Cubebrush Art School Term 1 By Marc Brunet -

Marc Brunet (formerly of Blizzard Entertainment) designed this course to mimic a semester of a top-tier art college. Term 1 is the foundation. It is not just a collection of "how to draw" videos; it is a curriculum. It assumes you know nothing about digital art fundamentals and builds you up week by week.

The course is currently hosted on the Cubebrush platform, which allows for a cohesive experience including video lectures, assets, and a community hub.

If you’ve spent any time in the digital art community on YouTube, you’ve likely stumbled across Marc Brunet. Formerly a senior artist at Blizzard Entertainment, Marc has built a massive following by demystifying the art pipeline.

For years, the holy grail for aspiring concept artists was ArtCenter or similar brick-and-mortar schools—costing tens of thousands of dollars. Marc’s answer to this barrier to entry is the Cubebrush Art School, a comprehensive curriculum designed to rival a college education at a fraction of the price.

Today, I’m reviewing the starting line: Term 1.

Is it the right place to start your journey? Is it too basic, or is it overwhelming? Let’s break it down. cubebrush art school term 1 by marc brunet

Pros:

Cons:

Verdict: If you’re a beginner who feels lost watching random YouTube tutorials, Term 1 is one of the best investments you can make – often compared to Proko’s figure course but more condensed and focused on digital art.

Term 1 consists of roughly 30+ hours of video lectures, split into weekly modules, plus downloadable worksheets, 3D models for reference, and PSD files. Here is the week-by-week breakdown.

Before we focus on Term 1, it is crucial to understand the ecosystem. The Cubebrush Art School is a multi-term online curriculum. Unlike subscription-based platforms (like Skillshare or Patreon), this is a "cohort-based" or self-paced structured school. Marc Brunet serves as the head instructor. you'll thank him." – Sam R.

The school is divided into three distinct terms:

Term 1 is the gatekeeper. Marc famously states that if you cannot pass Term 1’s final exam, you are not ready for Term 2. It is unapologetically rigorous, mimicking the intensity of an actual art school semester but condensed into a digital format.

Here is where Term 1 separates the hobbyists from the future pros. You learn the "4 Value System" (Shadow, Midtone, Light, Highlight). Marc teaches you to forget blending for now; focus on hard edges. You will render spheres, cubes, and cylinders using only a hard round brush. If you learn this, you will never fear shading again.

A quick scan of the Cubebrush Discord or Reddit (/r/artfundamentals and /r/cubebrush) reveals consistent praise:

"I tried to learn from YouTube for two years. I made more progress in 8 weeks of Term 1 than in those two years combined. Marc's 'box method' for the ribcage finally made anatomy click for me." – Alex T. split into weekly modules

"The shading module alone is worth the price. I used to use soft brushes and wonder why my art looked muddy. Now I use a hard brush and my colors pop." – Jamie L.

"Be ready to draw 200 boxes. And then 200 more. It's tedious, but when you get to the figure drawing, you'll thank him." – Sam R.

✅ Draw a human head from any simple angle (Loomis-based).
✅ Sketch a full body mannequin in 1-2-3 point perspective.
✅ Shade a cylinder, sphere, and cube with 5 distinct value zones.
✅ Draw a character + a simple prop (e.g., a knight holding a shield) with consistent light.
✅ Understand why your drawings look flat and how to fix it.

You will NOT be a master character designer or painter – that's Term 2 & 3. But you'll have a solid foundation that 80% of self-taught artists skip.