What it’s like to be a Student at Syn Studio – The Concept Art Diploma Student Experience
Syn Studio, one of Canada’s top concept art school, is inviting applications for the 2019 intake of its elite Concept Art Diploma Program. The intensive 18 month program is designed to help aspiring concept artists master the fundamentals and learn advanced digital techniques and design principles so they can comfortably face the challenges and succeed in the fast paced concept art industry.
Registrations for the Fall 2019 intake of Syn Studio’s Concept Art Diploma Program are currently underway. You can get more information about the program and start your registration process here.
Teachers and the Coursework
Teachers in the Syn Studio Concept Art Diploma program are senior concept artists and art directors currently working on some of the most exciting AAA games and blockbuster film projects being made right now. The presence of top professionals and the opportunity to interact and learn from them in person was a decisive factor for many students who chose Syn Studio to pursue their concept art education.
Elkhan Kildibekov, an alumnus currently working as a concept artist at WB Games Montreal, commented: “When I was beginning my art journey, I chose to join Syn Studio’s Concept Art Diploma program because it is one of the few schools in the world that offered something very important: the chance to study under the direct tutelage of industry professionals.”
Another alumnus also currently a concept artist at WB Games Montreal , Krist Miha, also currently a concept artist at WB Games Montreal added, “Being taught exclusively by teachers who work in the industry was a big advantage since every class, homework and deadline was structured in such a way so as to prepare us for the daily life in a work environment.”
On the subject of first term classes, American student Carson Jones says, “I really like Christian de Massy’s Sketching for Perspective course and Daniel Kvasznicza’s Visual Reference Library course. Perspective, while being an essential concept for artists to understand and master, is also very tedious and Christian’s approach makes you understand the fundamentals effectively.”
On the teachers and coursework overall, alumnus Efe Varda says: “Our teachers had a big part in my positive experience in Syn Studio. Most of the teachers are top level artists working in the industry, so they know what is expected from a concept artist today and what their students need to reach that level. I am currently working as a concept artist at WB Games Montreal with my teacher from Syn Studio, Daniel Kvasznicza, as my art director. I can say I wouldn’t be here today without all the help I got through my experience at Syn Studio.”
The small size of the program, with only 20 students accepted each year, ensures that the students get lots of individual attention from their teachers.
Improving your Skills
“My working process has changed. Watching professional artists work has been really helpful. I was able to see improvement in my skills from one week to another because of applying what I learnt in Veronique’s Intro to Concept Art class” says Terrence Leigh, a first term Canadian student.
Syn Studio teachers help the students fine tune their techniques and improve their skills so they can achieve their dream of becoming top notch professional concept artists within a short period of 18 months.
Issree Pittayayon, a first term student from Thailand added, “My reference gathering and usage process has completely changed. The classes here have made me realize how wrong my reference gathering process was. The teachers here push you to refine your ideas and this has improved my brainstorming process to a great extent. I do multiple iterations until I come up with the best version of my idea.”
Alumnus Miguel Mendez who now works as a concept artist at Ubisoft Montreal explains how the teachers at Syn Studio helped him sharpen his skills and land his dream job. “I saw Syn Studio as a great opportunity to develop my skills as a concept artist. We had the opportunity to learn from great concept artists from the entertainment industry in Montreal. Thierry Doizon, Fred Rambaud, Remko Troost and Jason Tonks were amazing teachers that I learned a lot from.”
The students were not only excited with the improvements in skill and professionalism gained during the first 6 weeks of the program but also thrilled at the prospect of learning new techniques from top industry veterans, honing their skills further, and building their final portfolio.
“Having done a year of art school before, I thought I had good knowledge about fundamentals and perspective but these one and half months have been a humbling experience! I realize there are a lot more things I still don’t know,” mentioned Bryan Koh, a first term student from Singapore.
With continuous feedback and coaching, these new students will further improve as the program progresses and they work towards their goal of becoming top notch concept artists and landing their dream concept art jobs upon graduation.
Elkhan added: “During my time at Syn Studio, I feel that I have grown tremendously as an artist with the help of both the talented teachers and fellow classmates. I have made many friendships with incredibly skilled artists and had the chance to meet many wonderful people across the industry. And thanks to the powerful networking opportunities fostered by Syn Studio, I ultimately was able to land my first industry job as a concept artist at WB Games.”
A truly diverse and multicultural community
The Syn Studio Concept Art Diploma Program is a melting pot of multiple cultures with students from around the world joining the program every year. Classes are currently comprised of students from Germany, Thailand, India, Singapore, Brazil, South Korea, Japan, Colombia, Canada, Australia and the United States, among others.
Jenny Brown, a 1st term student from Canada mentioned “I love the different cultures I get to interact with and the different perspectives I get. Being around 19 different people is very motivating and there is friendly competition. It pushes you to try harder.”
Krist emphasized the importance of a learning in a classroom setting with other highly motivated students. “While it’s still possible to land a job in the industry with all the online education nowadays, there is something irreplaceable about studying in an environment with like-minded, skilled individuals under the guidance of industry professionals that I would totally recommend to anyone who aspires to enter the entertainment industry.” This fact was re-iterated by Rajdeep Choudhury, an alumnus who came to Syn Studio from India and is currently working as a concept artist at Ubisoft Montreal. He added “I made some great friends there, some of whom are my colleagues right now. It provided us with a great learning environment, where everyone was pushing each other to work better.”
Over the course of 18 months, these 20 students, representing the best of the aspiring concept artist community from their respective countries, share their passions, techniques and resources while working towards advancing their skills and achieving artistic mastery.
Syn Studio regularly organizes student art shows, themed figure drawing workshops, industry parties and events such as portfolio review sessions, panel talks and masterclasses with world famous concept artists. This helps foster a sense a community among the diverse student body and helps them build the important relationships they require to succeed in the future.
Montreal – Attractive, affordable and an artist’s dream!
The city of Montreal is consistently ranked amongst the most liveable cities in the world by the Economist Intelligence Unit in it’s annual Global Liveability Ranking. It is affordable and an entertainment hub, with its numerous video game, film and animation companies as well as world class festivals. These factors played a huge role in many students joining Syn Studio for pursuing their concept art education. One among them was Vladimir Mokry from the Czech Republic who said “When I was doing my research, I found Montreal had a very low cost of living and was home to a lot of gaming companies.”
Montreal provides aspiring concept artists with a plethora of opportunities by continuously attracting new studios and generating new concept art jobs everyday. On the same topic, Rajdeep added “Out of all the art schools I applied to, Syn Studio seemed like the ideal gateway to enter the industry. Being located in Montreal, it opens up abundant opportunities for students (especially for international students who come from countries which have a lack of concept-art resources, both academic and professional). I never expected to get hired so soon after our graduation and I cannot thank Syn Studio enough for that.”
After graduation, international students are eligible for a post-graduate work permit so they can work as concept artists in Canada.
Alumnus Seif Ragab is currently working at Ubisoft Montreal. He says: “I picked Syn Studio since I saw that the teachers there were industry professionals who worked in many companies and projects that I liked. It has a great location, being in Montreal where the gaming industry in Canada is very prominent. Also, the price was relatively affordable compared to other options with the same quality of education. I can honestly say that it’s all thanks to Syn Studio that I have a job as a concept artist at Ubisoft and I work with both my friends from school as well as many of my teachers.”
If you wish to hear more from our alumni you can find testimonials on our website by clicking here.
How to Register?
Applications are now open for the General Portfolio Review for the Fall 2019 intake – the deadline is February 6, 2019.
Syn Studio’s successful alumni are currently working as concept artists at companies such as Ubisoft, WB Games, Beenox, Moment Factory and more. Register before the deadline to become a part of this successful group and make your dreams a reality!
You can reserve your spot here >
Join this artistic community and start the journey of a lifetime!
