Narrative Environment Design (Online)

Study with Lizzie Nichols, a visual development artist at Skydance Animation. She has worked for Sony Pictures Animation, DreamWorks Television Animation, RGH Entertainment, Rough Draft Studios, and Walt Disney Imagineering.

This course will cover the process of creating an environment concept design portfolio piece, from rough thumbnails through to final layout. Students will gain an understanding of the fundamentals of environmental design, from research and reference to ideation to finalizing a layout piece with value and tone.

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Live Class Schedule (Zoom): January 24th, 31st, and February 7th, 14th from 1:00 – 3:00 pm EST.

Week 1: Story & Composition Every environment begins with a simple idea. We will practice brainstorming world concepts and sketching small thumbnails to find a clear and engaging layout for your scene.
Week 2: Perspective & Structure We will review our thumbnail sketches and refine them further. We will look at the practical side of drawing by exploring how linear perspective can help give your buildings and spaces a sense of depth.
Week 3: Light & Atmosphere This week focuses on using light and shadow to create a specific mood. We will practice using light and dark values to help your environments feel more immersive.
Week 4: Details & Production In our final week, we will work on the finishing touches that make a space feel lived-in. We will also introduce production callouts to help inform the rest of the creative pipeline.