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Student Artwork by Bavly Hanna Concept Feng Wei
Student Artwork by Bavly Hanna Concept Feng Wei

Curriculum

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Overview

The BFA curriculum is designed to provide students with a 3D generalist education that prepares them to work as digital artists within the Visual Effects, Animation, and Games industries. Students have the option to choose a Concentration in either Game Art or Visual Effects Animation, which contains 27 unique units of concentration-specific courses.

3D Generalist Curriculum

3D Generalist Curriculum

Students studying Gnomon’s 3D Generalist curriculum are trained on various aspects of 3D production. This area of study is ideal for students who desire a breadth of knowledge and a skill set that allows them to work in a variety of fields across the various entertainment industries.

The curriculum covers multiple subjects with a focus on tools, processes, and workflow, utilizing industry software such as Maya, ZBrush, Photoshop, After Effects, Nuke, Mari, Houdini, and more. With a balance of foundational education and software-based technical training, Gnomon’s 3D Generalist courses offer students an extensive skill set relevant to the demands of the industry.

Please note: this curriculum is subject to change.

  • Term 1

    Overview of Digital Production
    Language Arts 1
    Figure Drawing
    Earth Science
    Cultural Studies
    Visual Communications 1

  • Term 2

    Art History 1
    Storyboarding
    Color Theory & Light
    Perspective
    Costumed Figure Drawing
    Anatomy

  • Term 3

    Introduction to 3D with Maya
    Texturing & Shading 1
    Photoshop for Digital Production
    Quantitative Principles 1
    Digital Photography

  • Term 4

    Art History 2
    Texturing & Shading 2
    Animation & Visual Effects 1
    Hard Surface Modeling 1
    History & Principles of Animation
    Digital Painting

  • Term 5

    Digital Sculpting
    Lighting & Rendering 1
    Animation & Visual Effects 2
    Introduction to Compositing
    Animal Drawing

  • Term 6

    Character Animation 1
    HD Digital Filmmaking for VFX
    Hard Surface Modeling 2
    Art of Compositing
    Language Arts 2

  • Term 7

    Dynamic Effects 1
    Matchmoving and Integration
    Advanced Compositing
    Lighting and Rendering 2
    Digital Sets

  • Term 8

    Character Animation 2
    Game Creation 1
    Texturing and Shading 3
    Lighting and Rendering 3
    Dynamic Effects 2

  • Term 9

    Quantitative Principles 2
    Character Rigging Fundamentals
    Look Development
    Houdini 1
    Elective 300 (choose one):

    • Digital Matte Painting
    • Character Animation 3
    • Props and Weapons for Games

  • Term 10

    Narrative Structure
    Character Rigging for Production
    Social Science
    Lighting & Rendering 4
    Elective 400 (choose one):

    • Character Modeling and Sculpting
    • Creature Animation 1
    • Texturing and Shading 4

  • Term 11

    Oral Communication
    Demo Reel 1
    Demo Reel 2
    Elective 410 (choose one):

    • Houdini 2
    • Previsualization and Animatics
    • Creature Modeling and Sculpting

  • Term 12

    Portfolio Preparation
    Demo Reel 3
    Demo Reel 4
    Elective 420 (choose one):

    • Character Animation 4
    • Advanced Digital Sculpting
    • Maya Modules

Featured Courses

Digital Matte Painting

Create complex matte paintings in 2D and 3D

Houdini 1

Learn the technical basics of SideFX Houdini

Game Art Concentration

Game Art Concentration

Students studying Gnomon’s Games curriculum are trained on the tools, processes, and workflows of game production utilizing industry software such as Unreal Engine, Maya, ZBrush, Substance Painter and Designer, Photoshop, Marmoset Toolbag, and more.

Courses cover multiple subjects and provide opportunities to create real-time artwork across a variety of disciplines. With a balance of foundational education and software-based technical training, Gnomon’s Games curriculum offers students an extensive and in-depth skill set relevant to the demands of the industry.

Highlighted courses are unique to the Game Art Concentration grid. Please note: this curriculum is subject to change.

  • Term 1

    Overview of Digital Production
    Language Arts 1
    Figure Drawing
    Earth Science
    Cultural Studies
    Visual Communications 1

  • Term 2

    Art History 1
    Storyboarding
    Color Theory & Light
    Perspective
    Costumed Figure Drawing
    Anatomy

  • Term 3

    Introduction to 3D with Maya
    Texturing & Shading 1
    Photoshop for Digital Production
    Quantitative Principles 1
    Digital Photography

  • Term 4

    Art History 2
    Texturing and Shading 2
    Animation & Visual Effects 1
    Hard Surface Modeling 1
    History & Principles of Animation
    Digital Painting

  • Term 5

    Digital Sculpting
    Game Design
    Animation & Visual Effects 2
    Introduction to Compositing
    Hard Surface Modeling 2

  • Term 6

    Props & Weapons for Games
    Animal Drawing
    Lighting & Rendering 1
    Game Creation 1
    Language Arts 2

  • Term 7

    Character Modeling & Sculpting
    Character Animation 1
    Level Design
    Environment Creation for Games
    Texturing & Shading for Games

  • Term 8

    Digital Sets
    Character Creation for Games
    Game Creation 2
    Animation for Games
    Dynamic Effects 1

  • Term 9

    Quantitative Principles 2
    Character Rigging Fundamentals
    Game Creation 3
    Houdini 1
    Elective 300 (choose one):

    • Digital Matte Painting
    • Character Animation 2
    • Lighting & Rendering 2

  • Term 10

    Narrative Structure
    Game Creation 4
    Social Science
    Visual Effects for Games 1
    Elective 400 (choose one):

    • Dynamic Effects 2
    • Creature Animation 1
    • Character Animation 3

  • Term 11

    Oral Communication
    Demo Reel 1
    Demo Reel 2
    Elective 410 (choose one):

    • Houdini 2
    • Character Rigging for Production
    • Creature Modeling & Sculpting

  • Term 12

    Portfolio Preparation
    Demo Reel 3
    Demo Reel 4
    Elective 420 (choose one):

    • Character Animation 4
    • Advanced Digital Sculpting
    • Maya Modules

Featured Courses

Character Creation for Games

Optimize artistic approaches to deformable character creation

Environment Creation for Games

Learn to build interactive environments for games

Visual Effects Animation Concentration

Visual Effects Animation Concentration

Students studying Visual Effects Animation explore the various processes by which imagery is created to simulate dynamic assets such as smoke, fire, and water as well as complex systems such as destruction and organic growth.

Course content includes lighting and filming techniques, tracking and compositing of elements, and integration of virtual assets into a live-action shot. Utilizing industry software such as Houdini, Maya, Nuke, After Effects, and more, Gnomon’s Visual Effects Animation curriculum offers students an in-depth skill set relevant to the demands of the industry.

Highlighted courses are unique to the Visual Effects Animation Concentration grid. Please note: this curriculum is subject to change.

  • Term 1

    Overview of Digital Production
    Language Arts 1
    Figure Drawing
    Earth Science
    Cultural Studies
    Visual Communications 1

  • Term 2

    Art History 1
    Storyboarding
    Color Theory & Light
    Perspective
    Costumed Figure Drawing
    Anatomy

  • Term 3

    Introduction to 3D with Maya
    Texturing & Shading 1
    Photoshop for Digital Production
    Quantitative Principles 1
    Digital Photography

  • Term 4

    Art History 2
    Texturing & Shading 2
    Animation & Visual Effects 1
    Hard Surface Modeling 1
    History & Principles of Animation
    Digital Painting

  • Term 5

    Principles of VFX
    Lighting & Rendering 1
    Animation & Visual Effects 2
    Introduction to Compositing
    Character Animation 1

  • Term 6

    Art of Compositing
    HD Digital Filmmaking for VFX
    Dynamic Effects 1
    Houdini 1
    Language Arts 2

  • Term 7

    Houdini 2
    Matchmoving & Integration
    Advanced Compositing
    Lighting & Rendering 2
    Dynamic Effects 2

  • Term 8

    Dynamic Effects 3
    Houdini 3
    Character Rigging Fundamentals
    Lighting & Rendering 3
    Motion Capture

  • Term 9

    Quantitative Principles 2
    Houdini 4
    Dynamic Effects 4
    Virtual Production
    Elective 300 (choose one):

    • Digital Matte Painting
    • Character Animation 2
    • Digital Sculpting

  • Term 10

    Narrative Structure
    VFX Design
    Social Science
    Liquid Simulations
    Elective 400 (choose one):

    • Character Modeling & Sculpting
    • Creature Animation 1
    • Visual Effects for Games 1

  • Term 11

    Oral Communication
    Demo Reel 1
    Demo Reel 2
    Elective 410 (choose one):

    • Lighting & Rendering 4
    • Previsualization & Animatics
    • Character Rigging for Production

  • Term 12

    Portfolio Preparation
    Demo Reel 3
    Demo Reel 4
    Elective 420 (choose one):

    • Character Animation 3
    • Advanced Digital Sculpting
    • Maya Modules

Featured Courses

Houdini 4

Learn advanced Houdini production techniques

Liquid Simulations

Create production liquid simulation solutions for visual