Overview
Our industry is changing. More and more, spatial design, worldbuilding, and storytelling – (the design of spaces and the characters that use it) – and the ability to concept and work in 3-dimensional spaces – is now not only expected, but a requirement for visual development artists across all fields in entertainment.
This 8 week (+ week zero) mentorship with Eve Skylar will introduce you to the professional industry pipeline of real-time concepting using Blender, Photoshop, and an introduction into Unreal. Mentees will level up their portfolios by developing the hard technical skills of spatial design to get noticed and hired, alongside with the essential soft skills of worldbuilding, storytelling, pitching, and the resilience and adaptability needed to pivot, survive, and thrive in a competitive industry.
This mentorship will help you to:
- Understand the visual development pipeline and various career paths across animation, games, AR, VR, tech, themed entertainment, and immersive experiences.
- Dive into spatial design, storytelling, and worldbuilding with Blender, Photoshop, and Unreal.
- Practice spatial design, worldbuilding, color, and lighting, to enhance mood and storytelling through weekly demos and homework crits.
- Develop a compelling career narrative to stand out to recruiters.
- Develop the professional and personal tools for building resilience to survive and thrive in the industry.
Details
This mentorship runs Wednesdays from 7-10pm PT, May 6 through June 24th, 2026. It consists of 8 live sessions over Zoom and a Week 0 prep week with setup.
Pending space, mentees will also be invited to join all future iterations of this group mentorship, at a non-feedback level, for free.
Who is this for?
While all interested artists are encouraged to apply, those who will likely gain the most out of this mentorship are visual development artists specializing in environment design who are losing out on industry opportunities due to a lack of spatial design skills.
Those enrolled in their third year of an art degree or later (or of equivalent experience) and professionals of all experience looking to break into or pivot into visual development are also welcome to apply. Whether you’re just starting out in your career, or are an industry veteran who’s never had to learn spatial design before, you are welcome.
Minimum technical requirements
An internet connection that can handle Zoom and screen sharing, a web camera, mic access (built in or external), and a computer that can run Blender, and a digital painting program (demos will be conducted in Photoshop.) Access to Discord.
Ideally, your computer will also be able to open Unreal Engine to follow along in Week 8’s demo, but this is not a core requirement.
Strong foundational skills in digital painting, 2D design, composition, and perspective are required. Basic blender familiarity is strongly suggested (donut tutorial at minimum).
Mentor: Eve Skylar
Hello! I am an artist and storyteller working across animated features, TV series, live-action films, games, AR, VR, Wearables, theme parks, and immersive experiences.
As a first-generation working-class immigrant who overcame many obstacles, I found freedom in self-expression and a resilient, meaningful art career across multiple industries: Animation, Games, AR/VR, and Tech.
I am the right mentor for mentees seeking not only the hard technical skills that become transferable and pivot-able across roles, but also the crucial soft-skills: professional communication, presenting your personal ideas, the resilience to face everyday rejections, and the grit to show up bravely in the arena for your art.
My credits and roles include:
- Production Designer (Carlos Baena’s ” La Noria” and “Tranvia”)
- Art Director on Disney’s “Tree of Life Show”
- Art Director on Netflix’s “Cocomelon”
- Art Director on META’s Reality Lab (AR, VR, Games)
- Principal Designer for RIOT Games’ “Valorant Cinematics”
- Colorscript Artist, Art Style Development, and Visual Development Artist on Zack Snyder’s “Twilight of the Gods” for Netflix Animation
- DreamWorks Animation’s “Original IP” pitch to Netflix
- Paramount Pictures’ “Director’s Development Program”
- SEGA | Marza Animation Planet’s Animated Feature “Space Pirate Captain Harlock.”
The Investment
A weekly average of 10 hours of portfolio homework is required, although if you can invest more time, you’ll get more out of this mentorship.
The cost of registration is $749 USD. We offer payment plans through Klarna or Affirm, and scholarships are available – please note any financial assistance needed on your application. Our goal is to offer accessible art education, so if financial barriers are the only thing stopping you, we strongly encourage you to apply.
Note: Blender and Unreal are free programs, but paid plugins will be recommended throughout the course, but are not necessary, except for a specific plugin that costs $18 USD. Photoshop will be the primary digital painting program used in demonstrations, but any digital painting program is fine (Affinity, ProCreate, Painter, etc.)
The Application
We process applications in the order that they are received, so we encourage you to apply as soon as you’re ready and committed. Applications close for May/June 2026 on April 23rd, 2026.
Things to have ready for your application:
- a portfolio link
- 30-60 minutes to fill out the application form
When you’re ready, please apply here.
Looking for a different mentorship? Go back here.