Adobe Photoshop

Concept Art Hacks

Name: Concept Art Hacks
Price: 74 USD
Availability: OnlineOnly
Author: Steve Wang

Steve Wang

Level up your art instantly with Steve Wang’s smart workflow hacks. Learn faster sketching, efficient 3D techniques, and stronger digital painting methods that keep you focused on creativity and producing beautiful, impactful artwork.

Beginner9h 34m87 Videos

$74

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Artwork by instructor Steve Wang

Go brush yourself.

A few simple tricks can improve your art in a matter of seconds. Concept artist Steve Wang will teach you to make the most of your sketching, 3D workflows, and digital painting with ease and efficiency. This online course will teach you new and creative ways to hack your workflow, helping you stay focused on creating beautiful artwork.

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Artwork by Francis Lafleche

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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 10,000 students from around the world, you'll be in good company.

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Artwork by Alexander Winkler

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What you'll learn

A guided path through every stage of the course, broken down into focused lessons you can work through at your own pace.

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Lesson 1
Graphic Thumbnail
In this first Lesson, you will get a tour through Steve's Photoshop setup, his process for collecting and organizing references, and finally his style for sketching graphic thumbnails. These most basic sketches will only use two values: black and white. The goal is to create this preliminary content as quickly as possible, setting the stage for future artwork later in the Course with maximum efficiency.
- 1h 51m
- 23 Free Videos
- Project Files
Lesson 2
2D Value Painting
In this Lesson, Steve will focus on purely 2D painting techniques. He will take you through several fundamentals of value, leading directly into creating a value painting based on one of the graphic thumbnails from the previous Lesson. You will learn about integrating 2D references and Mixamo imagery into the painting, and refining everything to feel seamless.
- 2h 7m
- 22 Videos
- Project Files
Lesson 3
Painting With 3D
This time, Steve will start by setting up a 3D image using Modo and Octane, giving you tips on all different aspects of his 3D workflow. This will then be rendered and sent to Photoshop for a paintover. This Lesson also includes a special bonus painting in addition to the main piece, offering as many ideas as possible for how to implement this style in your own work.
- 2h 46m
- 22 Videos
- Project Files
Lesson 4
Color Illustration
In this Lesson, Steve will start by analyzing the use of color in some of his favorite paintings. He will then take you through 3D preparation once again, this time with an eye for atmosphere, bounce light and general color, before moving into Photoshop. Because this final piece will be more complex, he will go through a two-part process: first blocking everything in with standard detail, then taking a critical eye to his work and further refining the painting.
- 2h 48m
- 20 Videos
- Project Files

Meet your instructor

Steve Wang

Based in Vancouver, Steve Wang is an art director and concept artist whose work spans entertainment design and vision development. He leads Swang Studios Inc., providing art direction and illustration services for clients including Bungie, Gearbox, Housemarque, and Skydance New Media. With a foundation in industrial and product design, Steve blends structural logic, cinematic scale, and stylised form to create compelling worlds and narrative visuals.

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$74
- Instant access to this Course
  Once you've signed up for this Course, you'll have unlimited access to it as long as you have an account!
- 9 Hours of lectures
  This includes all of the premium training which is included as a part of this course.
- 18 Hours of bonus content
  Bonus Content typically includes materials like unedited video recordings, past mentorships, and extra tips & tricks. To see a full list of content, check out the Lesson List below!
- Download project files
  Download all of the materials created for this course, so you can poke around in the source files, or follow along with the instructor.
- Exclusive community
  When you become a student, you get instant access to our exclusive Discord channel, where you can chat with thousands of other Learn Squared students.
- Lifetime access
  As a member of this course, you will be able to access and view its content any time.
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Discounts for students and teachers

tons of workflow crap and programs i would have never thought of trying.... PEEP DATTT!!!1

beeple

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.

Elias Ravanetti

Concept Artist & Illustrator

Learn Squared gives me the freedom and flexibility to learn from the best in the industry at my own pace.

David Tilton

Freelance Concept Artist

Our students have awesome jobs.

Join a devoted community of over 20,000 students from around the world.

Meet our students

Course Lesson Plan

Here's a full list of all the videos in this course.

9 hours 34 minutes
Total Bundle Duration
87 Videos
Video Lectures in Bundle
1.22 GB of Files
Downloadable Project Files

Tools Used
?
The tools listed below are used throughout the lectures of this course. Using alternatives is definitely possible depending on your proficiency, but we can only recommend using these listed softwares.

Adobe Photoshop

Free Preview
Watch Free Preview
Lesson 1
Graphic Thumbnail
In this first Lesson, you will get a tour through Steve's Photoshop setup, his process for collecting and organizing references, and finally his style for sketching graphic thumbnails. These most basic sketches will only use two values: black and white. The goal is to create this preliminary content as quickly as possible, setting the stage for future artwork later in the Course with maximum efficiency.
1h 51m
Total Lesson Duration
23 Videos
Video Lectures in this Lesson
Project Files
Downloadable Project Files
Introduction
Meet Steve WangPreview00:45
Steve's Art BackgroundPreview05:49
Steve's PortfolioPreview05:05
Course OverviewPreview01:48
Lesson OverviewPreview01:39
Photoshop CC Overview
Steve's Photoshop SetupPreview03:28
Useful ShortcutsPreview07:27
Plugins and FiltersPreview03:27
Collecting References
Finding ReferencesPreview04:33
Organizing ReferencesPreview03:22
Editing ReferencesPreview07:32
Reference BoardsPreview07:28
Preparation
Sketch ExamplesPreview03:24
Finding InspirationPreview09:08
Previewing the ProcessPreview05:27
Sketching
Graphic BrushesPreview02:44
Sketching a Simple ShapePreview04:01
Warmup SketchesPreview09:04
Self-CritiquePreview05:23
Refining on Concepts
Concept Demo APreview05:45
Concept Demo BPreview05:09
Concept Demo CPreview05:21
Conclusion
HomeworkPreview03:44
Lesson 2
2D Value Painting
In this Lesson, Steve will focus on purely 2D painting techniques. He will take you through several fundamentals of value, leading directly into creating a value painting based on one of the graphic thumbnails from the previous Lesson. You will learn about integrating 2D references and Mixamo imagery into the painting, and refining everything to feel seamless.
2h 7m
Total Lesson Duration
22 Videos
Video Lectures in this Lesson
Project Files
Downloadable Project Files
Introduction
Lesson Overview01:20
Understanding Value
Value Structure04:14
Value Setup04:34
Local Value
Material11:03
Texture06:55
Atmosphere03:11
Value Study11:35
Value Painting
Identifying Value Groups07:49
Blocking in the Sky04:03
Blocking in the Sand06:15
Blocking in the Ship11:57
Tips and Tricks
Intro to Mixamo05:25
Mixamo in a Scene04:01
Refining with References07:54
Matte Painting Tips08:33
Wrap-Up
Refining the Sky04:15
Refining the Sand06:16
Refining the Ship04:35
Refining the Character05:14
Finishing Touches02:50
Conclusion
Reflection04:35
Homework00:27
Lesson 3
Painting With 3D
This time, Steve will start by setting up a 3D image using Modo and Octane, giving you tips on all different aspects of his 3D workflow. This will then be rendered and sent to Photoshop for a paintover. This Lesson also includes a special bonus painting in addition to the main piece, offering as many ideas as possible for how to implement this style in your own work.
2h 46m
Total Lesson Duration
22 Videos
Video Lectures in this Lesson
Project Files
Downloadable Project Files
Introduction
Lesson Overview01:25
3D Tips
ZBuilder05:36
3D in Mixamo04:22
Mixamo in Modo06:49
Tutorial Recommendations02:18
Octane UI09:10
Octane Maps15:36
Octane Render Passes07:14
Bonus Painting
Scene Setup07:30
Render Pass Management09:34
Bonus Painting18:20
Painting
3D Resources04:48
Main Scene Setup10:28
References05:25
Painting Setup06:11
Value Painting06:16
Burnout05:17
Painting18:29
Refining14:55
Touching Up03:14
Conclusion
Reflection03:22
Homework00:35
Lesson 4
Color Illustration
In this Lesson, Steve will start by analyzing the use of color in some of his favorite paintings. He will then take you through 3D preparation once again, this time with an eye for atmosphere, bounce light and general color, before moving into Photoshop. Because this final piece will be more complex, he will go through a two-part process: first blocking everything in with standard detail, then taking a critical eye to his work and further refining the painting.
2h 48m
Total Lesson Duration
20 Videos
Video Lectures in this Lesson
Project Files
Downloadable Project Files
Introduction
Lesson Overview01:27
Color Notes13:39
Preparation
Value Test07:31
Decision Making04:46
Refining References09:46
Modo Setup19:08
Painting
Render Cleanup09:45
Skybox08:04
Pyramid09:50
Foreground09:32
Painting Cleanup05:31
Refining
Threshold Check00:59
Refining the Sky08:43
Refining the Pyramid12:01
Refining the Midground19:25
Refining the Foreground06:24
Reflection02:26
Final Touches14:06
Conclusion
Closing Overview04:38
Homework00:58

Homework can be cool.

Check out some of the amazing work Concept Art Hacks students have created by doing their homework.

There's no homework yet

Any commited homework will be visible here

View more homework

Concept Art Hacks

Steve Wang

Go brush yourself.

Our students are badasses.

Start learning for free.

What you'll learn

Graphic Thumbnail

2D Value Painting

Painting With 3D

Color Illustration

Meet your instructor

Steve Wang

Sign up any time

Try it.

Buy it.

For teams.

beeple

Elias Ravanetti

David Tilton

Our students have awesome jobs.

Course Lesson Plan

Tools Used ?The tools listed below are used throughout the lectures of this course. Using alternatives is definitely possible depending on your proficiency, but we can only recommend using these listed softwares.

Lesson 1

Graphic Thumbnail

Introduction

Photoshop CC Overview

Collecting References

Preparation

Sketching

Refining on Concepts

Conclusion

Lesson 2

2D Value Painting

Introduction

Understanding Value

Local Value

Value Painting

Tips and Tricks

Wrap-Up

Conclusion

Lesson 3

Painting With 3D

Introduction

3D Tips

Bonus Painting

Painting

Conclusion

Lesson 4

Color Illustration

Introduction

Preparation

Painting

Refining

Conclusion

Homework can be cool.

There's no homework yet

Tools Used
?
The tools listed below are used throughout the lectures of this course. Using alternatives is definitely possible depending on your proficiency, but we can only recommend using these listed softwares.