Digital animation is more popular than ever! Before you can become a skilled 3D animator (whether for character animation or for visual effects) the foundations of animation fundamentals, which are rooted in 2D hand-drawn techniques, must be understood and practiced. The class will provide training in fluid representations of motion and expression using traditional 2D principals but applied in 3D digitally.

This is a fully 3D animation course that will introduce you to the basic usage and terminology of traditional animation utilizing the 3D Animation software Maya. Instructor demonstrations will emphasize traditional character animation techniques such as squash and stretch, exaggeration, timing, acting and weight. Animation clips will be shown frequently and students will be asked to analyze sequences.

All projects will be done using Maya and a QuickTime movie of each completed assignment is expected to be submitted on time. The QuickTime movies will be viewed and critiqued as a class – feedback and participation are required and essential. Students will show work in synch sketch at the end of every week or before moving on to a new assignment.

The Pre-College 2025 application opens in late September 2024 and closes mid June 2025.