Create immersive worlds that captivate players. Develop creative, technical, and professional skills to become a games artist in an exciting global industry.
Worlds where art, imagination, and technology collide
Games art sits at the cutting edge of creativity, blending visual storytelling, design theory, and powerful digital tools to create immersive worlds players can explore, inhabit, and remember. On this course, you’ll develop artistic confidence, technical fluency, and industry awareness, preparing you to thrive in the fast-moving world of games and interactive media.
You’ll learn by doing – experimenting, refining, and pushing your creative boundaries – while building a professional portfolio that showcases your individual style, technical ability, and career direction.
As part of your course, you’ll:
- Apply core principles of design, composition, and visual storytelling to games art and digital media
- Develop practical 2D3D visualisation skills using industry-standard tools and professional workflows
- Build and showcase a distinctive personal portfolio that reflects your creative identity and career ambitions
- Explore the ideas, influences, and contexts behind games art to understand how it operates within cultural, technical, and production environments
- Learn how digital assets are created, optimised, and implemented within game engines and visualisation technologies
- Undertake in-depth academic and practice-based research within your chosen area of specialism
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Prepare for your study
Before your first lecture, you’ll complete a series of motivating summer projects designed to sharpen your skills, spark ideas, and help you start thinking like a games artist from day one.
Informed by industry
Your learning is shaped by the real world of games development. Developed in consultation with industry partners including Rockstar Leeds and Team17, this course ensures your skills, workflows, and creative thinking align with current and emerging industry practices.
Inspired learning
Your learning will be hands-on, ambitious, and results-driven, guided by experienced staff who bring together theory, practice, and industry insight.
Strong industry links mean you’ll have opportunities to build your professional network while you study. You’ll attend major annual events such as the Game Republic Student Showcase, the Vertex 2D3D Art Conference (London), and the Yorkshire Games Festival. You’ll also benefit from guest lectures by leading creatives, including Disney Animator Aaron Blaise, giving you direct insight into the world’s top studios and artists.
Specialist facilities
You’ll work in dedicated creative spaces using the same tools trusted by professionals. With access to software including ZBrush, 3ds Max, Maya, Substance Painter, Adobe Creative Suite, alongside HD screen-based drawing tablets, you’ll have everything you need to reach your creative potential.
Why study the BA Games Art course at Leeds Beckett University
1. Industry networking opportunities – connect with professionals through guest lectures and events, featuring studios such as Rebellion, Ubisoft, Atomhawk, and Disney Animator Aaron Blaise
2. Industry-shaped curriculum – developed in consultation with Rockstar Leeds and Team17, ensuring your learning reflects real studio practice
3. Graduate with impact – showcase your work to leading employers at the end-of-year degree show
4. Learn from experienced practitioners – you’ll be taught by staff with extensive expertise in design theory, creative practice, and professional workflows
5. Immerse yourself in industry – course and industry trips, including the Yorkshire Games Festival, place you at the heart of the games community