3D Foundation (evening - online)
3D Foundation (evening - online)
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Course details
Location
Live online
Start date
3rd March 2025
Duration
20 weeks
Mode of study
Part time (Monday and Wednesday evenings: 7pm-10pm)
Fees
£3,250
Course overview
Interested in exploring the world of 3D VFX? Learn the basics with this course for beginners.
This course is perfect for anyone with a passion for VFX, 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. It will also suit students from a creative or technical background, keen to change career and get into VFX.
Our tutors are top industry professionals, so you’ll be taught by the best in the business. Through step-by-step tuition and genuine production examples, you’ll learn fundamental real-world visual effects production skills and will gain a comprehensive foundation in 3D modelling, texturing and lighting using Autodesk Maya.
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.
See also MA Visual Effects Production (3D) and 3D for VFX short courses (12/18 weeks).
Why choose this course
Ranked 3rd in the UK – and 10th in the world for Production Excellence in Visual Effects by The Rookies
Industry briefs - work on industry-standard briefs and experience real-life scenarios, just like in a professional studio
Professional input - our advisory board of experts, from the likes of DNEG (Avengers: Endgame and Oscar-winning Dune) and MPC (The Lion King and 1917), help keep this course relevant
Successful alumni - join our community of thousands of Escapees, many of whom have gone on to work at some of the world’s top studios. 47 Escapees worked on Avengers: Endgame, 36 on No Time to Die and 16 on Stranger Things
Aftercare package - we'll help you polish your showreel and find the right job, with access to our studios and showreel clinics for 12 months
Industry-standard facilities - study in a studio environment that mirrors current industry practice, using professional software such as Maya and Nuke
Fast-track learning - studying a short course allows you to learn new skills quickly, in a fast-paced environment, so you can start applying for jobs as soon as you’ve completed the programme
Intensive training - we pack a lot into a few evening classes, and we recommend that you work outside of classes for an extra few hours per week to complete your assignments
Flexibility - study live online and in the evening to fit the course around your professional and personal life and other commitments
Strong portfolio - along with an Escape Studios Certificate of Completion, you'll leave with strong creative and technical skills and great pieces for your portfolio
Small class sizes - a convivial environment allows students to assist and inspire one another and benefit from personalised feedback from tutors.
Course modules
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
UV mapping techniques (organic and hard surface)
Introduction to basic texturing
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
Advanced shader creation with intro to Substance Designer/Painter
Advanced displacement creation with intro to ZBrush
Material properties and case studies
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
More information
Minimum requirements
We welcome and encourage applications from students with a variety of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.
To study this short course, you must:
Be over 18
Have a good understanding of written and spoken English
Feel comfortable using a computer.
If you’d like to discuss your circumstances before applying, contact us!
We can provide remote access to our workstations during teaching time. Due to availability restrictions, we highly advise you to have your own set up at home to study in your own time.
More things you’ll need:
A strong internet connection
Cloud storage or external hard drive to back up your work, 1TB+ recommended
A three-button mouse or graphics tablet. Please note, the Wacom Intuos Pro range of tablets have the best support for our remote desktop software and provide the best experience.
A computer microphone (and optionally a webcam)
Note-taking materials.
If you have any questions about learning online or if you need help with what to buy, get in touch at hello@escapestudios.ac.uk.
To apply, complete the relevant online application form below:
Our Admissions Team will get in touch to take you through the next steps.
If you have any questions about your application or our entry requirements, get in touch!
As part of the application process, you will need to agree to our terms and conditions for your place on the course to be secured.
Fees
Live online: £3,250
Payment plans
We offer payment plan options for all courses. Following an initial deposit at registration stage, your chosen payment plan will break down your remaining fees into up to three instalments, to be paid before the end of the course.
Visit our admissions page for any questions about fees, funding and payment plans.
Maya
Photoshop
Nuke
Arnold
Substance Designer
Substance Painter
ZBrush
“Consumers who are increasingly looking for high-definition (HD) VFX experiences will have huge business opportunities in the VFX market in the next few years.” (source Expert Market Research)
You’ll leave with an Escape Studios Certificate of Achievement, along with strong creative and technical skills and some great pieces of work for your portfolio, which you can add to with help from our Aftercare programme. Ready to apply for jobs in the industry!
Some of the opportunities you can consider once you’ve finished your studies include:
Runner
Texture/Modelling/CFX Artist
Previs Artist
Roto/Prep Artist
Layout Artist
Production Assistant
Production Coordinator
3D Artists often start out in junior roles to then rise to mid-level and senior roles such as 3D Generalists and Technical Directors, opening the path to becoming a Visual Effects Supervisor.
Our students have gone to work as both specialist and generalist artists in creative studios, across TV shows, films and commercials, at companies including Framestore, DNEG, MPC and Jellyfish Pictures. Read some of our VFX Escapee success stories.
Check out our Careers Guide for more information about career opportunities and progression routes.
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Meet our industry-experienced tutors
They all have industry experience and are experts in their fields. They are certified trainers for Autodesk and Houdini. They’ve worked at studios including DNEG, Framestore and Industrial Light & Magic, on credits including Fantastic Beasts, Gladiator, Kingsman and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.
Student showcase
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Escape Studios always produces some of the finest VFX graduates in the country. Their training, both technical and soft skills, stands them in great stead in the industry.
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