Cohort 01 ยท Application Open 8 Seats ยท 9 Weeks

9 weeks. 8 students. One character, finished.

A group mentorship for character artists with a project ready to finish. Weekly live sessions with J Hill. Direct feedback on the work you post. No fixed curriculum โ€” your character is the curriculum.

9wk
Programme
8
Seats
1:1
Feedback
โˆž
Recordings
The Premise

Not a course. A finishing room.

Most artists I talk to don't need another tutorial. They need someone to look at their work, tell them what's not working, and help them finish.

This is a 9-week group mentorship built around exactly that. Eight artists. One character project each. Weekly live sessions where we work through the actual problems on your screen. Discord feedback through the week. By week nine, you have a finished, portfolio-ready piece โ€” not "almost done," not "still iterating," finished.

If you've got the skill but you're stuck on the same character for six months โ€” that's the gap this programme closes.

How It Works

Four moving parts.

Live sessions, async feedback, recorded library, lifetime access. Built so the people who need it can show up consistently โ€” and the people who fall behind can catch up without losing the thread.

01

Weekly live group sessions

One live session per week for the full nine weeks. We work through students' work together โ€” what's working, what isn't, what to do next. Sessions are recorded and posted same day or next day. Transcripts available alongside the recordings so you can search what was said.

02

Direct feedback in Discord

A private mentorship channel for the cohort. Post your work in progress through the week โ€” sculpts, retopo, textures, lighting tests, whatever you're stuck on. I reply with written feedback consistently, not on a fixed schedule. Threads stay open so you can scroll back through the cohort's reasoning.

03

Kajabi community library

Recordings, transcripts, and any session resources live on the Kajabi community page alongside the rest of Character Class. Searchable, organised, and yours to revisit whenever the project demands it.

04

Lifetime recordings

The recordings and the Kajabi library are yours forever, even after the cohort ends. The Discord channel access is for the duration of the programme. The work you do is yours.

What's Included

Everything you need to finish.

A clear list. No surprise upsells, no hidden tiers โ€” what's here is what you get when you take a seat in the cohort.

9 weeks of live group sessions

Recorded and posted within 24 hours of each session, with transcripts attached.

Direct written feedback from J

On work you post in Discord throughout the week โ€” consistent, not scheduled.

Private mentorship Discord

Forum threads, channel access, cohort community for the duration of the programme.

Kajabi community access

Recordings, transcripts, session resources โ€” all in one searchable place.

Lifetime access to recordings

The session library and Kajabi community page stay yours after the cohort ends.

One finished portfolio piece

The deliverable, not the brochure: by week nine you have a character ready for ArtStation.

Cohort 01 ยท 1st Edition

Take a seat at the table.

There are eight. Each carries the same weight: nine weeks of direct work with J, and a finished character at the end of it. This is a 1st-edition cohort โ€” the first one to run.

Apply for a Seat โ†—

โ—  1st Edition ยท Cohort runs once ยท Application required

Who It's For

Skill, project, commitment.

This isn't a beginner programme. The format only works if you're already producing โ€” the value is in the feedback, the structure, and the room. The bar is real, and it exists to protect the cohort.

If you're not there yet, the Character Class $395 self-paced course is the right starting point. Many mentorship applicants come from that course first.

At least 1 year of character art experience

You don't need to be working professionally โ€” but you need to be past the absolute basics.

Hands-on with ZBrush, Substance Painter, Unreal Engine

The pipeline is industry-standard. We sharpen what you have rather than teach the tools from scratch.

A solid portfolio

Some finished work that demonstrates where you are and what you're aiming at.

A specific project ready to go

You know what character you want to finish. Concept locked, references collected, you can start week one.

Prepared to show work and take direct feedback

Every week. The cohort only works if everyone shows up with progress.

Committed to the $3,000 investment

Payment structure shared on the application call. The financial commitment is part of the filter.

The Application

Apply to Cohort 01.

1

Submit your work

Send your ArtStation, three pieces you're proud of, and a short note describing the character project you want to finish in the cohort. No resume, no covering letter.

2

Conversation with J

If your work and project are a fit, we book a 30-minute call. Where you are, where you want to be, and whether the cohort is the right vehicle for the work you want to make.

3

Cohort offer or referral

If it's a fit, you receive a cohort offer within 72 hours and the payment details. If it isn't, you get a written referral to the right next step โ€” sometimes the $395 course, sometimes a year of focused practice.

Begin Application โ†—

โ—  Applications reviewed within 5 business days ยท Cohort 01 capped at 8 seats

FAQ

Honestly, answered.

If a question isn't covered here, the application call is the right place. We'd rather talk than write more copy.

What does the cohort cost? +

$3,000. Payment structure is confirmed on the application call โ€” likely 50% on acceptance and 50% before the start date, but exact terms are agreed individually so the cadence works for you. Investment is the same for every seat in Cohort 01.

Why not just take the $395 course? +

You should โ€” many mentorship applicants come from that course first. The $395 class teaches the pipeline. The mentorship is structure, accountability, and direct feedback on your specific project. If you're learning the fundamentals, take the course. If you've got the skill and you're stuck finishing โ€” this is what closes that gap.

Do I get 1-on-1 calls with J? +

Outside of the application call, no โ€” the format is group sessions plus written feedback in Discord. The economics of the cohort make it possible to keep the price at $3K and the seats at 8. You'll still get direct, individual feedback on your work โ€” just in writing rather than on a private call.

How quickly does J reply in Discord? +

Consistently, but not on a fixed schedule. Realistically that means most posts get a written response within a few days, often faster. There's no daily-response guarantee โ€” that's the trade-off for keeping pricing accessible. If you need real-time access, this isn't the right format.

What if I fall behind during the 9 weeks? +

Sessions are recorded and transcripts are posted alongside, so you can catch up. You'll keep lifetime access to the recordings and the Kajabi community page โ€” so even if a week or two gets busy, the material is there when you come back to it.

Are you guaranteeing my character will be finished? +

No. Anyone guaranteeing creative output is lying โ€” finishing is on you. What the mentorship guarantees is the structure, the feedback, and the room to do it in. Most students who show up consistently and post their work do finish. Most students who don't, don't.

What if I'm rejected? +

You get a written response with specific feedback on what's holding the work back, and a recommendation on the right next step. Sometimes that's the $395 course. Sometimes it's a year of focused practice and reapplying. The application itself is a free portfolio review by J โ€” regardless of outcome.

When does Cohort 01 start? +

Once 8 seats are filled. Applications are rolling โ€” the cohort begins as soon as the seats are confirmed. The application call covers expected start date and payment cadence.

Cohort 01 ยท Open Now

Nine weeks. One finish.

If you've been carrying the same project for too long and the gap is structure, feedback, and a room to do it in โ€” apply when you're ready to finish. Not before.

Begin Your Application โ†—