Game Art Admissions and Portfolio Requirement

The Game Art major at Champlain College is a visual art program focused on the creation of 2-D and 3-D art assets and animation for games. To be successful, students must enter the program with a strong aesthetic ability and a passion for creating visual art using both traditional and digital media. As part of the application for admission into the Game Art major, Champlain College requires the submission of a portfolio consisting of five files.

Portfolio Requirements

• One PDF file (one drawing per page) that contains the following observational drawings from life created with traditional media (e.g. pencil, pen, charcoal, paint):

  • One still life
  • One perspective drawing
  • One portrait

• Four additional files (can be multipage PDF files) that include any combination of the following (you don't have to include all of these):

  • Traditionally rendered images
  • Digitally rendered images
  • 2-D or 3-D characters you have designed
  • 2-D or 3-D environments you have created
  • 3-D models, with or without textures
  • 2-D or 3-D animations
  • Traditional or digital sculpture

• Please do not include work that copies photographs by using paintovers or the grid method—although, photos may be used for reference—and do not directly replicate another artist's work (including replicating anime drawings, cartoons or video game character designs).
• Please do not include anime style drawings in your portfolio. They don't tell us enough about your aesthetic ability.
• If possible, show us your process for one of your pieces. For example, include your sketches as well as the final piece.
• Please include a title and description for each piece.

If you have more than five quality pieces, we would like to see them. We suggest putting similar images into a single PDF file. For example, traditional drawings could be put in one PDF file and presented as one body of work, digital work in another PDF file, and multiple animations could be edited into one movie file (no longer than one minute). Make sure the PDF files are nicely formatted with one image per page.

How the Portfolio Will Be Evaluated

Faculty members from Champlain College's Game Art program will evaluate the submissions for skill, visual aesthetics, artistic practice, subject matter, and art appreciation. Students should concentrate on demonstrating the depth of their artistic talent—quality is preferred over quantity. Please take time when answering the questions on the form. Good communication is an important quality for game artists, and one we value.