2026/10 - Look and Feel - The Art of Standing Out (Chris Cox)
Version du programme : 1
Type de formation
DistancielDurée de formation
8 heures (4 jours)Accessibilité
Oui2026/10 - Look and Feel - The Art of Standing Out (Chris Cox)
In an age of sensory saturation, where generating an image is only a click away, what makes an artist stand out is more than technical skill, it’s intention, meaning and a distinctive creative voice. Drawing on over 20 years of experience in the games industry, including leading art direction at Roll7 and Ustwo Games, Chris Cox shares his approach to developing memorable, human-made art styles. Explore how to build a strong visual identity fueled by your own artistic signature and create work that feels intentional, distinctive and unmistakably yours. From October 5th to October 8th - 10:00am-12:00pm every day (CET Time) - Remote training (GR1) From October 12th to October 15th - 10:00am-12:00pm every day (CET Time) - Remote training (GR2) I - Course Overview II - Gathering honest Inspiration III - Make it exist and then make it good - Rapid iteration IV - Colour and shape - the pillars of a successful art style V - Legibility and hierarchy VI - UI and framework VII - VFX direction VIII - Bringing it all together
Objectifs de la formation
- Challenge conventional approaches to Game Art and identify meaningful sources of inspiration to develop an art direction rooted in their own artistic signature.
- Develop and rapidly iterate on visual concepts, using moodboards, experimentation and a “kill your darlings” approach to move from a blank canvas to a strong and purposeful visual direction.
- Apply colour and shape language as core pillars of Art Direction to create visuals that are distinctive, memorable and meaningful while clearly communicating their function.
- Use visual hierarchy and graphic design principles to improve legibility, guide player attention and ensure key game elements can be understood at a glance.
- Integrate UI and VFX into the overall visual language of a game to reinforce consistency, cohesion and the strength of its Art Direction.
- Create and evaluate cohesive game art style concepts, using screentests and feedback to refine them into a distinctive visual identity with a clear artistic signature and unique value in the marketplace.
Profil des bénéficiaires
- Midweight to Senior level artists and concept artists - with a view to progressing to Lead or AD Level
- No specific prerequisites
Contenu de la formation
Course Overview
- Exploring which art styles have that emotional core, why do they stand out?
- How your art style is a remix of all your inspirations, and how are we going to tame that into something tangible?
- Overview of the course plan and what will happen at each stage
Gathering honest Inspiration
- Starting from honest inspiration and building initial moodboards to have a strong theme and intent before you begin
- Photo-bashing
Make it exist and then make it good - Rapid iteration
- Overview: Set intention. Lose the any sense of preciousness around your work
- Make it exist, then make it good
- Make it weird ASAP, do not start safe
- Rapidly iterate
Colour and shape - the pillars of a successful art style
- Shape Language
- Colour theory
Legibility and hierarchy
- Overview
- Contrast and legibility - ensuring the player knows where and what everything is
- Visual hierarchy - What do we want the player to observe and prioritise, we can control this with a strong visual hierarchy
- Balancing elements
UI and framework
- Overview
- A UI to fit an art style - the UI is a character in of itself, how does it play with the other visual elements
- Adding delight and interest to menu interaction
VFX direction
- Gathering references
- What will contrast against but also synergise with your art style?
- Procedural VS Handmade
Bringing it all together
- Visual screentesting
- In engine tests
- Pitch it to yourself
Équipe pédagogique
Suivi de l'exécution et évaluation des résultats
- Exercises during the training sessions and quizzes throughout the days
Ressources techniques et pédagogiques
- Participants are welcomed into a dedicated virtual training room accessible via video conferencing, ensuring a consistent and interactive learning environment throughout the session.
- Training content is shared on-screen in real time, combining theoretical presentations with practical case studies to reinforce understanding through applied examples. Interactive exchanges and Q&A moments are encouraged throughout to support engagement at a distance.
- All training materials are made available online following the session, allowing participants to revisit key concepts and consolidate their learning at their own pace.
Qualité et satisfaction
Modalités de certification
- Delivery of a certificate of completion.
Délai d'accès
Accessibilité
For companies wishing to have their training costs covered by their OPCO, registration must be completed no later than two weeks before the start of the training to meet the OPCO’s processing deadlines. In all other cases, registrations can be accepted up to two business days before the start of the training. Accessibility: We are available to work with individuals with disabilities to assess the accommodations needed so they can comfortably participate in the training programs offered.