Summer Courses

DigiPen’s commitment to teaching the arts and sciences doesn’t start at the undergraduate level. ProjectFUN youth programs give students ages 15 and older the chance to learn about game development and fine arts through introductory and preparatory programs that are fun and engaging, with no prior experience needed.

ProjectFUN summer workshops give students practical experience to help develop their critical thinking skills and inspire enthusiasm in the arts and sciences. It’s a great way for young students to explore high-tech careers, express their creativity, and make new friends in an exciting, challenging, and fun environment.

These technology camps meet each weekday during July at the DigiPen Europe-Bilbao campus. For more information, or to register, call us at (34) 94 636 51 63 or send an email to workshops.es[at]digipen[dot]es.

Video Game Programming

Game Programming Level 1: 2D Video Games

This workshop launches students into the world of writing code through the process of programming video games! The emphasis in this workshop is on learning foundational programming concepts — such as variables, conditional statements, and loops — that form the basis of game logic. Students are also exposed to concepts in physics, graphics, and audio libraries while programming the logic for a series of PC games.

Students will learn:

• Coding basics such as variables, conditionals, iterations, and functions.
• Basic video game programming concepts, including character animation, character behaviors, sound effects, music, and processing user input.
• Game development math such as 2D coordinate systems, vectors, linear equations, and quadratics.
• Physics topics such as gravity, friction, opposing forces, and momentum.

Prerequisites: Students must be age 15 or older to enroll in this workshop.

Schedule: 21 June to 2 July and 5 July to 16 July

Duration: 50 Hours

Game Programming Level 2: 2D Game Engine

Building on the programming skills gained in Level 1 of this series, students in this workshop focus on understanding the crucial computer science, computer graphics, and mathematical concepts of how 2D game engines are created. This challenging course pushes students beyond being simply users of technology and puts them on the path toward creating it.

Students will learn:

• Object-oriented programming concepts such as classes, inheritance, composition, and encapsulation.
• Programming skills to detect and code character interactions and form connections between objects.
• Implementation of algebra and trigonometry in game development.

Prerequisites: Students must be age 15 or older and must have completed Game Programming Level 1: 2D Video Games (or Introduction to 2D Video Game Programming, offered in previous years) to enroll in this workshop.

Schedule: 5 July to 16 July

Duration: 50 Hours

Art and Animation

Art and Animation Level 1

Today’s digital production artists must rely on strong traditional art and animation skills to meet the audience’s visual expectations. Through a variety of hands-on projects, students in this workshop are exposed to the tools and techniques professional artists use while creating their own 2D and 3D animations. Students will experience firsthand how each step of the art production process works while also developing foundational skills including drawing and sculpting.

Students will learn:

• Basic drawing and fine art skills.
• The art and science of animation.
• 3D computer animation processes, including modeling and texturing.

Prerequisite: Students must be age 15 or older to enroll in this workshop.

Schedule: 21 June to 2 July and 5 July to 16 July

Duration: 50 Hours

Character Design

Note: This is a non-digital workshop.

Character designers have the exciting opportunity to create characters whose body type, costuming, and props reflect their personality. This workshop teaches students how to design characters from the initial concept stage. Throughout this process, students will also examine how designers strike a balance between meeting cultural expectations of what a character should look like while still creating an innovative design.

Students will learn:

• The history of character design, including a survey of famous characters.
• The character design process, including character archetypes and prop design.
• Basic anatomy and figure drawing concepts.

Prerequisite: Students must be age 15 or older to enroll in this workshop.

Schedule: 21 June to 2 July

Duration: 40 Hours