6 answers
Cheeky
Student
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Questions
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What are the first topics covered in the animation programs for absolute beginners?
I am aiming mainly for animating for animation movies, games and ecetra. I wanna know the curriculum since researching the uni seemed to get me stuck in the mud and I hope there some who know the order.... Thanks!
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6 answers
Dr H
Dr. H's Research
1464
Answers
Australia
Updated
Dr’s Answer
Heyooo,
Okay, so you're aiming to dive into the world of animation for movies and games—exciting stuff! Typically, animation programs for beginners start with the basics to get your creative juices flowing. You’ll usually kick things off with fundamentals like drawing and sketching, since animation is built on solid artwork. You'll learn to create characters, backgrounds, and environments in 2D, which is like your foundation before you dive into the more techy stuff.
Then, you’ll move into principles of animation—this is where you start to learn about the magic behind making characters move. You’ll cover things like timing, weight, and motion, which are essential to making animations feel real and natural. It’s like learning to make your character walk before they can run (literally and figuratively).
Once you're comfy with the basics, you’ll start exploring 3D animation, which is where the fun game and movie magic happens. You’ll learn to create models and move them in 3D space using software like Maya or Blender. You’ll also get into things like texturing, lighting, and rigging—basically how to make your 3D models look alive and interactive.
And don’t forget the storytelling part! Animation isn’t just about pretty pictures—it’s about telling a story. So you'll dive into narrative structure and how to convey emotions and plot through movement and design.
Each program is a little different, but this basic path usually gives you a strong grip on animation. And while university websites might get all techy and overwhelming, most programs will start with the basics and gradually let you level up your skills as you go. You got this, future animator! Hope this helps if I missed anything do let me know or if you have furhher questions. Good luck! 😉🤗
Okay, so you're aiming to dive into the world of animation for movies and games—exciting stuff! Typically, animation programs for beginners start with the basics to get your creative juices flowing. You’ll usually kick things off with fundamentals like drawing and sketching, since animation is built on solid artwork. You'll learn to create characters, backgrounds, and environments in 2D, which is like your foundation before you dive into the more techy stuff.
Then, you’ll move into principles of animation—this is where you start to learn about the magic behind making characters move. You’ll cover things like timing, weight, and motion, which are essential to making animations feel real and natural. It’s like learning to make your character walk before they can run (literally and figuratively).
Once you're comfy with the basics, you’ll start exploring 3D animation, which is where the fun game and movie magic happens. You’ll learn to create models and move them in 3D space using software like Maya or Blender. You’ll also get into things like texturing, lighting, and rigging—basically how to make your 3D models look alive and interactive.
And don’t forget the storytelling part! Animation isn’t just about pretty pictures—it’s about telling a story. So you'll dive into narrative structure and how to convey emotions and plot through movement and design.
Each program is a little different, but this basic path usually gives you a strong grip on animation. And while university websites might get all techy and overwhelming, most programs will start with the basics and gradually let you level up your skills as you go. You got this, future animator! Hope this helps if I missed anything do let me know or if you have furhher questions. Good luck! 😉🤗
Brandon Borrelli
Animation Lecturer at Rutgers University
2
Answers
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Updated
Brandon’s Answer
As others have said, practicing your life drawing skills will really help you! Try drawing in perspective and practice figure drawing as well. Understanding animation principles (e.g. hand-drawn frame-by-frame animation) will be huge in terms of your ability to find greater success.
In most creative industries, it's standard to create concept drawings and storyboards for anything beforehand (Pre-Production).
In terms of animation for games...
1. Practice Poly-Modeling Techniques
2. Add Surface Materials and Textures
3. Build a small Demo Scene with Lighting and Camera Movements.
4. Model a Character and Rig it
5. Practice Animation (both mechanical and organic animations are important!)
In most creative industries, it's standard to create concept drawings and storyboards for anything beforehand (Pre-Production).
In terms of animation for games...
Brandon recommends the following next steps:
Thanks for the help.
Cheeky
Yamel Figueroa
Illustrator and Character Designer
1
Answer
Puerto Rico
Updated
Yamel’s Answer
Hello Cheeky,
I'm the Director of the Animation Department at a university, and I'm thrilled to share our exciting journey with you! We start by exploring anatomy drawing and understanding the animation process by studying the pipeline. Then, we dive into the principles of animation and storyboarding.
This approach not only helps you master the basics but also sets you up for success in future courses. Keep going, and you'll do great!
I'm the Director of the Animation Department at a university, and I'm thrilled to share our exciting journey with you! We start by exploring anatomy drawing and understanding the animation process by studying the pipeline. Then, we dive into the principles of animation and storyboarding.
This approach not only helps you master the basics but also sets you up for success in future courses. Keep going, and you'll do great!
Kieren Kardos
I am a Game Artist. I work with 3D Modeling, Texturing, Animation.
2
Answers
Winter Park, Florida
Updated
Kieren’s Answer
You will learn about the principles of animation. For my class we focused on 7 of them but as a whole there are 12.
1. Squash and Stretch
2. Anticipation
3. Staging
4. Pose to Pose
5. Follow Through and Overlapping Action
6. Ease In and Ease Out (Slow In and Slow Out)
7. Arcs
8. Secondary Action
9. Timing
10. Exaggeration
11. Solid Drawing
12. Appeal
When I was first starting animation classes we focused mostly on: Timing, Pose-to-pose, arcs, slow in and slow out, squash and stretch, anticipation, and staging.
For a beginner I would start by making a ball bounce. It sounds simple but it can get a little tricky if you want it to look real. I would look into the book, "The Animators Survival Kit" by Richard Williams. It quite literally has everything you will need to know as an animator whether it be 2D or 3D.
1. Squash and Stretch
2. Anticipation
3. Staging
4. Pose to Pose
5. Follow Through and Overlapping Action
6. Ease In and Ease Out (Slow In and Slow Out)
7. Arcs
8. Secondary Action
9. Timing
10. Exaggeration
11. Solid Drawing
12. Appeal
When I was first starting animation classes we focused mostly on: Timing, Pose-to-pose, arcs, slow in and slow out, squash and stretch, anticipation, and staging.
For a beginner I would start by making a ball bounce. It sounds simple but it can get a little tricky if you want it to look real. I would look into the book, "The Animators Survival Kit" by Richard Williams. It quite literally has everything you will need to know as an animator whether it be 2D or 3D.
Wyatt s Miles
Animator
32
Answers
Dayton, ID
Updated
Wyatt s’s Answer
Hey Cheeky,
In my Intro to Animation course in college, we sort of just jumped right in and started doing 2D animations. Our instructor talked a lot about the
12 Principles of Animation and tried to help us understand what they mean and how to apply them in our animations. He showed us some good examples and then did some animations himself to illustrate them.
I think programs may differ one from another in their approach for beginners, but in my opinion, you can never go wrong in animation by trying to learn these 12 principles and applying your hand to them. Whatever kind of animation you want to do, this will help you: draw, draw, draw. Try to draw from life as much as possible.
In my Intro to Animation course in college, we sort of just jumped right in and started doing 2D animations. Our instructor talked a lot about the
12 Principles of Animation and tried to help us understand what they mean and how to apply them in our animations. He showed us some good examples and then did some animations himself to illustrate them.
I think programs may differ one from another in their approach for beginners, but in my opinion, you can never go wrong in animation by trying to learn these 12 principles and applying your hand to them. Whatever kind of animation you want to do, this will help you: draw, draw, draw. Try to draw from life as much as possible.
I appreciate this, thank you for the advice.
Cheeky
Patrick Meyer
Executive - Data Analytics and AI
1058
Answers
Naperville, Illinois
Updated
Patrick’s Answer
For absolute beginners aiming to pursue a career in animation, especially for animation movies, games, and similar fields, the curriculum in most animation programs typically begins with foundational courses designed to build a solid understanding of the core principles of animation. These first topics are crucial in laying the groundwork for more advanced techniques as you progress through your studies.
Initially, most programs will start with Introduction to Animation courses that cover the basics of both traditional and digital animation. Here, you’ll learn the historical context of animation, different types of animation (2D, 3D, stop-motion, etc.), and the evolution of the medium. From there, the focus usually shifts to the 12 Principles of Animation, a concept pioneered by Walt Disney animators, which includes fundamental techniques like timing, squash and stretch, anticipation, and follow-through. Mastering these principles is essential for creating believable and engaging animated sequences, whether for films, games, or other media.
Following this, students typically move on to Drawing and Storyboarding. Storyboarding is an essential skill for planning animated sequences, as it allows you to visualize the narrative and communicate how each scene will unfold. At this stage, you’ll be learning the basics of drawing characters, backgrounds, and scenes in a way that conveys movement, emotion, and action. Many programs will also introduce 2D Animation Software such as Adobe Animate or Toon Boom Harmony, where you'll start practicing animating simple characters and objects.
In parallel, most programs will also introduce you to the technical aspects of 3D Animation. For beginners, this often starts with an introduction to modeling, rigging, and basic animation within industry-standard software like Autodesk Maya or Blender. You'll learn how to create simple 3D models, set up rigs (which allow characters to move), and animate these models in a digital environment.
Additionally, Visual Effects (VFX) and Basic Lighting & Texturing may be covered early on as well, particularly for those who aim to work on animated movies or video games. Understanding how to enhance animations with realistic textures, lighting, and special effects is critical in creating polished, professional animations that are suited for both film and game development.
As you progress, more specialized courses will dive deeper into areas like character animation, environmental animation, advanced rigging, and even game design and interactive media, depending on your area of focus. The curriculum often evolves to cover advanced 3D modeling, motion capture techniques, and game engine integration (such as with Unreal Engine or Unity), especially for students interested in working in the gaming industry.
In summary, the first topics in animation programs for beginners are centered on mastering the basic principles of animation, drawing, and storyboarding, followed by an introduction to 2D and 3D animation techniques using industry-standard tools. Understanding these foundational elements is critical before advancing to more complex and specialized techniques, whether for animation movies, games, or other digital media.
Initially, most programs will start with Introduction to Animation courses that cover the basics of both traditional and digital animation. Here, you’ll learn the historical context of animation, different types of animation (2D, 3D, stop-motion, etc.), and the evolution of the medium. From there, the focus usually shifts to the 12 Principles of Animation, a concept pioneered by Walt Disney animators, which includes fundamental techniques like timing, squash and stretch, anticipation, and follow-through. Mastering these principles is essential for creating believable and engaging animated sequences, whether for films, games, or other media.
Following this, students typically move on to Drawing and Storyboarding. Storyboarding is an essential skill for planning animated sequences, as it allows you to visualize the narrative and communicate how each scene will unfold. At this stage, you’ll be learning the basics of drawing characters, backgrounds, and scenes in a way that conveys movement, emotion, and action. Many programs will also introduce 2D Animation Software such as Adobe Animate or Toon Boom Harmony, where you'll start practicing animating simple characters and objects.
In parallel, most programs will also introduce you to the technical aspects of 3D Animation. For beginners, this often starts with an introduction to modeling, rigging, and basic animation within industry-standard software like Autodesk Maya or Blender. You'll learn how to create simple 3D models, set up rigs (which allow characters to move), and animate these models in a digital environment.
Additionally, Visual Effects (VFX) and Basic Lighting & Texturing may be covered early on as well, particularly for those who aim to work on animated movies or video games. Understanding how to enhance animations with realistic textures, lighting, and special effects is critical in creating polished, professional animations that are suited for both film and game development.
As you progress, more specialized courses will dive deeper into areas like character animation, environmental animation, advanced rigging, and even game design and interactive media, depending on your area of focus. The curriculum often evolves to cover advanced 3D modeling, motion capture techniques, and game engine integration (such as with Unreal Engine or Unity), especially for students interested in working in the gaming industry.
In summary, the first topics in animation programs for beginners are centered on mastering the basic principles of animation, drawing, and storyboarding, followed by an introduction to 2D and 3D animation techniques using industry-standard tools. Understanding these foundational elements is critical before advancing to more complex and specialized techniques, whether for animation movies, games, or other digital media.
Wah~ Thank ye! I needed to confirm this myself sso it's reassuraning to know so. Thanks to you I'll have a starting point. Much appreciated.
Cheeky