For creative individuals who are keen to leverage their skills in a variety of ways, there are few fields as diverse and ripe with opportunity than graphic design. From advertising, branding and product design, to UX/UI, web design and production art, graphic designers are employed across a large number of industries. They visually communicate by storytelling through imagery.
Themed entertainment is a multi-billion dollar a year industry that has expanded exponentially in recent years. With a variety of industries that utilize themed experiences to drive consumer and audience engagement, professionals work in interdisciplinary teams to bring creative visions to life. Despite the growing use of themed experiences and the exciting career opportunities they present, there’s been little in terms of formal higher education that caters to the field.
Entertainment design is a fast-evolving field that continues to grow at a rapid pace. From theme parks and interactive storytelling to immersive art installations, themed retail and hospitality, it’s a multi-billion dollar a year industry that demands multifaceted professionals. Designers in the field are masters of storytelling who turn imagined worlds into reality through conceptual, narrative, technical, and collaborative skills.
Today’s illustrators are employed in diverse industries- from game art and animation, to advertising and publishing, product design and more. Successful illustrators marry the fine arts with commercial and technical skillsets to bring vision to life while meeting the needs of clients and consumers.
Themed entertainment and design is a multi-billion dollar a year industry that extends well beyond themed parks. Whether it’s designing ride attractions, envisioning immersive entertainment and art installations, producing interactive storytelling, or creating themed hospitality experiences, jobs in the field are as diverse as the professionals who fill the roles.
Columbus College of Art & Design may be one of the nation’s oldest private art colleges, but its students and faculty habitually have their eyes set on the future. Located in the midwest’s video game industry hub, CCAD students have long explored game art- even creating a student-operated collective that deep dives into all things game development and design. Students habitually showcase their video games and recently explored the industry’s notorious crunchtime in a tabletop card game, ‘100 Hours Till Launch’.
Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design (RMCAD) has been committed to robust, forward-thinking higher education in the art and design fields since its inception in 1963. Its BFA in Illustration epitomizes its approach, with a comprehensive curriculum that deep dives into the technical and conceptual aspects of the art while simultaneously ensuring graduates are poised for success in the job market.
Want a shot at a career in VFX? Lost Boys Studios School of VFX may be your ticket- if you’re willing to put in the legwork in its accelerated and intensive certification programs. Boasting ludicrously high job placement ratings (we’re talking 97-99%), the school was founded over fifteen years ago by industry artists Mark and Ria Bénard whose own careers in VFX and 3D animation served as the guiding force behind it.
CG Spectrum is an online training ground for all things CG, from VFX and animation to game design and 3D modeling, The school has carved a name for itself with its industry-driven approach and practical curriculum that gets graduates up to industry par. In fact, it’s not uncommon for CG Spectrum students to be hired by studios before they even complete their studies. That’s thanks in large part to the school’s personalized approach to education in which working industry professionals serve as instructors (aka mentors) and adapt curricula to suit the needs of students.
Readers of ACR by now know the many merits of CG Spectrum, an online school for animation, VFX and game design training taught by industry pros. Today, we’re taking a closer look at its Game Development and Design courses which have expanded considerably in recent months.
