Create classical-style paintings with modern digital techniques as Marco Gorlei guides you through rich textures, authentic details, and research-driven workflows. Build historically grounded images and produce a portfolio-ready masterpiece.
$149
Learn to create stunning classical-style paintings with modern digital techniques. Concept artist Marco Gorlei will guide you through crafting rich, textured images reminiscent of the old masters, using digital painting, 3D, and photobashing. Beyond technique, Marco’s deep reference-gathering workflow will help you bring authenticity to your work, nailing historical details like clothing, architecture, and ships. By the end of the course, you’ll have a portfolio-ready masterpiece, supporting artwork, and a deeper understanding of how to conduct meaningful research for your projects.
After signing up for our courses, many of our students have broken into the industry, leveled up their skills, and got hired for their dream jobs. With over 20,000 students from around the world, you'll be in good company.
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A guided path through every stage of the course, broken down into focused lessons you can work through at your own pace.
Lesson 1
In this lesson you’ll come up with an idea for your painting, and learn to immerse yourself into the era you want to depict. Then you’ll create a set of composition sketches and callouts to lay a plan for your images to come.
Lesson 2
Using simple 3D techniques, you’ll focus on modeling the single asset that will be most eye-catching within your compositions.
Lesson 3
You will now create a set of 3D assets to populate your scene, based on what is laid out in your composition sketches.
Lesson 4
In this lesson, you will lay out three different camera angles of your world, using your composition sketches as a guide.
Lesson 5
Before moving into the final paintover, you will first create a set of refined sketches using your 3D scene as a base. With this workflow, you will be able to quickly and freely experiment with details.
Lesson 6
Once you have a plan laid out from your refined sketches, create any new assets, and adjust the 3D scene as needed to prepare for the final paintover.
Lesson 7
You’ll begin working on your final paintover by adding in all of the broader elements and refinements which make up the scene, without worrying about fine details.
Lesson 8
In this lesson you will finish your paintover and lay out all your work for presentation in your portfolio.
Marco Gorlei is a seasoned concept artist with over eight years in the film, gaming, and illustration industries. Specializing in realistic environment design, he has contributed to projects like Magic the Gathering, "Ghost in the Shell" (2017) and Paramount's "Halo" series. His experience includes roles at Atomhawk Design, Ubisoft Reflections, and People Can Fly.
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tons of workflow crap and programs i would have never thought of trying.... PEEP DATTT!!!1
Designer
My career as a concept artist started after taking these courses. Much of what I learned I applied to my portfolio and in a couple months ... I got my first job.
Concept Artist & Illustrator
Learn Squared gives me the freedom and flexibility to learn from the best in the industry at my own pace.
Freelance Concept Artist
Join a devoted community of over 20,000 students from around the world.
Here's a full list of all the videos in this course.
In this lesson you’ll come up with an idea for your painting, and learn to immerse yourself into the era you want to depict. Then you’ll create a set of composition sketches and callouts to lay a plan for your images to come.
Using simple 3D techniques, you’ll focus on modeling the single asset that will be most eye-catching within your compositions.
You will now create a set of 3D assets to populate your scene, based on what is laid out in your composition sketches.
In this lesson, you will lay out three different camera angles of your world, using your composition sketches as a guide.
Before moving into the final paintover, you will first create a set of refined sketches using your 3D scene as a base. With this workflow, you will be able to quickly and freely experiment with details.
Once you have a plan laid out from your refined sketches, create any new assets, and adjust the 3D scene as needed to prepare for the final paintover.
You’ll begin working on your final paintover by adding in all of the broader elements and refinements which make up the scene, without worrying about fine details.
In this lesson you will finish your paintover and lay out all your work for presentation in your portfolio.
Check out some of the amazing work Painting Historical Fiction students have created by doing their homework.
