Assessment Component 1: Portfolio 70%

Students will produce a clearly scoped character concept portfolio demonstrating engagement with the foundational stages of the character concept art pipeline. The portfolio will present the development of a single character concept informed by research, life drawing, observational study and digital design processes appropriate to Level 4 study.

The portfolio must include one complete character concept, developed through a defined and limited set of pipeline stages. Life drawing and observational practice should be used to inform anatomical understanding, proportion, gesture and character believability within the final design.

The portfolio should be presented as a single, coherent body of work and include the following elements:

* Research & Reference should consist of one curated reference board focused on:

- Visual style
- Anatomy or proportion
- Costume, materials, or cultural influence
- Brief visual or written annotation explaining how references informed design direction.

* Observational and life drawing studies

- A small focused selection of drawings that demonstrate engagement with anatomy, proportion, gesture or form chosen from the weekly classes
- These may be produced through structured life drawing sessions or related observational tasks, using traditional or digital media
- Emphasis is placed on observational intent and learning, not volume or finish.

* Ideation & Iteration

- A limited range of exploratory concepts (e.g. thumbnails, silhouettes or rough sketches).
- Students are not expected to explore all possible ideation methods.
- Iteration should demonstrate decision-making, not exhaustive exploration.

* Final Character Concept

- A small set of final design images (e.g. character sheet, pose or turnaround).
- Presentation should prioritise clarity, readability and intent rather than polish.

Assessment Component 2: Presentation 30%

Students will deliver a structured presentation that communicates their character concept process and reflects on their learning throughout the module. The presentation should outline how life drawing, observational studies and digital workflows were used together to inform the development of the final character design.

Through the presentations students will:

* Articulate the rationale behind their creative choices
* Discuss challenges encountered during both observational and digital stages
* Identify what was successful
* What could be developed further with additional time or experience to progress towards an industry expectation.

Reflection should focus on learning and development in relation to taught practices and introductory industry conventions discussed within the module.

The presentation assesses the student’s ability to communicate ideas clearly and coherently and to demonstrate reflective awareness of their creative process. It should complement the portfolio submission rather than repeat detailed visual analysis already presented in Assessment Component 1.

Character concept design is a fundamental area of concept art practice. This module introduces students to the theory and practice of the character concept art pipeline, focusing on how characters are researched, observed, developed and communicated for games and related creative industries. Life drawing and observational practice are used throughout the module to strengthen understanding of anatomy, proportion, gesture and form, informing both creative decision-making and digital character design outcomes.

Across the module, indicative content will include:

* Observational drawing techniques and reference gathering, including structured life drawing
* Translating life drawing and observation into character design ideas
* Industry examples demonstrating different stages and expectations within the character concept pipeline
* Proportion, anatomy and gestural drawing of the human figure
* Introduction to technical capabilities and appropriate digital software workflows
* Character design fundamentals, including shape language, colour theory and narrative design
* Designing believable characters through visual storytelling rather than explicit exposition
* Functional character design, considering purpose, role and context
* Production art conventions, including character design sheets, turnarounds and callouts
* Technical and aesthetic considerations in character presentation
* Introductory material and surface studies

1. Demonstrate understanding of the fundamental principles of character concept design, including the purpose and structure of an introductory character concept art pipeline informed by research, life drawing, observational studies and design conventions.

Programme Learning Outcome: Knowledge and Understanding

2. Apply foundational character concept art techniques to develop a coherent character design through defined stages of the concept art pipeline, using life drawing, observational practice and digital tools to inform proportion, anatomy, gesture and form.

Programme Learning Outcome: Application  & Problem Solving, Digital Literacy

3. Communicate character design ideas clearly and coherently through visual artefacts and oral presentation, articulating design intent and decision-making at key stages of development.

Programme Learning Outcome: Communication

4. Reflect on the effectiveness of creative processes, experimentation and outcomes, identifying successes, challenges and areas for future development in relation to taught practices and introductory industry conventions.

Programme Learning Outcome: Personal Development & Entrepreneurship

Scheduled sessions will typically include Traditional life drawing sessions, digital-based workshops/tutorials that allow students to learn and apply techniques, engage in facilitated discussions, and undertake activities focused on problem solving and peer learning.

Independent study will involve research tasks, assigned creative drawing or digital painting tasks, and ongoing development of assessment work supported by the resources provided.

Teaching activities are designed to mirror professional art-department feedback loops, enabling students to experience iterative development and critique similar to industry practice.

* 3D DCC tools (e.g. Blender or Zbrush)
* Digital Painting Software
* Wacom Tablets
* Video editing software
* Digital Academy Forum
* Digital Academy Upload System
* Data Projection Resource
* Access to Life Drawing resources
* Access to additional resources that could be applied in a concept workflow (e.g. 3D printing or laser scanning)

Le, K. (2005) The skillful huntsman : visual development of a Grimm tale at Art Center College of Design. Culver City, CA: Design Studio Press.

3D Total Publishing. (2018), Creating Stylized Characters, 3D Total Publishing, Worcester, UK.

Bridgman, B. (1920), Constructive Anatomy, Dover Publications, New York.

Isbister, K. (2006), Game Characters by Design: A Psychological Approach, Morgan Kaufmann, Massachusetts.

Mattesi, M. (2006), Dynamic Life Drawing for Animators, iUniverse, Indiana.

Primal Pictures. (2013), Interactive Functional Anatomy, DVD, Primal Pictures, Colchester.

Threinen-Pendarvis, C. (2004), The Photoshop and Painter Artist Tablet Book: Creative Techniques in Digital Painting, Peachpit Press, California.

3DTotal. (2015) Beginner's Guide to Digital Painting in Photoshop: Characters, 3D Total Publishing

Chavez, C. (2025) Adobe Photoshop Classroom in a Book, Adobe Press

In this module, you will explore the core principles of character concept design, developing the foundational artistic and technical skills needed to create believable characters for games and film. Through a combination of structured life drawing, observational studies and digital design practice, you will build a strong understanding of anatomy, proportion, gesture and form, and how these elements inform compelling character design.

You will move through the early stages of the character concept pipeline, learning how characters are researched, explored and developed from initial ideas through to resolved designs. Drawing from life is used to strengthen visual understanding and decision-making, helping you translate observation into confident character concepts using contemporary digital tools.

Alongside practical skill development, the module introduces industry examples, workflows and presentation conventions, helping you understand how character concepts communicate personality, function and narrative within a wider creative pipeline. By the end of the module, you will have developed a solid foundation in both observational drawing and character concept design that supports progression into more advanced concept art modules.