Animation and Games Art

Program Overview

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Animation and Games Art BA (Hons)

Overview

The animation, games and visual effects (VFX) industries are always searching for new talent. BA (Hons) Animation and Games Art allows you to explore and develop both traditional and new techniques, learning key digital skills in 2D and 3D as well as the core principles of character-led animation.

Why us?

• This course gives a strong foundation in traditional animation principles while also teaching key digital skills in both 2D and 3D.
• Our graduates are working in the film, VFX, games and television industries on projects including Grand Theft Auto, Hey Duggee, Miffy, Corpse Bride, Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings.
• Our industry contacts, including Game Republic Ltd provide opportunities to work on live briefs, access placements, studio visits, workshops and game jams.
• You’ll have the creative freedom to work in any medium and technique allowing you to find and develop your personal style.

Course structure

Teaching is almost entirely practical and studio-based, supported by lectures, seminars and tutorials. Our academic team encourage you to express ideas and push the boundaries of creativity. Assessment is mainly through coursework.

Year 1 (national level 4):

• Fundamentals of Animation (40 credits)
  • Learn the core principles of animation using both traditional hand drawn techniques and digital studio techniques via a range of practical tasks.
  • Build upon the traditional core skills learnt and expand this into a range of digitally refined animations.
  • Take part in weekly life drawing classes where you’ll study the human form to enhance your figurative and imaginative drawing and character design skills.
  • Engage in research that will support and enhance your practical work.
• Fundamentals of Games Art (20 credits)
  • Learn the core principles of games art using a range of current digital studio practices via a range of practical tasks.
  • Develop a solid understanding of colour contrast, shape theory, form, composition, and tone as well as other key aspects of design in various digital forms.
  • Partake in collaborative game jams with a view to extend and enhance links with other creative practitioners and students across university disciplines to enhance your portfolio and employability.
• Creative Exploration (40 credits)
  • Create short sequences as part of a team using a variety of traditional techniques such as Pixillation, Direct animation, Smudge ‘n Click, Cut-out and Stop Motion, building on the principles and skills learnt in semester 1 and exploring visual storytelling further.
  • Produce a short film for a student-led competition and public screening to showcase your first year’s work.
  • Continue to attend weekly life drawing classes looking at expressive and experimental drawing techniques.
  • Be introduced to 3D software and tools in a series of creative workshops and have the opportunity to collaborate with BSc (Hons) Game Development students and participate in local Game Jams.
• Design Theories, Practitioners and Context (20 credits)
  • Develop a knowledge and understanding of the important theoretical and historical contexts which have shaped modern design, opening up creative possibilities in your work.
  • Gain a broad view of design disciplines, through lectures and seminars intended to provoke wider debate.
  • Develop analytical and research skills by exploring subjects in design theory and history through assignments.
  • Finish the module with an understanding of various historical and theoretical ideas, intended to encourage you to challenge conventional thinking.

Year 2 (national level 5):

• Advanced 3D (40 credits)
  • Work collaboratively to produce a collection of 3D animations culminating in an interactive, playable character.
  • Produce a 3D digitally sculpted model and environment.
  • Produce a short, animated lip-sync performance sequence working to a pre-recorded soundtrack.
• Preproduction Practice (20 credits)
  • Follow the preproduction pipeline for creating either a pitch bible for a children’s tv series or a games document for a 7-PEGI game from visual and contextual research through concept art, story art, character design, environments, assets, linear and non-linear storytelling.
  • Create an animatic or walkthrough to demonstrate your concept’s viability.
  • Pitch your idea in a short presentation at the end of the module.
  • Work individually or as part of a creative team.
  • Collaborate further with BSc (Hons) Game Development students.
• Advanced VFX and Motion Graphics (20 credits)
  • Create a music video for an artist of your own choosing either as part of a collaboration, or working alone.
  • Study the application of advanced After Effects e.g. rotoscoping, tracking techniques, using green screen and keylight - and choose to apply any creative technique to your work.
  • Explore the genre and contextual background to music and animation in film and games, to the title sequence as an art form as well as create an ident for yourself.
  • Help to organise a showcase of your work at a public screening at the end of the academic year.
• Global Challenges and the Ethical Designer (20 credits)
  • Develop a critical understanding of important issues linked to design such as the environment, globalisation, gender representation, equality and diversity.
  • Be encouraged to consider your ethical role as a developing designer.
  • Be introduced to ways of considering a major piece of written work (the dissertation in Stage 3), based on a subject relevant to your own practice.
  • Finish the module with a developing design philosophy that potentially impacts on your ways of working and thinking in terms of studio practice.
• Experiencing the Creative Industries (20 credits)
  • Experience a short work placement with an employer.
  • Alternatively, gain other experience of working in the creative industries.
  • Examples include: live jobs; competition briefs; a creative placement; and a collaboration with fellow students from relevant subject areas.

Facilities

The David Puttnam Media Centre provides well-equipped facilities and industry-standard design software so it's easy to make a seamless transition from your studies to the workplace.

• Personal studio space for each student
• HTC VIVE and Oculus headsets for VR work
• Motion capture suite
• Shadow Motion Capture system
• Green screen TV Studio
• Digital design suite with 24 Macs and Wacom Cintiqs
• Industry standard sound recording studios and editing facilities
• A dedicated stop motion room with 3 portable workstations, each with Dragon Stop Motion software
• Line-testing room with 6 rostrum cameras, a multiplane camera and light boxes for 2D work on paper, cut-out and other mixed media techniques
• Two 16mm projectors for direct animation
• Software includes: Toon Boom Harmony Premium, Autodesk Maya, Adobe Creative Suite including After Effects, Illustrator and Photoshop, Pixologic Z Brush, Blender and Unity.
• Our specialist technical staff, including qualified Adobe and Maya Certified Instructors, offer back-up and help you make the most of the software.

Entry requirements

Our typical offer is:

• Irish Leaving Certificate: 112 UCAS points – Students must have H1-H7 or O1-O4 in Maths & English.
• QQI/FETAC 5: Pass profile overall. For entry we also require H1-H7 or O1-O4 in Maths and English from Irish Leaving Certificate.

If your qualification is not listed above, please contact the Student Administration team at for further advice.

Fees and finance

• The annual, full-time fee for this course is:
  • £9,535 if you are from the UK*/Europe
  • £16,500 if you are an international student

Career ready

Our graduates have gone on to work throughout the film, special effects, games, and television industries, and worked on projects including The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Grand Theft Auto, Creature Comforts, Miffy and Hey Duggee. Recent employers have included: animation studios such as Cartoon Saloon, Aardman and Studio AKA; TV companies such as Cartoon Network, CBeebies and CITV; games companies such as Rockstar, Ubisoft and Sumo Digital.

Program Outline

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Course structure

Teaching is almost entirely practical and studio-based, supported by lectures, seminars and tutorials. Our academic team encourage you to express ideas and push the boundaries of creativity. Assessment is mainly through coursework.

In the first year you'll learn traditional animation techniques and core digital skills. You'll also learn about the broader context of design with students from other design subjects. In the second year you'll be introduced to more advanced concepts and approaches such as 3D, digital sculpting, VR and photogrammetry, character rigging and motion capture.

You'll have the opportunity to apply to undertake an optional placement year out in industry between your second and final year, this is sometimes known as a sandwich degree.

In your final year you'll focus on developing your portfolio and graduate identity, undertake a personal research project that will lead into your Final Major Project. You'll exhibit your work at our Degree Show, which will be visited by industry experts and potential employers.

Part-time study

If you study this course on a part-time basis you will typically complete 40-80 credits in a year, rather than the 120 credits of full-time students. All modules are taught during the day time and you will be studying alongside full-time students.

Previous

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Year 1 (national level 4):

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Core modules:

Fundamentals of Animation and Games Art (60 credits)

Learn the fundamental principles of animation using traditional studio practices in 2D drawn animation through weekly character-based exercises that will culminate in a short, animated sequence using Toon Boom Harmony software. Be introduced to the Adobe Creative Suite in a separate creative brief related to game design. Attend weekly life drawing classes to enhance your figurative and imaginative drawing skills and engage in contextual and visual research to support and enhance your practical work.

Creative Exploration (40 credits)

Create short sequences as part of a team using a variety of traditional techniques such as Pixillation, Direct animation, Smudge ‘n Click, Cut-out and Stop Motion, building on the principles and skills learnt in semester 1 and exploring visual storytelling further. Produce a short film for a student-led competition and public screening to showcase your first year’s work. Continue to attend weekly life drawing classes looking at expressive and experimental drawing techniques. Be introduced to 3D software and tools in a series of creative workshops and have the opportunity to collaborate with BSc (Hons) Game Development students and participate in local Game Jams.

Design Theories, Practitioners and Context (20 credits)

Develop a knowledge and understanding of the important theoretical and historical contexts which have shaped modern design, opening up creative possibilities in your work. Gain a broad view of design disciplines, through lectures and seminars intended to provoke wider debate. Develop analytical and research skills by exploring subjects in design theory and history through assignments. Finish the module with an understanding of various historical and theoretical ideas, intended to encourage you to challenge conventional thinking.

Some modules have prerequisites. Read more about what this means in our

Help and Advice article

.

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Year 2 (national level 5):

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Core modules:

Advanced 3D (40 credits)

Work collaboratively to produce a collection of 3D animations culminating in an interactive, playable character. Produce a 3D digitally sculpted model and environment. Produce a short, animated lip-sync performance sequence working to a pre-recorded soundtrack.

Preproduction Practice (20 credits)

Follow the preproduction pipeline for creating either a pitch bible for a children’s tv series or a games document for a 7-PEGI game from visual and contextual research through concept art, story art, character design, environments, assets, linear and non-linear storytelling. Create an animatic or walkthrough to demonstrate your concept’s viability. Pitch your idea in a short presentation at the end of the module. Work individually or as part of a creative team. Collaborate further with BSc (Hons) Game Development students.

Advanced VFX and Motion Graphics (20 credits)

Create a music video for an artist of your own choosing either as part of a collaboration, or working alone. Study the application of advanced After Effects e.g. rotoscoping, tracking techniques, using green screen and keylight - and choose to apply any creative technique to your work. Explore the genre and contextual background to music and animation in film and games, to the title sequence as an art form as well as create an ident for yourself. Help to organise a showcase of your work at a public screening at the end of the academic year.

Global Challenges and the Ethical Designer (20 credits)

Develop a critical understanding of important issues linked to design such as the environment, globalisation, gender representation, equality and diversity. Be encouraged to consider your ethical role as a developing designer. Be introduced to ways of considering a major piece of written work (the dissertation in Stage 3), based on a subject relevant to your own practice. Finish the module with a developing design philosophy that potentially impacts on your ways of working and thinking in terms of studio practice.

Experiencing the Creative Industries (20 credits)

Experience a short work placement with an employer. Alternatively, gain other experience of working in the creative industries. Examples include: live jobs; competition briefs; a creative placement; and a collaboration with fellow students from relevant subject areas.

Read more

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Year 3:

Work placement (optional)

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Final year (national level 6):

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Core modules:

Professional Engagement (40 credits)

Work on a chosen live brief as well as a piece to showcase your skills and refine your showreel/portfolio towards your specialist area of employment. Employability Day will enable you to meet successful alumni from this and other Design courses and hear about their experiences after graduating and key tips on employability. Create a Professional Engagement Document, which will show how you have interacted over the past two years with industry professionals either through placements, social media, visits to festivals and studios or other networking events. Focus on CV writing and interview techniques as well as the creative and technical skills required for your chosen specialism to enhance your employability.

Design Dissertation (20 credits)

Research an approach, concept or practice relevant to your specialism that is intended to support your practical work in your final major project. An example of this from a recent graduate was the study of Magic Realism, which directly fed into the narrative of their graduation film. Demonstrate academic research methods to formulate a written piece of 6,000 words.

Design - Final Major Project (60 credits)

Build on the skills and knowledge, both technical and creative, that you have gained across all previous modules to create a piece of work that best reflects your specialism and will, hopefully, take you into professional employment. Choose to work individually or as part of a team. Set up and exhibit your work in the final year Degree Show, which is open to the public and industry practitioners.

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