Rhianna loved making art and wanted to learn how to design games just like the ones they played and loved.
Rhianna Smith dreamed of getting paid to do the thing they were most passionate about: designing games.
They realised they could follow their dreams with Murdoch’s unique degree Games Art and Design, a practical and focused course led by tutors with extensive industry experience.
“At one point in high school it suddenly just clicked – I realised that someone was responsible for making the games I loved. I started doing my own research and discovered all the talented artists that worked in industry, and I realised that I could actually get a job making characters for games and film,” Rhianna said.
Passion creates career head start
Games Art and Design translates your passion for the gaming world into a cultivated skill set and allows you to put your creativity into practice.
Rhianna found ample opportunities to practice game design, which gave them the experience they needed before graduation.
I love the creative freedom. I get to make art that I’m proud of and learn new skills that I can continue to polish, and it feels like I learn something new every time I walk into class. Even now, I still feel like I’m learning more and more about my craft every day.”
Rhianna was passionate about the work they were doing in class. The course work was practical and they were able to take advantage of the learning labs and teaching from the Murdoch staff.
“I had the opportunity to design a MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) character in my digital painting class and redesigned the characters of a fairytale in my concept art class.”
“As someone who has always loved making characters, getting to take characters from personal projects and work them into my assignments has meant that I can work on both personal and university work at the same time. I can work on things for class that also have a lot of personal meaning to me, which I can use in my professional work and put in my portfolio for future employers.”
Studying in Germany a highlight for Rhianna
During their degree, Rhianna took the Murdoch First Scholarship and also spent six months studying abroad in Hamburg, Germany.
They said this was one of the highlights of the study experience, where they made new friends and pushed themselves out of their comfort zone.
They illustrated characters, built games in various styles, built drones and robots while on exchange and worked with teams of students to make games together.
All of the experience through the degree culminated in their final project.
“We all had such a great time and getting to take our idea from paper to screen was such a unique opportunity. It was such a labour of love from all of us, and I’m so grateful to my team for being so amazing and cooperative to work with.”
A special degree and welcoming experience
In Murdoch’s creative media courses you’ll learn about animation, 3D modelling, concept art, and designing for mobile and virtual reality platforms.
Not only was the course a great experience, they also loved the feeling they got from studying at Murdoch.
“The student support systems and the friendliness of anyone that steps foot on campus always continues to astound me. I’ve always felt welcome and prioritised in my classes, and I’ve felt comfortable messaging staff and tutors about any issues I’ve had throughout my studies. It’s comforting to know that they’ll be there to help me get the most out of my degree.”
The positive experience led Rhianna to become a student ambassador, where they had the opportunity to speak to students about the study experience, while getting paid for it.
Want to translate your passion for gaming into a creative career? Explore where a Bachelor of Creative Media in Games Art and Design at Murdoch can take you.