How to Balance Studying Animation with a Day Job

Many aspiring animators study part-time while holding down a full-time job. It isn't easy, but it can be done. To master the craft of animation demands patience, creativity, and many hours of focused practice. 

Our course at Animation Apprentice is designed to fit around jobs, life and families. Take your time, study online, and you will get there in the end.

With the right strategy and mindset, it is possible to make real progress, even if your life is already very busy.

Why Animators Need Early Feedback

Our online Classroom is hosted at Facebook

One of the hardest skills for animation students to learn is how give and receive criticism.  We all tend to be shy about our work (especially when we are learning something new) and, when our work is criticised, that criticism can feel very personal.

But being able to take criticism ("notes" in the industry) is part of the process of creating great animation. When you first show your work to a client, they will have comments, and they won't always love your first efforts. Whether you're working at a studio, or doing private client work, or just working on your own personal work, animators need to learn to incorporate criticism in order to make your work the best it can be.

3D VFX Taster Online - Just £25

Online 3D VFX Taster Course

London-based VFX academy Escape Studios has just launched a new online 3D VFX taster course, aimed at absolute beginners who want to master the basics of Maya and 3D VFX.

This online taster was developed by Escape Studios' Head of 3D, Mark Spevick, and costs just £25.

How to Get Started in Animation

Animation Studio by Helen Piercy

One question I get asked often is this "My kid loves animation - what subject should they study at school?".

And also - "how can I teach my child animation?".

Parents tell me that their 13-year old is really into animation, but doesn't know what they should do to realise that goal.

Today, animation is a mix of art and technology.  So, art subjects, such as Art GCSE or Art A level, will help, as will tech subjects, such as IT or computer studies.

Getting Feedback at Animation Apprentice

One of the hardest skills for animation students to learn is how give and receive criticism.  We all tend to be shy about our work (especially when we are learning something new) and, when our work is criticised, that criticism can feel very personal.

There are a number of ways in which students at Animation Apprentice can get feedback and critique. First and most obvious is directly from me - I personally tutor all the students at Animation Apprentice.  But we also have a dedicated Facebook Classroom, where students post their work to get feedback.

Apply Now For Our Online Master's Degree

The world's first online MA in animation

Animation Apprentice and Buckinghamshire New University are now taking applications through UCAS for the September 2019 intake of our part-time online MA in 3D animation.
The online MA is a unique degree which can be undertaken by students anywhere in the world, leading to a formal qualification in the field.

You will not only learn how to animate, but you will engage at Masters' level with the underpinning theory and structure behind the art form.

What's Inside our Online MA in 3D Animation?

What's inside our Online MA in 3D Animation? It's a question we get asked a lot; after all, anyone signing up for 18 months of study wants to know what they're actually committing themselves to.

Apply For Our Online MA in 3D Animation

The world's first online MA in animation

It's not too late! There is still time to apply for our online MA in animation, which launched here at Animation Apprentice in partnership with Bucks New University in September 2015.

This is a unique degree (the first of its kind) which can be undertaken by students anywhere in the world, leading to a formal qualification in the field.

You will not only learn how to animate to a professional level, but you will engage at Masters' level with the underpinning theory and structure behind the art form.  So, what can our students expect?

Apply Now For Our Online MA in 3D Animation

The world's first online MA in animation

We're currently taking applications for our online MA in animation, launched here at Animation Apprentice in partnership with Buckinghamshire New University in September 2015.

We are currently looking at portfolios for the September 2017 intake.

This is a unique degree (the first of its kind) which can be undertaken by students anywhere in the world, leading to a formal qualification in the field.

Learn to Animate in Photoshop!

Here at Animation Apprentice we teach 3D animation, with a strong focus on the kind of skills needed to succeed in the demanding world of visual effects. That means a lot of animal and creature work, perfecting the kind of photo-real style that London studios such as Framestore and MPC specialise in.  But we also do 2D work as well, and recent releases of Photoshop now allow animators to animate with great flexibility in this most universal of software packages. In the video above you can watch a character walk cycle animated in Photoshop. Who needs Flash, After Effects or TV Paint when you can do it all with software that most digital artists already know how to use?

Online MA in 3D Animation Now Recruiting for April

Our unique Online MA in 3D Animation, developed in partnership with Buckinghamshire New University, is proving so popular that we've decided to open an April enrollment - giving our students much more flexibility.

The official webpage is still showing a September enrolment date, but this will be changed soon to reflect the new April intake.  After all, as an online degree, there isn't any reason why we have to be bound by the traditional September enrollment of the academic calendar.

So what kind of preparation should students do before starting with us in April?  It's always good to do a little preparation and get a bit of a head start.

Marc Godfrey Joins Animation Apprentice!

Marc Godfrey

Marc Godfrey is a very talented animator who was one of the first students to sign up for our course at Animation Apprentice back in 2012.

Marc is currently an animator at Blue Zoo Animation, one of the UK's leading animation studios, having worked on a number of their projects including some of their excellent short films, made in-house as part of their creative development.

The Amazing Mike Hermes

Here at Animation Apprentice we focus almost exclusively on the art of character and creature animation, apart from two weeks at the start of the course where in Module 1 we lightly cover the basics of the 3D pipeline.

However, many students want to go beyond these basic workshops and dig deeper into Modeling, Texturing, Lighting and Rendering.  So where should students go for a deeper understanding? One great place to start is Mike Hermes' videos at YouTube, which offer excellent short videos on pretty much every aspect of the Maya pipeline. They are short, easy to follow, and refreshingly free of unnecessary information.  The playlists are well organised and, best of all, it's all completely free.

Get Ready For Our May 9th Class!

What kind of preparation should students do before starting with us  at Animation Apprentice on May 9th?  It's always good to do a little preparation and get a bit of a head start.

Below is a brief list of stuff to get you under way. You don't have to do all of it, but tick off a few of the things on this list and you will be a making a great start on your animation career.

First, here is a short reading list to get you started. We've narrowed it down to two books that we recommend for all our students.

Some Notes on Dissertations

Dissertation

One of the most important pieces of work that our online MA students have to grapple with on our pioneering MA in 3D animation (the first of its kind) is a dissertation.

The dissertation is the academic part of the Master's degree and, while it's not always the favourite part for most digital artists, it's something we have to get to grips with in order to be awarded a degree.

Below are some of the common errors made in the course of dissertation writing, and some tips on how to fix them. The list was compiled by Dr Fil Ieropolus, who is in charge of the academic writing at Bucks New University. It's a great starting point for anyone taking our course who is a bit rusty with their written work.

Apply Now For Our Online MA in 3D Animation - Starting in September!

The world's first online MA in animation

It's not too late! There is still time to apply for our online MA in animation - our second graduate cohort starts in September 2016.

This is a unique degree which can be undertaken by students anywhere in the world, leading to a formal qualification in the field.

You will not only learn how to animate, but you will engage at Masters' level with the underpinning theory and structure behind the art form.

So, if you want to learn how to animate to a professional level, and also get a proper qualification in the field - this course is for you.

Still Time To Apply For Our Online MA in Animation

The world's first online MA in animation

It's not too late! There is still time to apply for our online MA in animation, which launched here at Animation Apprentice in partnership with Bucks New University in September 2015.

This is a unique degree which can be undertaken by students anywhere in the world, leading to a formal qualification in the field.

You will not only learn how to animate, but you will engage at Masters' level with the underpinning theory and structure behind the art form.

How To Get Ready For Our September Class!

What kind of preparation should students do before starting with us in our Autumn classroom at Animation Apprentice on September 7th?   We don't want to spoil your summer, but it's always good to get a little bit of a head start.

Below is a brief list of stuff to get you under way. It's not comprehensive, and you don't have to do all of it, but tick off a few of the things on this list and you will be a making a great start on your animation career.

BAFTA Guru - Free Resources on Film-Making

BAFTA Guru is a wonderful resource for aspiring film-makers. The website features free videos on just about every aspect of the film-making process, from animation to cinematography and raising finance for independent film. Mystified by how the film industry actually works? Check out some of the free videos, almost all of which are created by masters of their craft, people at the top of their game, passing on their skills to the next generation.

Is It Better To Study Online Or In a Classroom?

Studying Online. Two screens, one to play the videos and one to do the exercise.

Online study is an incredibly powerful tool. Animation Apprentice founder Alex Williams argues that online study can work much better than traditional classroom study - and for a tiny fraction of the price.  Each student at Animation Apprentice gets to learn at their own pace, watching videos on their own time, and getting bespoke feedback. We asked Alex why online study really is a better mousetrap, and why the results are often better than in a traditional classroom.