Why this Mastère?
Become an expert in character creation, effects simulation and CGI! You will learn to design ultra-realistic or stylised 3D characters, from sculpting to animation, via retopology, texturing and rigging. Thanks to our specialised programme, you will also master CFX (cloth and hair simulations, clothing and physical effects) for high-end productions in video games, animation and film.
Over 2 years, through an ultra-specialised programme, build expertise in: advanced sculpting and modelling (creating detailed 3D characters and creatures), texturing and shading (mastering materials and realistic renders), CFX (simulating hair, fur, cloth and physical interactions), production workflow (integrating characters and CFX into game engines and production software), and industry-standard software (Maya, Zbrush, Blender, Unreal Engine, Marvelous Designer).
You will be prepared for the following 5 certifications: ZBrush Certification (digital sculpting expertise for character creation), Autodesk Maya Certified Professional (advanced rigging and shading), Marvelous Designer Certification (realistic simulation of clothing and accessories), Houdini Artist Certification (procedural FX for hair, fluids and cloth), Adobe Substance 3D Certification (advanced texturing and shading for ultra-realistic renders).
Alongside artistic and technical skills, you will develop project management and team leadership methods. You will have the chance to work on a team video game project and to specialise further by choosing a minor in Year 4 (Environment and CFX Artist 3D or Animator and Rigger 2D/3D).
| Diploma awarded |
School title Mastère Character & CFX Artist 3D |
| Pathways / Further study |
See further study options within our programmes |
| Tuition fees |
See the " Funding " section |
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| Prerequisites |
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| Total programme length |
2 years: 1,010 hours |
| Assessment methods |
Continuous assessment: throughout the year via end-of-project assessments (written reports, oral presentations, knowledge checks during the project…) Exams: at the end of each semester, individual assessment of the skills acquired (via written, computer-based or oral tests) In Year 1: assessment of the PC game project (4 months) and writing of a game bible In Year 2 only: assessment of the demo reel/portfolio project of best work |
| Major projects |
PC game project (4 months) and writing of a game bible Demo reel / portfolio project of best work End-of-studies internship report |
| Campus |
Lyon, Paris, Bordeaux and Online |
| Format |
Full-time initial training with a 6-month end-of-studies internship |
| Internships |
Year 2 : 6 months |
| Average class size |
20 students |
| Pass rate |
N/A |
| Satisfaction rate |
N/A |
| Employment rate at 6 months |
N/A |
| Reported further study rate (via 6-month surveys) |
N/A |
| Intake |
September 2027 |
| Disability |
Click here to find out about our arrangements for welcoming and supporting people with disabilities |
8 reasons to choose the Mastère Character & CFX Artist 3D, focused on innovation, creative careers and the technologies of the future
Become an expert in character creation and CFX simulations (hair, clothing, muscles) with a technical and artistic approach tailored to studio requirements.
Showcase your skills with official certifications in the essential software and tools of 3D Character & CFX Art. The school prepares you for these certifications; taking them is optional and, where there is a fee, paid by the student.
Learn to sculpt, model, texture and simulate with ZBrush, Maya, Houdini, Marvelous Designer and more.
Use artificial intelligence and motion capture to optimise and speed up your production while maintaining a high artistic standard.
Develop in-depth expertise in human and animal anatomy for believable, expressive characters.
We believe real-world experience is essential to success. With our Project-Based Learning approach, you work on real projects alongside experts, gaining skills you can apply immediately.
End-of-studies internship, masterclasses with experts, creation of a video game and a professional-quality portfolio.
A comprehensive programme combining 3D creation and Character FX expertise, with the option to broaden your skills in Year 4 through a minor from our other Mastère programmes.
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194 pages covering everything about our campuses, schools, project-based learning, programmes, employability, campus life, etc…
Approved by our Advisory Board, the Mastère Character & CFX Artist 3D prepares you to join video game, animation and film studios.
You will develop dual expertise: character creation and technical optimisation for smooth integration into production pipelines. From sculpting and texturing to cloth and hair simulation, you will become a key asset for any production.
- Sculpting, Modelling & Texturing
- CFX & Simulation
- Techniques and Innovation
- Production & Project Management
- Portfolio of best work
- Certifications
- High poly / low poly modelling of biped and quadruped characters, realistic or stylised
- Advanced sculpting techniques in ZBrush and in-depth retopology in Maya
- Creating textures and materials with Substance 3D Designer/Painter, PBR workflow (Physically Based Rendering)
Skills developed: you will be able to create realistic or stylised 3D characters, fully animatable for series, film and video games, with professional command of textures and materials.
- PBR (Physically Based Rendering) workflow and optimisation for real-time and pre-rendered output
- Mastery of the ZBrush pipeline, baking in Substance Painter
- Export and integration into Unreal Engine and Unity
Skills developed: you will be able to create realistic and stylised textures for objects, characters, animals and creatures, then integrate them efficiently into Unreal Engine and Unity for optimised rendering and performance.
- In-depth creation of clothing and fabrics with Marvelous Designer
- Clothing and fabric simulation in Maya
- Integration of elements into Unreal and/or Unity
Skills developed: you will be able to create high-quality cloth simulations for cartoon or realistic characters, optimised to streamline the animation process within a given time.
- Hair creation and simulation with Xgen in Maya
- Integration of elements into Unreal and/or Unity
Skills developed: you will be able to create realistic or stylised hair and master hair simulation tools, then integrate them into game engines.
- Agile / Scrum / Kanban methodologies applied to art production
- Managing relationships with technical and art teams
- Collaboration tools (Trello, Jira, Notion) and production pipeline
- Leadership and communication in a creative environment
Skills developed: you will be able to manage complex projects using modern management methodologies, coordinate creative and technical teams, and lead projects effectively with the right collaboration tools.
- Creating a PC video game over 4 months
- Building a professional portfolio and a striking demo reel
- Preparation for certifications: Unreal Engine Developer, Autodesk Maya, Houdini Artist
Skills developed: you will be able to create a complete PC video game, build a professional portfolio that reflects your skills and earn recognised certifications that help you stand out to recruiters.
Digital sculpting expertise for character creation.
Advanced mastery of rigging and shading.
Procedural FX for hair, fluids and cloth.
Realistic simulation of clothing and accessories.
Advanced texturing and shading for ultra-realistic renders.
Use artificial intelligence to speed up and refine your sculpting, texturing and animation processes.
Learning through real projects in collaboration with industry experts.
For the Mastère Character & CFX Artist 3D, we have chosen long internships rather than work-study in order to maximise the time devoted to training. This means you will complete more projects and take part in more masterclasses and workshops. It also makes it easier to consider periods abroad. Here is a comparison of the 2 approaches:
take a look at our other MSc, MBA and Mastère programmes >
Several times a year, we organise masterclasses with companies and iconic figures from the video game industry, in France and abroad.
In workshops, professionals share their expertise on specific topics: presentation of a new technology, CV workshop, …
Immersion by Gaming Campus is a key stage in our schools' teaching approach. For 2 weeks, all our students, whatever their programme, level of study or specialism, come together to immerse themselves in the industry they are training for.
Employability Week, a real highlight of the year, brings our students together on site in Lyon and Paris, and online. In total, more than 50 industry professionals meet and talk with our students to boost their search for internships and work-study placements, and help our alumni find their first job. Meetups, workshops, speed recruiting…
An event that brings our students together on site and online. In total, more than 90 offers are available to students, and around thirty industry professionals come to meet and talk with them to boost their search for internships and work-study placements, and help our alumni find their first job.
At the end of the programme, you receive a Gaming Campus skills book. You can use it to showcase yourself to companies and make the difference when looking for internships, a work-study placement or your first job. The title is awarded on validation of all skills blocks and the associated ECTS credits.
Our school's teaching approach is project-based learning (PBL). It builds skills and guarantees a very high level of employability. From Year 1 of the Mastère, you learn by doing. Your year is structured around 10 to 15 projects, and by the end of your programme you will have completed 75 projects. All your projects are supervised by professional lecturers. Some are real cases provided by video game companies.
How project-based learning is structured
01
Guided research
02
Project kick-off with the lecturer
03
Independent organisation of work, in a team or alone
04
Coaching by the lecturer
05
Submission of the deliverable
06
Project debrief
Project examples
- High poly / low poly modelling of biped and quadruped characters, realistic or stylised
- Advanced sculpting techniques in ZBrush and in-depth retopology in Maya
Skills acquired:
You will be able to create realistic or stylised 3D characters, fully animatable for series, film and video games.
- In-depth creation of clothing and fabrics with Marvelous Designer
- Clothing and fabric simulation in Maya
- Integration of elements into Unreal and/or Unity
Skills acquired:
You will be able to create high-quality cloth simulations for cartoon or realistic characters, optimised to streamline the animation process within a given time.
- PBR (Physically Based Rendering) workflow and optimisation for real-time and pre-rendered output
- Mastery of the ZBrush pipeline, baking in Substance Painter
- Export and integration into Unreal Engine and Unity
Skills acquired:
You will be able to create realistic and stylised textures for objects, characters, animals and creatures, then integrate them efficiently into Unreal Engine and Unity for optimised rendering and performance
Project – Advanced texturing in Substance Painter
Project – Shading in Substance Designer
Project – Xgen in Maya
Project – Advanced facial retopology in Maya
Project – Advanced retopology in Blender
Project – PC game & Game Bible writing
Project – Showreel / Portfolio
Project – Advanced AI
Sample timetables
Immersion Week
Immersion by Gaming Campus is a key stage in our schools' teaching approach. For 2 weeks, all our students, whatever their programme, level of study or specialism, come together to immerse themselves in the industry they are training for.
Project 1
Advanced texturing in Substance Painter
Project 2
Shading in Substance Designer
Project 3
Xgen in Maya
Workshops
Led by an industry professional
Project 4
Project management: learning management methods for art productions
Project 5
Advanced AI
Workshops
Job search strategy and tools
Project 6
Showreel / Portfolio
Workshops
Soft skills
Our lecturers
Maxime Duchamp
3D artist
Camille Rivière
3D artist
Unreal Engine certified
Maxime Galland
Shading and procedural artist
Unreal Engine certified
Victor Fioril
CFX Artist
All Gaming Campus programmes put student employability at the heart of the curriculum. During your Mastère Character & CFX Artist 3D you will have several opportunities to build experience in industry, notably with a long internship in Year 2.
Why choose internships to train for the video game industry?
« With the end-of-programme internship, our aim is also to ease professional integration and recruitment by video game companies. To support our students in finding an internship, we have built impactful partnerships with companies in the industry. »
– The Corporate Relations team
Objective: confirm your career plans through an extended immersion in the business world.
The corporate relations team
The teaching team and the employability unit help you find your end-of-Mastère internship: searches and applications.
Gaming Campus has built close relationships with more than 100 video game companies in France and abroad.
Several events are organised during the year for students to take part in: Employability Week; Career Days; workshops on CVs, cover letters and online identity; LinkedIn masterclass.
Your corporate relations contact: entreprises@questeducation.fr
Career prospects and salaries
The Mastère Character & CFX Artist 3D opens the door to a particularly wide range of jobs in video games, animated film and series, advertising, cinema and architecture. Here are a few examples; take a look at our job profiles to find out which jobs interest you most:
An exceptional 3,000 m2 campus in the heart of Lyon
+ Gaming Campus Online, our digital platform Gaming Campus Lyon
Online school
Gaming Campus Online
Admissions
We attach great importance to the diversity of our cohorts. That is why we have chosen an application process based on your file (not a competitive exam). Each application (submitted online on our website) is reviewed by the admissions team and then the teaching team. For admission, we take into account your career plans, your academic background and our prerequisites. The admissions process is quick and smooth, with no need to go through Parcoursup. From the moment you submit your application, allow 15 days to be accepted, waitlisted or refused.
Hold a Bac+3 in art and design, computer science, technology or science. Bachelor, BUT or Licence.
Funding
Tuition fees are €10,400 incl. VAT* per year for the Mastère years for the 2027 – 2028 intake.
(*) Price for payment in a single instalment. Payment in several instalments possible under certain conditions. Payment can be made in 1, 3 or 10 instalments. Stopping your studies due to force majeure (serious and disabling illness, accident, death of a relative) ends the direct debits.
Compare with other programmes, work-study and the 3 or 10 instalment schedule: the price of our Mastère and MSc programmes compared with Bachelors.
| Pre-registration | €650 incl. VAT |
| Single payment Mastère | €9,750 incl. VAT |
| Payment in 3 instalments | €10,000 incl. VAT |
| Payment in 10 instalments | €10,100 incl. VAT |
FAQ
This Mastère is for students who have completed a Bac+3 in video games, 3D animation or special effects, as well as professionals retraining who wish to specialise in 3D character creation and CFX simulations (hair, fabrics, clothing, physical interactions).
Video game, animation and film studios are looking for experts in Character Art and CFX who have mastered advanced texturing, rigging and physics simulation techniques, as well as the role of 3D modeller. This Mastère trains you in the industry's latest innovations and tools to meet that demand.
You will work with professional tools used in the industry:
- Sculpting & Modelling: ZBrush, Blender, Maya
- Texturing & Shading: Adobe Substance 3D Painter/Designer
- CFX & Simulations: Houdini, Marvelous Designer, XGen
- Game engines & rendering: Unreal Engine, Unity, Arnold
The programme prepares you for the following certifications:
- ZBrush Certification – advanced digital sculpting
- Autodesk Maya Certified Professional – rigging and shading
- Marvelous Designer Certification – cloth simulation
- Houdini Artist Certification – procedural FX simulations
- Adobe Substance 3D Certification – advanced texturing and shading
- Duration: 2 years (1,010 hours)
- Mode: Full-time initial training
- Compulsory internship in Year 2: 6 months
- Class size: 25 to 30 students
- Campus: Lyon only
The programme is based on immersive, project-based teaching (Project-Based Learning). You will work on:
- A PC video game project (4 months)
- Advanced simulations of hair, fur and fabrics
- Stylised or realistic characters and creatures optimised for animation
- A professional portfolio and showreel to showcase your skills
The fee is €10,400 per year.
Admission is based on an application file, portfolio and interview. Go to our application form.
Criteria:
- A completed Bac+3 (180 ECTS / RNCP level 6), such as the Bachelor Character Design
- A solid grounding in anatomy and 3D modelling
- An interest in character creation and CFX simulations
- Recommended English level: B2/C1
Apply for the programme
Simple application, quick response:
September 2027 intake: Applications open
We have chosen an application process with no competitive exam and without going through ParcourSup or Mon Master. This allows us to review each application individually and maximise equal opportunities and each candidate's potential. It also lets us give the academic background the same weight as the career plan. Finally, with a short admissions process based on dialogue, we hope to reduce students' stress when looking for a programme.
Apply now
For any problem sending this form, write to contact@gamingcampus.fr