Vertex School

Before attending GAI, my 3d artwork was mediocre at best. The personal guidance I received helped push my abilities to a professional level. There are both technical and mental exercises that help you learn techniques in creating professional portfolio... Read More worthy work.

From the very beginning, you will be challenged to create work that will be relevant to the company you'd like to work for. This school provided more for me in terms of real world experience then, 3 years in college.

First of all to make myself a bit more clear about my situation..I am new with everything 3d/game creation related.I attended University for this exact subject and I felt even more confused and hopeless after i completed it(and poor)!Then I found GAI!!I... Read More have for the first time completed a project I am proud of enough to make an art station to share my work(To me this shows the first success)Thanks to the guidance and knowledge obtained through GAI I no longer feel lost or like I will never achieve the level that is needed to enter The Game industry as a proffesional.Gai institute is a true haven for anyone of any level to learn and comunicate and grow alongside fellow students.Besides the support from the GAI team you will also be blessed by the helpfulness of fellow students who all are always willing to help or give you great advice to help you reach that next level in your skill.I cant list all the Pro's in one message i will just leave it at life changing and that GAI makes the effort and if you put in the same effort and have determination you will see great things.

Cliff notes version: Absolutely worth the time and money if you're serious about getting a career in the creative industry or growing as an artist.

Foot notes version: I've been following Ryan Kingslien and taking part in a number of online classes he's... Read More offered across a range of topics with some of the best teachers there on the subject matter provided. The amount of technical know-how I've picked up over the years has really helped me develop my skills and start the transition out of a lack-luster career doing graphic design. I've been a graphic designer for a long time now but my heart has always been in character design and creation. Game Art Institute and Ryan Kingslien have been an absolute boon for helping to make that happen.

On top of the skills you gain Ryan also provides insight into an area too often overlooked for developing artist: the mindset of a creative person. This is the kind of information I wish I had available to me when I was just starting out. I know I'm not alone in going through the years of self-doubt and deprecation, most of which could have been avoided or reduced had Ryan been around sharing his insights. At the very least find and watch his video on YouTube expanding on the "valley of the suck."

My first Game Art Institute class is the VR Bootcamp taught by Eddie Christian. Eddie is an amazing teacher, who on top of being a wealth of knowledge about VR is constantly innovating with the Occulus Rift. Learning from him and taking part in his class is a chance to get in on the ground floor of something that will be huge. I can't recommend it enough. So in the end if you really want to boost your skills or dive into a subject matter that is as rewarding as it is intense the Game Art Institute is well worth the investment.

I took the environment artist bootcamp and it was worth it, having both Ryan Kingslien and Shawnell Priester as mentors was great on several terms:
On real feedback on what was right and what was wrong and how to improve, on learning different techniques... Read More and new actual ones.
On getting to know how real artist actually work and how they approach things, learning substance designer was something i had delayed for several years but, now i can say it's a truly awesome and powerful software with so much possibilities and potential.

Right now, learning substance and marvelous designer has a lot more value than before, also, substance has become an industry texturing software standard.

I personally learnt things that i never thought existed. It's a huge leap i have had after joining this bootcamp. Industry insights, getting to know the thoughts of people working in this sector and knowing where i have been wrong so far is one the major... Read More benifits i have had

This bootcamp is unlike any other. There are plenty of online courses out there happy to take your money and once your course is over you’ll never hear from them again. Before you even start the course you have a one on one interview with Ryan to see... Read More if his bootcamp is right for you, his dedication to you doesn’t end there. Almost a year after completing my bootcamp I’m still in contact with Ryan and my fellow classmates who are constantly asking and giving feedback to each other. No matter which class you take with the Game Art Institute you become part of this group. Without even talking about the course which was extremely beneficial for me, Sign up to any course reassured Ryan wants the best for all of his artists he teaches with the number one goal of getting a job in the industry they desire.

I completed one of the boot camps offered by the Game Art Institute. It surpassed my expectations. The teachers were both industry professionals. This gave me access to information that I might not have found otherwise. I didn't know just how much I didn't... Read More know until I completed the boot camp. Now, my own teaching has improved and I'm in the process of starting a business that would have been impossible before my time with the Game Art Institute. I highly recommend GAI.

Game Artist Institute is a fantastic program to enroll in if you are serious and willing to put in the work to get into the games industry. Ryan was fantastic in mentoring me and helping me work through issues and roadblocks with creating a solid portfolio... Read More to send to game studios. He makes sure to personalize the class for what YOU need and follows up with every student giving them the feedback and attention they need to thrive.

There may be other ways outside of GAI to learn game art, however, they are not optimized and are far less personal. It will take you far longer, and you will struggle to find the information and areas of needed improvement. The education provided also gives you a well-rounded toolset that has helped me out several times. My last year with GAI put me farther ahead than I ever could have imagined and got me a fantastic job in a AAA studio(BioWare). Ryan is always working on improving and refining the program, and I feel incredibly lucky to have had a chance to work with him, and the Senior Artists he brought in to teach us.

I highly recommend you give GAI a chance. It is an incredible value, and it is important to invest in your education. There isn't a reason to try and do it alone when you have an option like this.