3D Foundation (Evening - 20 weeks)

• Access to the internet
• 3 button mouse
• Wacom tablet/ Microsoft Ink
• A laptop, a tablet, or a smartphone
• A microphone
• Webcam (not compulsory)
• Materials to take notes, such as notebook and pen/pencil

• You will begin your introduction to the VFX pipeline. You will work with tools such as Maya and Adobe Photoshop. You’ll get hands on experience with 3D VFX techniques such as; modelling, texturing, lighting and shading including the latest 3D software.
• This course is part time, so it allows you to fit your studies in around your day job or other personal commitments!
• Our tutors are top industry professionals, so you’ll be taught by the best in the business whether you’re a 3D artist looking to develop a career in VFX, a 2D VFX artist wanting to move into 3D or a VFX graduate preparing for the competitive VFX job market. This course will also suit students from a creative or technical background, keen to change career and get into VFX.
• You’ll work on industry designed briefs that replicate the real workplace. We give you experience of real life scenarios, such as dealing with briefs with varying requirements, deadlines and resources.
• You'll develop your very own demo reel in the final weeks of the course. This will become your visual CV for future employers and will help you stand out in this growing but ever competitive industry.

Weeks 1-5:

• Introduction to Maya
• The user interface
• Introduction to modelling
• Introduction to textures 
• Introduction to lighting, shading and rendering
• NURBS curves and surfaces
• Polygonal modelling
• Topological rules 

Weeks 5-10:

• UV mapping techniques (organic and hard surface)
  
• Introduction to basic texturings
  
• Hypershade
• Image manipulation with Photoshop
• Texture distressing with Photoshop
• Non-destructive texturing workflows
• Camera projection mapping
• Texturing and Surface Techniques Displacement mapping
• Maya nodes
• Raytracing (reflections, refractions and shadows)
• Shaders
  

Weeks 10-15:

• Advanced shader creation with intro to substance designer/painter
• Advanced displacement creation with intro to zBrush
• Material properties and case studies

Weeks 15-20:

• Colour and lighting – traditional cinematographic and photographic techniques
• Colour theory, three point lighting
• Natural lighting
• Indirect lighting techniques
• Image based lighting
• Matching lighting
• Advanced lighting
• Advanced materials
• Rendering with Arnold
  

The course also includes:

• Escapee Alumni after care and career support including help and advice with your CV, showreel and job applications. 
• Free Autodesk Software when you register with the Autodesk Education Community (full details will be available in your welcome pack if you choose to study on this course). 
• Access to software including Maya and Photoshop.

• Maya
• Photoshop
• Nuke
• Arnold

All students on any 3D Foundation course will graduate with an Escape Studios Certificate of Achievement, a well-respected qualification within the industry, demonstrating you've studied an industry-based course and have the practical, hands-on skills studios are looking for.

After the classroom course is over we offer three months of online mentoring, so that our students can continue to refine and polish their skills. We take aftercare very seriously - since it can take time to put together a job-ready demo reel, we make sure our students get the time and practice that they need to refine their work to make them job-ready. Learn more about our Aftercare support.

It’s also recommended to take the next step onto our 3D for VFX Intermediate Part Time Course to hone your skills further.

Our students go on to work in many areas of the industry. See some of their success stories.