Frequently Asked Questions
We Don't Just Teach You How To Do.
We Teach You How To Think.
Everything you need to know about our courses, instructors, and what it means to train at Concept Art Forge.
About The Program
What kinds of courses are available? Are they self-taught, or is there direct instructor feedback?
We have three distinct kinds of offerings on the platform.
- Masterclasses
- Instructor-led Classes
- Portfolio Prep Mentorship
Masterclasses are self-paced, “Learn Squared” style offerings focused on very precise topics within a particular field. They include 11 to 15 hours of recorded lecture and demo content, plus resource files and unedited real-time footage. Great for learning specific tools, techniques, or workflows, and our most affordable offering.
Our Instructor-led Classes are 8 to 12 weeks long and subject-specific. They include weekly live sessions with direct instructor interaction, homework assignments with instructor feedback, and pre-recorded lecture material to watch at your own pace. Classes are organized into tracks at three levels: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced.
Our portfolio-prep mentorship, called Advanced Entertainment Design, is an exclusive VIP course for artists serious about getting a job in the entertainment industry. Cohorts are limited and admission requires an application, portfolio review, and interview. For a flat rate of $1,500, mentees receive regular personalized guidance for up to a year and are promoted to our recruitment partners for potential job placements.
For inquiries about the AED Mentorship, use the contact form or reach out to dave@conceptartforge.com .
What is the difference between the Intro, Intermediate, and Advanced classes?
Intro courses cover all of the foundational material, including multiple workflows and fundamental design principles that most programs don’t teach. You will still complete work that can go into your portfolio, but that is more a byproduct of tasks designed to build skills, software proficiency, and workflow.
The Intermediate and Advanced classes are more project-based, meant to strengthen and build on that foundation so students no longer have fundamental or technical barriers getting in the way of jumping straight into their designs.
Think of it as the jump from “how” you make a design to “what” and “why.”
If you are looking to improve your workflow, fundamentals, technique, or creative thinking, or are just getting into the design side of things, the Intro course is the right starting point. Similarly, if you don’t know what it means to give a character, weapon, or environment design an automotive pass, that is also where we recommend beginning.
How do I tell which classes are in the Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced sections? I don’t see any indicators of the track level.
This tier system only applies to Courses, not for the self-taught Masterclasses or the AED mentorship. When a Course is no longer in the “Coming Soon” status, you will see a visual indicator on its gallery image.
While we strive to develop content from the outset with their tiers in mind, sometimes plans change mid-course development either based on ongoing discussions with the instructor, or due to shifts in industry needs. Once the course nears its completion, we assess everything accordingly.
A course I was interested in taking had a change to its name and/or its display images on the storefront. What happened?
Quality courses take months to develop, so as they take shape and newer sample images are created, we may update the course title gallery images accordingly.
Sometimes, when the instructor initially begins working on a class, they will enable us to advertise their upcoming involvement with placeholder images from their past work. We will update these images closer to launch, but rest assured, the course content will cover the same material.
Where can I get information about new or upcoming course offerings?
Early previews, announcements and early sneak-peeks of upcoming courses can be found on our community Discord server.
Other announcements will be made on our or the instructors’ socials, via our partners and through the mailing list notifications. If you haven’t already, please join our email list at the bottom of the front page.
Instructors & Industry
How are the instructors picked? Is it just whoever is popular or whoever you can get?
Instructors are carefully curated based on upcoming industry needs and vetted for their ability to teach high-value material. Most have over a decade of industry experience along with prior teaching experience and/or certification.
Enrollment & Access
How do I access the Concept Art Forge Discord server?
Our community's Discord server is currently restricted to people who have made a purchase on the website to cut down on spam. At the time of purchase, the webhook should automatically invite you to our server.
If, for whatever reason, the webhook doesn't work properly, please reach out to dave@conceptartforge.com with your purchase receipt and you will be sent an invitation link.
How long do I have access to course materials and videos?
All purchases come with lifetime access, including any updates instructors make for future terms.
If Concept Art Forge's website shifts from Shopify to a different web host, everyone who purchased content will be re-granted access to prior materials.
Are there sales or discounts on courses?
Yes. All Masterclasses are half off during a two-week pre-release period. Anyone who purchases a class gets $100 off their next class. The introductory module for the Advanced Entertainment Design course is also sold separately, so anyone who has already purchased it only needs to pay the remainder rather than the full $1,500.
Can I pay in installments?
Larger purchases such as Courses and the AED Mentorship can be paid off in smaller installments over time using Affirm as the payment option.
I paid for the class but did not receive any files. How do I access my course materials?
You should have received access to your course materials upon purchase. Please check the purchase receipt and/or your customer account page for access information.
Shopify relies on third-party apps to distribute digital files, since it does not have native features for distributing digital goods or hosting video files. In the event that the one(s) we use do not perform properly due to a technical issue, please contact dave@conceptartforge.com to be manually provided with access.
Ready To Begin
Still Have
Questions?
Reach out directly or explore our courses and see what Concept Art Forge is built to deliver.