VFX Academy of Design

2025 | SPRING REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!

LAST WEEK TO REGISTER - Enroll Today!

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Get Started in Substance

Texturing – like modeling or sculpting, is an integral part of a 3d artists skillset. Substance is one of the most used programs in this area. It is mainly used to create materials from scratch or scan data, texture assets and build libraries of data to power your different 3d projects.

This course is aimed at teaching the Substance tools to a complete beginner. This is the course for someone who has never touched the program before. In the course we will cover how to navigate the UI and common troubleshooting tips. We will talk about equipment you are likely to need. Learn the strengths of each program individually and finally build up to a workflow for your first materials and textures maps in Substance.

Registration Now Open

Registration Period

Jan 30, 2025 - May 17, 2025

Course Start

May 12, 2025

Course Format

Standard

Skills Level

Beginner

Duration

4 weeks

Q&A

Once a week

Feedback

Individual recorded feedback

Lecture Type

Pre-recorded

Assignment

Due each week. Expect to spend 8-10 hrs/wk viewing lectures, Q&A, and time on assignments.

PREREQUISITES

Basic understanding of 3d modeling and texturing

MATERIALS

Substance Designer, Substance Painter, Substance Alchemist

The more you know, the better.

Week #1

Substance 3D Designer Basics

Introducing the course goal, showing the final textured Asset and breaking it down in separate tasks. Explaining why a procedural – non destructive – workflow is beneficial in game art production. Creating the first material in Substance 3D Designer – tile-able stone or plaster material.

Week #2

Substance 3D Designer Extended

Based of first lessons learning creating a tile-able wood material using more advanced Substance 3D Designer features.

Week #3

Substance 3D Painter Basics

Introducing Substance 3D Painter. Implement Substance 3D Designer materials into 3D Painter. Importing windmill obj into 3D Painter, Explain ID’s and bake maps based of obj file.

Week #4

Substance 3D Painter Extended, (Substance 3D Stager Basics)

Finalizing the windmill, adding some effects like dirt based of different baked maps, paint small details into the scene, fix seams, and using projections.

Bringing out the best in talent

Erica Kwon

Look Development Artist

LECTURES BY Martin Teichmann

Course Start: May 12, 2025

Erica Kwon is a Look Development Artist from New York, NY. Previously, Erica has worked at studios such as Nickelodeon, Dreamworks TV, and The Third Floor. She's worked on productions such as Kamp Koral, Jurassic World: Chaos Theory and Bad Guys (TV Series). She received her BFA from NYU Tisch School of the Arts and her Masters Certificate at Gnomon. Erica is dedicated to seamlessly blending artistic vision, intricate storytelling, and technical expertise in her work.

Instructor's Gallery

GET ONE YEAR ACCESS AND TRANSFORM YOUR ARTISTIC JOURNEY

Take your CGMA learning further with CGMA+, a companion add-on featuring over 70 new, stand-alone workshops—more than 250 hours of content you won’t find in your core CGMA program. You’ll learn from multiple instructors, each with a unique style, so you can see how different artists approach the same subject in various ways. This additional material builds on what you’re already studying, broadening your perspective and helping you look at topics from fresh angles. It’s a straightforward way to strengthen your studies and boost your skills.

View all CGMA+ Workshops

PRICING SCHEDULE

Even though our courses are the most affordable for the quality of education, these finance options allow you to focus on your goals instead of the barriers that keep you from reaching them.

3x Payments

$133

2x Payments

$199.50

Full payment

$399

One-year Access

$69

View all CGMA+ Workshops

Spring TERM REGISTRATION Now Open

Jan 30, 2025 - Apr 21, 2025

COURSE BEGINS on May 12, 2025

What makes this learning experience unique?

PERSONALIZED FEEDBACK

Receive personalized feedback on all assignments from the industry’s top professionals.

LIFETIME ACCESS

Enjoy lifetime access to the spectrum of course content, including lectures, live Q&As, and feedback sessions.

CERTIFICATION

Show off your Certification of Completion when you turn in 80% of course assignments.

FLEXIBLE LEARNING

Learn anywhere, anytime, and at your own pace with flexible, online course scheduling.

I didn’t know a single thing about Substance Painter and Designer, now I can’t stop looking at textures around me and thinking how to recreate them in the software. The course is very comprehensive and covers a big part of the pipeline, which I really appreciated.

Daniel

[This course] definitely helped me understand how better to use the various features of Substance Designer and Substance Painter.

Travis

Substance Basics