5-years Master (MA)

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5-years Master (MA)

The Master Game Art prepares students for the design and production of visual content (3D, 2D, animation, special effects, etc.) to be integrated into a video game engine. This Master’s degree develops not only creativity and artistic skills but also understanding of the issues related to interactivity, gameplay and immersion.
This training allows students to acquire a general vision of the entire industry and then to develop specific skills that them allow them to choose a specialization leading them to a career in the most prestigious video game studios.
Becoming a Game Artist means working in collaboration with game designers to design a coherent and attractive universe. From concept art to modeling and animation, all the visual elements must reinforce the gameplay to allow a total player’s immersion.
ARTFX is a member of Push Start Occitanie.

Post high school level admissions
  • Apply directly to the school
  • Tests + creative folder + interview

Find out more about admission

Montpellier

1 class of 25 students is created yearly on Montpellier Campus

International

🇫🇷 Course in French and in English 🇬🇧
More information

A professional state-accredited title

Awards the qualification of “digital producer” (lev.7, equivalent B +5 (5th year), registered in the Répertoire national des certifications professionnelles (national directory of professional certifications) on 14 September 2020

The academic year runs from October to June

Video game students trained at ARTFX can effectively work as soon as they leave the school, and are comfortable with studio working methods. They also stand out for their ability to adapt and their knowledge of programming and expertise in their chosen field. During their studies, students complete at least one internship lasting at least six weeks and benefit from masterclasses with partner studios/publishers.
The fifth year culminates in the production of a game prototype, as the result of their new understanding of the different production stages.

Year 1 Artistic fundamentals

The 1st year at ARTFX offers a common core for all courses. This system allows students to acquire a common base, but also to experiment, to discover and practice the different stages of filmmaking or game creation. The strength of this pedagogical choice is that through experience, the student better understand the production chain, learn to collaborate with colleagues and discover the trade.

→ Artistic foundation course: observational drawing, figure drawing & anatomy, sculpture, perspective, color & light, digital painting

→ Cultural development: creativity, storytelling, image grammar, photography, screenplay, culture and language of cinema and video games

→ Workshops to discover the professions: film practice, introduction to 3D (modeling and animation), matte painting, programming, storyboarding, traditional and digital 2D animation, character design, video games

→ Collaborative projects: preparation of an exhibition
Individual project: portfolio

→ English

Year 2 Professional fundamentals

› Character design and environment design, Concept art 2D / 3D

› 3D modeling character & environment, surfacing, Animation, 3D & Rig, Unreal 5, 2D art, UX / UI

Year 3 Advanced

› Environment modeling, character modeling, hard surface modeling, surfacing, FX, lighting, game engines, UX,UI design, Tech art, cinematics

› Video game production in teams, personal development

Year 4 Professionalization

› Advanced specialized workshops: Game art

› Houdini procedural and FX, game engine optimization, VR / AR, motion capture, 3D animation, law and economic development

› Masterclasses with partner studios

› Project and team management

› Production of a professional demo tape

› Collaborative and professionalizing projects

Year 5 Production

› Final team project: Design & production of a AAA video game

› Production of a professional demo tape

› Presentation to a professional jury

› Masterclass and conference / professional meetings

› Professional coaching in English

› Job dating

Learning objective

From the pre-production phase to post-production, including business development and marketing, students are given a complete picture of a game’s manufacturing process and understand the interactions between the different trades in a professional environment, modeled on the way studios work. This Master’s degree prepares our students technically and artistically for the demands of the industry, so they can launch an ambitious career.
At the end of this Master’s degree, students are ready to join the biggest international game publishers as well as the most prestigious independent studios, or even to start their own studio!
ARTFX brings students into contact with the major national and international players in the video game industry by allowing them to meet in masterclasses, participate in major events (festivals, trade fairs, etc.) and undertake a job dating session before the end of their studies.

Requirements

  • Any high school degree
  • Being curious and playing on several platforms are an asset
  • Direct admissions are possible in 2nd and 3rd years
  • Your level will be evaluated during the admission session to guide you into the appropriate orientation

Tuition fees

Years 1 to 5:

Fees

Software used

  • Zbrush
  • 3DS Max
  • Unreal
  • Houdini
  • Unity
  • Maya
  • Substance Designer
  • Substance Painter
  • Krita
  • Instant Terra
  • Visual Studio
  • Photoshop
  • Blender
  • Cryengine
  • SpeedTree

Careers and occupations

This is the a golden age of the video game industry. Not only do game aficionados continue to play on consoles and computers, they now also play on smartphones, tablets and connected TVs. Gamers are steadily increasing in numbers, with a significantly growing proportion of female gamers. Gaming is no longer a solitary experience; it is increasingly seen as a means of social network. The nature of the games themselves is changing. It now offers participatory experiences that appeal to the imagination of users, as evidenced by the success of Minecraft or Roblox. AAA games enjoy budgets that are worthy of Hollywood productions and push the limits of realism ever further.

Moreover, the skills developed by video game professionals are of interest to other industries. This includes training with the development of serious games, educational games and virtual reality training modules, marketing to create interactive and fun experiences, but also special effects studios, which use technologies derived from video games (such as real-time 3D engines) to preview visual effects. And this is just the beginning, as the automotive industry is starting to use Unreal Engine (the engine behind Fortnite) to develop its future in-car infotainment systems (new generation on-board computers with dynamic displays). In short, as experts in human/machine interfaces and experience designers, video game professionals are in high demand today.

Finally, ARTFX offers its video game students the opportunity to develop interactive approaches for a wide audience through a range of different partnerships: Montpellier Opera, Génopolys, Maison de Heidelberg, etc.

These are all opportunities to develop students' artistic culture, learn from different environments, and broaden their creative skills while meeting precise industry specifications and schedules.

Career opportunities:
3D Environment artist
3D Character artist
Lighting artist
Surfacing artist
3D Animator
Technical game artist…

Production samples

Work and talent

ARTFX_2021_ABLAZEWITHIN_KEY_ART_02
ARTFX_2021_A_BLAZE_WITHIN_SCREENSHOT_11
ARTFX_2021_A_BLAZE_WITHIN_SCREENSHOT_04
ARTFX_2021_LUCENT_KEY_ART_01
ARTFX_2021_COOPILOTS!_SCREENSHOT_5
ARTFX_2021_COOPILOTS_KEY_ART_02
ARTFX_2021_A_BLAZE_WITHIN_SCREENSHOT_14
Artfx_2021_vVv_RomanSoldierConcept
ARTFX_2021_vVv_Screenshot_3
ARTFX_2021_VVV_KeyArt_01

I'm working on an unannounced AAA project on a mythical video game license with an extremely talented team that has participated in the creation of licenses like Assassins Creed. My studies at ARTFX got me ready to produce within the team. I acquired the skills, vocabulary and experience to understand and achieve the artistic vision while responding appropriately to the technical challenges of the project.

Paolo Dupuy Junior Environment Artist - Ubisoft Montpellier - Class of 2022

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VES AWARDS 2024 Silhouette remporte cette année 2024 le VES Award dans la catégorie "Effets visuels exceptionnels dans un projet étudiant" : encore une belle victoire pour ARTFX !