Full Sail’s Computer Animation and Game Art bachelor’s degrees teach students to create 3D art. The Computer Animation program covers three key 3D animation disciplines (modeling, animation, rigging, lighting, and compositing) for a variety of productions, while the Game Art program focuses on creating production-ready 3D assets for the game and real-time industries.

Applicants to these programs must submit two art samples that demonstrates artistic skill in observational art. Here’s a breakdown of the art sample requirements and submission guidelines for these degree programs.

Why an Art Sample Assessment?

Full Sail requires art sample submissions for Computer Animation and Game Art applicants to help them understand that 3D art starts with observational art (drawing, modeling, or rendering what’s in front of you). Foundations in sketching, sculpting, and painting are crucial to the 3D art creation process.

“[The art sample requirement] is a way of explaining to incoming students that these are art degrees, that you are going to be producing art. It’s not something where the machine's doing everything for you, or that it just comes down to knowing how to press the right buttons,” says Full Sail’s Game Art Program Director Chad Kendall. “You have to go through the whole process of making art. The art sample submission process tells applicants, ‘Hey, this is something you're going to need to think about if you want to get into this career.’”

Although traditional art classes are recommended before going through the Computer Animation or Game Art programs, new artists can use Full Sail’s online beginning drawing workshops to build their art sample requirement.

Art Sample Requirements

Computer Animation and Game Art applicants must submit three pieces of observational art that demonstrate artistic skill. They can choose from the following options:

• Still life showing attention is given to attaining the correct proportion, value range, lighting, texture, and/or observed details. Must be real objects in the home, outdoors, or office.
• Figure work including gesture drawings, portraiture, or full figure work from observation.
• Animal renderings with attention given to anatomy, texture, and/or detail from observation.
• Illustration with attention given to linear perspective.
• Illustrations showing an understanding of color theory and application.
• Any other sketch work demonstrating observational skills.

Submissions like original characters, iconography, dragons, unicorns, anime, etc. will not be considered.

Applicants can also submit additional artwork to showcase original work that does not fall into the above categories, like photography or sculptures. However, additional work will not affect your chances of acceptance to either program.

Submitting Your Art Sample

Art sample submissions must be JPEG or TIFF files that are no larger than 50 MB each. Screenshots of your work are not permitted. Photographs of your work must be clearly lit with only the artwork visible.

A full-time reviewer from Full Sail’s art departments will assess your work. If your initial art sample submission misses the mark, you will receive feedback from the reviewer and be given two more opportunities to resubmit the art samples.

For questions regarding your art sample submission, contact your admissions representative.

Other Degree Options for Artists

If the art sample submission process or the Computer Animation or Game Art degree programs don’t line up with your artistic goals, Full Sail’s Graphic Design or Digital Arts & Design bachelor’s programs might be a better fit. These programs do not require art samples to apply.

The Graphic Design program focuses on art skills required for branding, user experience, and interactive media. It can be a good choice for students who’d like to work with organizations from the ground up to create and develop their branding.

The Digital Arts & Design program teaches students to create motion graphics and 2D and 3D animations, as well as projection mapping for live events. It’s targeted toward students who would like to create digital art for established brands.