Concept Art

Concept art is the visual development work that precedes production in games, animation, film, and product design. A concept artist's job is to define what things will look like before they are built, rendered, or animated, translating ideas, narratives, and design briefs into compelling visual proposals that can guide an entire production team. The discipline demands both artistic skill and rapid, disciplined problem-solving, often under time pressure and in response to specific creative constraints.

At Teesside University, this three-year full-time programme guides you through the full range of tasks a concept artist encounters in professional practice. You will work on character design, vehicle and prop design, environment development, and visual storytelling, developing the technical skills and creative workflows that studios expect. The course places strong emphasis on ideation: you will develop fluency in thumbnailing, iteration, and presentation, learning how to generate and refine ideas quickly and to communicate them persuasively to collaborators and clients.

Problem-solving is central throughout, as you practise adapting to different briefs and working in ways that are relevant across multiple industries. This programme includes both a placement year and supported work placements, giving you direct experience of professional concept art environments and helping you build the industry connections that are essential to launching a career in a competitive creative field. The typical entry tariff is 120 UCAS points.

Graduates of concept art programmes find employment in games studios, animation companies, film visual effects departments, and product design consultancies. The skills developed are also applicable in advertising, publishing, UX and interface design, and theme park or experience design. Many graduates freelance, building client portfolios across multiple industries.

The degree provides a strong foundation for further professional development through specialist postgraduate study in animation, games design, or digital arts.