Character & Prop Concept Art with Ian Su
$300.00
Gain lifetime access to the recordings and discord from last term!
I audited and learned a lot, he basically changed my whole mindset on thinking about props as an extension of the character, as in tune to them as an arm or a leg might be.
Ian’s course was one of the best learning experience I had since I began my artistic journey.
Learn the fundamentals of character and prop concept art! In this 8-week class, learn how to effectively use form and function to create engaging concept art that all feels like it is part of a cohesive world. In the second half of the class, students will apply these concepts to a design project, like a hero character with prop, VFX, and pose callouts, or a character lineup. There will be a combination of demos, lectures and homework assignments that we’ll review in class.
We’ll cover:
Visual design principles and shape design
How to use reference
Idea generation and iteration
Designing with a purpose
Props and VFX
Duration: 8 weeks
Date & Time: Starts Saturday January 6, every Saturday at 10:00 AM Pacific, 1:00 PM Eastern
Skill level: All skill levels welcome
Tiers: Receive feedback or spectate without homework feedback
Format: 4 hour live class with combination of lectures, demos, and feedback. Recordings will be provided within 24 hours of each class.
Materials: Any digital or traditional mediums. Paintovers will be done digitally.
All weeks will be a combination of lecture, demos and feedback.
Week 1: Visual Design Theory & Character Design Breakdown
Week 2: Extracting Visual Ideas from Reference
Week 3: Designing for a Purpose with Keywords
Week 4: Fleshing out a Design
Week 5: Worldbuilding through Costuming & Props
Week 6: Posing, Personality and Character Interaction
Week 7: Technical process & Rendering
Week 8: Presentation, Portfolio Advice, and Misc
Description
Ian Su is a concept artist working for Riot Games in Los Angeles, CA.
STUDENT EXPERIENCES
“It was incredibly valuable to listen to Ian describing his entire process and every week we had a chance to go through well structured content that moved us closer to being character and prop designers! The feedback was excellent and he was always open to go through everyone’s homework as many times as necessary.”
— Romulo Espinosa Montoya
“It jumped my experience on art for around 2 years, one of the best decisions of my life.”
— Exile152
“Learned a lot about the other aspects of character design equation that go beyond just raw graphical appeal, such as function and how it relates to the visuals, as well as how to utilize characters as vehicles for story telling to imply the larger world they inhabit. What to look for when doing research and gathering reference, and how to actually make practical use of that reference. The importance of taking into consideration a character’s character™ to guide our design, allowing for decisions that are tailor made for each specific character’s personality, identity and function, faithfully reflecting their purpose and who they are. How to bundle and visually communicate all of the above in a clear, coherent, and hierarchical manner. Ensuring that the most important information takes precedence and reads clearly, Without sacrificing the less but™ still important details that are crucial to the depth and nuance of the character. And much more stuff that I cant possibly fit into this testimonial.”
— Medhi
“Not only was this class incredibly informative in the ways of character design, it was also just a blast to do! The strong focus on design theory and how to properly think up a design before a pen ever hit paper was so refreshing. Getting to learn directly from Ian was such a rewarding experience and has definitely leveled me up beyond my expectations!”
— Cameron Brotzman (@KnitYuca)
STUDENT WORK
