Concept art education is a growing requirement in the video game and animation worlds. Students can expect to take classes in areas like life drawing, character design, background painting, and other elements in conceptualizing and creating the final product. The idea behind concept art is to convey ideas before making a final product. In order to keep costs and time under control, concept art gives illustrators and animators a rough idea of what the final product will look like. All of the artwork begins as quick sketches. That then transforms through shading and refinement. The next step is to choose a final concept.

Concept art education allows students to learn every stage of taking an idea and taking it through to the final product. After coming up with a final concept, the finished product is still a ways away. If the character is for use in a 3D animation or game, the next step is modeling the final concept in three dimensions. This means taking a 2D sketch and creating a cyber model of the entire character. The 3D model then goes through refinement levels before a final character emerges for the game or animation film. It can take innumerable levels of refinement at all stages of the concept work.

Traditionally concept art education concentrated on mediums such as pencils, markers, oil paints, acrylics, and other traditional tools. Today, there are many who continue to do their initial work on paper with these tools. However, a growing number of young animators work completely on the computer. They use graphic pads with the latest software to capture their quick concept sketches. They make refinements using the computer and that allows them to move their 2D sketches easily into the 3D modeling world. Modern animation work happens on the computer today. Anyone entering the animation world needs to understand these programs.

When considering concept art education, you need to be ready to work through many classes on a variety of topics. You take classes in areas of fine art, animation, cartooning, and graphic illustration. You work on learning how to do realistic artwork as well as conceptual work. During your education experience, you will develop a full working portfolio that will showcase your talents for employers. You will learn how to use the latest software like a professional. If you dream of becoming an animator in the gaming or animation industries, getting a degree is a good starting point.