fall 2023

interactive small classes once a week for 14 Weeks

  • Gaming Illustration and Character Design
  • Special industry guest: Jana Schirmer, Visual Development Supervisor at Marvel Studios & freelance illustrator for Wizards of the Coast
  • 14 Sessions
  • Wednesdays 9pm-12 midnight  Eastern Time ​
  • Starts September 13, runs through December or January*​
  • 8 students max
  • $2500
  • Includes one FREE audit of another mentorship--watch another mentorship for free!​
  • Includes a FREE portfolio on our Alumni Portfolios page
  • Includes FREE entry into future SmArt School Art Prize competitions--where your work can be seen by more art directors, gallery directors, & editors + cash prizes. See our Instagram feed for past contests
  • ​Email us your art if you're wondering if you're ready for this class
​If you need a payment plan there's PAYPAL CREDIT interest-free credit Click Here
​​You can audit this course as an observer for $495. Click Here for more info.
*The mentorship runs for 14 sessions. SmArt School teachers sometimes have to travel for professional reasons. If they must miss a class they will notify all students with as much lead time as possible and add a session to the end of the calendar. Some weeks off are also scheduled into the calendar, see the 'Courses' main page for details. ALL CLASSES MEET LIVE and are not recorded due to proprietary content. Teaching will not happen via email, only during class time.

Gaming Illustration and Character Design

The field of gaming illustration is continually expanding. If you want to be part of it there are specific things you need to know. In this class you will build strong portfolio pieces. You will gain knowledge about the gaming business as Winona walks you through the process of creating industry-specific artwork.
Winona will work one-on-one with each student through specific assignments and weekly individual draw-overs and critiques. 

Towards the end of the semester special industry guest Jana Schirmer, Visual Development Supervisor at Marvel Studios and freelance illustrator for Wizards of the Coast, will review student work.
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After taking this class students will also receive the option of a free profile on the Alumni Portfolios page.  Visit the Alumni Portfolios page and type a teacher's name into the search bar to see some of the artists who studied with that teacher.

About Winona Nelson

Winona is a celebrated voice in illustration. Her work is featured extensively in both video and table top games. She has created over 145 cards and tokens to date for the game Magic: the Gathering. Her other clients include: Marvel Studios--with whom she worked as a concept artist on the upcoming series Echo (summer 2023)--Warhammer, Fantasy Flight, Games Workshop, Flagship Studios, Planet Moon Studios, Kabam, Final Form Games, Naughty Dog, Aftershock, and Scholastic Books. Winona believes the key to a long-lived career in gaming is not only fulfilling a client's prompts, but by digging more deeply into your individuality to include your own voice. The goal is to go beyond delivering professional level illustrations, to create something your client and your audience cannot get from any other artist.
Winona Nelson's Website: http://www.winonanelsonart.com/