Best Universities for Computer Graphics/Animation?

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I sent my application off around the same time. I have applied to BU Teeside and Herts. Have BU interview on the 25th jan, Waiting for Teeside to arrange a phone interview and have yet to hear back from Hertfordshire yet. Just hoping for herts soon so I can book the time off from work.

If you don't hear anything, PM me with your name and UCAS ID and I'll find out... but admissions are pretty hectic at the moment... if you get a date that doesn't fit, let us know and we'll change it, it doesn't take very long and it happens all the time.

Reply 2101

cjs115

Thanks so much for the crit, it's been really helpful. Yeah I will probably get rid of some of those life drawings. I just had a class today so I think I will use some of those. Thanks for the tip on Rodin, I don't think there are many of his works around in London, I think there is a replica of one of his works at the V&A gallery though, so I might go there. Otherwise I might just go to the NPG and just do some Michaelangelo's ( I take it you are looking for more figure drawings) Thanks also for the painting tips, I'll be sure to try them out if I get a chance. Unfortunately the Battersea drawing was created with the realms of those three circles ( I know its weird). This was because it was a final piece which had this huge build up and the black they unseen areas are supposed to represent various things ( I won't bore you with them). I do however have preliminary drawings of Battersea, though these are smaller. I have since made the changes to the turbine photos- could you check them to see if I have done it right?

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 2102

HWD-x

Original post by caiitlinz

Awesome! Okay, portfolio-wise they want similar things to the other courses; good life drawing, figure studies, pieces that show perspective and depth etc. Basically anything that is from life that you've developed will get you good marks.

Personally, all I'd done digitally before I came here was some Photoshop painting and a tiny bit of Flash. I mentioned my flash work but printed out 5/6 pieces of my digital work. They were most interested in the stuff I'd developed from previous ideas; it wasn't just the final digital painting they wanted to see, but my sketchbook pen sketches, colour tests and different compositons. If you have 3D experience it'd be good to put that in, though.

Good luck! Drop me a message if you want to ask anything else or chat more c:

Ah right, okay cool! Thanks so much :biggrin:

better start sorting all my work out :biggrin:

Reply 2103

moid

Original post by cjs115

Rodin - The Burghers of Calais, one of his major works, stands outside Parliament.

The Tate Britain own The Kiss (another very famous work)

Michelangelo is definitely OK with us (but only draw his male figures, his women are just men with breasts and very odd with the exception of La Pieta, but that's in Rome :smile:

)

Other great sculptors are Gianlorenzo Bernini - his Neptune and Triton are in the V&A

Or go to the British museum and draw the Elgin marbles, they are amazing.

The turbine photos are much more powerful now, and they have clearer focal points - remember that art is subjective, you don't have to do this if you don't like the effect.

I made one mistake in the post above about glazing red colour - you glaze the red over green, not red over red as I said - that would be very odd!

Reply 2104

katie55

hey Moid this may be a really odd question, but i had my interview today and wondered who you were :smile:

Reply 2105

Wonganout

Original post by katie55

hey Moid this may be a really odd question, but i had my interview today and wondered who you were :smile:

Same here! I was figuring that out when I was there haha

Reply 2106

moid

I was the ghost in the machine :smile:

I was interviewing the 2D students because none of the 2D staff were in. Sooo the super ginger chap with the glasses and the slightly manic expression - does that help? I hope the interview went well, it was a pretty hectic day!

Reply 2107

Wonganout

Original post by moid

I was the ghost in the machine :smile:

Yeah! I know which one is you now :biggrin:

I finally have a face to match the name haha ^_^

And my interview went well thank you! I got a yes for the 3d animation :biggrin:

Reply 2108

katie55

Original post by moid

I was the ghost in the machine :smile:

i thought that might be you when they said your name :smile:

it went better then i thought it would i dont know the outcome yet :smile:

but fingers crossed :biggrin:

Reply 2109

Sofronis

Original post by Wonganout

Hey I've got an interview for Hertfordshire on the 20th and Teeside 1st Feb. (waiting for Bournemouth still)

To moid or anyone else, I was just wondering is there such thing as bring too much life drawing?
Should I bring some quick 5-15 mins life drawings too?
When I mount my work, do I need to add some annotations?

Never done a portfolio before so I want to do my best to show what I can do.I will bring my best work and will being some variety such as photography, art pieces in other materials and such.

Currently I'm doing my EPQ on animation character in the process of designing it then apply it into 3D. But unfortunately, I haven't got any computer 3D work that I could show >_<'' Is that ok?

I did read somewhere they would like some 3D work for Hertfordshire I think, but I know some don't need to.

Hannah~

Hey,

Regarding portfolio, take a look back at some previous posts - there is some useful information in there. In summary however; fine art, illustration, painting, sculpture, graphic design, architecture, traditional animation, 3D visualisation, film work, media production, script writing, performance arts and photography are all acceptable pieces of work to include in a portfolio. Just make sure its your strongest work and you are happy to char about it. At Bournemouth's NCCA; Computer knowledge is not a pre-requisite, neither is having worked in 3D before so if you don't have any now don't worry - we are more concerned with your aesthetic and/or technical abilities. If your applying for the BSc SDAGE however, you are expected to have computer experience. Sketch books and note books are strongly encouraged.

Regarding life drawn - a broad selection would be lovely (if you have any). 10secs - 30mins; always great to see.

Hope that's helpful.

Cheers

Saf

Reply 2110

JeezeJess

Original post by katie55

Offer from UCA Rochester for CG arts and Animation :biggrin:

, anyone else applying/accepted?
and does anyone have an interview for hertfordshire on the 20th of January or Bournemouth on the 8th Feb? :smile:

Bournemouth the 8th of Feb woo

Reply 2111

ximena

Hiya Moid, I've applied for 3D Animation at Herts and have my interview soon :smile:

Last year I applied and was told I needed more experimental stuff in my portfolio, and have since taken a foundation diploma, so I have loads of things like photography, printmaking, illustration, moving image etc. as well as my life drawings and pantings - is this more what you're looking for?
Also I don't have a great deal of 3D work, just some simple bits from an evening course, do you think this will ok?

Thanks :smile:

Reply 2112

moid

Well that lot sounds fun :smile:

Do you have our advice guide for applicants about the work we like? (you've got a good list there) - if so PM me an email address and I shall send it to you. You don't need to have masses of 3D, but we like to see that people have tried it and enjoyed it, because otherwise a degree in it is a very expensive way to find out that you don't like 3D :smile:

Especially as the software is free nowadays. Just put in the two or three very best bits of 3D, and concentrate on showing us great life drawing / perspective drawings / paintings in colour (digital or traditional), photography with good lighting / composition, printmaking and illustration that show representational imagery are often great. Character designs are good to see. If you have good sketchbooks with drawings in them, please bring them - that saved one person I interviewed last week whose lecturer had told her to put some dreadful work in her portfolio and I would've said no but at the last minute she showed me a sketchbook full of great character designs...

See you soon

Reply 2113

jackeaves

Hi guys, i hope this is the right place to be posting this, as most of the comments seem to be regarding hertfordshire.

I'm currently studying on a foundation degree at plymouth college of art however it is awful -i've been here 1 and a half years and learned nothing, everything you see in my portfolio is from my own practice / study / research etc.

Anyway - i've decided to leave the place and i am hoping to start another degree from the 2nd year.

I have applied for the computer game arts at UCA (course website Link ))

And the games design course at UCLAN (course link)

I am predominantly interested in 2d art for games and film and my preferred job role is as a concept artist. I was wondering if anyone has had any experience of any of these courses and could give me any information about if they are good or bad or not? (UCLAN is looking really good to me right now but it's a major move to get there, so was hoping i could get some honest opinions on the courses)

here is my portfolio

Thanks!

Reply 2114

moid

I'd say you've done very well for completely self taught, well done :smile:

I don't have direct experience of those two courses, but the UCLAN one looks like it is staffed by ex Traveller's Tales staff which should be a good thing for contacts, and the work that's been posted is pretty good too. Whereas Farnham haven't posted any work from that course and there's nada about their staff on there...

You could do a test :smile:

- send the staff some of your work, explain that you are considering switching to their degree and ask them if they could point out what you should do to improve your artwork... what they say will reveal how much they know.

One warning about concept art as a job - there are a vast amount of people who want to do this, but very very few concept jobs in Games. I used to do this myself, so I speak from first hand experience. Having visited a large independent game developer recently (to check on our work experience students) they had six concept artists amongst 250 3D artists / animators, and that was fine for them... so that gives you an idea about the amount of concept art jobs there are... Also if you want to do concept art for games, draw the same environment from 3 - 4 angles (Front, side , Back, 3/4 etc), plus a top down view - it makes the modeller's lives much easier and they will love you for it. Also don't use the Photoshop grass brush - it doesn't look like grass. Draw some interior spaces as well. If you can draw some cute, kiddie orientated work, that's a bonus (I can't, but there's a big market in cute things). Draw your characters from Front/Side/Back/three quarter as well, and also include prop sheets and expression sheets for faces. Also you need to become very fast. One of the concept guys at Sony told us that he has to create two whole character designs a day (front, side three quarter - they don't seem to worry about the back view from seeing his works) and these are in full colour. That's a prodigious workrate for quality designs. Good luck with your career choice - you've got some talent, so I hope you get there!

Reply 2115

jackeaves

Thank you Moid for your reply and the kind words!

Yes the concept art job role is really tough :frown:

I've been speaking to my contacts in the industry and they say the exact same thing. They recommended getting a job as a 3D artist to get a foot in the door.. but i'm really hoping that i won't have to resort to that. Thanks for the information aswell, i really do need to do much more interiors and orthographic views etc. Unfortunately the course i'm on at the moment really gives us no direction, our briefs just say 'draw a character, draw an environment' it's really not very helpful at all.

This morning i received a reply back from Neil Galagher about the Game Arts course at Hertfordshire (your a teacher there i think?) he really likes my work and is trying to contact the admin people, i think i may have a good shot at getting into that course.

However my main issue is that all of the work coming from HU seems to be 3D, would you happen to know if i can focus more on 2D on the course and if i would receive much help on that aspect? It seems like a really amazing place for industry contacts and the work that graduates are producing, but i'd rather not be forced to go down the 3D route.

Thanks again!

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 2116

Sophie2

hi
has anyone got a interview at hertfordshire for 3D animation or visual effects yet? ive been waiting since october.

Reply 2117

moid

Original post by Sophie2

hi
has anyone got a interview at hertfordshire for 3D animation or visual effects yet? ive been waiting since october.

We will be interviewing for those courses until the end of April I think, there's a rather huge list of applicants to see! We only started three weeks ago. If you haven't been given an interview date via UCAS yet, PM me with your name, email address and UCAS ID number (10 digit code) and I'll check with admissions for you.

Reply 2118

beeper000

Hey guys i have a interview for Ravensbourne, does anyone know how the interview is like? Im kinda nervous :tongue:

The only interview i done so far was Bournemouth and it was successful xD. The interviewer from Bournemouth didnt ask much so i had myself to talk about my portfolio. Im just worrying if theres a major difference between the interview in Ravensbourne and Bournemouth.

Reply 2119

KHill

Hi guys,
I keep changing my mind about whether or not I should do an art foundation diploma before my degree course. I've been accepted for 3D animation at Bournemouth and Hertfordshire, but I've been told that I would benefit from doing a foundation course and I like the idea of spending a year focusing purely on art. Any advice would be great because I'm so torn!
Also I'd like to ask moid and sofranis: If I get good enough grades this year will I be able to simply defer my place on the course or will I have to reapply next year if I do a foundation?