MA Character & Creature Creation
Master the art of character and creature creation
This postgraduate qualification is designed for students who want to learn how to master the pipeline for the creation of characters and creatures.
This MA course will teach you how to design and create your own characters and creatures, and bring them to life. Over the course of the programme, you will learn how to design, model, texture, rig and animate your own characters.
At the end of the course, you will have earned a postgraduate qualification, have a showreel of character and creature creation work, a thorough understanding of the animation and VFX industry, as well as the skills and connections to kick-start your creative career.
You will be encouraged to apply for a position as a CG Generalist or Character Artist within a studio, providing a "one stop shop" for the design and creation of characters and creatures.
- Location: London campus or Live online
- Start dates: 2nd October 2023
- Tuition fees:
London campus: £17,995
Live online: £15,450 - Mode of study: Daytime (full time)
- Programme duration: 1 year
- Entry requirements: An undergraduate honours degree in a field related to the course subject. Be a UK resident.
Awarded by
- Access to the internet
- 3 button mouse
- Wacom tablet/ Microsoft Ink
- Desktop or laptop meeting the Autodesk requirements for Maya
- A microphone
- Webcam (not compulsory but highly beneficial)
- Materials to take notes, such as notebook and pen/pencil
We pride ourselves on our industry powered training, that's why all our Escape Studios postgraduate degrees include industry feedback sessions with some of the world's leading studios and professionals.
This course was designed with help from leading studios across different industries such as Framestore and Rocksteady. Our industry partners deliver masterclasses or visit a class to give feedback on student work - it’s a great opportunity to receive industry standard critique and meet professionals working in the industry.
- Postgraduate level training. If you are serious about building a career in character and creature design, this course will give you the qualification, confidence, skills and connections to start applying for roles in the industry.
- This course is hands-on. You’ll be working on high-spec software to master your character and creature design skills. We offer small class sizes, so you’ll get plenty of 1-2-1 time with your tutor.
- Experienced tutors. You can’t teach what you don’t know, that’s why we employ the best. All of our tutors have worked in the industry and you’ll have industry feedback sessions with professionals.
- AfterCare to help you get hired. Our alumni AfterCare package will help you polish your showreel and find the right job - with access to showreel clinics, studio access for 12 months and use of tons of resources on our virtual learning environment.
- You'll graduate with a globally recognised MA qualification from the University of Kent, known as the UK’s European university.
The MA Character & Creature Creation is a one-year course including 18 weeks of direct teaching time, a 12-week collaborative project and a 12-week final project.
Module 1 - Character and Creature Design (30 credits - CC7001)
- Week 1 ‐ Character and creature design theory
- Moodboards
- The importance of research, body language and expressions
- Week 2 ‐ Tools and techniques for creating character and creature concepts
- Colour and background
- Beat boards
- Light and shadow
- Week 3 ‐ Using anatomy of characters and creatures in design choices
- Week 4 ‐ Analysing an established style to create character and creature concepts
- Week 5 ‐ Functional fashion in character and creature concepts
- Costume design
- Costume language
- Week 6 ‐ Establishing new styles (How to prepare a character or creature design bible for animation, outsourcing and videogames, and a pitch for comic publishing)
Assignments:
- Character design
- Retrospective
- Individual presentation
Module 2 - Character and Creature Modelling and Presentation (30 credits - CC7002)
- Week 7 - Introduction to Zbrush
- Character and creature anatomy
- High-detail sculpting
- Week 8 ‐ Introduction to Maya
- How Maya works
- Retopology
- Anatomy
- Asset setup
- Week 9 ‐ Introduction to texturing
- Introduction to Substance Painter and Mari
- Week 10 ‐ VFX and games pipelines
- Differences and similarities
- Week 11 ‐ Lighting and tendering
- Rendering in Arnold and Unreal
- Week 12 ‐ Presenting characters and creatures for portfolios
- Introduction to rigging for creating character poses
- Directed project time
Assignments:
- Character presentation
- Retrospective
- Individual presentation
Module 3 - Character and Creature Technical Direction (30 credits - CC7003)
- Week 13 - Character Rigging in Maya
- Creating advanced character rig setups
- Introduction to python
- How Maya really works
- Week 14 ‐ Creating cloth and soft surface simulations in
- Maya and Houdini
- FEM and Vellum workflows
- Week 15 ‐ Creating muscle systems in Maya
- Advanced anatomy
- CharacterFX pipelines
- Week 16 ‐ Fur and hair groom
- Long and short hair/fur with dynamics
- Week 17 ‐ Creating character cycles for presentation
- Walks and runs ready for final showreel presentation
- Week 18 ‐ Project catch-up week
Assignments:
- Character technical direction
- Retrospective
- Individual presentation
Module 4 - Collaborative Project (30 credits - CC7004)
For this module, you will be required to work in a small team working on an industry brief or creating your own brief. This project will allow you to use the tools and techniques you’ve learnt but it will also prepare you for the real world by working in teams.
Assignments:
- Collaborative project
- Group presentation
Module 5 - Production Project (60 credits - CC7005)
For this major project, you will work independently and develop your own brief. You will refine and produce a substantial Character and Creature project that will allow you to showcase your in-depth critical awareness of the area and the highly developed practical skills to deliver a complex project on time.
Assignments:
- Production project
- Group presentation
For more details about modules, see the full module specifications.
At Escape Studios, there are two main types of feedback on your work: formative and summative.
Formative assessment
This is one of the most important aspects of your work. There will be many opportunities to receive feedback from your tutor, studio assistants and peers during your modules. This will often be oral feedback on your work, sometimes on a one-to-one basis, sometimes in a group feedback session or daily. All of this should help you build on your strengths and develop your skills as you progress through the course.
The majority of modules contain at least one piece of practice or ‘formative’ assessment for which you receive feedback. Formative assessments are developmental and any feedback you receive for them do not count towards your overall module mark.
Summative assessment
This will be specifically designed to measure how well you meet the learning outcomes of the module. They will usually involve a task to meet a brief set by your tutor and will allow you to demonstrate the knowledge and skills that you have learned during the module. You’ll need to decide exactly how to complete the task, choosing particular techniques and approaches, and making decisions on the aesthetics and style to meet the given requirements.
Each module will have a practical element (usually a practical project, where you make something) and a written element (usually a journal or blog, where you reflect on what you’ve made). Sometimes there is also a presentation (where you demonstrate your work). All these elements are essential to your development by showing that you can deliver to a required level and also that you understand why you can and how you could improve.
The assessment methods employed in this programme have been developed to mirror industry practice as far as possible. We balance feedback from tutors and industry experts. It is crucial that, as a student, you learn how to accept and work with feedback from your superiors and peers, as this will be the norm when you work in industry. You also need to develop a keen self-critical eye, to be able to step back from your work and see what you could improve, and to have the ability to look at yourself and your working practices, and make changes where necessary.
For more details about assessment, see the full course specifications.
Your overall workload will be divided between teaching sessions and independent learning.
During your course, you’ll be able to develop your knowledge and skills in a number of ways. Some of this will be closely directed/supervised by your tutors, at other times you’ll be free to organise your own study with guidance. All your scheduled study time, except for some information sessions and presentations, will be in groups of around 12. For your team project, you’ll be working with a smaller team, collaborating to meet a shared brief. This will give you ample opportunity to get the support and assistance that you need.
The first three modules have a high contact time (180 hours for each module), as this is where you will be learning the knowledge and skills associated with your particular subject, directed and informed by your tutors’ expertise and experience. These will normally involve a large part of each day with your tutor and studio assistant, following demonstrations and working on set exercises to help you develop your craft. Throughout these modules, there will be regular quizzes to test your knowledge and highlight areas that need more further development.
The Studio Project and Production Project modules will have a lower contact time (15 hours for the Studio Project and 30 hours for the Production Project), with your tutors taking on the roles of supervisors or studio leads. You’ll meet with them regularly to get feedback and help you stay on the right path, but these modules are much more about you managing the learning experience to meet your objectives. You’ll be free to organise your work either as a team or an individual to best suit your project requirements.
Each module has its own area on the OLE (Online Learning Environment) where you will find all the information about the module and resources provided. Some of this information will be dedicated to the module, other elements may be shared across different modules and some may be external assets that can help with your further study. There may be links to videos, online journals and ebooks, and you should take advantage of these to enhance your development and take it beyond the studio experience. Tutors may highlight some of these during their sessions, so make sure you listen out and follow up on their advice.
You will also have an access to a variety of materials to aid you in your learning. Our OLE platform offers an online module focused on improving your study and research skills and academic writing. Finally, the online library also offers an extensive range of literature on both study skills and academic writing.
For further details, check our learning resources.
Students with additional needs or disabilities are supported by the Student Services team.
Overall workload
This programme has flexible start dates which may vary from year to year. It is divided into two stages. Stage 1 comprises modules to a total of 120 credits and Stage 2 comprises a 60 credit Production Project module. Students must successfully complete each module in order to be awarded the specified number of credits for that module. One credit corresponds to approximately ten hours of 'learning time' (including all classes and all private study and research). Thus obtaining 180 credits in an academic year requires 1,800 hours of overall learning time.
The first three modules are taught in intensive blocks of 6 weeks each, giving a total of 18 weeks. During each of these modules you will spend around 30 hours per week studying in tutor-led sessions or practice supported by studio assistants. The final two modules are more self-directed. The Studio Project will take around 12 weeks, during which you will have around 15 hours of feedback sessions with your tutor. Finally, you will spend around 18 weeks on the Production Project, including around 30 hours of feedback sessions with your tutor.
Each 30-credit module on the course requires students to commit 300 hours of study, with one 60 credit module which requires 600 hours of study. Some of these hours will be formally supervised in the learning environment and others will involve students carrying out private study.
For more details about modules, credits and workload, see the full course specifications.
- Maya
- ZBrush
- Houdini
- Substance Painter
- Mari
- Unreal Engine
- Adobe Creative Suite
An undergraduate honours degree in a related discipline with a significant component in the field of art and design (e.g. Computer Graphics, Fine Art, Graphic Design, etc).
Applicants without a degree who have significant industry experience in character and creature creation or related creative subjects will be considered.
Suitable applicants will be asked to submit a creative portfolio.
Non-UK students
International students can choose our live online mode of study. You must be living and have the right to study in the UK to study a postgraduate degree on campus. If you require a visa to study in the UK you will need to choose our live online mode of study.
Please contact us on +44 (0)203 4411 303 or admissions@escapestudios.com for any questions.
English Language requirements
If your first language is not English you may need to complete an English language test, such as a Pearson English language test (PTE Academic) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test, to demonstrate you have the language skills needed to complete your degree. All our courses are taught in English.
Qualification |
Score required |
IELTS |
6.5 IELTS (with a minimum of 6.0 in Reading and Writing and 5.5 in Speaking and Listening) |
PTE |
62 including 60 in each subtest |
Cambridge English: Advanced & Proficiency |
176 (with a minimum of 169 in Reading and Writing and 162 in Speaking and Listening) |
Internet-based TOEFL |
90 Overall including at least 22 in Reading, 21 in Writing, 21 in Listening and 23 in Speaking |
If you have any questions about your application or our entry requirements, you can:
- Call our Admissions Advisors on +44 (0)203 441 1303
- Email us at courses@escapestudios.ac.uk
- Reach us on LiveChat Monday to Friday, 9:00am - 5:00pm
Following your application, you will need to agree to our terms and conditions before your place on the course can be secured.
On completion of the course, you will graduate with a postgraduate qualification and the technical skills required by the industry, helping you break into the character and creature design world and make an impact.
Graduates will be encouraged to apply for a position as a CG Generalist or Character Artist within a studio, becoming key team members for the design and creation of characters and creatures.
Our alumni, dubbed ‘Escapees’ go on to work in many areas of the industry including 3D animation for films, TV, games, and visual effects. Escapees from our Animation courses are now working at companies including: Pixar, Blue Zoo and Framestore.
Fees
London campus: £17,995
Live online: £15,450
Includes:
- Escapee AfterCare and career support, including help and advice on your CV, showreel and job applications.
- Free Autodesk Software upon registration to the Autodesk Education Community - full details included with course welcome information.
- 18 weeks of classroom study followed by 12 weeks of remotely directed learning and a 15 week remotely directed final project.
Our postgraduate fees are payable at the beginning of each academic year, or at each stage of your programme.
Please note, we review our fees every year.
Funding for UK students
For the latest information and advice on student funding please contact our Admissions Team on admissions@escapestudios.com or call +44 (0)203 441 1303.
For students to be eligible for funding from Student Finance England, they must be studying on an eligible course at a provider registered with the Office for Students (OfS). Escape Studios (part of Pearson College London) is registered with the Office for Students and our Master’s programmes are eligible for funding.
Visit www.officeforstudents.org.uk for more information.
Payment plans
We offer a range of payment plan options for all courses, including up to five instalments following the initial deposit. Depending on the length of the course, we ask that the initial deposit be paid when registering for the course, and the final payment prior to the end date of the course.
Following the deposit, your chosen payment plan will break down your remaining instalments equally. Please speak to a member of our Admissions team on +44 (0)203 441 1303 or admissions@escapestudios.com to determine the dates of those payments.
Contact our Finance team to discuss your options on +44 (0)203 441 1303 or finance@escapestudios.com.
Scholarships
We want to make sure that talented students with creative potential can succeed on our degrees, that's why we offer a range of scholarships. We are offering an £8,000 scholarship to one applicant per discipline for each of the Spring 2022 cohorts of our postgraduate courses, which will significantly reduce your tuition fee.
All students who apply for a postgraduate degree and submit a creative portfolio by the announced deadline will automatically be considered for the scholarship. The winner will be selected by our tutors.
Find out more information about the scholarships and how to apply.
Our 3D Animation, Game Art and VFX postgraduate programmes are also eligible for a BAFTA UK Scholarship Programme.
Get in Touch
We can help with any problems or questions you have with course fees and funding. Speak to one of our Applicant Advisors via phone or email today! Call us on +44 (0)203 441 1303 or email admissions@escapestudios.com.
Next steps

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Taster sessions
Get a hands-on feel for what it's like to study with us by joining one of our online or on-campus practical sessions.

Meet the team
Book a one-to-one on the phone or on campus if you want to know more about our courses.
Meet our tutors
Michael Davies is the Programme Leader for Animation at Escape Studios. He has worked in VFX for over 10 years and as a freelance artist has pretty much worked in every department, in one way or another. Michael has worked for leading studios including DNEG, Industrial Light & Magic, The Mill and Prime Focus, and has worked on freelance projects with clients such as Unicef, Wired, 3D2D Studios and many more.
He brings his experience of working on VFX blockbuster films such as Batman vs Superman, Doctor Strange and Thor: Ragnarok to Escape Studios. Michael's main area of expertise is based on work as a Character TD, involving a deep knowledge in modelling, texturing, rigging, and CFX but he has also worked as a Generalist and Supervisor.
He has been helping to develop future creative talent by sharing his skills since 2014 and is also an accredited trainer for Maya at Autodesk. In 2020, Michael also became an Authorised Trainer for Unreal Engine.
Industry Partners
Industry partners and advisors influence everything we do, from the curriculum we teach and how it's delivered to our webinars and events.
We work alongside an impressive list of VFX, Games and Animation studios including Industrial Light & Magic, Framestore, Blue Zoo, MPC, Jellyfish Pictures, PlayStation London Studio and Creative Assembly and many more across all our courses at Escape Studios.
With exclusive professional feedback, intensive software training and much more, our industry-led courses give you up-to-the-minute, inspirational knowledge and experience, tailored to the work you’re passionate about. Our Escape Studios alumni (Escapees) can be found working at a variety of studios including Pixar, MPC, Industrial Light & Magic, DNEG, Rockstar Games and Electric Theatre Collective.
Find out more about our industry partners.

Why Escape Studios?
Learn industry-relevant techniques from the experts, in a studio-like environment.
- Studio-experienced tutors. Our tutors have worked at studios including DNEG, Walt Disney Animation, EA, Rebellion and Framestore and their credits include Captain America, Black Mirror and Bond: Spectre. They speak at international conferences, like B’Ars (Spain) and VIEW Conference (Italy), write for industry-recognised blog Befores&Afters, and are authorised trainers for software like UnrealEngine, Autodesk or Houdini.
- Industry-standard facilities. Our central London campus is surrounded by world-leading studios and fully equipped with high-end hardware and the latest software.
- Industry partners. Our studio partners, including DNEG, Framestore and PlayStation London Studio, help design and develop our courses to make sure that what we teach is relevant to the current industry practices. You’ll also have access to events and webinars ran by our Student Experience team with industry speakers.

I particularly like the fact that the classes are production-focused and not the traditional classroom experience. Classes are taught in a way that mimics a production studios.
Ayo Okusi-Daniels, Escape Studios student