Bootcamp Turns Rookies Into AAA Artists In Months Not Years

By Sponsored Content - March 10, 2020

If you’re dreaming of working on AAA game titles, then you might want to get in touch with Ryan Kingslien.

“We help aspiring game artists get the jobs of their dreams in the shortest time frame possible,” says Ryan, veteran artist and the founder of Vertex School, formerly Game Art Institute.

The key phrase here is “the shortest time frame possible”.

Travis Overstreet landed his dream job at Electronic Arts within six months of completing the Game Artist Bootcamp at Vertex School.

Another example is Erih Pazanin, who found himself being interviewed by Ubisoft within a few months of completing his Bootcamp. He quickly became a sought-after artist in the industry, lending his skills to franchises like Mortal Kombat and Cyberpunk 2077.

Artwork by Sushan Manandhar

Travis and Erih are not exceptions. Vertex is built on the premise that artists are capable of more than they think. The key is doing the right work and pushing through to achieve quality over quantity.

The Instructor’s list of Vertex School’s courses is the who’s who of artists from companies like CD Projekt Red, Sucker Punch, and Blizzard. These are the people who have been in the trenches long enough and understand that mastery isn’t magic; it’s a process.

For 9 months, they will be working with you, as supervisors, to transform you into a world-class artist.

You get to choose between four tracks: Character Artist, Environment Artist, Game Technology and now Game Animation.

The curriculum is constantly evolving, based on the ever-changing needs of the gaming industry.

Each class is capped at 15 students. This ensures you get the maximum attention you need to level up fast.

In 9 months you will graduate with:

A complete skill set for the industry
A stunning online portfolio (without this, nothing else matters)
Access to a global alumni network (don’t EVER underestimate the power of networking; it’s half the equation of a successful career)
Industry connections that will help guide your career (connections are half the equation of a successful career; it’s worth repeating)
Grit to do the work (once you’re successful, you’ve gotta stay successful, right?)
A lifetime of success (and the satisfaction that comes with it)

Artwork by Travis O’Connor.

But this will only happen if you bring the desire. The Bootcamps are not for the faint of heart. If you’re committed to your success and willing to work hard, Vertex School has the right support and resources to help you thrive.

The curriculum is battle-tested and constantly evolving to meet the demands of the industry.

And once you graduate, you will find Vertex School standing by your side, working to give you the boost you need. You will get access to job readiness training, an alumni network, connections to employers and opportunities to hone new skills.

The proof of Vertex School’s solid training is the list of companies that hire their graduates. Here’s a small subset of that list:

Epic Games
Valve
Bungie
Vive
Amazon Games
BioWare
CD Projekt Red
Oculus

Artwork by Melissa Mazzocco

Here’s what some of their graduates have to say:

“No matter which level you’re at, as long as you want to improve and are determined, the Vertex School’s Bootcamp has the right resources to help you get there. Because the learning content is not fixed, it is customized for you.”

-Ira Zhang

3 years ago I decided I wanted to ditch my dull office job and start a new career as a 3d artist. I’m pleased to say, I’ve finally done it and somehow landed a job as a character artist at Red Central here in the UK.

I’ve had my doubts, had to make numerous sacrifices along the way (in particular suffering a god awful job for the last 2 years) and questioned whether it was even reasonable to pursue such a career change in my early 40s. However, somehow, with a bit of luck and a lot of late nights, it paid off. Now I’m looking forward to the new challenges ahead in my new career and continuing to grow.

Thanks to Ryan Kingslien for creating this awesome school and community, I feel lucky to have found you. Thanks to all the mentors and fellow artists here at GAI for inspiring me and keeping me on the right path.”

-Andrew Bowen Churchill