event entrance fees, several dinners, a few tours, meet-and greets with established authors, and tuition for the 3-unit class. Likewise, this class could be taken by any student to fulfill the Liberal Arts elective, or applied to a Creative Writing minor. As the literary counterpart to ?The New York Scene? Art History course, we?d study the writing generated from each area visited, but assignments would be mainly student?s own creative writing, inspired by the writing, art, and culture of each place. New York is the literary and publishing capital of the world, so there would be lots to do and see and write about there?from the legendary reading series at the 92nd Street Y and bookstores galore, to tours of publishing houses and the campuses of Columbia and NYU, to an ?Oscar Wilde in New York Walking Tour? and Shakespeare in the Park. Readings might include selections from Paul Auster, Galway Kinnell, Sharon Olds, William Kennedy, Edgar Allan Poe, Sarah Vowell, David Foster Wallace, Walt Whitman. If we head north instead of east, most of the trip would be centered in San Francisco with its legendary literary scene -- City Light Bookstore, The Six Gallery, Marin County Poets -- and readings might include works by Kim Addonizio, Isabel Allende, Philip K. Dick, Dave Eggers, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, CB Follett, James Houston, Jack Kerouac, Jack London, Tupac Shakur, Mark Twain. This West Coast trip might include a leg to explore the literary scenes of Oregon (Richard Brautigan, William Everson, William Stafford, Gary Snyder, Vladimir Nabokov, Ken Kesey), and/or Washington (Raymond Carver, Tom Robbins). Similar to how the College Preparatory Writing classes are structured (and how other courses accommodate both undergraduate and graduate students in the same class), LCAD?s Creative Writing Workshops will be able to simultaneously accommodate students taking the course as an Introductory Workshop (at the 100 level, practicing the basic craft essentials) and those in the more Advanced levels (200, 300, 400, working on more complex aspects of technique and voice, longer pieces, or a collection of works). While all levels will benefit from group feedback and critiques, individual assignments will be appropriate to the enrolment level.
William Carlos Williams suggests, "It is difficult to get the news from poems yet men die miserably every day for lack of what is found there." In this class, nobody dies. Through lecture, discussion, and writing exercises, students address the following topics: rhythm, image, form, diction, metaphor, condensed language, denotation, and connotation — all keys to not only not dying but rather living a meaningful life.
The primary goal of this course is to provide practice in the basics of poetry writing, with a simultaneous exploration of poetry's various theories and techniques. Students will be introduced to a variety of literary styles and devices via assigned readings by accomplished authors, with guided in-class discussions and group analyses of the craft at work in each piece (aspects such as meter, structure, rhyme, voice, tone, free verse, lyric, and form). Students will be required to complete a variety of writing assignments and similarly take part in close critiques of each other?s new writing, both in class and via written feedback composed away from class, providing textual analysis from both aesthetic and technical standpoints, articulating both emotional and intellectual responses to the works. Accomplished guest authors will visit the class to provide additional mentoring and inspiration. Excursions to public readings will augment classroom instruction. Class work may culminate in a formal publication and/or public performances (e.g., as part of LCAD?s Literary Companions Reading Series). By the end of the semester students will have broadened their understanding of the genre from a writer's perspective, improved their mechanics in regards to craft, and perhaps even taken several giant steps closer to discovering their own unique voices and visions as authors. Similar to how the College Preparatory Writing classes are structured (and how other courses accommodate both undergraduate and graduate students in the same class), LCAD?s Creative Writing Workshops will be able to simultaneously accommodate students taking the course as an Introductory Workshop (at the 100 level, practicing the basic craft essentials) and those in the more Advanced levels (200, 300, 400, working on more complex aspects of technique and voice, longer pieces, or a collection of works). While all levels will benefit from group feedback and critiques, individual assignments will be appropriate to the enrolment level.
This course provides an introduction to the human body structure and its functions. Skeletal, muscular, circulatory, nervous, and reproductive systems are studied. Projects are intended to prepare students for their studio experiences in life-drawing and life-painting. No other course may be substituted.
According to Luis Buñuel, "Mystery is the essential element in all works of art." Mystery, then, is the thing that makes us ask questions, look closer, think in different ways, and consider other possibilities—a great resource for developing logic, reason, creative thinking, and empathy. This course will use mystery writing -- both fiction and nonfiction -- to explore the nuances of logic, rhetoric, and critical thinking. Through close readings of exemplary works, as well as hands-on writing exercises, students will learn how to identify, analyze, and evaluate arguments and evidence. The course will wrestle with the precision of language, alternative perspectives, fallacious reasoning, and logos, ethos, and pathos in analysis and narrative. Students will apply both inductive and deductive modes of reasoning to solve mysteries and craft their own compelling narratives.
In the end, we’ll all become stories, says Margaret Atwood. As such, it is essential that we understand the power of narrative and how to craft our own stories. This course explores various forms of narrative, including prose, oral traditions, scripts, and verse. Through close readings of exemplary works and hands-on writing exercises, students will gain an understanding of how to craft engaging narratives that capture the human experience in a variety of contexts. Topics covered will include narrative structure, theme and/or main idea, point of view, voice, and an exploration of how these elements are synthesized to maximize emotional, intellectual, and creative impact.
This course prepares students for the writing, reading, and analysis required in their undergraduate education by learning various methods of argumentation, logic, and inquiry. Students practice their reasoning skills in writing assignments and discussions that demand analysis via critical reasoning. Assigned readings focus on basic philosophical questions and issues facing thinkers in all academic disciplines. This course helps students discover that writing is a natural, creative, and meaningful activity that helps them learn about themselves and the world. Students also learn the importance of questioning and critiquing the words and ideas of others. Ultimately, students experience first-hand how critical reasoning enables them to become informed and educated citizens of the world, with the abilities to affect change via their own words and actions. Successful completion of this course is a prerequisite for all Liberal Arts & Art History courses.
This course is the first leg of a full-year writing requirement and focuses on exploratory writing and methods of rhetoric. The goal is to provide the groundwork for the more sophisticated writing and thinking that is required later in their academic careers, as well as to help students reach a level of expository prose writing deemed appropriate for the university level. Classes are conducted in a workshop setting where students explore issues of craft as it relates to the process of writing.
Directed Research and Writing (Course numbers LA103, 203, 303 & 403 for Liberal Arts and AH103, 203, 303, and 403 for Art History) will be able to be taken 1-3 units at a time, depending on the student's needs. These courses are not designed to teach an existing LA or AH course on an independent study basis. Rather, they will be similar to the graduate-level model, where we allow for specifically designed intensive studies in the student’s desired areas of interest. A student must be in good academic standing, have a mentor instructor who agrees to direct the study, and present to the mentor a proposed focus for the units earned; this then need then needs to be approved by both the instructor and chair. If approved, the instructor will craft the specifics re: assignments, workload, and learning outcomes for that semester’s study. Three units of credit would require roughly 5 books read and 5000-7000 words written over the course of the semester. Some of the writing could take the form of journals and more informal reflections, however a formal academic written analysis of some kind must be part of the writing produced. Also, museum visits or personal tours of artifacts, et. al, may stand in lieu of some of the readings. We would let the instructor determine the balance, depending on the materials and areas of study; each case would be unique. A student would be able to earn all units toward a minor via this "Directed Research and Writing" coursework (AH103 for the first 3 units, AH203 for the next 3, and so on); existing courses could also apply to the minor in any combination to reach the 12-unit total.
This course will prepare students for the artistic and technical requirements necessary for success in the unique discipline of character design. Students will be utilizing several different 3D programs for the entire creation process that promotes both stylized/hand-painted and realistic/PBR pipelines. Students will learn how to create functional and usable 3D characters for use in games and will gain valuable skills related to modeling and texturing of characters for video games.
This course will cover the process of creating and applying complex materials to models for implementation into standard game engines, with an emphasis on the Physically-Based Rendering (PBR) shader pipeline. Students will create 3D scenes in current standard game engines to demonstrate the vital impact of lighting in games, as well as the need to account for their cost in realtime rendering. The class will cover texturing techniques in a 3D application and shader creation with proper lighting in a game engine.
Students will further develop and refine their work and skills from Professional Studies, Senior Portfolio, and other relevant courses. Students will also hear from industry guest speakers on a variety of topics dealing with life in the industry and will gain a better understanding of best practices when it comes to finding, applying for, and interviewing for a job in the industry.
In this course the first and second semester seniors will have the opportunity to work on projects of their own design with the end product being a portfolio piece (or pieces) applicable for a competitive job in either some aspect of game art, modeling, concept art, or effects. With consideration to the students' area of concentration they will have the opportunity to focus their work as it applies to the field. This experience allows for hands-on utilization of theories received in the classroom, skills practiced in the studio and the students' creative energy in a professional setting. Students will be paired with faculty mentors and will gather other industry mentors to guide them and offer feedback and advice throughout the term.
In this course the first and second semester seniors will have the opportunity to work on projects of their own design with the end product being a portfolio piece (or pieces) applicable for a competitive job in either some aspect of game art, modeling, concept art, or effects. With consideration to the students' area of concentration they will have the opportunity to focus their work as it applies to the field. This experience allows for hands-on utilization of theories received in the classroom, skills practiced in the studio and the students' creative energy in a professional setting. Students will be paired with faculty mentors and will gather other industry mentors to guide them and offer feedback and advice throughout the term.
This course builds on GA306 (Real-Time VFX) by introducing the dark arts of lighting, node based VFX editors, and takes a deeper dive into how we can more effectively integrate shaders into node based systems. Students will again make a series of commonly used VFX with the new tech that this course introduces, and then will get to build their own mock art test!
This course will challenge students to expand the scope of their skill sets and workflows in the creation of production ready character assets, with emphasis on the high to low poly pipeline, and more complex characters and creatures. Students will refresh and expand their understanding of comparative anatomy, and its exaggeration and stylization for dramatic and gameplay purposes. Emphasis is placed on polishing high resolution assets to a professional finish, including small details, polypainting, hair, and clothing.
This course builds on the skills and techniques acquired in previous texture and painting courses. Students will create a high-quality 3D hand-painted environment and related assets from scratch to a polished finish.
This course further prepares students with the artistic and technical skills necessary to be successful professional 3D environment artists. Using 3D development software, students will increase their ability to create 3D models and implement them into game engines efficiently. Students will gain advanced skills related to modeling, texture creation and application, and animation for video games. The course will also make use of a level editor which will give students the opportunity to test and further their skills by using a real world application.
This course takes digital painting into advanced and specialized areas of the production pipeline. This class has a heavy emphasis on Photoshop's powerful masking and color-manipulation tools, which will be thoroughly explored. Techniques for manipulating photographic material into elaborate matte paintings and skyboxes, such as photobashing, will also be investigated and put into practice.
Conceptual Designers for the Game Industry and Film Industry skillfully illustrate and design unique and compelling environments, vehicles and props for all kinds of stories and eras. This requires a dynamic understanding of industrial design and illustration skills to cohesively understand how things are built; to visually communicate this through drawings and show narrative aspects of the design. This new course offers an introduction to the conceptual process of Environment Design for video games. Students will create original design solutions through silhouettes, sketches and renderings to support a comprehensive story. Students will obtain a solid understanding of how to create original environments utilizing the Wacom Tablet, create layouts digitally, and put together a visually compelling Environment Design Portfolio. Environment Design for games will showcase a step-by step process from raw form and thumbnails to fully finished illustrations. Specializing in video game ideation, Environment Design will be a digital class, using Adobe Photoshop CS3, Google Sketch up, and Autodesk Maya. This class will function as an efficient problem solving tool for game creation and will help to formulate personal process for creating strong workflow.
In collaboration with partnering schools and our graduate program, students work in development teams that reflect current industry practices. The teams are established to create demos and vertical slices of original games. This multi-university, cross curricular opportunity allows artists to work with designers, engineers, and other developers, resulting in a greater understanding and awareness of the game creation process in a team environment.
3D modeling software is deep and complex. This course focuses on further mastering the essential concepts, tools, and workflows of 3D hard surface and environment modeling in game development. This course will allow students to become comfortable with the complex interface of the 3D modeling software, so that they may have an easier time grasping the high-to-low poly pipeline for creating assets and environments for games. The focus is on the use of professional tools to create complex props for integration into game environments, from rough prototyping to final, textured assets. Aesthetics, construction, visual communication, light and form, and quality of work are stressed.
This class will build upon fundamental and foundational drawing skills to help students design advanced character, prop and environment concepts. Projects will strengthen students’ observational and conceptual drawing techniques alongside specific assignment requirements. Rigorous ideation processes and advanced principles of design will be the basis for finalizing concept art. Students will be building upon their own specific stylistic approaches to their designs, and will be mentored in their unique styles to strengthen the quality of their own work. Assignments require both traditional drawing tools and a digital painting program such as Adobe Photoshop or similar. 3D tools may be used as described by the instructor, and will require instructor approval on an assignment-by-assignment basis.
identify the differences between UX and UI as they create wireframes, prototypes, style guides, front-end menus, and heads up displays (HUDs). Students will design a FUI (Fantasy/Future/Fictional/User Interface) then prepare all the art assets for Unreal. This is an ideal course for those that are interested in learning about what it takes to be a UI/UX designer/artist in the video game industry.
This course will prepare students for the artistic and technical requirements necessary for success in the unique discipline of character design. Students will be utilizing several different 3D programs for the entire creation process that promotes both stylized/hand-painted and realistic/PBR pipelines. Students will learn how to create functional and usable 3D characters for use in games and will gain valuable skills related to modeling and texturing of characters for video games.
This course will cover efficient modeling and rendering for games, with an emphasis on the Physically-Based Rendering (PBR) shader pipeline. Students will create 3D worlds with an emphasis on mood and effects in current standard game engines to demonstrate the vital impact of lighting in game engines, as well as the need to account for their cost in realtime rendering. The class will cover quick modular modeling and texturing techniques in a 3D application, and set a mood with proper lighting and effects in a game engine.
This class continues to strengthen the knowledge of character animation and rigging for modern video games, and their impact on other departments within the game art pipeline. Students will learn the principles of animation as they apply to simple objects and fully articulated characters as well as create sophisticated custom rigs that can be tailored to specific animation needs. Emphasis is placed on acquiring practical, industry-relevant strategies for creating effective assets, the ability to prioritize goals and techniques in order to achieve results within time and budgetary constraints, and building a solid foundational knowledge of the crafts involved.
Real-Time VFX is a very focused game art discipline, and has been consistently one of the most in-demand roles sought after by studios. This course introduces beginners to digital wizardry with an overview of the most common and fundamental techniques used to bring fires, explosions, missiles, and all kinds of awesomeness to life in games! This class focuses on a series of exercises aimed at mastering these foundational elements. This course combines animation, texture painting, and modeling all together into one epic tempest!
In this course, students go through the development cycle of a 2D side scroller level. Projects involve concepting a cohesive idea, creating schedules, and creating a playable scene in a game engine. At the end of the course the student will have an understanding of the 2D production pipeline that can directly relate to various other disciplines in the game art program.
This course offers an intense investigation and deep dive into character design principles. Students will design unique and imaginative characters suited to the game and entertainment industry as a whole. Students begin with preliminary sketches and construction drawings, which are then refined to create finished character concepts consisting of turnarounds, facial expressions, callouts, and more. A variety of styles are explored. Emphasis is on working from one’s imagination, expanding their visual library, and strengthening their drawing and presentation skills.
'Building Worlds and The Power of Shape' Students will embark on the process of developing their own unique intellectual property based on a story of their choice. We will approach this process from a visual development standpoint, with the specific purpose of presenting this reinterpretation to contemporary audiences as a mass market entertainment property (game, film, etc.)
This course is designed to provide a foundation in historical period design style as it relates to architecture. Students will explore and visit period styles while developing skills of observation, analysis, identification, interpretation, and representation while drafting and creating architectural renderings. Students will use a number of different 2D mediums to create architectural Visualizations.
This course will cover efficient modeling and rendering for games, with an emphasis on the Physically-Based Rendering (PBR) shader pipeline. Students will create 3D worlds with an emphasis on mood and effects in current standard game engines to demonstrate the vital impact of lighting in game engines, as well as the need to account for their cost in realtime rendering. The class will cover quick modular modeling and texturing techniques in a 3D application, and set a mood with proper lighting and effects in a game engine.
Houdini is an advanced 3D software application focused on procedural generation as well as other animation, modeling, visual effects, simulation, and rigging tools. With the knowledge and implementation of this tool, students will be able to create procedurally generated interactive assets and/or environments full of atmosphere and story that can be directly implemented into numerous game engines.
This course harnesses the power of digital sculpting to create original characters and creatures from 3D rough iterations through final polished models. Starting with ideation, the student will create creatures and focus on their anatomy, mobility, attitude, skin, texture, and scale as they visually impact the viewer or player. The myriad of tools that ZBrush offers for organic and hard surface modeling, texture painting, cloth and fiber simulation, and procedural modeling will be introduced and used in a series of projects. Students will learn the advantages and disadvantages of the digital sculpting workflow versus the 3D modeling workflow, and practice rapid development of ideas and polish in ZBrush.
The World Development course is designed to develop and demonstrate the skills necessary to visually communicate story, setting, and other relevant context entirely through environment art. Those skills include, but are not limited to, believably (not necessarily realistically) rendering materials, set dressing/composition, scale, and attention to silhouette. Students will be asked to analyze and expand existing storytelling examples from films and games. In addition, they will develop and communicate entirely new stories through the use of props and environments. The course assignments, critique, and expected revisions of work will be modeled after standard practices of professional studio environments. This is not a “how to” modeling/texturing or painting class; students are expected to already have experience in either or both. This class can be used to expand those skills with industry-experienced feedback, but it is not the class' goal or focus. Students should feel free to focus entirely in 2D or 3D throughout the class; the principals taught are equally applicable to both mediums.
This course allows the students to participate in a class that is specifically developed to integrate an industry design contest, sponsorship and/or a special educational or academic opportunity with visiting instructors or experts to bring their expertise to the Game Art program.
In this course, the student will learn and polish the skills necessary to create hand-painted textures. Students will use texture editing systems to adhere and manipulate textures onto 3D forms. Students learn to make textures that compliment the geometry of a mesh, how to optimize a low poly mesh to support hand-painted textures, as well as tiling textures. Skillful use of color, the illusion of light and shadow, and other effects, and appealing brushwork will be developed to equip students to excel in the hand-painted pipeline.
This course will provide students with the artistic and technical skills required for being a successful 3D environment artist. Building on previous skills learned in 3D development, this course expands students’ abilities to craft professional quality assets for use in games. Students will gain valuable skills related to modeling, texture creation and application, and animation for video games. The course will also make use of a level editor, which will give students the opportunity to test and further their skills by implementing their work in a real world application.
This course covers the foundations of scripting for games, stressing fundamental computer programming principles with hands-on game development projects. An introduction to logical structures and design paradigms allow for core interactions in a visual and object-oriented environment. Additionally, technical knowledge dealing with development tools will figure prominently in the course, specifically the Unity game engine and version control.
This class introduces students to the interrelated specialties of character animation and rigging for modern video games and their impact on other departments within the game art pipeline. Students will learn the principles of animation as they apply to simple objects and fully articulated characters, as well as create sophisticated custom rigs that can be tailored to specific animation needs. Emphasis is placed on acquiring practical, industry-relevant strategies for creating effective assets, the ability to prioritize goals and techniques in order to achieve results within time and budgetary constraints, and building a solid foundational knowledge of the crafts involved.
3D modeling software is deep and complex. This course focuses on mastering the essential concepts, tools, and workflows of 3D hard surface modeling in game development. This course will allow students to become comfortable with the complex interface of the 3D modeling software, so that they may have an easier time grasping the high-to-low poly pipeline for creating assets for games. The focus is on the use of professional tools to create complex props for integration into a game, from rough prototyping to final, textured assets. Aesthetics, construction, visual communication, light and form, and quality of work are stressed.
3D modeling softwares are tools that can be utilized by both 2D and 3D artists. This course focuses on the common 3D processes used by concept artists to create a more efficient workflow that allows for faster iteration times and more accurate perspective and lighting in their compositions.
The purpose of this course is to instruct students in the design and construction of game levels. Theoretical aspects of level design will be discussed during each class. The class will discuss player navigation, story methodologies, level aesthetics, and general issues of game play which make the difference between an entertaining level and a mediocre one. Students will review examples of both good and bad levels for class critique. In addition to the theoretical aspects of level design, students will also learn the practical aspects of level creation through the course projects.
In this course, students will keep a sketchbook and develop techniques and thought processes to get their ideas down on paper and be able to communicate them with others. They will learn to iterate on them to take them from initial spark through final sketch. The focus is on preplanning, previsualization, and vizcomm processes, with an emphasis on thumbnail sketches to develop ideation relevant to the industry. The practice of keeping a sketchbook is a valuable part of an artist’s growth, as well as a vital part of their overall portfolio of work that demonstrates what the final piece may not: your thought process.
This course aims to focus students on the thought process behind creating solid concept art, reinforce the fundamental elements of good painting (composition, use of color, and form), and give them the wherewithal to exploit digital media's strengths. Two approaches will be taught: standard digital painting techniques using brushes to render objects and scenes, and photobashing, where photos are warped, cut, and modified to speed up the painting process and bring photorealism to a piece.
Every character artist in the game industry is expected to understand all organic and anatomical structures to their character designs; this understanding and ability to execute this skill set is key for a character artist. This course will teach students the anatomical structures of animals in order to understand how their organic forms are built in real life. Additionally, students will further develop their understanding of these structures by creating creature designs, where they will be challenged to push the anatomical principles they’ve learned to create fantasy creatures that make sense both anatomically and organically.
This course focuses on rendering and designing as it pertains to vehicles, spaceships and robot designs for the game and entertainment industry. Emphasis is on high-level design and presentation skills, and building finished portfolio pages. Each student will develop a clear understanding of how to design vehicles and/or robots using a variety of rendering techniques, gestures, shapes, forms, storytelling and color application. Students will learn the importance of time management, and will be expected to work efficiently as individuals as well as in teams. Our primary tools will be Photoshop, Blender, Google Sketchup, and the Wacom tablet. The course will include lectures, demonstrations, class discussions, and critiques.
This course explores the fundamentals of Game Design. Throughout this class you will design and create several non-digital games. Just as you take fundamentals classes in figure drawing and color theory to become visual artists, this class is grounded squarely in the basic fundamentals of game design. This course focuses on the elements common to “all” games that are fundamental for a game designer working with any medium. Even though we will focus on non-digital games, digital games will be discussed and two of your assignments for the semester will deal directly with digital design.
This course focuses on storytelling with pictures. Students learn the relationship between character and story development, and how to compose images and arrange them in sequence to present a coherent and emotionally effective story.
An understanding of human anatomy is the most fundamentally important aspect in creating believable characters and creatures for any field of entertainment. This course will help students to construct anatomically sound and aesthetically pleasing human and humanoid figures.
This course is an overview of the game industry, its pipelines, processes, history, and opportunities. It will include fundamental information on how 3D Art is processed by game engines (the “anatomy of 3D art”), as well as guidance on how to make the most of your time in the LACD Game Art program.
The Advancement Review is a collection of the first three semesters of a student’s work from key classes to check in on how students are progressing through the major, and to make sure they have a strong foundation to move forward with. The work is reviewed by faculty, and the student either passes, or is given revisions to complete before their next submission to the review the following semester. If a student continues to not pass advancement review, they will not be able to enter their senior classes.
This class focuses on representing the construction of a 3D object in a 2D image. The class will cover the basics of observational drawing, traditional drawing technique, perspective, and foundational design for concepting and building objects in game art. The class introduces one, two, and three point perspective to accurately construct the appearance of 3D forms. Other topics covered are camera lenses and field of view, the importance of camera placement, and placing shadows based on light sources through perspective guides. Throughout this course, students will learn the role of drawing and design in the game industry. Students will build a sketchbook composed of lessons, observational drawings and original illustrations over the course of the semester. The emphasis will be on building their visual library so they can effectively express their own ideas.
This course introduces students to the rendering and painting of digital images from life and the imagination. A focus on developing observational skills and working from life will build a foundation for original imaginative work. Topics covered include Photoshop tools and best practices, fundamentals of light and shadow, color theory reference research, and basic design and composition as well as the use and creation of custom brush sets. The course will include demos, lecture, and in class exercises & critique coupled with homework.
This course is designed to introduce the student to three-dimensional thinking and composition as it applies to the human form. Students will learn to render form using effective visual observation and measuring techniques, while working from live models. The use of linear and volumetric proportional systems is stressed, as is the construction and understanding of form. Technical procedures of clay modeling, basic use of tools, and proper use of the armature (its orientation in relation to the model) will be addressed. Materials used: oil clay.
This course is an introduction to drawing the human form that explores observational and imaginative drawing techniques using graphite and charcoal. Students work from the draped and undraped model. Emphasis is on accurate representation of the figure utilizing observation with the elements of gesture, measurement, construction line, volume, proportion, and surface anatomy. Materials include graphite and charcoal.
This course introduces students to the basic principles and techniques of 3d modeling, UV unwrapping, texturing, and familiarizing students with 3D software and professional best practices. The course is designed with the absolute beginner to 3D in mind, with a complete overview of the most commonly used tools and techniques. The course gives students the opportunity to work on an asset through the full game art pipeline, from concept to final in-game asset, as would be expected when working at a game studio.
This class teaches the fundamentals of game art production from a broad perspective. Students will learn to work within multiple specialties within the game art field in order to build up a general understanding of the pipeline and processes involved. Emphasis is placed on strong foundation skills, compelling conceptual ideas, and self-motivated problem solving. Class will consist of lectures, demonstrations, in-class workshops, and take-home projects. The second half of the class will be devoted to an all-inclusive final project, where students will work in groups to build a compelling playable game world. The final project will serve as a culmination of all they have learned in the class, as well as become a platform for further experimentation and problem solving. This class will not focus on a single element, but rather, it will attempt to give a broad overview of the role that art plays in the creation of Games.
This course includes consideration of such questions as: What is Art? What is Beauty? What is the role and responsibility of artists in society? Are there genuine standards by which we can judge art? Students have the opportunity to participate in dialogues concerning these questions.
From the birth of photography to stop motion to film, this course explores the history of cinematic technology and its intersection with the art movements and cultural shifts of the late-19th to early-20th centuries. Pioneers of Light and Form: Art Nouveau and the Birth of Film introduces the dynamic movements of Expressionism and Art Nouveau alongside the pioneering era of film to discover how advances in technology and the shock of world events shaped emerging artistic and aesthetic values. Through the examination of photography, film, artwork, fashion, architecture, and home goods, students will gain an understanding of the roles art and cinema played within the burgeoning modern lifestyle of the late 1800s through the Roaring Twenties.
Nostalgia is notoriously amorphous. Is it conservative or liberal. Is it political. Or does it align more with culture and aesthetics. Is it a psychological phenomenon that is confined to the plane of the individual. Or is it collective. Is it an industry unto itself, responsible for a relentless stream of remakes and reboots that appear on Netflix and in theaters or is it that which animates very real and vivid memories that can never truly be recovered. In truth, it is all these things and more. Nostalgia blurs the boundaries between politics and aesthetics, between the realm of individual reflection and collective calls for restoration. Discovered by a Swiss doctor in the seventeenth century, nostalgia was at first a literal disease (akin to homesickness) that afflicted soldiers and servants made to serve far from home. The concept migrated, first geographically and then metaphorically, but it has always maintained a deeply sensual component. This course is designed in such a way that we will trace the “career” of nostalgia through three key realms—Politics, Culture, and Nature—in order to demystify and typologize nostalgia so that we may differentiate between the reflectivity of “modernist nostalgia” and the commodified pastiche of retro that the culture industry offers as a pallid substitute for the past. In the end, it is important that we become familiar with how nostalgia works on us and how we, as artists, thinkers, and creatives use nostalgia as a conceptual framework for seeing, analyzing, and representing the past as more than just kitsch, or a cramped politics of looking back toward a “simpler” past, or the myth of an Edenic and untouched natural environment. In this course we will read across disciplines, authors such as Svetlana Boym, Frederic Jameson, Walter Benjamin, Susan Stewart, and William Cronon. These readings, by and large, will provide the bulk of our intellectual understanding while we will take time in class to discuss the contemporary contours of nostalgia. Students will produce written responses to the readings and also formulate a final essay that will, instead of just summarizing the reading and discussions, ponder the future of nostalgia. Prerequisite: One course from Ancient Civilizations category and one course from either Medieval Worlds or Renaissance/Early Modern category.
Set primarily in Paris, this course traces the development and public reception of modern art in Europe from the mid-19th century through the early years of the 20th century. The main focus of this course is the Post-Impressionists, artists working in diverse styles during the years 1880-1900. In order to better understand the radical approaches to art undertaken by these artists, the course will include a brief investigation of the cultural, political, and artistic trends which led up to the period known as Post-Impressionism. Thus, students will gain familiarity with the major art movements of the 18th and 19th centuries: Neoclassicism, Romanticism, Realism, and Impressionism. This course will be framed by the theories of “bohemian” poet Charles Baudelaire, whose close friendship with many artists helped shaped the trajectory of modern art. Encircled by other likeminded writers, these artists spurred the creative process and championed one another. Van Gogh, Toulouse-Lautrec, Munch, Mucha, and Klimt are among the artists examined in this class. Through close analysis of the artists’ own words, students will explore the psyche of the modern artist as they sought to create an expressive art imbued with feeling, originality, and innovation. This course requires a museum visit, independent research, analysis of primary sources (artist letters and essays), and the creation of an artwork related to course content.
This course will introduce students to current theoretical and real-world applications of exhibition design operating today in museums, galleries, and contemporary art spaces, both real and virtual. Through weekly in-person exploration of cultural sites in and around Orange County and Los Angeles, students will observe and critique aesthetic and practical decisions made by professional curators and exhibition designers, with particular emphases on structural layout, cultural themes, the curation and arrangement of objects, and how artworks interact with one another in outdoor and indoor spaces. In doing so, students will sharpen their perceptive skills, strengthen their discourse specific to the fields of art production, curation, collecting, and museum studies, and pursue theoretical examples of design brought to life within the rich artistic landscape of Southern California. Students produce written journal entries, participate in discussions, produce directed reading responses to museum catalogues, articles, and other didactic material, as well as participate in oral presentations and collaborative hands-on projects. Prerequisite: One course from Ancient Civilizations category and one course from either Medieval Worlds or Renaissance/Early Modern category.
Since 1954 when the Supreme Court handed down its decision in Brown v. Board of Education, the people of the United States have been engaged in a series of “culture wars” concerned primarily with identity—particularly race and gender—and a grappling with its morally ambiguous past. This deep and alienating sense of polarization and clashing of identities—some voluntary and others forced upon us—has only intensified over the years, coming to an explosive climax in the chaotic and tragic years of 2020-21. Everything from the anti-mask movement and “cancel culture” to the fate of Confederate Statues and defunding the police falls under the rubric of a longstanding, and increasingly tribal culture war in the United States. In this course we will look at the broad historical context of the 1960s from which these battles emerged and trace them through the present. In doing so, we will pay close attention to the ways in which the expansion of rights, freedoms, and liberties for historically marginalized groups has elicited conservative reactions seeking to roll back those gains through an often sectarian vision of American culture and history. This course will focus on flashpoints or sites of contestation—Roe v. Wade, the Oklahoma City Bombing, the rise of “Alt-Right” groups such as the Proud Boys, recent controversies about “Big Tech” censorship, the fate of civil rights, Black Lives Matter protests, and the violent denouement of the Trump Administration. Students will produce written responses to the readings and also formulate a final project determining the role of art and the artist in meeting this particular historical moment. Prerequisite: One course from Ancient Civilizations category and one course from either Medieval Worlds or Renaissance/Early Modern category.
Los Angeles, not known for being a bastion of either culture or liberalism during the early twentieth century, was—for a time—both a cradle of high-modernism and a refuge from the charnel house of European fascism. Icons such as poet and playwright Bertolt Brecht, Marxist philosopher Theodor Adorno, noir filmmakers Fritz Lang and Billy Wilder, composers Arnold Schoenberg and Igor Stravinski, novelists Thomas Mann and Aldous Huxley, and architects Richard Neutra and Rudolph Schindler, many of whom had fled the Nazis, made their homes in Los Angeles. In this course, we will examine the lives and major works of the many refugees and exiles who transformed LA’s intellectual and aesthetic culture in the 1940s, as well as look closely at three critical aspects of their enduring legacy. First, the transnational exchange of aesthetic and intellectual history between Europe and the United States; Second, the effects of fascism on aesthetics and its implications; and Third, the degree to which the creative output of European émigrés provided survival strategies in the wake of such genocidal and illiberal ideologies. What, in other words, can we glean from Brecht’s poetry, from Adorno’s “reflections from damaged life,” from Fritz Lang’s deeply expressionistic noir films, from Huxley’s Brave New World? Through the consumption of text and images representing this history students will create a project utilizing this aesthetic and intellectual history of art (and artists) as a means of strategizing survival in today’s climate. Prerequisite: One course from Ancient Civilizations category and one course from either Medieval Worlds or Renaissance/Early Modern category.
This course examines a diverse array of art created by different ethnic groups in West Africa from pre-colonial through the 19th century and beyond. Through the lens of both spiritual and cultural traditions, we will consider a wide range of styles and materials, and ask how meaning is derived from objects and practices, keeping in mind particular challenges that emerge when studying art that is both permanent and impermanent. The significance of oral traditions will be studied, as well as the roles of ancestor spirits, mythical creatures, divination and initiation rites, and how music, dance, and masking function in establishing power, status, political, and social conventions. Objects created exclusively for performative and ritual uses, art in service to royalty, sculpture, utilitarian objects, architecture, performance, and the body as subject and site of adornment will form the core of our studies. Materials studied will include metal, wood, textiles, mud, ivory, beads, bone, dung, and blood/bodily fluids. While important, this class does not intend to cover present-day political crises, border disputes, or changing social constructs in West Africa. This course is conducted with instructor led lecture, film, guided reading and discussions, student presentations based on independent research, and other exploratory exercises. A visit to the UCLA Fowler Museum is required for this class. Students will experience textile creation and the development of personal symbolism in a hands-on project. Prerequisite: One course from Ancient Civilizations category and one course from either Medieval Worlds or Renaissance/Early Modern category.
Los Tres Grandes explores the Mexican Muralist movement of the 1920s from its beginnings under the post-Mexican Revolution government to its present-day influence on Chicanx and Street artists. Utilizing a curricular framework centered on Los Tres Grandes (the big three), Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco and David Alfaro Siqueiros, our studies will then expand to include further influential figures such as Frida Kahlo and Rufino Tamayo among others. Students will be required to demonstrate their understanding of the material through visual (art) projects, a formal writing assignment, and participation in class discussions. Prerequisite: One course from Ancient Civilizations category and one course from either Medieval Worlds or Renaissance/Early Modern category.
Largely obscured from the history of “feminist” art, Latin American artists such as Ana Mendieta, Yolanda Andrade, Sylvia Palacios Whitman, Marisol, and Marie Orensanz, among many others, were crucial to the development of contemporary art in the twentieth century. Active in Latin America and the United States during a key period in this dual-continental history, many of these artists may not have considered themselves feminists per se, but their work can be interpreted in relation to feminist art theory. This course examines selected issues,movements, and artists of global importance from the 1960s to the mid-1980s. We will explore ways in which themes such as repression parallel those of liberation and how women, whose experiences were shaped by violence, censorship, and exile, developed an aesthetic that addressed body politics, marginalization, and repressive regimes. What can we learn from women whose legacies continue to be relevant today? Through text, video, and images exploring these histories, students will produce written responses and formulate a final research project based on one of the organizing themes of this class.
This course chronicles the history and evolution of game design while reflecting on its immediacy through the Internet and game culture trends. Students examine the social and artistic influences in computer-mediated communications, and consider game theory principles while examining the motive, strategy, competition, and psychology of the game.
This course addresses developments in art from the mid-nineteenth century to the present. Although the course focuses on the western scene, issues of contemporary global art are also discussed. Museum and gallery visits are required.
For centuries, earthly creatures, charmed animals and otherworldly beings conjured by artisans, magicians, folklorists, natural philosophers, and physicians, have inspired both wonder and delight as well as revulsion, alarm, and terror in the hearts and minds of otherwise thinking persons. Considering beasts and beings of all sorts, both earthly and divine, this course seeks to investigate the origin stories of such creatures and inquire as to what motivations compel an individual or society to conjure such creatures. From the Classical World to Medieval Scandinavia, from the Americas to Slavic Europe, this course explores how art and monstrosity intersected in the cultural imagination to both delightful and devastating effect. In consultation with a range of visual and literary primary materials, including the Great Chain of Being, the Malleus Maleficarum (the Witches Hammer), and Della Porta’s How We May Produce New and Strange Monsters, students will conduct close readings, originate research, formulate essays and create original artwork of their own in an effort to gain insight into earlier states of mind as well as open avenues into wholly new creations. All readings for the course will be in English, although international and graduate students may be asked to give additional reports on texts written in other languages.
This course introduces students to art historical issues and important monuments from the Renaissance through the mid-nineteenth century in the Western tradition. It establishes a social, political, and historical context for the production of art in society, and provides art students with a sense of the historical development of styles as a continuous tradition relating to their own work.
This course introduces students to art historical issues and important monuments from pre-history until the Renaissance period in the Western tradition. It establishes a social, political, and historical context for the production of art in society, and provides art students with a sense of the historical development of styles as a continuous tradition relating to their own work.
As author Giuseppe Mazzotta reminds us, “Imagination is the weapon of the poet.” It’s an old idea, and, wielded properly, the imagination can nudge us from where we are in the present, ferry us back to the past, and transport us into the future. But imagination has its faults according to Dante Alighieri (1265-1321), exiled poet of the late Middle Ages. Imagination or visionariness (the ability or likeliness to see visions) as Dante found out, confounds us when we attempt to describe visions with words. Vision exceeds language and the power of description. In the Divine Comedy, Dante laments how speech is unable to contain the plenitude of what he envisions; that not everything can be elucidated with language. In this sense, the Comedy is a way of thinking about the relationship between vision and language, and equally important, the cultural traction inherent in images. People had deep imaginations in Medieval culture, and artists and illustrators were there to bring those visions to life. Upon examination of the nightmares populating the poem’s Inferno—the fallen Lucifer, serpent-covered Furies, loathsome Harpies, deceitful Geryon, as well as classical figures from the Purgatorio and the crystalline beings populating the Paradiso, all made famous by Botticelli, Bosch, Blake, Doré, and Sandow Birk, among others—we’ll consider the ethics of Medieval Italian culture symbolized by such vivid imagery, but we’ll also prepare ourselves for what the poem is really about: a love so perfect it moves the sun and stars. We’ll also ask what we think Dante was doing in the writing of it. Did he write a romance? An epic tale? Autobiography? A novel? Novel, as in new, marvelous, strange, unexpected? The answer is Yes. The Divine Comedy is all these things, including a remarkably styled circle of knowledge, or an “encyclopedia” in the old sense—knowledge gathering that begins with a point of departure, then takes us along the road of learning to finally return to its original starting point—a point now seen from a different perspective, with a new understanding. In short, Dante uses all the tools of the Liberal Arts to come to know the world around him and to construct a poem of hope, peace, exile, and a story of desire as a witnessing to his imagination, his visions, and to his understanding of love. Prerequisites: None. 3 units.
“Force yourself to imitate Michelangelo in everything.” These were the words expressed by Michelangelo’s biographer to a remarkably self-aware generation of artists in 16th-century Florence, Rome, and Venice. However, whether rival artists wanted to, or even imagined they could succeed in imitating Michelangelo’s work is another question—one among many we’ll explore in The Age of Michelangelo, 1450-1650. In consultation with a range of visual, historical, and literary materials, we’ll delve into the spirit of the age, looking at drawing, painting, sculpture, furniture and garden design, food, weaponry, architecture, and urban planning, as well as people. We’ll tap into the players and personalities of the times—Leonardo, Giorgione, Raphael, Sofonisba Anguissola, Titian—as well as Isabella d’Este, the Della Rovere, and the Medici families who sought to shape their immediate world through power, imagination, and the artistry of their times. Students will conduct close readings, originate research, formulate essays, and in an effort to gain insight into the Renaissance state of mind reconstruct a piece of history with a hands-on laboratory project and a small, original artwork of their own. Prerequisite: AH210, or one course from Ancient Civilizations category. This course can be taken concurrently with Medieval Worlds in Motion category.
People often wonder exactly when, throughout history, women first started to become active in society? Of course, the answer is: Always. Even though women’s efforts have been overshadowed by that of their male contemporaries in the chronicling of official histories, women have always participated in every facet of life, from rich to poor, north to south, east to west, and from the ancient period to the present. In this course, we will examine the lives and creative pursuits of the many women who contributed to the arts, sciences, and humanities throughout history, particularly focusing on artists & craftspersons, writers & poets, healers, pharmacists, natural philosophers, and rulers, with a few warriors included for good measure. Students will conduct close readings, originate research, formulate short essays, and in an effort to gain insight into the state of mind of historical women, reconstruct a piece of history with a hands-on laboratory project and a small, original artwork placing themselves in the environment of a chosen historical female. Prerequisite: AH210, or one course from the Ancient Civilizations category. This course can be taken concurrently with one class from the Medieval Worlds in Motion category. 3 units.
Nature in Art explores the rich and varied traditions of artistic expression unique to the regions of Japan, Korea, and Tibet, from prehistoric indigenous practices through the mid-19th century. Looking closely at Japan, the Korean renaissance, and the coded art of Tibetan Buddhist culture, we will uncover the distinct artistic heritage found in each, noting particularly the sharing and transmission of art practices and ideas as they cross geographical and cultural boundaries. Working chronologically, this course will identify intersections of spirituality and nature, then examine artistic expressions of such concepts through lacquer, ceramic, ink, paper, stone, bamboo and ivory, among other media. Both two- and three-dimensional art forms are considered, from calligraphy, wood-block prints and landscape painting to festivals, garden design, poetry, and tea ceremonies. The objects and sites studied in this course will reflect how concepts of beauty and aesthetics are achieved through the practice of “harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility.” The course is conducted as a hybrid seminar-lecture style course, with instructor led lectures and video, student presentations, research, writing, culinary experiences, as well as hands-on exploration of the traditional processes of historic art production in these regions. This class requires a visit to the USC Pacific Asia Museum to see art in person from each of the regions studied in this class. No prerequisites.
The Middle Ages were a time of knights and ladies... or maybe brutal Viking warlords... or a clash of civilizations between Christians and Muslims... and maybe there were dragons? A lot of what we “know” about the medieval world comes from fantasy, pop culture, and from old nationalist scholarship that mostly invented origin myths. So, how can we know what the Middle Ages were really like? In this class, we’ll go back and try to get a more accurate picture by looking at things medieval people made: manuscripts, sculptures, buildings, weapons, clothing, etc., all in tandem with reading primary sources by the people who were there. Starting with the collapse of the western Roman Empire, we will uncover a different picture of how two related cultures arose out of the wreckage of the ancient world: Christendom and Dar al-Islam. Along the way we’ll learn that the “barbarians” weren’t that barbaric, that some Vikings converted to Islam, that trade and cooperation across the Mediterranean were far more common than Crusades, and that the medieval world was more diverse, cosmopolitan, and queer than you may have been led to believe. No prerequisites.
Rome, the Eternal City, is a city unlike any other. It is entrenched in history and undeniably beautiful, where Roman ruins serve as a backdrop for classically restrained Renaissance structures and dramatic Baroque spectacle. This course takes students through the incredible transformation the city has undergone from ancient times through the rise of Christianity, culminating with the tumultuous era and style of the 17th-century Baroque. Through these great epochs of Roman history, the city attracted some of the most revered artists including Raphael, Michelangelo, Gentileschi, Caravaggio, and Bernini. Students will leave this class with an in-depth understanding of the innovation of Roman architecture and engineering, what led to the decline of ancient Rome, and how the city transformed from a glorious capital of pagan culture to the prominent seat of the Catholic faith, home to over 900 churches. Requirements for this class include a museum visit, independent research, and the creation of an artwork related to the course content and historic techniques analyzed in this course.
If consciousness is shaped by our history, then where are we, collectively, if we’ve lost faith that a shared historical commonality among cultures ever existed? To the people who thrived in the strange and beautiful empires of ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome, religious and cultural differences found in one’s neighbors weren’t unusual, confusing or frightening—they were part of everyday life. In short: normal coexistence. In the class Egypt, Greece, Rome—we’ll explore the commonalities and shared experiences found among these three remarkable civilizations, as well as follow the cultural fault lines exploited by those in power which eventually forced these empires to dissolve. Together, we’ll explore three millennia of artefacts, objects, architecture, writings, as well as cultural and religious practice to see how these civilizations evolved, ran alongside one another, then overlapped and overcame one another to lay the foundations of modern western society. Through lecture, images, discussions, essays, and close readings, students will learn to identify, decode, understand and describe artworks and objects from the past, translating them from visual to verbal and textual language. In addition, in an effort to gain insight into the ancient state of mind, students will reconstruct a piece of history with a hands-on laboratory project and a small, original artwork of their own. No prerequisites.
This course is an exploration of art and visual culture from the Asian continent. Focusing on art works as historical, cultural, and social documents, we will examine how art was commissioned, collected, and used by royalty, the elite, popular audiences, and religious communities in both rural and urban settings. Different themes discussed include art as an instrument of power and propaganda, as a tool for social and religious ritual, an expression of status and prestige, a medium for social protest, as well as a product for the marketplace. Beginning with Bronze Age objects for ritual purposes, subsequent artforms include scroll paintings in the Song Dynasty, women’s painting and printed books, Japanese secular emaki scrolls and ukioy-e art, the luxury of Mughal art in India, and true-view landscape painting in Korea. Students are required to do class readings and engage actively in class discussion, complete two papers, create a final project, and make a final presentation. No prerequisites.
An introductory course exploring the art and architecture of Mesoamerica from the rise of the Olmec in 1500 BCE to the Spanish conquest of the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan in 1521, Mesoamerican Empires will focus on how changes in visual culture have reflected larger religious and political transformations in Mesoamerica. Issues of cultural memory and myth will be examined to understand indigenous conceptions of art, history, cosmology, and social hierarchy. Forging links with the present day, students will learn to identify and contextualize Mesoamerican iconography in contemporary media including the creative expression of lowrider culture, tattoos, fine art, and fashion. Students will be required to demonstrate their understanding of the material through visual (art) projects, a formal writing assignment, and their participation in class discussions. No prerequisites.
My name is Kevin Duong and in 2008, I started attending LCAD as a Game Art Major with an emphasis in 3D modeling for games. I found that during my time here, I learned the necessary skills required to succeed in the game industry, and was able to network with a number of influential teachers and industry professionals.
Since graduating in May of 2012, I have been working as an Associate 3D Artist at High Moon Studios located in Carlsbad. My job title entails the creation of 3D environmental / interactive props which populate various levels throughout the respected game. As the new consoles arrive, my responsibilities have broadened to optimizing models and textures to ensure that the game will be capable of running efficiently on both current- generation and next -generation consoles. I must always take technical limitations into account , while consistently upholding the artistic standards of the Intellectual Property.
My first shipped title was Deadpool (June 25th 2013) I am currently working on an unannounced Activision title for HMS.
www.kevinduongart.com
Dan Cuatt is an environment artist working in games, currently at Unbroken Studios.
He’s been making things since he was old enough to wield scissors and tape and paper -- which
are still his preferred medium to work in when the computers are down! He draws a straight line
from his upbringing surrounded by a creative family, to his time learning and teaching at LCAD,
to the person he is today.
Making art and environments isn't a solitary act for Dan, it's a hybrid process of
collaborative construction and play. In the past it was building cardboard forts with brothers.
Today, it’s between him and the team at the studio, and the players out in the world. The tools
may change, but the core remains the same -- building a space for players to explore and play
in!
Ira Owens has 12 years under his belt in Previs, Cinematics and 3D Layout in the Animation and Gaming Industry working on feature film, television series, and gaming. He received his BFA in Animation and helped found the Animation Club at the Laguna College of Art & Design. He was among the second graduating class in his major. Ira currently works as a Senior Cinematics Artist at Monolith Productions in Kirkland, Washington, and has worked on such projects as The Boxtrolls for LAIKA, Halo 4 for Microsoft's 343 Industries, The Clone Wars for Lucasfilm Animation. Most recently he headed up the Previs department on Kubo and the Two Strings for LAIKA (to be released Fall 2016). Ira is most passionate about his family, storytelling, camerawork, and equipping people with the right tools and training to perform their jobs to the best of their ability. He looks forward to training up the next class of students for excellence in film and story.
Since graduation, I have been working at Blizzard as a dungeon artist on World of Warcraft, modeling and texturing for dungeons, raids, and other points of interest. In my free time, I like to do other art and crafty things, like play piano, make soap, do archery, figure drawing, and painting. I draw inspiration for my art from all of these things, but I'm especially inspired by music and my hiking/camping adventures-I love nature and organic things! I am also greatly inspired by the artists who work around me, as well as by artists who work in other
I was born and raised in Miami pursuing art in Magnet programs from elementary until high school. I relocated to California for college and attended LCAD landing in the Game Art program as one of the first students to sign up. I graduated specializing in concept art with a heavy emphasis onenvironments. I worked as a freelancer briefly and then got hired at Electronic Arts working for Maxis as a concept artist. Some of my responsibilities at axis were generating environment paintings, designing props, exploring both architecture and furniture styles, and making art documents for the Sims division. I currently work at Visceral Games where I continue to apply my craft as a concept artist. The project I'm on allows me to do more environment paintings and gives me the opportunity to learn from veteran artists from the film industry. I couldn't be happier working in games as a concept artist. The work is fun, engaging, and it pushes your limits as an artist. Outside of the office, I often continue to invest my time doing personal art. But on certain days when the tide and wind conditions are ideal, I'll spend my time fishing with a friend or two.
As part of the graduating class of 2010, I jumped on board the Game Art track once Sandy introduced it to the school. It was definitely one of the best decisions I could have ever made. After graduating I collaborated with a game jam team from USC and from there moved to Konami as a 2D artist. Without a doubt, I wouldn't be where I am today without the Game Art program.
The desire to learn new things is one of the biggest driving forces behind my work. When it comes to art I feel like there's so many different aspects of art that needs to be learned, and that I must grasp the basics of each. The same applies to things I like to do in my personal time. What may start out extremely hard for me in the beginning, diligent work alway brings a success that is my own. I also apply the same concept to when I play games as well such as League of Legends!
With over 10 years of experience at Blizzard Entertainment, Ariel served as a core artist in creating memorable in game character assets for World of Warcraft, taking the role as a forefront for new, innovative content and thriving within cross-disciplinary team-oriented environment in a variety of leadership roles. She's been employing her skills in both 2D and 3D disciplines to create whimsical and captivating characters that enrich gameplay experiences. Within her time working for Blizzard she has on boarded employees as well as mentoring interns and college seniors. She loves sharing her knowledge learned over her career and thrives watching her peers and students grow as anartist.
Dan Carreker has over 10 years of teaching experience in game arts and sciences. He has industry experience as both a Database Manager for Activision’s Production/QA department and as a freelance Game Designer and Programmer. He has worked on over 80 different commercial products; his credits include Medieval: Total War, Star Trek: Armada, and Pizza Morgana.
He completed his M.F.A at Laguna College of Art + Design and has been an active advocate for both the industry and for game students, lecturing and writing articles on subjects such as selecting a college and how to break into the industry. His work, The Game Developer’s Dictionary (Cengage Learning) is the first dictionary specifically for the video game industry.
With over 10 years of experience at Blizzard Entertainment, Ariel served as a core artist in creating memorable in game character assets for World of Warcraft, taking the role as a forefront for new, innovative content and thriving within cross-disciplinary team-oriented environment in a variety of leadership roles. She's been employing her skills in both 2D and 3D disciplines to create whimsical and captivating characters that enrich gameplay experiences. Within her time working for Blizzard she has on boarded employees as well as mentoring interns and college seniors. She loves sharing her knowledge learned over her career and thrives watching her peers and students grow as anartist.
Justin “Goby” Fields is a creative director, concept artist, and illustrator for Feature Films, Video Games, and the Broadcast Industry. As a freelance concept artist, Justin has created design content and illustrations for Jupiter Ascending, Maleficent, Noah, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Marvel’s Spider-man PS4, Bright, Falling Skies, The New Mutants, League of Legends, The Wolverine, Star Citizen, Goosebumps, Max Steel, Prey, and Black Adam.
Amanda Fisher is a graduate from Laguna College of Art & Design with an emphasis in 3D art for games. Amanda has worked as a 2D and 3D freelance artist for over 10 years, working with both teams and individual clients creating character concepts and illustrations, as well as assets and characters for games. Amanda has also worked at the Orange County School of the Arts in Santa Ana, California, where she worked in the Digital Media Conservatory as the Game Design instructor. Other than her Game Art courses, Amanda has experience teaching other various game design classes involving character design, 3D modeling, rigging and animation, and more.
Kelly recently graduated from Laguna College of Art + Design (LCAD) with a BFA in Game Art, and has worked in the games industry as a 3D artist since, on projects both photorealistic and stylized. She finds joy not only in teaching others industry-relevant skills and techniques, but also in guiding them to find their own passions. She holds a deep appreciation for the road less traveled - understanding everyone's path is unique - and teaches through compassion and encouragement.
Alexander Gonzalez is passionate about creating interactive settings and worlds as a Game Artist. He is currently an Environment Artist at High Moon Studios and an adjunct professor for LCAD Game Art. At High Moon Studios, Alexander is responsible for creating maps for the Call of Duty franchise. Along with his experience on Call of Duty, Alexander has created props for the Destiny franchise and vehicles for Armored Warfare at Obsidian. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Game Art from LCAD. Alexander teaches Modeling For Game 1 to help students learn current industry asset creation for the video game industry. Alexander loves exploring architecture, cities, and nature on his travels that he can introduce into the work he creates.
Mark has been part of the game industry for the last 15 years. Mark's journey began at Carbine Studios, where he contributed as an environment artist for the WildStar MMO. He later moved on to Riot Games, shifting into a VFX role while working on League of Legends. During his time there, he worked on a variety of skins like Star Guardian and Project skins. Following that, he joined Blizzard, on the Hearthstone team. While he was there, he focused on concepting and creating summons for legendary cards. Currently, he is at Player First Games, working on an exciting multiverses fighting game. His responsibilities cover character VFX and environmental effects, all to enhance the game's visual experience. Apart from the game world, he has a strong passion for painting and enjoys sharing his techniques as a part-time teacher.
Thomas Olson grew up in the mountains of Southern California, spending many summer days in Newport Beach whenever possible. Laguna’s Sawdust Festival and Festival of the Arts were an inspiration, and he is thrilled to now be part of the art tradition of Orange County as full time faculty at LCAD. As the Production Manager at Morpheus International, he was able to meet some of his artistic heroes while producing art books, prints, and gallery events. Inspired by their work and encouragement, he went back to school to study illustration, building a firm foundation that has allowed a robust and flexible career in freelance illustration, full time game development, and instruction.
He has worked in the game industry since 2002. He has been a concept artist, environment artist, VFX artist, character artist, team lead, game designer, writer, producer, product director and business development director. He has worked on titles ranging from PS2 licensed platformers with Nickelodeon and Pixar; original PS3 titles at Insomniac Games; and helping launch the Backflip Studios startup by designing the look and feel of DragonVale on iOS, and leading that team for years. Thomas continues to work on personal projects and consult on commercial projects.
Thomas is an Assistant Professor of Game Art, serving as part of the permanent faculty. He teaches classes in sculpting and creature and character design, as well as classes aimed at helping students develop portfolios and the skills to transform their art education into careers. When he is not teaching, or attending one of his daughters’ performances, he likes to be sailing, hiking, or playing games.
A life long learner, Thomas holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from UCLA , a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration from Art Center College of Design, and a Master of Fine Arts in Game Design from the Laguna College of Art + Design.
Don Ott is a seasoned industry veteran, currently working as the Modeling Art Lead on the hit MMO New World, published by Amazon Game Studios. He has at least a dozen shipped AAA games under his belt – ranging from the Transformers series, Deadpool, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Destiny 2, and more. Don is the founding owner of the game art tutorial website 3dmotive.com, and has been an Adjunct Faculty member here at LCAD for nearly 14 years. Don’s classes are historically a rigorous introduction to creating “game-ready” props, assets, and scenes – and work to transform students from humble beginners into confident 3d artists.
More of Don’s work can be seen at https://www.artstation.com/donott
Jason is a designer and educator with a background in architecture and mechanization. He began his journey with LCAD in 2016 when he enrolled in the MFA in Game Design program. Since graduation, he has taught in both the graduate and undergraduate game programs and ultimately took on the role of Chair for the BFA Game Art program in the summer of 2020. He has rendered services in a number of different realms ranging from architecture, brand development, animation, games, and of course, academia. With two decades of teaching experience, Jason has influenced and aided thousands of students towards their goals and aspirations and into their careers.
An avid video game developer and a gamer, Shreedev has been playing games since their childhood and their passion for it and programming turned them towards a game development career. Shreedev has a solid 6+ years of experience working in indie and AAA quality mobile games as a programmer and as well as a designer. Shreedev has worked on single-player and multiplayer games with a strong mind for monetization and gameplay design, with a good understanding of the field in both technical and design aspects. Shreedev has strong design creativity backed up by experience in coding it. Shreedev spends a lot of my time playing games apart from making them. Shreedev’s favorite games are Dota2, Valorant, Overwatch, Xcom, Zelda Breath of the Wild, World of Warcraft, and Elden Ring. Competitive games are Shreedev’s hobby. Shreedev has played in various professional Esports organizations as a lead player for DotA, Counterstrike, Valorant, and Overwatch. Shreedev loves being a part of a gaming community and played a major role in building one from the base for games like Overwatch, CS, and dotA in their region. Shreedev has been coaching people, hosting local tournaments, and scrims to encourage more people to start playing.
Graduated Art Center College of Design LA/Pasadena in 1978 with a BFA in Illustration. Most influential instructors: Harry Carmean, Gregory Weir-Quiton, Vern Wilson, Kathy Wirch, Ward Kimball, Herb Ryman and John Asaro.
Freelance illustration assignments include movie poster designs, book illustration, magazine illustration, advertising storyboarding and comps, fashion illustration, matte painting, and live action production art. Clients include: Tony Seiniger, TV Guide, The LA Times, ILM, and Introvision Systems.
Animation companies worked for: Ralph Bakshi Animation, Richard Williams Animation in Los Angeles, DIC, Warner Bros.Television, Warner Bros. Feature, Walt Disney Television, Disney Toon Studios, Walt Disney Feature and Fox. Responsibilities at these companies include: character design, background design, background painting, storyboarding, visual development and art direction.
Teaching experience: Art Center College of Design, Cal Arts, Laguna College of Art & Design, Woodbury University and The Fashion Institute of Los Angeles.
Western themed fine art gallery work represented by Trailside Galleries in Scottsdale AZ and Jackson Hole Wyoming.
Currently teaching at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena and Laguna College of Art and Design in Laguna Beach.
PJ Raines is a 16-year veteran of the entertainment industry. Disney Animation Studios, Warner Bros Animation, Obsidian Entertainment, and Jam City are among his credits. He is a 9-year adjunct professor at LCAD. He is currently a Principal Artist at Zynga. PJ is based in California.
Brandon works at Blizzard Entertainment as an associate 3D Environment Artist working on the game World of Warcraft. He is passionate about the hand-painted style of games and specializes in 3D hand-painted environments. He was featured on the Games Artist website for his piece "Adventure Inn." He is also a fellow alumni of LCAD and majored in Game Art.
Michael Rocchio is an architectural historian and an archaeologist. Michael has undergraduate degrees in Anthropology and Classical Civilizations from Indiana University, a graduate degree in Greek and Roman Archaeology and another graduate degree in Architecture and Urban Design from UCLA. Michael’s main areas of research are Roman urban infrastructure and his particular area of expertise is in the perception of Pompeian intersections and how they served as navigational tools in the ancient world.
Poe Tan is a Professor, Instructor and Concept Designer, helping students and professionals realize their creative potential. Poe balances two roles professionally, alternating between concept artist with over 23 years in the animation field as a background and prop designer. Poe works tirelessly as a professor and instructor educating and mentoring college-level students at some of Southern California's most accomplished art schools including: Art Center College of Design, Otis College of Art, Pasadena City College, EIDO (An industry conduit between individuals and the local entertainment unions), Computer Graphics Masters Academy (CGMA) and Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art (LAAFA). Also, working on several book projects and developing a new intellectual property for independent publishing
An alumni of Otis College of Art and Design, Patrick is an Environment Artist in the videogame industry currently employed by Sony Interactive Entertainment and Sucker Punch Productions. He’s worked at Xbox Game Studios’, The Initiative and most recently apart of Santa Monica Studio’s team on the upcoming God of War Ragnarok. He’s excited about joining the faculty teaching GA304. He has a love for sculpting in zbrush, storytelling in the 3d medium, and looks forward to helping students craft their own projects this upcoming semester.
As a child, Eric could always be found playing with his action figures, drawing, or making movies. When asked at a young age, ""What do you want to do when you grow up,"" there was only one answer: ""I want to make cartoons!""
Over the years Eric has had the privilege of working at studios like Rockstar San Diego, Sony Online Entertainment, Majesco Studios, and Zya. Currently he is knee deep in VR development, rigging and animating at Dreamscape Immersive. Along with his daily development role, he teaches here at the Laguna College of Art + Design. As a teacher Eric loves being a part of building the students' foundations, helping to provide them with the tools to seize their futures.
LCAD has a rolling admissions policy and will accept applications until we’ve filled all spots for an incoming class. Applications will still be considered after the following priority dates:
Fall: December 1st
Spring: December 1st"