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Strengths

My biggest strengths in Games Development is my 2D art and animation. The areas I enjoy the most are 2D art (creating sprites, background, reference sheets and character designs) using software such pixel art and Krita. My skills have improved since the first year of the course as my art style has changes and I have learnt new techniques (new ways on creating texture and using the tools in Krita) and at home I have been working on backgrounds, anatomy, perspective and general art studies ; My art style is recognizable and it help elevates my games.

Last year I was given a distinction for my work as my written work of extensive research and ideas showed how dedicated I was in creating a well made game. The other reason for my distinction was my artistic level of work, having multiple sketches and ideas, reference sheets, official animated sprites, backgrounds, music, sounds and and over all aesthetic helped so my artistic skill in making a good looking game.

Weaknesses

My biggest weakness in Games Development is my time management skills and my problem with having scope creep. In my last project my main issue was not managing my time properly by taking longer then I wanted in my research portions that lead to my game becoming unfinished yet playable. Another issue I had was scope creep as I kept adding more features before polishing the basic one so when it was crunch time I had to reprogram the basic to run better and I didn't even implement the other features I wanted to add due to it.

However, for this term I have already since July started my main research for my FMP as I fear I might over write so by starting very early I can have a head start and not need to worry about losing development time. And to prevent scope creep in my projects I will list all my ideas down when I think of them and rank them from important to misalliances to have a list before I add them so If i don't get to add the small features my game should be fleshed out.

Opportunities

One of the opportunities I could find when completing this course with my new skills is being able to apply for university's. If I get my distinction that the end of the term I have a higher chance to be able to apply for an higher education and have the ability to learn new skills, be closer in the games industry and be able to have the credentials to be employed at bigger company's and jobs roles. This will help further my study's and career making me improve overall.

Another, opportunity I could be met with being hired into a games studio with just my collage credentials and portfolio. If my grades and overall work is at a high enough level that employers want me to start working without needing a higher education this could help with getting into the industry early , have job experience and earning a good salary at a younger age without needing to spend funds on a higher education.

Threats

Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty that primarily affects reading, writing, and spelling, and is not related to intelligence. It results from how the brain processes language, often leading to challenges with decoding words, poor spelling, and slow reading. Associated difficulties can also include problems with organization, memory, and sequencing. 

This could be an issue due to having a higher difficulty with spelling certain documents and the possibility in miss reading certain instructions. To circumvent this I will always re read and grammar check any written work I have made and always check written work to be certain I have done the task correctly.

Specific Modules

Level 4

In the first year, students will build a strong foundation in games art, focusing on the essential skills required for game development. Modules cover an introduction to the games industry and culture, basic art techniques, and key software pipelines.Students will apply these skills in practical projects, creating 2D and 3D props, exploring materials and shaders, and constructing game environments. Collaborative learning with students from related disciplines helps to develop a clear understanding of the game development process and the roles within it.​

I will learn industry relevant skills for the curriculum is closely aligned with current industry practices, offering training in both traditional and emerging technologies such as procedural asset generation and virtual production workflows. Along side this I will also learn  interdisciplinary learning with opportunities to collaborate with peers from related courses, I will gain an understanding of the entire game development process, from concept to completion.

Elective Units​

  • The Creative Industries and You

  • Art Principles for Game Artists

  • 2D Workflows

  • Introduction to Game Engines

  • Introduction to 3D Modelling

  • Introduction to Prototyping

  • Introduction to Materials and Lighting

From what I have gathered from this first year of this course in MetStudios, I will be learning new skills and practicing my own ones to be able to move on to the next step in year two. Learning things such as 3D and 2D experimentation, creating prototypes and learning about the industry as a whole. I think this course sounds appealing as making sure that we are able to to the basics and minimum I can make sure my work in the future is perfect.

Level 5

The second year deepens my expertise in the design and creation of art assets for games. Through research and concept development, I will learn to build assets tailored to AAA, independent, or tabletop games.

Modules introduce advanced art asset technologies, focusing on character design, environment creation, and procedural art techniques. Practical projects include designing and rigging characters, enhancing player experience through mood creation, and understanding the diverse roles within the gaming industry. This year emphasises interdisciplinary collaboration and the application of creative methodologies to broaden your perspective and refine my practice. 

I will be working with industry-standard tools and technologies, including game engines, scripting, and 3D/2D art pipelines, preparing you for the technical demands of the industry. The program not only hones my artistic skills but also deepens my understanding of production methodologies, game culture, and design fundamentals, making you a well-rounded candidate for a variety of roles.

Elective Units​

  • Character Design and Sculpting

  • Advanced Materials and Shaders

  • Defining Your Practice in Context

  • Game Development Studio

  • Exploring Your Practice Through Collaboration​

  • User Interfaces for Games​

  • Procedural Workflows​

  • Audio Design for Games​

  • Designing for Hardware

This course in year two shows me that I will learn how to create a world with interesting characters that explore deep themes in both character design and environments. Things I will learn are: learning UI/audio development, learning deeper in the industry, and learning multiple medians such as 2D/ 3D sculpting. This course shows me that I will learn in depth how to create a more compelling and relatable design for complex characters; this could help with making other character IPs feel not out of character in the body language or overall design.

Level 6

In the final year, I will refine my skills and professionalise my practice in preparation for graduation. This stage focuses on perfecting the techniques learned in previous years and applying them to a considered final submission. The curriculum supports my transition into the industry or further academic study, with an emphasis on developing a personal and professional portfolio that showcases my specialised abilities in games art and technology.

At the end of a university 2D games course, the primary outcome for a student is the completion of a functional, playable 2D game or prototype that serves as the central piece of an industry-ready portfolio. Students will work individually or in multidisciplinary teams to design and implement a complete 2D game, applying all the skills learned throughout the course.The final project is the cornerstone of a professional portfolio, which is essential for showcasing skills to potential employers.

Elective Units​

  • Environmental Storytelling

  • Pre-production

  • Production

  • Final Project

  • Ready to Launch

  • User Interfaces for Games

  • Procedural Workflows

  • Audio Design for Games

  • Designing for Hardware

To summarize the research I have gathered from seeing what this course others over the three years, I can say that what I could learn would be beneficial for my future. Such skills as learning the ins and outs of the industry, learning everything about story building, and overall understanding all aspects of 2D art. By learning these skills, I can create a strong portfolio and be prepared for the gaming world; this can help build good connections, better teamwork, and understanding the industry better.

Industry Links

From the website I can only find about five guest speaker for games art from 2024-2025, the main ones being Poppy Marlow and K. Yoland’s. From what the website says about both of there interviews and workshops is that both women are extremely talents and are good role models in both the art and story telling. While the information on the website is very bare from what I have seem from both of these women's work is that they have knowledge in the fields that came help young inspiring animations /storytellers how to improve and the best course of action to achieve your goals. To me the university seems to bring in competent people.

This video shows us Poppy's credentials as she has been apart of the animation team and created DogMan. This shows me that she is a good and reliable guest speaker to explain the animation industry as she has a  good and extensive portfolio and official work such as working on the many Disney live action movies as a VFX artiest. The university bring her in makes me feel confident that they know , which person can befit there course as for games art they have giving a strong mentor.

Based on my research on the website and on each person, both women seem to be very skilled in what they do and seem to be good role models to help with learning their own industry's. 

Research Facilities

From what I have gathered on the website the school seems to be somewhat equipped with decent high end computers, drawing tablets and monitors. From what I have seen the rooms do look quite small so I assume the classes are very small (around 20 people). Yet on the website the facilities and equipment were non existent and to find what the school might have to offer I had to look up their YouTube and look through videos to just see what their own school looked like. The rooms also feel to dull and closed in but that is my personal preference as I can see someone liking having a darker less busy room as they might enjoy the tranquil nature of this gaming room.

This video is very conflicting to the website as it presents many high level equipment such as high end pc's, big display tablets, and monitors. However, this video was not on there website and there website had no images on what the rooms looked like. This leads to one of two conclusions, that either they just recently got this equipment and haven't got a chance to present it or the university didn't think this was important information to share.

Based on this video and the images above I can't find any good evidence of any good or high quality equipment as the university's website has no concrete information on either the types of pc's and or laptops they might provide and any other information such as how high quality there tablets or monitors are. This lead me to believe that maybe there equipment is out dated as most tech school would proudly present there equipment by telling us on the website what it can do. From the video I saw on the website as there was no photos on what the school looked like I can see that the rooms are quite small , which can be both good and bad. Smaller rooms means less students so we could have a more uniform team to work with and the layout of the room is a kin to a real world games job. Yet due to the closed nature of the room it doesn't make we excite to apply as it seems dim and to closed off for my and other peoples liking. I had to dig through there YouTube to be able to find what equipment they had.

Prerequisites

Entry Requirements

Equipment Requirements

*GCSE: Three GCSEs at a minimum grade C/4, including English Language or Level 2 Equivalents

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*A-Level: CDD

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*IELTS: 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 to be achieved in each band

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*Applicants may also provide an equivalent Level 3 qualification such as a Baccalaureate or International Baccalaureate.

*Windows PC strongly recommended. This could be a laptop for flexibility, or a desktop for more power

*Secondary backup drive: 2 TB+​

*Minimum: 6-core modern CPU, 16 GB RAM, discrete GPU with 6 GB VRAM, 512 GB SSD, 1080p display.

*Primary portable drive: 2 TB+ SSD

*Graphics tablet (optional) — not essential for purchase. The department provides pen/screen tablets in taught sessions and studio areas where required.

*Webcam , Protective laptop sleeve, Closed-back headset with microphone,Three-button mouse with scroll wheel

Application Information

Interviews/Portfolios

[If you need further information to aid your application, contact our Admissions Team by phone at +44 20 88321933, by filling out our application enquiry form, or by email at admissions@metstudios.co.uk.]

As part of your application, you will need to supply the following information:

*A completed MetStudios application form. This includes a personal statement of 500 words, an important part of the School’s selection process.

* A copy of the applicant’s passport. This should clearly show the picture page and passport number.

*A portfolio, including scripts, photography, artwork, films, etc.​

Both games/animation courses require portfolios.

*Once you’ve attended an Applicant Day and completed your portfolio review, our Admissions team will be in touch with the outcome.

If you receive an offer, you will need to apply via UCAS (or directly via our website, if you’re an international applicant) if you have not already done so. Then, you can formally accept your offer.

*Talk through your thought process – How do you approach challenges and problem-solving?

*Be passionate! What excites you about animation, game art, or game design?

*Show work that reflects your unique interests, experiments, and style—don’t be afraid to surprise us!​

Prerequisites are requirements that must be met before a student can enroll in a course or program. They ensure a student has the necessary foundational knowledge and skills to succeed, often by requiring the successful completion of an introductory or previous course. Prerequisites work by establishing a required sequence of learning, where an advanced course builds upon the knowledge gained in the prerequisite course.A portfolio is a curated collection of your work, skills, and achievements that showcases your abilities to potential employers or clients. It functions as a visual and evidence-based resume, often including project samples, a resume, testimonials, and a personal statement. By getting all of these details in order I can be able to apply for this university and be able to gain entry in the 'Games Development' industry.

Specific Modules

Level 4

I will be introduced to the fundamental research, design thinking, development, techniques and principals involved in the 2D and 3D areas of my practice. They want me to keep a 2D sketchbook and 3D art design document, through which I will develop and fully document my observational skills, record my creative process and practice. I will continue to develop my art fundamentals; the key traditional and digital art skills needed to develop and communicate ideas. My outcomes will demonstrate my conceptual approach, a range of art skills, and technical understanding.

I will study popular frameworks and theoretical concepts such as designing a plot, character, setting, dialogue, culminating in making your own interactive narrative. I will then investigate narrative as a psychological and anthropological phenomenon, before understanding its most contemporary and experimental forms embodied in postmodernism, and finally, games as narrative architectures for exploration. My Digital Outcome is edited, self-made record of your constructive engagement with and presence on, digital media platforms across the year. Examples of this could be my online portfolio or blog/vlog, or social media activity.

Elective Units:

  • Board Game Design

  • Immersive Media

  • Digital Storytelling

  • Hardware Projects using Unreal

  • Life Drawing

  • Pervasive Game Studio

  • Basic Animation

  • Environmental Storytelling

  • Exploring Londons Gaming Sectors

  • Client Breifs

From what I have seen from the first year at UCA is that I will be refining my skills and learning new ones. I will be exploring such topics as; basic animation, storytelling of all kinds and basic coding implementation. This course sounds appealing and beneficial for me as I want to explore my 2D art journey more and be able to learn animation as I want to improve in that area. This intrigues me as it seems that I will work with like minded people and learn new skills that focus only on my median.

Level 5

Building from what I will learn in Year 1, this unit is all about continuing my development as a games artist and building your knowledge of professional aspects of the games industry. I will produce a body of work relevant to video games and entertainment design, demonstrating appropriate wide-ranging research that looks beyond gaming for entertainment. I will explore global perspectives and influences on creative practice, drawing upon interactions with varied identities, cultures, politics, and histories. The unit will explore how beliefs, values and attitudes drive behaviour and practices

In this unit I will be be able to explore an area of interest in more depth – either Concept Art or 3D – to build upon my existing strengths. Each pathway contains relevant content and assignments relevant to the chosen discipline, and I will produce a body of work at the end to reflect my learning.I will use my skills and workflows to produce work for an industry brief, who will set specific parameters and conditions to be met by a deadline.I will work as individuals or in a team (depent on the brief) and develop new skills in engaging and communicating effectively with your fellow students, including your ability to respond to an industry focused brief. In addition, I will focus on refining your presentation skills to ensure that you successfully share the outcomes, reflecting on your output.

Elective Units:

  • Conceptual Interdisciplinary

  • Immersive Media

  • Digital Storytelling

  • Hardware Projects using Arduino

  • Life Drawing

  • Virtual Production Studio

  • Pervasive Game Studio

  • Creature Animation

  • Motion Capture Technologies

  • Environmental Storytelling

To summarize this level 5 course, in this unit I will be be able to explore an area of interest in more depth – either Concept Art or 3D,I will produce a body of work at the end to reflect my learning and engage and communicate effectively with your fellow students in my future projects.I will learn a range of skills such as working with others to create a small game demo, new animation and art skills, more industry knowledge and learning the best job role for my 2D art journey. This helps me see that this course could be helpful of me as I will learn important skills ready for the next step and develop skills that can help me grow in the industry and help me make connections early.

Level 6

My final year allows me to develop a significant body of work that demonstrates my chosen pathway discipline, ideation skills, genre interests and your aspiration for my future role within the Games and entertainment industries. Work from this period of study will make up and define my graduate portfolio. This unit is all about developing my project proposal through which I will define the concept, scope, audience, and purpose of my Final Major Project.There will also be other activities, such as study trips and/or studio visits, Design Sprints, could also take place.

Elective Units:

  • Job Oppatunitys

  • Immersive Media

  • Digital Storytelling

  • Game/Media Creation

  • Life Drawing

  • Virtual Production Studio

  • Pervasive Game Studio

  • Specailized Animation

  • Motion Capture Technologies

  • Environmental Storytelling

This unit consists of a period of sustained, individually negotiated research which will help me develop an appropriate methodological approach towards my Final Major Project. I will produce a written piece that reflects upon and articulates a clear and sustained argument.I will identify, explore and develop professional promotional resources that highlight my strengths and my body of work. This will help me define and present myself in a professional manner to external parties, in line with the conventions of professional practice and the workplace.

To conclude from my research I understand that in this year I will, create my final major project of the university year, be prepared to jump into the job world and refine all the skills I have learned or improved to be ready to meet industry standard. By learning these skills I can be sure I will be ready for the next step and this course seems to be able to do this task well as many students end up in high level company's and job roles. I feel confident if I choose this university and this course I will be able to apply myself in the best way I can and enter the industry stronger with all the knowledge and skills I have acquired.

Industry Links

  • Supermassive Games

  • EA

  • Sony

  • Creative Assembly

  • Supergonk

  • Two Point Studios

  • Zappar

  • Hangar 13

  • Atom Republic

  • Rebellion

  • Miniclip

From what I have gathered on their website they only present the company's that have came in and been partnered with, such as EA, Sony and Supermassive Games. However, from the website alone I could not find any particular individual that came in or what they did with the class when they came in. This tells me that while this university presents who went and is partnered with them proudly they do not want to elaborate in what ways that practitioner aided the school or show any proof of their claims on having any of those game company's have worked with them.

To conclude, from the research I have done while they state they have worked and have strong industry links yet I can not find any: written, video or photographic evidence for these claims. This could imply to the reader that maybe this university might not have the best practitioners come in and or teach the class well, this could all be improved by having just a couple of names, written testimony's form students on how important and influential that lesson was or even just some photos of them teaching the class. Overall, this small thing has lowered my opinion of this university as I do not know if they have good links.

They also regularly welcome input from active industry practitioners, who can offer expert advice and guidance to students about the realities of working in the computer games market.

Research Facilities

From what I have gathered on both the website and tour of the school I can safely say that this school is extremely equipped. An example of this are the 'Wabcom' drawing tablets, VR studio, professional recording booth and equipment and high level gaming computers with duel monitors and a lot of ram and speed. This shows me that this university is more than equip to teach their lesson with the highest quality equipment, helping students learn better software quicker and giving them a chance to experience real profession equipment such as recording booths and industry level software.

This video of the university being toured demonstrates to me that the school is heavily equipped with the latest technology and gaming equipment such as motion capture, VR stations, 4k duel screens and large scale drawing tablets. The PC's are able to handle many high level and storage engines such as Blender, Unreal and Adobe. 

Based on this video and the images above I have found very good evidence of good or high quality equipment as the university's website has extensive information on all the types of PCs, tablets, and other equipment they have provided a lot of information such as how high quality their tablets and monitors. This lead me to believe that their equipment is out very up to date as most tech school proudly present there equipment by telling us on the website what it can do. From the photos I saw on the website as there was many angles and proof on what the school looked like I can see that the rooms are quite well equiped with new technology , which is benfical to new artists and coders. High-tech rooms means more students can learn better using better software and technogoly, which help students be able to have accese to indusrty level technonolgy. I did not have to dig far into this universty to find evidence of good equipment showing that this school is very proud of their technology and had many videos, photots and writiing about how well stocked they are in the equipmet department,

Prerequisites

Entry Requirements

Equipment Requirements

  • 112 UCAS tariff points

  • Pass at Foundation Diploma in Art & Design (Level 3 or 4)

  • Distinction, Merit, Merit at BTEC Extended Diploma / BTEC National Extended Diploma

  • Merit at UAL Extended Diploma

  • 112 UCAS tariff points from an accredited Access to Higher Education Diploma in appropriate subject

  • 27-30 total points in the International Baccalaureate Diploma with at least 15 IB points at Higher level

And four GCSE passes at grade 9-4/A*-C including English (or Functional Skills English/Key Skills Communication Level 2).

  • *Windows PC strongly recommended. This could be a laptop for flexibility, or a desktop for more power

  • *Secondary backup drive: 2 TB+​

  • *Minimum: 6-core modern CPU, 16 GB RAM, discrete GPU with 6 GB VRAM, 512 GB SSD, 1080p display.

  • *Primary portable drive: 2 TB+ SSD

  • *Graphics tablet (optional) — not essential for purchase. The department provides pen/screen tablets in taught sessions and studio areas where required.

  • Strong software that is able to collect high ram files and or programs.

Application Information

Interviews/Portfolios

'We consider the strength of our applicants’ portfolios, as well as their grades -  in these cases, a strong portfolio is especially important.' - UCA

The following guidance outlines what we’d like to see in your portfolio: 

  • Personal work: This can take many forms and can be produced with traditional or digital media. It should demonstrate a range of art techniques such as drawing/painting from life, the human form, rural or urban landscape and still life, or be invented characters, creatures, environments. Include up to 10 pieces. 

  • Sketchbook work: We’d like to see traditional media sketchbook work that shows a mixture of observational drawing from life and personal idea generation. They should be produced with controlled, clear, pen and pencil work as well as some colour and use of other drawing media. Sketchbooks are your place for quickly capturing poses/scenes, trying out ideas, experimentation, so we don’t expect highly finished work. Include 10 sketchbook images (double pages). 

  • Current relevant coursework: We’d like to see any assignments you have which are relevant to the course, so illustrative and/or drawing based. We don’t need to see assignments relating to photography, graphic design, typography, etc. You should show all stages of a project: your research, idea development though to final artwork. Include your 2 best projects. 

Prerequisites are requirements that must be met before a student can enroll in a course or program. They ensure a student has the necessary foundational knowledge and skills to succeed, often by requiring the successful completion of an introductory or previous course. Prerequisites work by establishing a required sequence of learning, where an advanced course builds upon the knowledge gained in the prerequisite course.A portfolio is a curated collection of your work, skills, and achievements that showcases your abilities to potential employers or clients. It functions as a visual and evidence-based resume, often including project samples, a resume, testimonials, and a personal statement. By getting all of these details in order I can be able to apply for this university and be able to gain entry in the 'Games Development' industry.

Comparing Both courses

Which course content aligns best with my long-term career goals?

While I also think the MetStudio's course aligns with my long term goals as a games artiest, with similar models such as : learning UI/shaders , audio design , 2D/3D workshops , specialized fields , collaborations and refining older skills. This course is more so 2D and story focus, which is more so the route I want to take in my future career as I want to explore courses that showcase learning skills such as environmental story telling, character design and understanding character motif and patterns. From what I have seen from this university, I think that they can accomplish this due to their rap-sheet on where their students work after this course. While this course and university do inline with my career goals I can also say the UCA's course does seem important as well since it covers a lot of skills that can be helpful when applying for any art career than just one type of career

I think the UCA course aligns with my long term goals as a games artiest, the models include such as : basic and intermediate animation , digital storytelling , life drawing , immersive media , creature animation , environmental storytelling and specialized animation. Out of these models : immersive media, animation as a whole and working in a pure specialized field these topics I haven't explore yet seem interesting to me as it can broaden my skills as I learn new types of art. From what I have seen from the university they can accomplish in teaching me these things due to good equipment, strong industry links and the overall pass percentage. However, while this course does seem to help me be able to apply for most 2D artist jobs the other course in MetStudio's is more focuses in the industry I want to join (character creation) making this course seem less likely to be my pick as I want to be able to get into that industry in particular.

Which course excites me the most based on the topics covered?

In the course in MetStuidos, the 2D world building category in their course excites me the most as it is the industry type I want to be involved with. Things such as: bringing characters and other elements to life with character animation, adding a user interface, sound, and music to make the world feel complete, and creating game environments by using sprites and the engine's tools to build the world. This excites me due to the ability to create designs that translate that characters personality well and is able to fit well into a narrative is my main goal in art, to make my own characters and story or work in an industry that help build a company's IP. While this course is everything I want to learn, I will admit that the UCA course has more interesting skills to learn such as VR specialism, different forms of animation and more knowledge into different industry's making me wonder if I should master the skills I need or learn other skills at a lower level

In the course in UCA, the range of learning different animation types and drawing techniques excites me the most about this course. UCA seems to be able to show a vast range of different learning opportunities in different medians to make sure that you are at lest able to complete any task in different art sectors : vector's, sprites creation, animation or even sound design. This makes me excited as I can learn a lot of new skills and maybe be able to enter more industry's as I can use that new knowledge to join more places then just being a concept designer. Yet, at the same time I worry that by learning multiple things at once I might not be able to expand on them making e a novice a those new skills, while at MetStudio's I could master concept creation and be certain of the industry I want to work for.

Which course seems the most challenging?

The main thing I see being a challenge in the MetStudio's course is the overall schedule of having only 40% of my lessons be in class and the other 60% being at home. While I understand my this university would rather have most of their course be online work ; since what I have seen of the school they are lacking in the technology and equipment department, I personally feel like it will be harder working at home/campus due to : different environment, lack of stronger resources, lack of support from teachers and making the future group projects more difficult as scheduling multiple people on different days to work together can be hard. This is made a bigger issue when the other university UCA has a vast amount of equipment and seems to always have a good balance of in school work and at home work.

The main thing I see being a challenge in the UCA course is the overall curriculum on what I will learn in the three years. While the course does seem interesting and the skills like : exploring 3D sculpting, board game design and life drawing do appeal to me and I would also like to learn and develop skills in those areas, in my opinion this course does not feel that suited for me. I want to explore more world design and character design, the ability to create memorable and unique creatures and worlds either for personal projects or for a games studio. For example, the university MetStudio's games (2D) art course is mostly based on developing art skills and learning how to make enriching designs to make the players remember your work and improve a games quality.

Am I more confident in my abilities to tackle the material in one course over another?

Personally, I feel like this course in MetStudio's is more suited for me as I want to explore the world of 2D world building rather than general 2D medians as I have more experience creating character designs, mapping out ideas and linking a story to a design with subtle elements well. While UCA has interesting learning criteria and seems very beneficial to my learning, MetStudio's criteria seems more appealing to me as it only focuses on character building/world building rather than multiple topics at once. This makes me more inclined to choose this one over UCA as while learning many skills at a novice level is good mastering the skills I need is more important to me.

In my opinion,  I feel that this course in UCA is less suited for me as I want to explore the 2D concept world rather than learning multiple things at once and not having a solid idea on what to choose for a career. While I will learn important skills, even more skills than what MetStudio will teach me due to the nature of the program it seems like mastering every skill I will learn is near impossible as I will be quickly learning skills and producing work once I have learned a skill making my work seem amateur. Unlike MetStudio I will only learn one type of 2D art but be able to develop many skills inside of that niche and master it rather than having lots of skills on different wave length of knowledge.

Which course is more likely to enhance my employ-ability in my desired field?

In MetStudio's course the main goal is to be able to obtain a job in the 2D art world just like UCA, however this course is more so focused on character concepts and exploring way to improve world, character, UI and sound design to make a game feel more alive with its visuals and sounds. While, this course can only be able to go into certain industry's like, sprites work, concept designer, world designer and over all storyteller that is the industry I want to work in. This will help my enhance my chance to be employed in that industry as I will have a degree in just concept creation. Yet I do feel like with the course in UCA I could be able to explore more opportunities as they cover a lot of material making them able to apply for more fields of work.

In UCA's course the main goal is to be able to obtain a job in the 2D art world just like MetStudio's, however, this course is more focused on learning many skills to be able to go into any job role than mastering one skill for one certain job role. This course is more focused on students learning many skills ranging from different levels of being a master or novice to expand their portfolios as much as they can so when they apply for job they have more options. I think this is a good way to expand your skills and job opportunities as it will enhance your skill set for other company's to use you for rather than only applying for one type of job role each time. This this my main worry with MetStudio's as if you can't find any employer that wants a concept artist you have to keep searching for you niche.

Job Opportunities

2D Art- Identifying Key Skills

* Knowledge of art medians

* Knowledge of  human anatomy

*Knowledge of colour theory

*Knowledge of communication and teamwork

*Knowledge if different body types

*Knowledge of colour pallets

*Knowledge of environmental storytelling

*Knowledge of ethics

*Knowledge of criticism

*Knowledge of perspective

*Knowledge of world building

*Knowledge of powerful movement

*Knowledge of strong expressions

*Knowledge of basic animation

*Knowledge on environmental lighting

*Knowledge of portfolio building

*Knowledge of on model work

*Knowledge of art soft-where

*Knowledge of character building

*Knowledge of expressive silhouettes

Employability Skills

* Teamwork

*Taking critique

*Adaptability

*Managing Scope

*Data management

*Organisation

*Project management

*Motivation

*Punctuality

*Industry knowledge

*Tolerance

*Strong work ethic

*Communication

*Critical thinking

*Self management

*Problem solving

*Initiative

*Resilience

*Digital literacy

*Time management

​*Leadership​​

Experienced Job Roles

Concrete

Animation Director

Job Description

"You will be collaborating frequently with designers, animation programmers and gameplay programmers to better understand their needs and you will work with production to outline plans for servicing those needs. You will need to be familiar with both motion capture animation as well as key-frame animation and identify the right approach, providing routes to solving problems quickly, efficiently and at a high quality."

Skill Requirements

 * Skill Set Needed *

*Understands game production design process and methodology

*3-5 years of games industry experience in animation

*Ideally has Animation Direction and/or Animation lead experience on at least one shipped game.

*Demonstrates an understanding of storytelling, craftsmanship and continuity

*Excellent leadership, interpersonal, and organizational skills.

*Strong time management skills with a proven ability to focus on priorities juggle multiple tasks and meet deadlines

*The ability to effectively communicate, both creatively and technically*

*Must be familiar with one or more types of Animation software (MotionBuilder etc)

*Several years of experience with character and creature animation, facial animation, skeletal construction and point weighting.​

For this job role I have some skills to be able to apply and become an employ for them. Such skills as basic animation knowledge and key-frame/graphing knowledge. I am aware of internet trends and how to not utilize them as a company, I have good communication and feedback skills to help with team building and projects requiring my co-workers , I have some basic and intermediate knowledge on character and creature animation, facial animation, skeletal construction and my main skill is 2D art so I am strong on my storytelling /graphic design work using animations, motion graphics and vectors will look good for the company. I also understand the games industry as a whole so I feel comfortable working with other members in different games sectors.

My Ability's

The skills I have and would like to develop are my animation skills as I have knowledge on how to animate I just need to improve on hand drawn animation and focus less on key frame animation. I have the skills to create 2D sprites and create artwork that looks high level due to my understanding of key art components (colour theory, perspective and good character design).

To Improve

The skills I would need to learn are learning new animation software like 'MotionBuilder to be able to animate scene in the way the company wants. Learning new software such as 'MotionBuilder' can help me explore new technology and new ways to create animation in a new program. I can show how willing I am to learning new things to improve my work in the animation feild.

Concrete

Senior Game Artist

Job Description

"Join a small and experienced team in the heart of London to produce exciting games for millions of passionate Rick and Morty fans. Big Pixel Studios (a Time Warner company).As a generalist, you'll create assets for all aspects of the games and be able to adapt to multiple disciplines. Produce everything from concepts to final production art and marketing materials. Inject humour and fun into sci-fi characters, environments and game assets."

Skill Requirements

 * Skill Set Needed *

*Prior experience in graphic design experience, preferably in the games industry

*Ability and versatility to work creatively in multiple art styles

*Strong graphic and UI design skills

*Ability to create vector art using Adobe Illustrator

*Strong understanding of common structures in game art

*Keen awareness of popular culture (especially sci-fi)

*Animation skills a strong plus

*An interest in game design*

*Knowledge of 3D art

For this job role I have some skills to be able to apply and become an employ for them. Such skills as the basic  ability to work in different styles, UI designs, and understanding game structures. I am able to create medians in 2D art showcasing a vast range of artistic skills, I have the ability to create strong graphics that look cohesive with the genre of game it is in,  I also understand the games industry as a whole so I feel comfortable working with other members in different games sectors. I as well understand certain media in films, video games and music showing my ability to learn new trends and how to correctly use them in media post and to create work that inlines with the values of that medium making sure work involving it feels accurate.

My Ability's

The skills I think I could develop and/or improve on are my animation skills, as I can make small simple scenes, I also have the ability to work in different styles of art, making my work more appealing for multiple companies. Learning this can help expand my skills and portfolio, making me more appealing for companies to hire in the 2D field, as having multiple art styles will show my range in skills.

To Improve

The skills I would need to learn are learning new animation software like 'AdobeIllustrator' to be able to create vectors cleanly and professionally. Learning new software such as 'AdobeIllustrator' can help me explore new technology and new ways to create media in a new program. I can show how open I am to learning new 2D medians to improve my work in the 2D work feild.

Junior Job Roles

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Concrete

Junior Designer

Job Description

"We’re looking for an all-round Junior Designer to join our growing team and create work you’ll be proud to showcase. From designing for our websites and journals to producing animations, videos, and infographics, you’ll have the chance to build a strong portfolio while shaping EMJ’s digital presence."

Skill Requirements

 * Skill Set Needed *

*Video Editing

*Industry Experience

*Graphic Design / Storytelling

*Self Motivation

*Adobe/Illustrator/After Effects/ Photoshop

*Trend Awareness

*Website Design

*Teamwork

*Customer Support

*Animation/Motion Graphics

*Some 3D Modelling Interest

For this job role I have some skills to be able to apply and become an employ for them. Such skills as website design as I have made Wix websites for at lest 2 years, I am aware of internet trends and how to not utilize them as a company , I have good communication and feedback skills to help with team building and projects requiring my co-workers , I have some basic and intermediate knowledge on video editing as I have made small videos in the past and my main skill is 2D art so I am strong on my storytelling /graphic design work using animations, motion graphics and vectors will look good for the company. These skills will help me apply for this job role as having basic knowledge in media creation is what this company need from an employ.

My Ability's

The skills I think I could develop and or improve on are the more social and video portions of the skill requirements. Examples being : to work on my social skills for stronger teamwork and communication, employing tactics for maintaining self motivation in projects, incurring industry experience through peers and other events and finally learning to be a reparable and reliable person for customers to question. 

To Improve

The skills I would need to learn are only specific software changes as I have the main 2D and graphic skills I just use other programs. Learning new software such as 'Adobe' and 'Maya'can help me explore new technology and new ways to create art in different medians as by learning new software and or skills I can show how dedicated I am to learning new things to improve my work.

EMJ (healthcare designer)

Concrete

Environmental Artist

Job Description

"We’re looking for someone with a passion for Spacescaping, which is our term for atmospheric and large-scale space environment world-building, using our powerful in-house engine along with procedural tools like Houdini to bring everything from chaotic asteroid fields to massive derelict orbital platforms to life in the universe of Squadron 42.2

Skill Requirements

 * Skill Set Needed *

*Video Editing

*Industry Experience

*Graphic Design / Storytelling

* Self Motivation

*Adobe/Illustrator/After Effects/ Photoshop

*Trend Awareness

*Website Design

*Teamwork

*Customer Support

For this job role I have some skills to be able to apply and become an employ for them. Such skills as trend awareness making me able to create correct dissitions on a certain trend for a company to use , I also good communication and feedback skills to help with team building and projects requiring my co-workers , I have some basic and intermediate knowledge on video editing as I have made small videos in the past and my main skill is 2D art so I am strong in my knowledge of the industry knowing which person does which job, showing I can help with the games pipeline by showing the correct 2D work at the right time to the right people.

My Ability's

The skills I think I could develop and/or improve on are my 3D modeling skills, as while I am going into a 2D specialism, learning 3D can be helpful in many ways, such as lighting, environments, and better and/or more realistic posing/movement in characters. Learning this can help expand my skills and portfolio, making me more appealing for companies to hire in the 2D field, as having multiple art skills will show my range in skills.

To Improve

The skills I would need to learn are learning better ways to create interesting backgrounds and environments. Learning different ways to create environments in different perspectives and shading/lighting to make more compelling artwork. This will improve my skills as I need to learn the best way to not just effectively create backgrounds but quickly draw environments. This will also help improve my portfolio overall quality.

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