Course Summary
This course teaches students the fundamentals of game character design, covering everything from initial sketches to final polish. Students will learn how to create characters that are both visually appealing and functional within a game environment.Key Learning Points
- Learn the basics of character design, including anatomy, proportion, and silhouette
- Explore different techniques for creating characters, such as sculpting and digital painting
- Understand how to create characters that are optimized for game environments
Job Positions & Salaries of people who have taken this course might have
- Game Character Artist
- USA: $63,000
- India: INR 5,00,000
- Spain: €34,000
- Game Designer
- USA: $70,000
- India: INR 6,00,000
- Spain: €40,000
- Concept Artist
- USA: $55,000
- India: INR 4,50,000
- Spain: €30,000
Related Topics for further study
Learning Outcomes
- Create visually appealing and functional game characters
- Demonstrate knowledge of character anatomy and proportion
- Understand how to optimize characters for game environments
Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course
- Basic drawing skills
- Access to digital sculpting and painting software
- Familiarity with 3D modeling
Course Difficulty Level
IntermediateCourse Format
- Online self-paced
- Video lectures
- Hands-on assignments
Similar Courses
- 3D Character Creation: Sculpting in Zbrush
- Digital Painting: Concept Art and Characters
Related Education Paths
Notable People in This Field
- Scott Eaton
- Ryan Kingslien
Related Books
Description
In this course you will explore concepts and approaches involved in creating successful character designs that can be applied to video games. Following a first week delving into some foundational concepts for successful character design, each of the remaining three weeks are structured as a master class where you will observe three professional character designers at work in the studio: Andy Ristaino (Adventure Time), Jacky Ke Jiang (Journey), and Robertryan Cory (SpongeBob SquarePants). Each designer will take on two different design challenges on the fly and address the various issues in designing characters for games, such as movement, expression, and technical limitations. At the end of each week you will have an opportunity to try out some of the concepts from that week's lesson on characters of your own design.
Outline
- Week 1: About Character
- Welcome
- Density
- Mood & Story
- Proportion
- Week 1 Homework
- About this Course
- An Important Question
- Academic Integrity
- Instructor Presence and Staff Support
- Week 2: Technical Challenges
- Drawing the Explorer
- Refining the Explorer
- Drawing the Alien
- Refining the Alien
- Week 2 Homework
- Introducing Andy Ristaino
- Resource: Andy's drawings
- Week 3: Design with Purpose
- 2D Ink Drawing
- 2D Tablet Drawing
- 3D Modeling
- Week 3 Homework
- Introducing Jacky Ke Jiang
- Resource: Jacky's drawings
- Week 4: Find Your Character
- Drawing the Pig
- Refining the Pig
- Drawing the Sheep
- Refining the Sheep, Part 1
- Refining the Sheep, Part 2
- Working in Animation
- Robertryan Studio Follow-Up
- Week 4 Homework
- Introducing Robertryan Cory
- Resource: Robertryan's drawings
- Introducing Robertryan Cory (again)
- Course Credits
Summary of User Reviews
The Game Character Design course on Coursera has received positive reviews from students. Many found the course to be comprehensive and informative, offering valuable insights into the process of designing game characters. Overall, the course has received high ratings from students.Key Aspect Users Liked About This Course
The course is comprehensive and offers valuable insights into the process of designing game characters.Pros from User Reviews
- The course covers a wide range of topics related to game character design
- The instructors are knowledgeable and provide clear explanations
- The assignments are engaging and help students apply what they've learned
- The course is well-structured and easy to follow
- The course provides practical skills that can be used in the industry
Cons from User Reviews
- Some students found the course to be too basic
- The course may be challenging for those without prior experience in design or art
- The workload can be heavy at times
- The course may not be suitable for those looking for a more specialized focus
- Some students found the course to be too theoretical and not practical enough
Fran Krause
4.7 Raiting
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