Adobe Photoshop for Concept Art
A course by Nacho YagüeConcept Artist
A course by Nacho Yagüe, Concept Artist
Become a concept artist for cinema or video games by learning how to use this essential art direction software
If you’ve always wanted to dive into the world of concept art, in this Domestika Basics you will learn to create amazing characters and worlds in Photoshop with the help of Nacho Yagüe, a concept artist with more than 16 years of experience. He has worked for well-known titles such as Splinter Cell: Blacklist, Assassin's Creed Unity, and Watch Dogs 2.
In a simple and easy to digest approach, you will discover the techniques and processes used by professionals to create an illustration or concept art of a character, step by step.
In the first course, you will start by understanding what a concept art piece consists of, differentiating the different types that exist and seeing examples of Nacho's work. He will explain how each piece fits into each production phase and finally, you will create a mood board that will serve as a starting point for your final project.
Then, you will learn the main Adobe Photoshop tools and go through its interface. You will learn to navigate a document, the keyboard shortcuts and see the most important tool panels in detail.
In the third course, you will learn to use the different menus that Photoshop has, specifically: File, Editing, Image, Selection, Filter, View and Window. From this base, you can start experimenting with real examples.
Next, you will start preparing the first sketches of your characters, but first you will see how to use the brush tool and how to create your own brushes.
You will learn more about one of the most important Photoshop tools: layers. You will get to know the panel, the layer organization, the masks and the versatility they offer by making changes to your sketch to understand how it works.
The sixth course of this Domestika Basics will be 100% focused on the completion of your concept art piece. First, you will see how you work in a video game studio and get down to work and finish your piece, starting from the linework, and going through color and lighting.
Finally, Nacho will give you some tips to present your project to clients and he will teach you how to give that magical touch to your future projects to achieve a professional finish.
Technical requirements
⦁ A computer with Windows 10 or macOS 10.12 Sierra ⦁ Adobe Photoshop CC: You can download a free trial version on Adobe’s website. ⦁ No previous Photoshop knowledge is required ⦁ It is recommended to have a graphics tablet (Wacom or similar)
Recommended software & tools for this course
Reviews
- 5 months ago
Realmente es muy bueno el contenido que te enseña Nacho, entiendes cada concepto claro, gracias a su forma de explicar. Lo recomiendo ampliamente
- 7 months ago
Amazing course. Loved that all explanation was super detailed, nothing was left out. Learnt a lof of new useful tips!
- 9 months ago
De por sí Photoshop es un software lleno de herramientas complejas que llegan a confundirnos. Sin embargo, siento que Nacho ha hecho un excelente trabajao al instruirnos en aquellas que nos serán más últiles para aquello que buscamos. Se nota el amor con el que crea, el cual transmite. En lo personal, siento que he despertado no solo un nuevo nivel técnico, sino también mi creatividad poco a poco. Estoy muy satisfecho y muy agradecido.
- 9 months ago
totalmente compresible, muy bien explicado, al principio un poco complejo pero poco a poco se va entendiendo
- 11 months ago
This is a comprehensive course guiding you through everything from research, workflow in a studio, essential tools to finishing a piece in Photoshop. A great course for aspiring professionals.
He also worked as a senior concept artist at Ubisoft Toronto through 2017, creating the artwork for renowned video games such as Splinter Cell: Blacklist, Assassin's Creed Unity, and Watch Dogs 2. He later returned to Barcelona to join Gameloft as the studio's art director.
Content
- U1
Presentation
- Presentation
- U1
Graphics tablet settings
- Graphics tablet settings
- U2
What is concept art?
- What is concept art?
- U2
The workspace
- The workspace
- U3
Mood Paintings
- Mood Paintings
- U4
Environment Concept Art
- What is Environment Concept Art
- U5
Design of props and vehicles
- Design of props and vehicles
- U6
Character concept art
- Character concept art
- U7
Reference Search
- Reference Search
- U8
Practice: creation of a reference board
- Practice: creation of a reference board
What to expect from a Domestika course
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
Certificates
PLUSIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
The course is designed for beginners—you don’t need any prior concept art experience or advanced Photoshop skills to get started.
All you need is a computer with Adobe Photoshop installed. A graphics tablet is recommended for ease of use but not required.
You’ll learn how to create characters from initial sketch to final presentation, using custom brushes, layers, element integration, texturing, digital lighting, and professional portfolio presentation.
The course focuses on techniques and workflows for creating concept art aimed at film and video games, using Photoshop as the main tool.
You’ll be taught how to create and tweak digital brushes to achieve unique strokes, making it easier to develop your own style tailored to your projects.
You’ll learn to work with layers by separating lines, colors, and textures, allowing you to edit and experiment without harming the original image.
You’ll explore techniques for blending characters and backgrounds, adjusting color, lighting, and textures to create a seamless scene.