9 Best Online Concept Art Courses
Author: Carson Reed- Published: August 15, 2023
Concept art courses help you learn to create stunning visuals for video games, movies, and other forms of entertainment. In the US, the average yearly salary for concept artists is $85,713.
Are you hoping to become a concept artist? Have a passion for concept art but don’t know where to begin?
We’re here to help!
If you want to kickstart your journey as a concept artist, the best thing to do is to enroll in any of these top concept art courses online. These courses are designed to ensure maximum learning so all your art-related concerns can be addressed.
We know that there are many courses out there so it can be difficult to choose the perfect one. To make it easy, we have listed some of the best concept art courses out there that you can benefit from.
Let’s get started.
Benefits of Learning Concept Art
Why should you learn concept art?
Well, there are several benefits so let’s explore them.
Conceptual art is useful for expressing the feel, look, and tone of a design idea. As opposed to attempting to explain everything in detail at the very beginning of design development, it is used to capture and communicate the overall design vision of a project before anything is put into production.
In the United States, concept artists make an average salary of $41.21 per hour or $85,713 per year. The creative skills of concept artists are valued by organizations which is why the field has many career opportunities. If you are a creative individual who wants to build a career in something you love then this field can prove to be amazing for you.
Now that you know all the reasons why you should learn concept art, let’s look at the ranking factors that we took into consideration when shortlisting the best courses for you.
List of 9 Best Concept Art Courses You Should Know
We have listed these courses in no particular order, but if you want to know which ones stood out for us the most then definitely check out courses number 3 and 7.
- Figure Drawing Fundamentals – Proko – All Levels
- Digital Painting studio – Concept Art Empire – Beginner Level
- Best Concept Art Online Course: Character Design & Worldbuilding – Domestika – Beginner Level
- Adobe Photoshop for Concept Art – Domestika – Beginner Level
- Concept Art Online Class: Introduction to Set Design – Domestika – Beginner Level
- Concept Art Character Design – Udemy – All Levels
- Concept Art Masterclass | Create Conceptual Art from Scratch – Udemy – Beginner Level
- Game Design Document: Define the Art & Concepts – Coursera – Intermediate Level
- Painting Environments – Creating Concept Art Worlds with Photoshop – Skillshare – Intermediate Level
Details of the 9 Top Notch Concept Art Courses
1. Figure Drawing Fundamentals – Proko
This all-level course is great for anyone who wants to explore concept art. This online training for concept art will enable you to learn about various concepts like Gesture, Landmarks, Robo Bean, Proportions & Measuring, Mannequinization, and Shading.
With 57 lessons, this concept art course takes 16 hours and 46 minutes. Moreover, the course has downloadable resources, a money-back guarantee, assignment demonstrations, and captions in 3 different languages.
This online concept certification is priced at USD 125 with 22 million views. This course is being offered by Stan Prokopenko with a following of 74k. His knowledge of concept art is immense, and he is even the founder of Proko.
Here is what students have to say about the instructor:
“I think you have an amazing talent, not only as an artist but as a teacher. I am extremely grateful for your lessons.”
Our rating for this course be 8.5/9.0 because we feel it is amazing for concept art newbies.\
Click here to get this concept art class.
2. Digital Painting studio – Concept Art Empire
This next course is perfect for beginners who want an introduction to the realm of digital painting. This concept art online certification provides the fundamental training required to produce truly beautiful art. This collection is the ideal place to start if you want to advance your painting skills or launch a digital profession.
This online art course includes a 2 part-mini kit on Art and Photoshop fundamentals. The best part is that this beginner course is absolutely free and will cover key terminology, critical concepts, and foundational skills, and even includes a step-by-step painting project. This can easily be covered in 2 hours.
Learn from professional illustrator and concept artist Hardy Fowler who has advanced degrees in illustration and art. He has committed his teaching career to enabling individuals for whom attending art school is not an option to pursue professions in digital art.
We were unable to find student reviews but considering the price and the course material, we believe this is exceptional concept art training.
Based on this, we give it a rating of 8.5/9.0.
Click here to explore this online concept art tutorial.
3. Best Concept Art Online Course – Domestika
Next up is another beginner-level course that explores color, texture, lighting, and layers to create memorable protagonists that tell a story with every detail. You will learn how to draw, concept, and even expand characters.
This course empowers you to learn concept art online under the amazing instructor, Evan Amundsen, whose courses are loved by the students because of his teaching style.
You can complete this course at your own pace and it will take you 3 hours and 46 minutes to complete. You will also get access to 19 lessons along with 24 additional resources.
All this for as low as USD 9.99. Make sure to benefit from this course as soon as you can because it is available at an 83% discount currently.
This concept art course online is a bestseller, and not without reason. Students love the course, here is what they have to say about it:
“Thank you so much for making this course, I love drawing and making up worlds in my head, so I really liked the character-building spreadsheet and the idea of going from large to small when making a character. Also, I liked watching how Andelfin was progressing on the canvas. Thanks again!”
Our rating for this exceptional course is 9.0/9.0. It is definitely one of our top picks so make sure to check it out!
Click here to enroll in this exceptional concept art course.
4. Adobe Photoshop for Concept Art – Domestika
This concept art course is also designed for beginners. If you want an Introduction to concept art, this course will be great for you. You will learn how to use Adobe Photoshop to develop your concept art skills. for cinema or video games by learning how to use this essential art direction software.
You will learn to create amazing characters and worlds in Photoshop with the help of Nacho Yagüe, a concept artist with more than 16 years of experience. He has worked for well-known titles such as Splinter Cell: Blacklist, Assassin’s Creed Unity, and Watch Dogs 2.
Overall the course will take you 6 hours and 15 minutes to complete with 54 lessons and 7 courses, along with 42 downloadable resources.
Currently, this online art course is available at a discount of 78%, for USD 12.99 so make sure to enroll as soon as possible!
This is one of the best concept classes which is extremely loved by students. This can clearly be seen through the 99% positive student reviews:
“Great, if you don’t know anything about Adobe Photoshop! I really appreciated learning this style of digital painting, very cool!”
The course is one of the best out there and based on pricing and course content, we give it a rating of 8.5/9.0.
Click here to learn more about this concept art lesson.
5. Concept Art Online Class – Domestika
Next up is another course by Domestika which is great for beginners. If you have no prior experience, you don’t have to worry.
Through this art course online, you will learn to create illustrated worlds and scenes for audiovisual productions. You will be equipped with the techniques and tools to grow professionally as a concept artist creating aesthetically pleasing universes full of stories.
It includes 24 lessons and 23 additional resources which can be completed in 5 hours. So if you are looking for a medium-length course with great insights, you should surely check this one out.
Make sure to avail of this course at your earliest because the sale will end soon making the price go up from USD 16.99 to 59.99.
Learn under Jean Fraisse, a Concept Artist and Art Director who is passionate about what he does and this trickles down into his teaching.
This is another bestseller on Domestika and students love how much they were able to learn through this course. Here is one review that accurately sums up the course’s overall learning experience:
“I have bought all the courses offered by Jean! He is such a great teacher and his way of explaining things from the very basic elements is what makes him unique. This course has a lot to offer to anyone trying to up their skills. I don’t understand Spanish and yet I had no problem following the course. As usual, Jean tries his best to provide as much information as possible.”
We believe that you love this course. We have rated it 9.0/9.0.
Click here to get this concept art certification.
6. Concept Art Character Design – Udemy
Among the many Concept Art Courses & Classes, this one definitely stands out. It is designed for all levels and gives an opportunity to explore concept art character design.
This online course will help by teaching professional-level techniques to conceptualize and render character concept art, give insights on how to stand out in a crowded industry, and how to succeed and provide value to your clients to keep them coming back.
The course is on a 79% sale so you can benefit from it for as low as USD 16.99. For this price, you will get lifetime access to 7 hours of on-demand video, and 8 downloadable resources.
Taught by the expert, Hardy Fowler, this course is a must-try. The instructor has a 4.6/5.0 stars rating with 27,362 reviews and 227,168 students.
Students have such amazing stuff to say about the course:
“Another amazing course by Hardy. Tons of useful character design tips and rendering tricks that build on his previous courses. I recommend you take the previous character design and portrait courses first before tackling the projects in this one. In fact, do yourself a favor and take all of Hardy’s classes.”
We give this insightful course a rating of 9.0/9.0 and it is another one of our top picks.
Click here to learn more about this concept art lesson.
7. Concept Art Masterclass – Udemy
If you are a beginner looking to learn about concept art from scratch then this is just the course for you.
In this best concept class, you will learn how to create a full conceptual artwork from scratch, insights on 3D Modelling in Blender, advanced painting techniques in Photoshop, composition, and aesthetics of color and light, as well as perspective and rendering.
This stellar course comes with 8.5 hours of on-demand video, 6 articles, and 44 downloadable resources. If you are looking for a detailed course then this would be great.
You get lifetime access for as low as USD 16.99. This is surely a catch so enroll before the sale ends, making the price USD 84.99.
By enrolling in this course, you will get a chance to learn from Kemane Ba who has a 4.5/5.0-star instructor rating along with 21,000 + students to his name. He is extremely talented and an amazing instructor for an art course like this.
What better way to recognize a course’s potential than through student feedback? Here is what we found about the course:
“I’m really enjoying seeing the possibilities of using blender and photoshop together for painterly results. This course is great if you are a concept artist, but you find it hard to make accurate concepts using unusual and interesting perspectives.”
Our rating for the course is 8.5/9.0 considering the insights it has to offer.
For additional information on this concept art class, click here.
8. Game Design Document – Coursera
Next up is one of the best concept art courses for the intermediate level. If you already have prior knowledge, this course will help enhance your skills further.
The capstone project will equip you to develop your game idea into a fully-fleshed proposal. The goal of this four-part capstone assignment is to help you streamline and strengthen the core elements of your game so that you can communicate your thoughts effectively.
With flexible deadlines, this course can be completed within 16 hours. To get access to this project you need to pay USD 49, however, if this feels like a lot, you can easily avail of financial aid. Another great thing is that enrollment is absolutely free.
Learn professional concept art online through the instructors, Dariush Derakhshani with a rating of 4.8/5.0 stars, and Théotime Vaillant, who has 31,406 students who have learned from him.
Students love the course so we are sure you will too:
“Excellent course and an excellent specialization, I learned a lot thank you for the interviews and efforts put to get this training course done”
We give the course a rating of 8.5/9.0 considering practical learning.
Click here to start your practical learning of concept art
9. Painting Environments – Skillshare
The last concept art course in our lineup is being offered by Skillshare. In this concept art Character design online class, you will cover Depth & Scale, Atmospheric Perspective, Mood & Story, Composition, Custom Brushes, Custom Shapes, and how to Render Skies.
The best part about this course is that it is available for as low as USD 2. That is surely a catch!
Overall the course has 27 Lessons which can be covered within 4 hours and 9 minutes.
In this course, you will get access to some of the best concept Online Tutorials under the guidance of Hardy Fowler who has a following of 24,776. He has done several other courses, some of which are also included in our line-up.
Students love the course and there are many positive reviews. Here is one such review:
“Super informative, enjoyable, and fun! If you want to learn how to paint landscapes and backgrounds, you cannot afford to miss out on this one.”
Our rating for the course is 9.0/9.0 considering the instructor, course content, and especially the price.
Factors of Choosing these Best Concept Art Classes
After thoughtful consideration, comprehensive research, life experience, and the most important challenges of the eLearning industry, the components below were deliberately constructed.
- Tutor Rating
- Course Objectives Are Cleared or Not
- Depth of Course
- Recourses and Material
- Who can take this course? Beginners, Intermediate, and Advanced Level
- Details of the course
- Student Reviews
- Course Duration
- Price
Best Concept Art Courses – FAQs
What is concept art?
Concept art expresses an idea or a particular appearance. It is frequently utilized in movies and video games to express a vision and establish a mood. Concept art serves as a solid reference point that aids in bringing the project’s creative team together.
How can you learn concept art?
You can easily learn concept art by enrolling in concept art courses. Thanks to the emergence of e-learning platforms, learning is easier than before. Online concept art courses are packed with insights and delivered by experts so your learning journey will be easy.
What is the best concept art course?
Some of the best concept art courses are courses number 3 and 7 from our lineup. They are structured in a way that gives maximum learning and is also priced well so you can gain skills related to concept art without it being too heavy on your pocket.
Conclusion
Are you looking to explore the best concept art courses? Do you have artistic skills and want to make a career out of them?
We know the best thing for you!
Enroll in concept art courses online. These courses are packed with information and are great for anyone looking to start off or even polish their concept art skills.
We know there are way too many courses out there so we have shortlisted the top two for you. Check out courses number 3 and 7 if you want to learn to become a professional concept artist. With amazing instructors and well-structured course content, you will be able to excel at concept design by enrolling in these courses.
If you are a creative individual looking for similar courses to explore, then you should check out graphics designing courses and pixel art courses.
