Why Animators Should Keep a Sketchbook

Alex Williams sketchbook 1989

Here at Animation Apprentice we recommend that all our students keep a sketchbook.  

For animators, keeping a sketchbook is more than just a pastime—it’s an important tool for growth and creativity. 

Here's why every animator should make drawing and scribbling in a sketchbook part of their daily practice:

Why Animators Choose Quality Over Quantity

Quality over Quantity

One common mistake made by student animators is to take on too much, to try to complete too much animation in too little time.  The golden rule is to choose quality over quantity.  Short films should be short, because long films take too long to execute, and the quality inevitably suffers. 

The same goes for animation: better to focus on a relatively short shot that delivers a great result, than be too ambitious and have to drop the quality.  The 11 Second Cub competition has a maximum of 11 seconds for this reason.  For the same reason, demo reels should be short. A student demo reel should generally be no more than a minute long.

How to Find The UK's Animation Studios

Animation UK's Studio Directory

There are around 2,500 animation studios in the UK, of which a little under 500 have employees - making them worth targeting for an entry-level job.  But how to find them?  

One great resource is Animation UK's Studios Directory, which you can find here.  Click on the link and you can start making lists of UK Animation Studios - and then start applying. 

Why Animators Should Cut on Movement

One of the key principles of cinematography is to cut on movement. What does that mean? It means that if you start an action in one shot, carry it over into the second.  

Let's say you are cutting from a wide shot to a close up, you start the motion in the wide shot, then carry it over to the next shot. This makes the cut feel less abrupt.