Digital Arts and Animation

SubjectGame Design, Animation

REQUEST
Course Information

LevelUndergraduate

Type of DegreeBachelor of Fine Art

CostEUR 14,000

CountrySpain

CityBilbao

Cost non-EUEUR 14,000

UniversityDigiPen Institute of Technology

More Information-

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Digital Art and Animation is a four-year programme designed to prepare students to create artwork at a professional level.

Rather than simply teaching students how to use current tools and software, the BFA programme emphasises the development of foundational skills that remain relevant and useful regardless of the technology or medium.

Students who successfully complete this programme will have the skills to produce powerful, affecting imagery in a professional studio environment.

Candidates for the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Digital Art and Animation programme must have a strong foundation in drawing and art concepts and be open to constructive feedback on their work. Candidates must provide an art portfolio of 15 to 20 samples of artwork and should have experience with drawing and other fine arts disciplines such as painting and sculpture.

This film is a third-year animation project created by BFA students at DigiPen's Spain campus. It was selected to appear at the following film festivals: - Blue Plum Animation Festival, Winner, Best of Student Award, 2014 - Palm Springs International Shorts Fest - SIGGRAPH Asia 2014 Animation Theater - LA International Student Film Festival - Portland Film Festival - Columbia Gorge International Film Festival

Programme Overview

As the animation and video game industries mature, there is a noticeable shift by companies to hire employees who demonstrate more than a working knowledge of a specific commercial software package or traditional artistic skills. Industry-quality standards continue to rise, and competition for entry-level positions demands that artists possess sophisticated skill sets before they can even begin their careers. Studios seek artists with a broad and integrated foundation of theoretical, practical, and technical skills in production animation, traditional art, modern computer software, and media story flow. Insight and long-term potential have become increasingly important. The studios also demand professional accountability and consistency.

Despite these changes, digital art and animation remain viable career opportunities. Animation is capable of solving informational, educational, and entertainment problems no other discipline can resolve. It provides a cornerstone for many industries including cinema, broadcast entertainment, cable television, software development, the Internet, education, simulation, product design, research, forensic science, architecture, telecommunications, advertising, travel and tourism, and video games. The fact that these industries depend upon qualified candidates accentuates the need for quality digital art and animation education.

The broad scope of these demands presents a series of significant academic challenges. Most art students enter collegiate training with little or no substantial background knowledge relative to this field. Many secondary schools have been forced to cut back on the level of arts training that they are able to provide. Consequently aspiring artists must acquire this foundation while they are also trying to establish their professional focus. The complexity of the individual components of this field demand highly structured curricula and programmed sequencing simply to enable most students to be successful. Some students are capable of the rapid assimilation of the integrated knowledge the studios now require, but most are better served by a deeper and more sequential approach to the material. DigiPen's Bachelor of Fine Arts in Digital Art and Animation seeks to address these needs.

Career Paths

Students who successfully complete this curriculum will possess the following skills and appropriate samples of professional work:

A broad foundation of production experiences in both 2D and 3D animation. This base allows students to gain an overview of the profession and provides long-term adaptability.
An area of production specialisation and focus. This enables students to target a specific sector of the industry upon graduation. Each student will produce a thesis portfolio to support this focus.
Strong foundational skills and a thorough grounding in applied drawing. This will include an understanding of how to maintain and continually enhance one's drawing skill throughout his or her career, in addition to building the habits to sustain this growth.
Strong foundational skills in storytelling. This includes visual storytelling, literary traditions, story through dialog, story through acting, and cinematic conventions.
Strong foundational skills in applied technology using industry-standard hardware and software. Students will be thoroughly familiar with modern interface and workflow conventions. They will also understand how to learn new software while maintaining a production schedule.
A solid foundation in professional work habits and attitude. Students will understand how to utilise and integrate professional criticism into their work. Additionally, they will be able to identify and create work that meets professional quality standards. They will also understand production flow and be able to generate and maintain appropriate schedules and production goals for their work. Finally, they will understand the stresses of production and methods for positively managing this stress.
Social perspective and civic accountability relative to the roles that animation plays in society. Students will explore the long-term ramifications of this industry and be able to intelligently discuss their responsibilities to the betterment of the animation industry and society as a whole.

This degree prepares a graduating student for a career in digital art and digital three-dimensional animation, digital two-dimensional animation, and video game or animation pre-production. Some of the careers for which graduates of the BFA in Digital Art and Animation are trained include Props and Environment Modellers, Texture Artists, Level Designers, Character Modellers, Character Riggers, Character Animators, 3D Lighting and Camera Design, Effects Animator, Conceptual Illustration and Character Design, and Storyboard Artists.

Find out more about DigiPen