Game Art & Design Shorts
Program Duration
12 MonthsNext Start Dates
September 8, 2026 March 15, 2027 September 7, 2027Overview
The ROOKIES-CERTIFIED + UNREAL ACADEMIC PARTNER Game Art & Design diploma program is a hybrid of traditional and digital art, right from foundation to specialization. Here you get to focus your craft in creating concept art and assets for the film, game and television industries, with an equal emphasis on art development for mobile gaming and 3D console games and creating fully play-able video game levels in Unreal Engine.
This is a full-time intensive program with classes every weekday (morning, afternoon, or evening) for an entire 12 months. It can be taken in-person on our Vancouver campus, or fully online from anywhere in the world.
Industry-professional instructors in this program teach in-person at our Vancouver campus as much as possible, while some instructors may also teach remotely. Remote instructors still teach lessons to all students at once, whether they be on-campus or off-campus.
Alumni Credits include:
Skills You Will Learn:
• Training in Maya, ZBrush, Python
• Game development in Unreal engine
• 3D modeling & figure drawing
• Surface, shading & texture design
• Mobile & VR game development
• Motion capture
Through individual assignments and group projects, you are taken through the entire pipeline for video game production. Your final demo reel can focus on character modeling, environment modeling, concept art, or specialized tasks such as rigging, level design, or VR game development.
Career Opportunities:
• Game Designer or Developer
• 3D Modeler (Characters or Environments)
• Concept Artist
• Texture Artist
• Rigging Artist
PTIRU Approved
This program has been approved by the Registrar of the Private Training Institutions Regulatory Unit (PTIRU) within the System Integrity Branch (SIB) of the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills.
Curriculum
Term 1
The Game Art & Design program begins by teaching the fundamentals of traditional and digital art forms. Within traditional art, life drawing, anatomy, perspective, color theory and composition are the roots of observational skills applying to all forms of art. Simultaneously, we teach the core fundamentals of current digital art programs such as Maya, Zbrush and Photoshop. This combination of balanced instruction in both the traditional and digital art forms lays the foundation for your success as a well-rounded digital artist, including introductions to game engines and mobile gaming.
3D Fundamentals Analytical Figure Drawing 1 Animation for Games Art Foundation Game Engines 1 High Rez Modeling 1 Photoshop 1 Production History & Game Analysis
Term 2
With a foundation in traditional and digital art from Term 1, the focus in Term 2 turns to more advanced techniques and how they apply specifically to the video game industry. You will advance your 3D skills and apply them from concept development to modeling, through to a final professional art asset. Term 2 becomes a vital first run pass through the Game Art Pipeline, and also advances into concept development for mobile games.
In Term 2, you will also embark on a 6-week “comic book assignment” where you create a game level based on a popular comic character entirely on your own. This exercise helps you identify your strengths and weaknesses as a game artist, and prepares you for a group project in the upcoming Term 3.
Analytical Figure Drawing 2 Character Modeling 1 Digital Concept Art Environment Modeling 1 Game Engines 2 Hard Surface Modeling 1 High Rez Modeling 2 Texture Painting 1
Term 3
Term 3 is focused on “combining disciplines” and “bringing it all together”. In this term you will learn more advanced techniques for pre-production and be introduced to the industry production-pipeline and work-flow concepts. Working in a studio-like environment, you begin the term by pitching your project idea for your final demo reel. Once approved, your project is moved through the production pipeline. Industry-style weeklies are introduced where your work is critiqued by the instructors, and constructive criticism is given to ensure quality and to keep you on schedule.
Students also work as a team in Term 3 to produce a fully-fledged video game demo in 8 weeks, and smaller teams can group up to pitch mobile and console game concepts.
Art Direction 1 & Concept Development Character Modeling 2 Digital Concept Art 2 Environment Modeling 2 Game Engines 3 Hard Surface Modeling 2 High Rez Modeling 3 Shading for Games 1
Term 4
The final term is dedicated to the production of an industry-grade demo reel to show potential employers. Under the guidance of our industry-pro faculty, you will apply the knowledge and experience you have gained throughout the year. Post-production techniques such as compositing are introduced, while weeklies and tech support ensure the final quality of your reel, the most important asset and foundation for your entry into the industry. Visit us on YouTube to view samples of student demo reels.
Art Direction 2 Character Modeling 3 Environment Modeling 3 Game Art Weeklies Hard Surface Modeling 3 Post-Production Support Shading for Games 2 Texture Painting 2
Faculty
Leo Talento
Lead InstructorAbout
Leo Talento
Lead Instructor
Leo Talento is an Art Director and multidisciplinary game artist with over 21 years of experience in film, cinematics, AAA console/PC titles, and mobile games. He has contributed to leading Vancouver studios including Rainmaker, Electronic Arts, Radical Entertainment, Hothead Games, and Revolving Games.
Specializing in art direction, 3D modeling, look-dev, UI/UX, and game pipeline workflows, Leo has guided art teams and production pipelines across a wide range of projects and platforms.
With more than a decade of teaching experience in game art and film, he brings real studio practices into the classroom challenging the next generation of artists to push creative boundaries and help shape the future of Video Games.
Lisa Griffiths
InstructorAbout
Lisa Griffiths
Instructor
Lisa has 8 years of professional experience in a variety of creative roles including 3D Modeler, Sculptor, Texture Artist, Animator, 2D Concept Artist, Animator and Illustrator. After graduating from Digital and Classical Animation at Capilano University she worked as a freelance artist on children’s TV show pitches and educational games. She gained her first studio experience at Blue Castle Games where she learned the pipeline for realistic console games such as The Bigs 2 and MLB Manger, then transitioned onto the action adventure title Dead Rising 2 at Capcom. She later made the shift into mobile games where she worked on Sky Punks, a children’s title, at Fathom Interactive and a currently unannounced title at IGG. Lisa also has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a keen interest in human development. She is fascinated by the ways in which people overcome challenges and evolve as learners.
Navpreet Singh
InstructorAbout
Navpreet Singh
Instructor
Navpreet Singh is a Gameplay and Network Programmer specializing in Unreal Engine C++ and multiplayer systems. He has worked on large-scale shooter projects, developing replicated gameplay features, AI systems, and online integrations using Steam and Epic Online Services. With experience building production-ready gameplay frameworks, performance-optimized systems, and scalable multiplayer architecture, Nav brings current industry practices into the classroom. He focuses on helping students move beyond prototypes and understand how real studios build, ship, and maintain games.
Inside VanArts
Inside VanArts: This is Game Art & Design!
For an exciting inside look at what studying at VanArts is all about, check out our YouTube Playlist of behind-the-scenes studio footage, interviews with students, grads and faculty, and much more!
Watch the videos that interest you the most, or simply sit back and Play All!
Tuition Costs
Canadian
$34,750.00 CADInternational
$41,750.00 CADAdditional Information
Tuition Payment Schedule
10% deposit due upon acceptance into the program
40% due 6 weeks prior to program start date
50% due by end of Term 1 (3 months into studies)
International Students
Visit and Read Important Details Here.>>
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Visit our Financial Aid page.>>
Housing
Moving to Vancouver? Visit our Housing page.>>
Requirements
How to Apply
To enroll in this program, you must be at least 19 years of age OR a high school graduate.
• If you are undecided on a program or have no portfolio/art background, consider our 6-month Art Foundation program. Taking this program first meets the portfolio requirement for all 1-year diploma programs and discounts your tuition.
If you already know you want to focus on Game Art & Design, apply now with the following steps:
Step 1 – Complete and submit the application form (+ $100 Application Fee)
Step 2 – Send us the following materials:
• Portfolio (12 pieces of visual arts that can include traditional art, digital painting, 3D modeling and/or animation.)
• Letter of Intent (one-page letter telling us about your background, your passion for game art & design, and why you are applying to this program)
• Photo ID (passport photo page or other ID to confirm your birthdate & citizenship)
• If under 19, photo or scan of High School Transcript
• If ESL, official test scores for minimum English assessment (IELTS, TOEFL, Duolingo & more all accepted)
See our full English & Admission requirements here for more details.>>
Once all materials are received, we will review to consider your acceptance into the program.
Degree Pathways
The Game Art & Design diploma program is designed to make you industry-ready upon graduation — but if you’d like to continue into further studies, as a VanArts grad you can pursue a pathway towards a degree.
We have articulation agreements in place with several well established universities/colleges in Canada, Australia, and the UK, allowing you to complete a degree in as little as 1-2 years after your studies at VanArts.
Advantages include:
- dual credential from two recognized institutes
- savings in time & tuition cost
- (for international students) eligibility to apply for post-grad work permit*
* On their own, programs at VanArts are not eligible for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) program.
This list represents the pathways, universities and specific degrees available for graduates of Game Art at VanArts to consider.