Studying Animation – All You Need to Know!

Being a fan of animation? Dreaming about fantasy worlds and colorful characters? If so, 2D and 3D animation are what you need to do in life.

We can see animated characters only on Saturday morning cartoons or on the big screen. Besides, they worked their way into online games, applications, commercials on television, almost everywhere you watch. Although the media constantly change, our connection with animated characters will always remain. And the way these characters come to life today remains true to the early days of classic animation. So, are you ready to take your place on the drawing board?

Who Are the Animation Artists?

We classify animation artists into several specializations, depending on the technology of animation and the scale of the project. When creating small cartoons, one artist can perform all technological tasks. Large projects require teamwork, in which each artist specializes in a specific operation on animation objects.

Specializations of animation artists depend on the applied animation technology:

-hand-drawn film;
-puppet animation;
-three-dimensional graphics.

Wondering where to study? How to become an animator today?

Studying Animation – Make Your Dream Real

Are you dreaming of a career for Hayao Miyazaki and other anime artists? Wondering how to get a job at Pixar, which created Ratatouille and Toy Story? Want to join the fight for an Oscar in the Best Animated Film nomination?

If so, then you should think about the profession of the animator. First, you need to decide what type of animation you want to do, whether classic, motion capture, 3D, or other, and find an educational institution where you can study it.

When choosing a program, it is also worth paying attention to the relationship of the university with the industry. It depends on which professionals you will study with, where you will be trained, and what kind of employment you can count on.

Where to Study Animation

Many universities in the US and UK offer programs for students who like to invent their own worlds and tell stories in pictures. The institutions introduce different approaches to animation and illustration. Besides, they encourage new ideas and help students develop an individual creative style.

The teachers of such program usually are practicing specialists in various fields of animation. They introduce students to the profession and show how the real practice looks.

Students can take part in national and international events, such as the China International Cartoon & Animation Festival, Macmillan Prize for Children’s Book Illustration competition, Creative Conscience and YCN awards, and others.

In the university, you can also get help with the search for internships and work. Students may cooperate with future employers after the second year. Graduates work as animators and illustrators in both computer and traditional animation.

German universities also train animation specialists. Institutions, such as the Potsdam Institute of Cinematography and the Hamburg School of Animation can work for you if you want to study in Europe. However, you may need some help with your application essay. Asking for help at essay writing services that create winning examples can make your application process much easier.

What Is It Like to Be an Animator?

The main qualities of any animator are perseverance, openness to the world, a thirst for research, drawing ability, learning ability, and analytical mind. You need to draw not an hour a day, not three hours a day, but your whole life without a break. To learn how to draw the way the best animators do it, you need to invest a lot of your efforts and time in the studying process.

The most important tool of the animator is modern software, with the help of which you will “revive” the script. It is important not only to know the theory of working with the software but also to use programs for creating computer graphics, such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Flash, V-Ray, Autodesk 3ds Max, and others.

It is necessary to monitor the entry into the market of new programs, attend lectures and training that will help improve skills. A person in this profession should know about the techniques and history of world animation, pantomime, dramaturgy, legal issues, sound and visual solutions to films.

The work of the animator is creative but painstaking. It requires not only creativity but also zeal. It is important to love this profession with all your heart.

What to Choose: 2D or 3D?

Sometimes, it may seem that there are almost no drawn cartoons left on the screens. 3D animation completely took their place, providing 2D animation festivals as the only platform for traditional artists. However, the animators in love with their business are confident that 3D animation could not throw drawn cartoons from the arena.

Being an animator isn’t that easy as it may look like. But if you feel it’s your path, go for it!