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Animation Courses and Programs: New Innovations in Animation
Animation Courses and Programs:
New Innovations in Animation
Are you considering attending a computer animation school to prepare for your career future? This exciting industry continues to evolve, and today's cutting-edge programs and the animation courses that they consist of can prepare you to keep up with the newest innovations.
Animation: A Very Brief History
While most animation programs will provide you with a solid knowledge of the history of animation, here is a very basic version to give you the general idea. The use of animation can be found in the film industry as far back as 1906, when a technique called "stop-motion animation" was used. From there, animation techniques progressed to what is now known as traditional animation, which involves individually hand-drawn frames. These techniques were used as the basis for animated films for much of the 20th century.
Today's Animation Techniques
Today's animation has undergone another extreme transformation, thanks to advances in computer technology. Current programs have animation courses designed to prepare you for performing computer animation using 2D and 3D technologies.
2D animation is created through the use of 2D bitmap graphics, allowing the animator to leverage automated, computerized versions of traditional animation techniques, including interpolated rotoscoping, tweening, morphing, and onion skinning. While these techniques may sound a bit like gibberish to you now, after completing an animation program, they will become everyday additions to your vocabulary.
3D animation takes 2D a step further, and allows animators to take a basic digital image and manipulate it through a process called rigging. Many different 3D effects can be applied in order to make an animated image simulate real life—from giving a person hair that moves in a realistic way, or portraying a believable background when the scenery must be in constant motion, such as water or fire.
Tools of the Trade
Since the backbone of today's animation industry is computer technology, a quality animation course will also ensure you receive plenty of hands-on experience using industry-current computer software applications.
The mark of a good animation school is one that offers training related to a variety of software applications, rather than just concentrating on one. Variety is essential in order to prevent animators from creating (and sticking to) a personal comfort zone, characterized by a specific drawing style, and a favorite software application. In order to succeed in the animation industry, you will need to be somewhat of a chameleon, transforming your style, techniques, and chosen software to match the project at hand.
Some of the most common programs found in today's animation studios are:
- Adobe Flash Professional
- After Effects
- Premiere Pro
- Final Cut
- Motion
- Autodesk 3ds Max and Maya
Back to Basics
While staying on top of new innovations is vital to your success as an animator, it is equally important to find an animation school that also provides you with a solid foundation of basics. You need to have a strong knowledge and skill set related to drawing fundamentals, color theory, and design principles. An animation program should also cover storyboarding, conceptual storytelling, life drawing, drawing proportions and perspective, editing techniques, and more.
Career Paths in Animation
With innovations in animation also comes a wider selection of job opportunities. After completing an animation program, many different career paths can be available to you. This includes animator, 3D modeler, computer artist, special effects artist, broadcast graphics designer, and video postproduction artist. The available work environments are just as diverse, including network and cable TV companies, commercial post-production facilities, interactive design firms, and more.
Finding Your Animation Program Match
Now that you know more about animation programs and the innovations they can teach you, your next step is to research individual schools and the programs and courses they offer. This guide to computer animation schools is a great place to begin your search!
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