Inside the Latest Term III Game Art Student Projects
Every term, our students continue to raise the bar with projects that showcase not only their artistic talent, but also their dedication to learning and growth. From richly detailed environments and compelling props to expressive characters and stylized worlds, these pieces reflect the skills students develop throughout the Game Art Program under the guidance of experienced industry mentors.
We're excited to share some of the latest work coming out of Term III and celebrate the creativity, hard work, and passion behind each project. We hope these artworks inspire you and give you a glimpse into what's possible when talent meets mentorship and consistent practice.
Enjoy the showcase!
Laundry Day by Chris Mackin
I’m happy to share my final project from Vertex School’s Game Arts Program (Environment Art). The project took around five months to complete, from initial concept through to final polish.
The environment is based on a painting by Christian Friedrich Mali, Laundry Day at the City Wall. The scene depicts a Swabian village in southern Germany in the mid-1800s, showing townsfolk washing laundry on a peaceful day.
I chose to reinterpret the painting as a slightly stylised environment, loosely inspired by the mood and artistic style of South of Midnight. Alongside this, I introduced subtle narrative elements to suggest a more sinister story beneath the surface of this otherwise idyllic setting.
All assets in the scene were created by me, with the exception of some foliage models (though I created my own materials for these), along with certain decals, cloud textures, birds, and a small selection of props such as apples and rocks.
Thank you to my mentors Jacob Claussen, Cairo Goodbrand, and Tiger Chuiqing Yang for their feedback, guidance, and encouragement throughout this project. I’m extremely grateful for the time they invested in helping me develop and refine the scene. I’d also like to thank my classmates for their support and for helping me push this project across the finish line and also Charlotte Mackin and Mike Hughes for all of their help with the audio and music.
The Abandoned Altar by Papa Hughes
I am proud to share my final project form Vertex School- a scene which took just over five months to complete. "This altar once stood beneath a great structure, long since overtaken by time and nature. Though the surrounding civilization has faded, these grand arches remain- weathered, but enduring as nature slowly reclaims what was once hers."
This environment was inspired by two things: a concept I found on Czepeku Fantasy- that drove the overall composition, assets, and lighting. The art style was inspired by God of War- specifically, the atmosphere of Vanaheim and the Wildwoods. My goal was to capture their sense of "mythical realism" by combining vibrant colors and fantastical structures, while keeping an emphasis on hand-sculpted details. I was drawn to the idea of creating an ancient environment slowly being reclaimed by nature.
I approached this project with three goals:
- Strengthen the fundamentals through practice with industry-standard workflows, tools, and organization.
- Create an environment with a memorable, 'larger than life' focal point.
- Improve my sculpting skills in Zbrush, while studying and incorporating elements of the God of War art style.
All major assets were created by me. The only outsourced assets were the bushes, the moss stone texture, ground texture, and birch bark texture- which were acquired from FAB. Certain VFX, including the fog and butterflies, were also outsourced.
Boar's Nest Passage by Ivan Shevchenko
I'm happy to share my latest project, created during my final term at Vertex School's Game Arts Program. The idea for the scene, which I worked on for about five months, was born when I stumbled upon a photo of a reconstruction of the Burg Rappenstein in Switzerland. It inspired me to create a medieval-fantasy mountain passage. I really liked the idea of creating an environment where the buildings are embedded into the mountain, which acts as a natural barrier. I have always been fascinated by medieval and fantasy themes.
In this project I aimed to combine those themes, creating cohesive and realistic scene within a modern 3D environment workflow. The full breakdown available here.
The mood and visual direction were partly inspired by Baldur’s Gate 3 and The Witcher 4 Tech Demo. All the core assets in the scene were created entirely by me. This includes modelling, UV unwrapping, baking and texturing. Foliage assets, mountains, rocks, VFX and a small selection of props such as vegetables and burlap sacks were outsourced. (though I altered some of their materials).
A huge thank you to my mentors: Jacob Claussen, Cairo Goodbrand and Tiger Chuiqing Yang for their guidance, feedback and support throughout this project. I'm truly appreciative of all the time they invested in helping me create and further develop the scene.
Final Thoughts
Behind every piece in this showcase is a story of growth, persistence, and creative exploration. These students have spent months refining their skills, embracing feedback, and pushing their work further with each project.
We'd like to thank our mentors, instructors, and community members who continue to support students throughout their learning journey.
Whether you're just beginning to explore game art or already working toward your dream portfolio, remember that every professional artist started somewhere. With the right guidance, consistent practice, and commitment to learning, remarkable progress is possible.
We hope these projects inspire you to start creating, and we can't wait to see what our students build next.
Learn more the Game Art Program!