Layout
Design

Campus / 6 Total Projects / $1040 GST Included (13 Weeks)

Learn up-to-date tools and industry methods through detailed, hands-on instruction. No previous experience is required. The course progresses from fundamental concepts to finished, portfolio-ready layout design pieces.

View Class Schedule

Course Mission

Over thirteen weeks, students will begin by drawing lines and structures in perspective to understand the three essential perspective systems used in layout drawing. Students will learn to construct complex and organic objects using accurate perspective. Once they are confident with the fundamentals, they will be introduced to an industry layout pipeline that includes thumbnail brainstorming, rough layouts and clean final linework.

Course Summary

Upon successful completion of this course, students will have developed several prop designs and two portfolio-ready layout design pieces. They will also gain a stronger understanding of perspective, composition, scale relationships and professional layout development.

Classes Info

Term(s): Ongoing
Course Name: Layout Design
Instructor(s): Assigned according to class schedule and availability
Studio Classroom: Vancouver and Richmond
Scheduled Days: Tuesdays
Weekly Hour(s): 4 class hours plus 2 studio hours*
Total Projects: 6 projects
Course Format: In person with all-access Discord online support

*Studio access is available to portfolio students only.

Student Learning Outcomes

Develop a strong understanding of perspective and apply it confidently to layout drawing.
Understand composition and use it effectively when developing and revising layout designs.
Understand scale and size relationships within an environment.
Combine perspective and composition to create unique and visually engaging layouts.
Draw complex architectural, mechanical and organic objects in perspective.
Develop layouts through thumbnails, rough drawings and clean final linework.
Produce prop designs and portfolio-ready environment layouts.

Required Materials

Hardware 15-inch or larger laptops
RTX GPUs recommended
Graphic displays or professional tablets
Studio workstations*

*Studio workstation access is available to portfolio students only.

Software Required layout design software icons

Layout Design Course

Course Content with Time Allocation

Build a complete layout design workflow through perspective studies, prop development, interior and exterior thumbnailing, environmental construction, scale relationships, and portfolio-ready clean layouts.

Final Layout Design Samples

1 Week

Understanding Perspective

Learn the fundamental concepts of horizon lines, vanishing points, and the three primary perspective systems used in animation layout: one-point, two-point, and three-point perspective.

1 Week

Prop Design References & Thumbnails

Explore the professional design pipeline through concept brainstorming, reference gathering, shape language, and silhouette development. Students will create a range of prop thumbnails before selecting the strongest directions.

2 Weeks

Prop Design Roughs & Cleanup

Select two designs from the initial thumbnail exploration and develop them with clearer construction, stronger perspective, functional details, and refined linework suitable for presentation.

2 Weeks

Layout Thumbnailing

Apply the established design workflow to environmental layout. Students will create nine interior and exterior thumbnails while exploring composition, camera placement, storytelling, perspective, and visual flow.

4 Weeks

Interior & Exterior Layout Development

Select two concepts from the nine thumbnails—one interior and one exterior—and develop them into detailed layout roughs. Students will construct the environments using accurate perspective, architectural structure, props, and storytelling details.

1 Week

Scale & Size Relationships

Before final cleanup, students will study scale relationships and compare characters, furniture, architecture, and environmental props. This ensures every element in the scene has believable and consistent proportions.

2 Weeks

Final Layout Cleanup

Refine the interior and exterior roughs with stronger construction, clearer details, controlled line weight, and professional layout cleanup techniques. Both finished designs will be prepared as portfolio-ready presentation pieces.

Education Consultant

Ivan Wang

Director & Education Consultant

Get personalized guidance on courses, portfolio preparation, university pathways, and long-term creative development.

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