Online Concept Art Program

About Syn Studio

"Great Artists are NOT born,
They are made"

Cestar Collège - Syn Studio is a private Concept Art School established in the year 2007 to provide aspiring artists from all over the world with an opportunity to learn from experienced artists in a structured and scientific manner.

At Cestar Collège - Syn Studio, we believe in the power of training over talent and that “Great Artists are not Born, They are Made! Talent may give you a headstart but it is only through quality training, regular practice and hard work that you will be able to advance your skills and succeed in the highly competitive world of concept art.

History

Since our inception in 2007, we’ve firmly believed that “Anybody can learn to draw”. We also believe that strong fundamentals in figurative drawing, painting and sculpture are the foundations of high-level digital artistry. Our Full Time Programs and our online art classes are structured to help passionate and dedicated students master the fundamentals and learn high level design and digital illustration skills. Our past and present students include hobbyists and young amateur artists at the beginner level as well as industry professionals looking to expand their skill set and take their art to the next level.

Achievements

Our 18-month Concept Art AEC (693630) in English Program was the first and only concept art program in Quebec to be accredited by the Education Ministry. We have the envious record of helping over 75% of our Concept Art AEC (693630) in English Program students achieve employment within 6 months of graduation. Cestar Collège - Syn Studio Alumni include concept artists, art directors and lead artists as well as rising stars in concept art, illustration and matte painting in games, film and animation companies such as Ubisoft, Electronic Arts, Eidos, Cartoon Network, WB Games, Behaviour Interactive and many more! In the year 2020, we moved our offerings online and transitioned into an Online Art School that offers affordable concept art education for students from around the world.

Rookies Ranking

Cestar Collège - Syn Studio has been consistently ranked as the top school for concept art and illustration by many publications, most notably The Rookies. Our students regularly produce high quality artwork and We have been rated the #1 art school in North America by The Rookies for 3 consecutive years, a testament to the high quality education we provide.

The school and teachers

The entertainment industry is ever evolving and focussed intense training from top professionals currently working in the industry is essential to become successful.

Cestar Collège - Syn Studio’s faculty comprises of top video game and film artists, legendary comic book artists and award winning fine artists and illustrators who have worked for such companies as Marvel and DC Comics, Ubisoft, Eidos, Warner Brothers, Electronic Arts, Cirque du Soleil and on such franchises as Spider-Man, X-Men, The Avengers, Batman, Need for Speed, Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and more.

Our teachers are not only recognized masters in their fields but also accomplished and sought after instructors who’ve honed their teaching skills with many years of practice in multiple prestigious educational institutions and countries.

Throughout the duration of your course, you will be trained and guided by some of the best artists in the industry so that you will become an impressive, high level artist in your own right!

Nic Gosselin

Nicolas Gosselin is a lead concept artist at Virtuos. Prior to this, Nicolas worked as a concept artist at Beenox on the hugely successful Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 game. Nicolas is also a Syn Studio Concept Art AEC Program alumni.

Antonio Rizzatti

Antonio Rizzatti is a senior concept artist at Sumo Digital where he creates concept designs for diverse AAA titles. During his career, Antonio has worked both freelance and fulltime on concept art and illustrations for popular movies, video games, book covers and card games. Antonio’s artwork has been featured in top titles including games such as Tom Clancy’s The Division, Honor of Kings and Reis (Kings), a TV Series, among others. In addition, Antonio teaches 2D and 3D Concept Art at Escola Revolution in Brazil and is also a 2nd place winner in Topia Art Contest in Brazil for the year 2020.

Nino Vecia

Nino Vecia is a freelance illustrator with 6+ years experience working in the industry. During that time he’s worked for companies like Wizards Of The Coast, MLSE, Fantasy Flight, and Monte Cook Games just to name a few. He is also known for his illustrated novels "The Warden's Call" and "Shadows of Aydralem".

Seif Ragab

Seif Ragab is a concept artist working at Virtuos where he is working on an unannounced AAA project. Prior to this, Seif had worked as a matte painter for STARNO and had received a bachelors in Visual and Performing arts at York University. Seif is a Syn Studio Diploma Program alumni.

The Cestar Collège - Syn Studio Experience

Syn Studio helps you achieve the fastest results through

The Cestar Collège - Syn Studio Community

The Cestar Collège - Syn Studio community connects our students with the industry in Montreal and beyond so you can build the critical relationships you need to succeed. We organize regular events such as portfolio review sessions, webinars and masterclasses with world-famous concept artists and art jams. Through the course of the program, you will receive ample opportunities to make connections and find lifelong friends, allies and comrades! At Cestar Collège - Syn Studio, you belong to a community of passionate artists who share and help each other thrive! The industry is competitive so we share and cooperate to grow as fast as possible!

The People

Concept art is a team sport. Blockbuster movies and games tend to have a core concept team of five or more concept artists under the guidance of a production designer or art director. At Cestar Collège - Syn Studio, you will battle through crunch time with your team to make tight deadlines and deliver epic concept art that defines the look and feel of an entertainment product and helps the production artists connect the audience with the story. The school’s standards are high - they are industry standards. The workload is high and the deadlines are serious. The school has a culture of excellence where everyone is expected to overcome their challenges and focus on growing and becoming their best selves, both artistically and as a human being. We will take your hand and guide you on your journey to artistic and personal mastery - every step of the way.

Life Changing Experiences

When you fully make up your mind that you are going to do whatever it takes to get your dream life as a concept artist, nothing can stop you. If you need to live, breathe, eat and sleep concept art, then Cestar Collège - Syn Studio isn’t a choice, it’s your destiny.

Once you are going to the right school and bonding with the right people and  you are part of the right community then you are definitely on the right path. The artist’s journey never ends, but along the way, you will find community, friendship, inner peace, happiness and security. By the end you will be a different person: secure and confident in your skills, and with all the tools, allies and connections you need to succeed as a professional concept artist.