Education

If you learn computer animation from the ground up, you will be qualified to work in a number of different fields. Animators can find work in film, television, gaming, web design, educational video production, and more. Successful animators can also make a pretty good living for something they love doing.

If you do decide to learn animation, you first decision should be which area of animation most interests you. It is always better to seek a specific education than to try and pick your way through and decide later. If you have direction from the beginning, you are likely to make more of your education once you complete it.

A large number of animation schools can help you learn computer animation. No matter what your focus is going to be, the school you choose should start you out on the basics of animation. You should learn life drawing, timing, spacial proportion, and in-betweening. Only then should you move into more specific courses (visual effects, game design, etc.).

Where to Learn Computer Animation
A large general-study university can help you learn computer animation but it may take longer and be less intensive than at a specialized school. Additionally, schools next to relevant industry centers can give you more opportunities for exposure during your training. Go to the school with the best reputation–and is in your budget.

Animation courses can vary widely from school to school and from subject to subject. Not every school will give you the same levels of educational intensity. Some may gloss over areas others spend an entire semester on. Your best bet for choosing between animation schools is to know what you want to study before you get there.

Subjects range from classical animation to advanced game art and design, with 3D animation and visual effects in there too. Each of these subjects can then be broken down into its requisite components and a class can be taught on each. Ideally, everyone should study the basics first and proceed to more specialized classes after the first term or two.

Basic animation courses would include life drawing and the study of anatomy, both human and animal. They would also include classes on in-betweening and spacial proportion. Your drawing skills should be sharpened whether you spend the rest of your career on a computer or not. These courses give you the foundation on which to build and the skills needed in entry-level jobs.

Advanced Animation Courses
Once you master the basic animation courses, you will be ready for the real reason you chose an animation education. You will be ready to study the software platforms used in gaming and digital movie effects. By the time you graduate, you should have developed an impressive portfolio of work which you can take to job interviews.

Online animation courses can be very good for people who want to learn animation but for whatever reason cannot commit to an intensive program at a specialized school. Perhaps you have considered animation in the past but never committed to it and the desire has never really gone away. Online training may make sense for you.

Learning online does not require you to fundamentally alter your life or dedicate more time than you have. You can learn at your own pace and give yourself time to decide if it is something you really want to pursue. You may find that after a few courses you want the intensive education that animation schools can provide.

You should start out with online animation courses that review the basics of animation. This can reduce frustrations you might encounter when more advanced courses refer to vocabulary you do not recognize or require skills you do not have at your command. Starting at the beginning is more likely to speed up your progress than slow it down.

Where to Find Online Animation Courses
All you have to do is type online animation courses into a search engine and you will get plenty of results. Find some free tutorials to test the waters and see what you can accomplish with them. Then you will have a better idea of what you want to learn and which courses look like they offer what you want.

3D animation courses, whether you take them online or from a specialized school, should not start you off on advanced software. An introduction to the software is required, yes, but you should start with the basics of animation. If you already have some animation experience, consider it a review and dust off your skills.

Starting off with basic drawing skills and the fundamental principles of animation assures that you see the connection between 2D animation and 3D animation. They are not separate disciplines. 3D is simply an extension of the realm of 2D and is based in the same principles and utilizes many of the same techniques but with some alterations.

Once you see those connections, your 3D animation courses can really help you exploit that knowledge with the aid of the software. Programs like Maya or Softimage are not easy to simply jump into and understand. Their advanced texturing and modeling applications are most useful to build on your previously gained knowledge of basic animation techniques.

Where to Take 3D Animation Courses
3D animation courses are available at a number of universities and through specialized media arts schools. If you know animation will be your lifes work, go for the specialized training. At the smaller schools you will likely receive more intensive training and will likely have a more favorable student-to-faculty ratio.

You can find plenty of 3D animation courses online by simply using a search engine. Deciding which one to take requires a little more effort. First you need to know what type of animation you want to learn and which programs are most useful for that field. Many programs can and should be used interchangeably and/or together.

Also, many programs are available as demos and tutorials to familiarize you with the software used in animation courses. Find the ones that most interest you, then check for online courses that utilize those programs. Some of the more advanced, professional level software is not available this way and you must pay for it.

Some 3D animation courses online allow you access to software as shareware or in educational packages paid for by your tuition and fees. Many of the top animation schools offer online training, so do not think you can only receive second-rate instruction this way. Learning online is often the best choice for some people.

What Should Be Included in 3D Animation Courses Online
3D animation courses online may not give you the background in the basics of animation that you may require. If you are unfamiliar with animation of any sort, familiarize yourself before starting the 3D animation course. Your chosen 3D course should include software training, texture mapping, scene construction, environment design, life drawing, anatomy, and actual animation.