Here, students learn that environments are collections of systems by creating a small, polished stylised environment. The project focuses on stylised art direction, trim sheets, foliage, lighting, composition, optimisation, and shader basics. The structure bridges a holiday break: Weeks 13 and 14 cover art direction, trim sheets, and foliage. After the break, Weeks 15 through 18 delve into lighting, shaders, scene composition, optimisation, and a final cohesion and polish pass.
Focus, deliverables, software, the week-by-week breakdown and covered units unlock on the hand-out date above. Tutors can open it early.
Students will produce a highly polished, stylised 3D diorama (a self-contained vignette environment) rendered in real-time within Unreal Engine. The final outcome will demonstrate a cohesive art direction, custom foliage, fundamental shader systems (like wind or panning textures), and optimized workflows utilizing trim sheets. Submissions will include high-fidelity portfolio renders and a short cinematic fly-through video.
How the 7 weeks are structured, stage by stage.
FocusStylisation theory, mood, and compositional framing.
DeliverablesA visual target moodboard and a proportional 3D greybox of the diorama.
FocusOptimization, texture memory, and modular UV mapping.
DeliverablesOne completed, textured trim sheet ready for engine use.
FocusExaggeration, bevels, and asset production.
DeliverablesFinal 3D meshes for structural and hero elements, UV unwrapped and textured.
FocusAlpha cards, vertex normals, and organic variation.
DeliverablesA small kit of foliage assets (grass clumps, a bush, a tree).
FocusThe material graph, parameters, and movement.
DeliverablesA fully assembled UE5 scene with customized Master Materials and Material Instances applied.
FocusMood, focal points, and environmental narrative.
DeliverablesA fully lit scene with post-processing volumes configured.
FocusScene cohesion, metric checking, and presentation.
DeliverablesFinal, portfolio-ready renders and a short video fly-through of the completed diorama.
This project directly targets the roles of **Environment Artist**, **Technical Artist**, and **Look Development Artist**. By enforcing the use of trim sheets and Master Materials, it teaches the technical optimization required to make games run efficiently on varied hardware (like mobile or the Nintendo Switch). It pushes students beyond simply knowing how to use software, demanding they take on the role of an Art Director to ensure every asset serves a unified, compelling visual target.