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I would like to be an animator when I grow up. Where do I start from now?

I am a middle school student who is interested in animation. I am looking for some guidance on high school through college education that could help me get a job as an animator.

art animation drawing anime cartoons
Thank you comment icon It is good that you have interest in becoming an animator.though Im not a professional in that I would encourage you to find a school or a mentor who is already into animation for guidance,thank you Reuel Machaliwa
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Nalena’s Answer

That’s awesome that you already know you want to be an animator! The best thing you can do right now is draw as much as possible, especially from life. Keep a sketchbook and fill it with drawings of people, animals, and places around you.

If there are community art or life drawing classes near you, community colleges or art school, try joining one. Drawing from real people helps you understand movement and proportion, both are key for animation.

Once you’re in high school, take lots of art and storytelling/ writing classes, and later on you can attend a National Portfolio Day in a nearby city (nationalportfolioday .org) to get feedback from art schools.

Keep drawing, stay curious, and have fun with it, you’re already off to a great start!
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Sharyn’s Answer, CareerVillage.org Team

Hi James!

I'm passing on advice from a former animator for kids' games:

- Get the book "The Animator's Workbook: Step-By-Step Techniques of Drawn Animation" and study everything about motion, timing and object weight.

- Then teach yourself the latest 3D program out there.  (Used to be 3dMax.  Not sure what it is now.)

- FIRST learn to animate, even on paper.  THEN learn the technical software. Too many newbies learn it backwards and expect the software to make up for their lack of basic animation knowledge.

Hope this helps!
Thank you comment icon Thank you so much, Sharyn! James
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Bryan’s Answer

Beginning a path to working in Animation can seem daunting. However, if you love Art and love drawing, then you've already started! The first thing you want to do is draw, draw, draw. Draw everything around you. Not just your favorite Anime' or Comic Book Character. Draw the trees in your backyard, The back seat of the car you're riding in, the blanket of white snow from the first snowfall of the winter season, or even your dog or cat or turtle as they munch on their favorite snack. When we, as professional Artists, get asked the question, "How long have you been drawing?", our typical answer is, "As long as I can remember! Like since I was 3 or 4". When we constantly draw what's around us, we are creating a beautiful library of pictures that we can refer to, when we're older and need to draw whatever that thing is. Practice makes perfect, right? Same goes for drawing and learning new drawing techniques. As you advance through High School, in hopes to get into College, start to find Artists that truly motivate your creativity. Search Instagram, YouTube, etc. Follow them. Study how they tackle foreshortening, or perspective, or Comic Pages, or even Storyboards and Animation. There are also many books you can check out or purchase, featuring some of the leading Artists in the Industry. Apply those techniques to your own work and start to develop a portfolio of those processes. These driven pieces can be just what that College is looking for in a prospective student.
Thank you comment icon Thank you, Bryan for the advice. James
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Wyatt s’s Answer

Hey James,

You're probably going to hear a lot of people telling you that AI is going to take over the Animation Industry. Guess what? AI could take over Every industry, so follow your dream. I don't think you can Ever go wrong with traditional art skills. Any art classes would serve you well, including Acting/Theatre experience. Also, if you're not already doing this, get a sketchbook and start drawing today and keep drawing. If money is tight, go to a thrift store and buy up notebooks, pencils, pens, and whatever else you could use. Draw as much as you can from life but also from your imagination. If you have a computer, I would highly recommend buying a simple animation program like Asesprite (only $20) and maybe get a cheap drawing tablet; the Wacom Bamboo is a good option at around $50. I got a Bachelor's degree in Animation, but guess what, that doesn't mean a whole lot in the animation world. It's 95% or more about how well you can Animate at the end of the day. Don't get me wrong. Education is important, but it boils down to learning the things that are really applicable to the profession. (Drawing, Storyboarding, Acting, Storytelling, Character Design, Anatomy, Character Development, Physics, Creative Writing and more) - don't let this list overwhelm you. I've worked in the industry for over 20 years and I'm only really decent at a few of these things. It's just meant to be a guide.
Thank you comment icon Thank you so much, Wyatt s! James
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