Summer is a season filled with opportunities for learning and exploration, and this summer was no exception. DigiPen Institute of Technology Europe-Bilbao recently concluded its Summer 2023 workshops and left a bundle of inspired students and unforgettable experiences. From art enthusiasts to tech-savvy video game lovers, to tech-savvy video game lovers, dozens of eager students enjoyed a series of captivating workshops that offered valuable insight and hands-on experiences in the disciplines of art, technology, and video games.
The students were great and eager to learn. It was amazing to see the excitement and pride in their eyes when showing their work.
Art Workshops: Discovering Artistic Talents
For those interested in art, DigiPen offered a series of workshops that provided the perfect platform to unlock their creative potential. Participants delved into the world of animation, learning the fundamentals and gaining hands-on experience with industry-standard software. “It has been a great experience seeing how passionate the students are about animation,” says Iñigo Sanchez, animation workshop instructor and Bachelor of Fine Arts in Digital Art and Animation graduate.
Each art workshop was catered to the creative minds of art enthusiasts, allowing them to enhance their artistic skills and explore different forms of expression. They developed unique characters that sharpened their skills in character design, and they explored the process of turning ideas into tangible realities.
In the art and animation workshop focused on both 2D and 3D perspectives, students learned core concepts and then produced amazing projects by applying those concepts to both 2D and 3D animation. Patricia Fañanas, a BFA in Digital Art and Animation graduate, was happy to teach and provide her expertise. “Teaching brought back all the excitement that I used to feel when I started learning 3D,” says Fañanas. “The students were great and eager to learn. It was amazing to see the excitement and pride in their eyes when showing their work.”
Technology and Programming Workshops: Expanding Knowledge
Tech-savvy individuals seeking to expand their programming knowledge found what they were looking for in DigiPen’s summer workshops. Courses provided comprehensive overviews of computer science fundamentals and programming basics, equipping participants with essential skills in programming using C++ or Python.
In the C++ workshop, students started learning the basics of programming through variables, flow, functions, and logic. These concepts helped students complete projects such as a number guessing game, a rock-paper-scissors game, and a tic-tac-toe game.
Iker Caldentey and Thomas Jack Branch, both C++ instructors and Bachelor of Science in Computer Science in Real-Time Interactive Simulation senior-year students, found the workshops to be incredibly inspiring. “We found it rewarding as the students were able to use what we taught them to either dive for their first time onto the programming world or expand their pre-existing knowledge. In the end, everyone got to code their own individual final project.”
Video Game Workshops: Creating Gaming Experiences
DigiPen Europe-Bilbao left no stone unturned when it came to workshops for video game enthusiasts. Aspiring game designers and programmers immersed themselves in workshops that took them behind the scenes of the game design and development process. Participants learned the intricacies of game development using popular engines and tools, empowering them to bring their creative visions to life. From 2D game development using Unity to 3D game development with Unreal Engine, the workshops provided the necessary skills and knowledge to begin crafting captivating gaming experiences.
Additionally, participants explored the foundations of game design by understanding the principles that make games engaging and immersive.
Diplomas were awarded to students who successfully completed each workshop. Each diploma symbolized their acquisition of valuable knowledge and recognized their dedication, effort, and growth. These newly acquired and practical skills can open the path to new opportunities that can shape their future careers.
Whether participants were aspiring artists, tech enthusiasts, or video game aficionados, the summer workshops at DigiPen Europe-Bilbao helped nurture their talents, open new doors, and fuel their desire to excel.