concept art & illustration
BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Art & Design Practice: Concept Art & Illustration
Bring ideas to life through drawing, illustration and visual storytelling. On this pathway, you’ll imagine characters, creatures, objects and environments, then develop them into artwork that communicates a story, mood or purpose.
Your projects may draw on publishing, comics, games, animation, film, advertising and digital media. You’ll combine traditional art techniques with digital tools, building a portfolio that reflects your interests and creative ambitions.
The Extended Diploma is a full-time, two-year qualification equivalent to three A Levels.
What will i learn on this course:
- Observational drawing, perspective, anatomy, composition, colour and lighting
- Character, creature, prop and environment design
- Illustration for stories, audiences and creative briefs
- Storyboarding, sequential imagery and visual storytelling
- Traditional and digital drawing and painting
- Research, experimentation and the development of ideas
- How to present your work and build a personal portfolio
How is the course structured?
Year 1 – Exploring and Developing Art and Design Skills
You’ll strengthen your drawing and technical skills, explore different materials and digital processes, and learn how research can inform your ideas. You’ll develop work through experimentation and complete a creative project in response to a brief.
Year 2 – Advancing Creative Practice
You’ll take greater ownership of your projects and develop a personal direction within concept art, illustration or both. You’ll refine your portfolio, plan your next steps and respond to a creative industry brief, bringing together the skills you’ve developed across the course.
STUDENT WORK SHOWCASE:
how will i be assessed?
You’ll complete four internally set and assessed units: Skills Development, Creative Project, Personal Progression and Creative Industry Response. Your project work will show how you research and develop ideas, solve visual problems, use materials and techniques, manage your work and communicate your intentions. Assessment standards are verified by Pearson.
How will I study?
You’ll work in studio spaces through practical workshops, individual projects and creative briefs. You’ll use traditional materials and specialist equipment, including graphics tablets, alongside software such as Photoshop, Krita, Illustrator and Blender.
You’ll work independently and collaboratively, share ideas, respond to feedback and present your work professionally. Time management and reflection will help you build confidence, technical ability and a portfolio for further study or the creative industries.
Did YOU KNOW?
- Potential career pathways for Concept Art are Games Art and Comic Illustration.
- The UK game video market provides 47,620 full-time jobs and growing.
- UK’s video game market was worth £5.3 billion in 2021, up from £4.8 billion in the previous year.
- The UK gaming population increased by 63 % during lockdown in 2020
- The industry continues to show massive growth: revenue is predicted to show an annual growth rate of 8.9% from 2021 to 2025.