Digital Art + Animation

Credit: Lonnie O’Keefe

Credit: Sky Biesse

Game Designers make the game’s levels hard enough but not too hard, talk to consumers in focus groups and collaborate with programmers and artists to keep the vision coherent. Senior designers make difficult decisions about adding or cutting features to make deadlines and how to re-work an Xbox game being ported to iPhones.  Rarely do they get paid to think about brand-new game ideas.

Skills: communication. Game design. Creative idea development. Leadership.

Concept Artists convert designer’s vague words into concrete images.  They sketch both ‘visionary’ concept art and detailed, “blueprint” type drawings rapidly and consistently. Production Artists depend on these drawings to build their models in a style that matches the designer’s original vision.

Skills: 80% “raw” drawing & painting skill. 20% Visual interpretation and communication.

Production Artists are the ‘worker bees’ of game art: they create assets such as 3D models of monsters, and sword swing animations.  Their job titles include: 3D modellers, animators, and “true” tech artists (writing scripts and helping modellers).

Skills: software; 3D modelling; animation; 2D painting

Max Frankel
“I’ve been modding and developing games from childhood and my industry experience ranges from work with Disney and numerous independent projects to work with non-profit organizations. I’m passionate about innovation and creativity in game design and committed to the development and teaching of relevant, game production focused content while also encouraging critical engagement with game and design theory.”

Brad Power
“My previous industry experience was as the Lead Designer at the Perth studio of AAA developer Interzone Games. I am also a member of a local independent games development company: RocketHands. My research interests include artificial intelligence and emergent game systems, and the psychology of game design and user interface design, with respect to gameplay ramifications.”

Daniel Wearing
“I’ve been working as a concept artist and developing games for over ten years, entering the industry while a student here at Murdoch University working for Disney Interactive. My industry experience ranges from working with small indie studios, larger mobile companies and AAA industry in the Games and Animation fields including but not limited to; Universal Studios, GNT Japan/Vn, Motion Logic, Storm Bunny Studios and more.”

Murdoch’s Games art and design program provided the resources and opportunity to develop the skills of my specialty whilst preparing me for the realities of the industry I am a part of today.“

Chay Johansson

Creatures Technical Director

Weta Digital

“Murdoch’s Games Art and Design course teaches not only the technical and practical skills required to work in the games industry, but also the ability to think critically and learn independently.“

Alexandra Haynes

3D Artist

Immersive Technologies