On the «Game Graphics» profile, our goal is to train students who can do more than just create models, scenes, or levels based on someone else’s prompt—our primary focus is for them to define their own challenges, creating not only others' worlds but their own. We aim to graduate creators of unique visual solutions rather than merely skilled employees. Therefore, throughout their studies, we develop not isolated assets, but complete game concepts that successfully integrate graphics with interactivity.
Program Highlights
Art is for you if you are well-prepared as a 2D or 3D artist, genuinely interested in the visual aspects of video games, highly dedicated, and striving for professional development in the field of game graphics while maintaining and advancing your game designer skills and avoiding unengaging projects.
Watch this video, and if you feel that art is suitable for you—test yourself using the points below.
Your Goals:
- You want to work in game development as an environment artist, level designer, 3D artist, or technical artist;
- Your most ambitious goal is to create your own games—either in a team or independently, with or without a budget—but always with a focus on the visual aspect;
- «Engaging gameplay» with weak visuals isn’t for you; you aim to maximize visuals but don’t want to be limited by them—you want to create graphics for games, and for games specifically.
Elena Serostanova (Art-23)
What You Bring to the Table:
- You are highly motivated and understand that within the field of art, one track demands a significant workload and high expectations;
- You are fully aware that, in the arts, the volume of completed work is valued above all else, and you are prepared to dedicate more time and effort to a project than you might elsewhere;
Anastasia Smirnova (Art-22)
- You are deeply passionate about game graphics, staying current with technologies, aesthetics, and trends while continuously expanding your horizons. You understand why playing Cyberpunk 2077 and Baldur’s Gate 3 is essential for you, and why playing Thomas Was Alone or Baba is You holds no appeal.
- You have successfully worked with graphics throughout your past two years of study. If you draw well—that’s an advantage; if not—it won’t stop you from feeling confident in 3D or design. The most important things are ideas and execution, but it won’t be easy without some visual aptitude.
Anna Osipova, Maria Lapina (Art-24)
Your Interests:
- You have carefully reviewed the art portfolios from past years and clearly recognize that childlike spontaneity, endearing charm, and whimsical positivity are not the only paths to success;
- You understand that games featuring cute, kind animals and charming little witches could become repetitive, and you are ready to do something fundamentally different.
Yana Maltseva, Alexander Mitin (Art-24)
- You recognize that the primary focus of this concentration is on working with the game space. Characters are necessary, but they should not be evaluated separately from the location. Gameplay is welcome, but it holds no meaning outside of the location;
- You become so passionate about your ideas that you are willing to risk grades in other disciplines just to fully articulate your vision to the extent it deserves;
- In other words, you understand that conciseness and minimalism in art are generally counterproductive, and the specialization for «I am an artist, this is how I see it» does not exist for you.
Anastasia Lysikova, Sofia Kryukova, Darina Dmitrieva, Anvar Murazimov, Elizaveta Dergunova, Dmitry Lavrenkov, Alexey Suvorov, Elisaveta Solovyeva (Art-22)
Your Autonomy:
- We operate on the premise that art is traditionally a specialization of individuals. Group work is more of an exception in our program—it is reserved for the most ambitious and promising projects prepared to meet the highest standards and expectations.
Curators
Goren Doctor of Sciences, Lead Artist, Environmental Artist, and Art Director at Sobaka Studio. I have a passion for the interactive space, the stories inherent within it, and the emotions those stories evoke.
Anton Ivlenov Programmer, technical artist, light artist, developer of artificial life systems, lead developer at Snowbird Games. I am drawn to space—the elements that constitute it and the principles governing the relationships between those elements.
For «Game Graphics, ” one project spans an entire year, progressing through four stages: concept, prototype, implementation, and finalization. A successful outcome is considered to be a gameplay simulation video that reveals your game’s concept through final-quality visual content.
Here is an example of that result—it isn’t a game or even a build, but a video that reveals the concept and gameplay, and the content is no less substantial than in a working demo version. Everything needed for such a trailer is created across four modules:
Module One
Task: This section illustrates what we term the visually-thematic solution of the project: concept art, a presentation of the setting and conflict, and ideally—the core gameplay idea.
Criteria:
- The volume and quality of the concept art development, and technical execution—color, tone, composition, dynamics, and so forth—are most important.
- High detail and informational value of the image are particularly valued.
- Finally, the relevance of the theme is critically important: remember? No stories about pink ponies.
Examples:
Perhaps the most creative challenge of the year: in the first module, your imagination is completely unrestrained.
The more unexpected or shocking the story you devise and present—the better.
