Learn to make awesome Character Art

Create Epic Game Characters In My Final Live Hosted Class 


Learn to create unique 3D character models that stand out and get noticed.

 

 
In our final live hosted 8 Week Class, you'll learn to create your best 3D Character model from choosing a concept to publishing online

Create a Character

Follow along step-by-step to create your next Character model together as a class

Project Files

Download the actual source files from the demo project to learn from or use in your own

Feedback & discussions

Access a community of your peers and professional artists for feedback and inspiration

Live Instruction

Join weekly live sessions hosted virtually and take part in Q&A discussions

Improve as an Artist

Full Student Gallery

Skills You'll Learn

Plan Your Project
  • Choosing a strong concept
  • Building a Reference Board
  • Blocking out your character model
  • Setting up for Success
Create Your Character

  • Creating high poly models
  • Detailing the Skin
  • Modeling believable materials
  • Creating a Real-Time model
Present Your Work
  • Believable texturing
  • Lighting & Rendering in Unreal Engine
  • Customizing Materials
  • Creating a strong presentation

Class Features

Lesson Videos

52 lessons with commentary in 4k quality. From choosing the initial concept art to presenting the final model 

Live Sessions

weekly live meetings hosted virtually via Zoom with JHill and guest speakers

Project Files

Downloadable References, Zbrush tool, Low Poly model, Substance Painter file, Unreal Project

Private Community

Access to our private class server with peers and professional character artists

Unreal Engine Project

downloadable project with master materials and a level ready to drag & drop your asset. Includes the class demo character

Closed Captions

English closed captions available on all lesson videos

Get feedback & a supportive community

Submit your projects and receive feedback from a professional

Stay motivated and inspired with a community of your peers

Get all your questions answered no matter what

Meet Your Instructor

JHill

 Hey, I'm J and I'll be your instructor for this class.

 

I will teach you everything I know about creating character art for games and share as much information as I can about being an artist in the games industry.

 

I have been a professional 3D character artist for video games for over 15 years. I've worked on characters for games like APEX Legends, Titanfall 2, Evolve, and Back 4 Blood.

 

I also have a YouTube channel where I post videos and share information about character creation and CG art in general. I absolutely love digital characters and computer graphics. I see what I do on YouTube and now in this class as an extension of all the things that are important to me.

 

I strive to continually grow as an artist, a teacher, and a video creator. My goal is to make this class the absolute best it can be for aspiring character artists.


 My Portfolio

 Class Schedule

Week 1

Tools & Techniques

An overview of the basic tools and techniques you'll need to start making awesome characters 

  • Software Overview
  • Modeling Techniques
  • Basemeshes

Week 2

Planning Your Project

Preparation for the Project. The overview and general strategy to get the most out of your Project and what to look for and know before you begin.

  • Choosing a concept
  • References
  • Blocking out

Week 3

High Poly Modeling

Creating the detailed detailed high poly models of the character and costume with Zbrush and Maya. 

  • Sculpting Leather
  • Sculpting Cloth
  • Metal Armor

Week 4

The Head

Deep dive into facial proportions and anatomy, guiding students in developing authentic faces in their 3D models. Proportions, utilizing references, and understanding age, gender, and ethnicity. 

  • References
  • Proportions of the Face & Head
  • Sculpting the Head

Week 5

The Real-Time Model

 creating the low poly real-time model. model preparation, retopology, low poly modeling, and UV mapping.

  • Retopology
  • Quad Draw
  • UV Mapping

Week 6

Texturing

Baking all the forms and details from the high poly source model and then adding textures and materials. Now the character starts to come to life. Basic texturing, materials, and ways to add story 

  • Baking
  • Texturing the Costume
  • Texturing the Face

Bonus Section - Hair Module

Hair for Games

Learn to create real-time hair with expert .

  • Demos
  • Example Files
  • Unreal Engine Breakdown 

Week 7

Rendering with Unreal Engine

 Assembling the character model and textures in Unreal Engine, creating materials, lighting, and rendering.

  • Exporting to Unreal
  • Materials in Unreal
  • The Eyes

Week 8

The Final Presentation

Putting it all together and showcasing the character to maximise impact.

     
  • Posing
  • Rendering with Path tracing
  • Posting on ArtStation

Industry Experts

Interviews from Industry Experts from Major Games & Studios

Glauco Longhi

Lead Character Artist @ Sony Santa Monica 

 

Frank Tzeng

Character Art Director @ Naughty Dog 

 

Jamir Blanco 

Character / Creature Artist @ Bizzard

 

Dan Crossland 

Character Art Director @ Ninja Theory

 

Renaud Galand

 Lead Character Artist on Overwatch

 

Vimal Kerketta

 Lead Facial & Creature Artist @ Dneg

 

Sefki Ibrahim

Character Artist @ Epic & ILM

 

Hazel Brown

 Lead Hair Artist for Games

 

Hanno Hagedorn

 Lead Character Artist on Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

 

Marco Plouffe

Character Designer/Artist and Co-Founder at Keos Masons

 

Jared Chavez

Senior Character Artist @ Sony Santa Monica 

 

Patrick 4D

 3D Artist specializing in photorealism within the food and product space.

Justin Holt 

 Texture Art Director @ Epic Games

 

Your Best Character.

Guaranteed.

Our 100% Satisfaction & Money-Back Promise

 

We want the investment in this course to be an absolute no-brainer for you - if you’re serious 😉

"serious" technically involves (a) completing the first two modules of lessons, and (b) submitting at least 1 update for feedback. If you've done those things, and for whatever reason aren't 100% happy with your experience, drop us an email (within 60 days of the start of the class) and we'll happily refund your entire payment. However, please note that the money-back guarantee only applies if you actually do the work and complete some of your project. If you don't do the work, you won't get any value from the class, and you'll have taken a place away from someone else.

 

What Students are saying 

See All Testimonials

Create your Best Character

Essential

  • All Videos 20+ hours of content
  • Project Files
  • Unreal Engine Project
  • Access to Community Discord for access to JHill and our team of professionals
  • Lifetime Access

$395

All the Essentials

 

 Best Value

Pro

$595

  • Everything in Essential
  • one-hour live class Sessions hosted virtually
  • 8 Group Feedback Meetings
  • Bonus Guest Q&As
  • Digital Products
  • Free access to XGen for Characters Mini Course
  • Lifetime Access

Elite

$1995

  • Everything in Essential
  • Everything in Pro
  • 1:1 Onboarding with JHill
  • 8 Personal feedback videos
  • Exclusive Discord Channel for quick access to JHill and our team of professionals
  • Additional weekly Elite-only coaching call
  • Lifetime Access

Limited Seats

Frequently Asked Questions

There's no such thing as a dumb question.