| Course Objectives: |
This course is designed to introduce the fundamentals of character design for videogame productions, as well as basic production techniques and practices utilized in the workflow of character creation, conceptualization, writing, art design and presentation. At the end of the semester students will present their completed works in concept art portfolios and demonstrate the skills they have achieved so far in a manner expected from videogame industry professionals. |
| Course Content: |
The students, in addition to experiencing processes such as more research-based topics such as seeking inspiration, utilizing references, and writing background stories and character traits, will also learn to bring all these elements together to form a whole by practicing character creation through basic geometric forms, basic anatomy, proportion, form and utility, and coloring and shading. |
| Week |
Subject |
Related Preparation |
| 1) |
Introduction to class. Discussion, meeting, topics, rules, requirements. |
Prepare for the course. If available, bring your drawings and portfolios to next lesson. |
| 2) |
Influential characters in popular culture and their sources of inspiration.
Critiques and comments on students' portfolios. |
Preliminary studies, references and sources of inspiration for character designs. |
| 3) |
Reference techniques and presentations, critiques of students' reference and inspiration presentations. |
Revisions and/or redrafting of references and sources of inspiration. |
| 4) |
Basic forms and drawing, critiques of the revised presentations. |
Simple character designs with basic forms and line art techniques. |
| 5) |
Basic forms and drawing, critiques of the revised presentations. |
Simple character designs with basic forms and line art techniques. |
| 6) |
Context and storytelling of character design with costumes, equipment, and personal items. Critiques of student presentations. |
Research and presentation of references and sources of inspiration for character elements and items. |
| 6) |
Context and storytelling of character design with costumes, equipment, and personal items. Critiques of student presentations. |
Research and presentation of references and sources of inspiration for character elements and items. |
| 7) |
Context and storytelling of Character Design with costumes, equipment, and personal items. Critiques of student presentations. |
Research and presentation of references and sources of inspiration for character elements and items. |
| 8) |
Methods and tips for presentating the techniques applied in the previous weeks.
Examples of presentation design. |
Presenting and integrating all aspects of the design with various methods, techniques, and formats with an experimental approach. |
| 9) |
Contextual analysis of iconic characters from different popular culture media such as movies, TV, books and comic books. Student presentations and critiques. |
Contextual presentations for your choice of characters from media. |
| 10) |
Critiques of student presentations. |
Preliminary preparations for the final presentation. |
| 11) |
Individual corrections, revisions and additions with students for the final presentation. |
Preparations for the final presentation. |
| 12) |
Individual corrections, revisions and additions with students for the final presentation. |
Preparations for the final presentation. |
| 13) |
Individual corrections, revisions and additions with students for the final presentation. |
Preparations for the final presentation. |
| 14) |
Individual corrections, revisions and additions with students for the final presentation. |
Preparations for the final presentation. |
| 15) |
Finals. |
Final submissions. |
| Course Notes / Textbooks: |
Dersin belirli nbotları veya bir kitabı yoktur. The course has no specific notes or a book. |
| References: |
Fantastic Paintings of Frank Frazetta, Spurlock, J. D., Vanguard Productions, 2020
Better Game Characters by Design: A Psychological Approach, Isbister, K., CRC Press, 2016.
Creating Characters for the Entertainment Industry: Develop Spectacular Designs from Basic Concepts, Anderson, K., 3D Total Publishing, 2019.
Drawing Basics and Video Game Art: Classic to Cutting-Edge Art Techniques for Winning Video Game Design, Solarski, C., Watson-Guptill, 2012. |
| |
Program Outcomes |
Level of Contribution |
| 1) |
Being able to write creatively, imagine, and produce original and inspired fictional scenarios, places, and universes. Being able to produce 2D and 3D visual designs and impressive auditory compositions. Being able to plan all these artistic practices around certain goals and with a focus on design. Being able to design the videogame design process itself. |
3 |
| 2) |
Being able to think and produce creative content based on mathematical data. Being able to parametrically design. Being able to quantify art and design practices, such as creative writing, graphical, illustrative, spatial, and character design. Being able to ideate qualitatively and subjectively through quantitative and objective approaches. |
1 |
| 3) |
Being able to work on projects by incorporating various fields of expertise and the content that originates from these fields. Being able to work as part of a team while embracing different ideas and skills. Being able to produce comprehensive and total videogame concepts. Being able to edit, exhibit, present, and defend works in portfolio and presentation formats. |
1 |
| 4) |
Achieving critical thinking literacy on videogame history and theory. Being able to think through and produce academic texts about the philosophical, anthropological, political, and social manifestations of games. Being vigilant about the contemporary problematics of videogame epistemology. Displaying professionalism in accepting criticism. |
2 |
| 5) |
Being informed about the historical accumulation and contemporary productions of the videogame culture and other cultural playgrounds from which videogame culture draws. Being able to tackle, process, and position both aesthetic and technical production and thinking methods as cultural activities. |
2 |
| 6) |
Being knowledgeable about the past, aware of the present, and foresighted about the future potentials of the social and economic realities of videogames. Being able to handle professional relations, create correspondence, and manage production plans. Being a generalist, while also specializing in one or more areas of expertise. |
1 |
| 7) |
Being able to research, filter data, and synthesize both within and outside videogame epistemology at every stage of production. Being able to conduct interdisciplinary research. Being able to create original ideas by remixing content from various sources. Learning to learn. |
2 |
| 8) |
Understanding, learning, and using professional content authoring tools and technologies. Being able to design workflows in service of various production requirements. Being able to use technologies within the workflow besides the usual and intended purposes, and researching, discovering, and putting to use technologies for new purposes. |
1 |
ISTINYE UNIVERSITY BİLGİ PAKETİ / DERS KATALOĞU
