4 answers
James
Student
Yuma, Arizona
2
Questions
Asked
1073 views
I would like to be an animator when I grow up. Where do I start from middle school?
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.
4 answers
Irene Caduhada
Graphic Artist, Photographer, Content Creator
6
Answers
Philippines
Updated
Irene’s Answer
Hello James, it’s great to hear that you already have a passion for animation at such a young age! Since you’re in middle school now, the best place to start is by building your creativity and technical skills step by step. In high school, focus on art classes, computer graphics, and even theater or storytelling, since animation is about bringing stories to life.
Explore free or affordable software like Blender, Krita, or Adobe Animate to practice on your own, and consider joining online communities or animation clubs if your school offers them. As you move toward college, look into schools with strong animation or digital media programs, such as those offering degrees in Animation, Computer Graphics, or Visual Effects.
Building a portfolio of your best work will be very important, since employers and colleges want to see your creativity in action. In today’s world, animators can work not only in movies but also in gaming, advertising, and even virtual reality, so keep learning and practicing; you’re already on the right path by asking this question!
Good luck on your journey!
Explore free or affordable software like Blender, Krita, or Adobe Animate to practice on your own, and consider joining online communities or animation clubs if your school offers them. As you move toward college, look into schools with strong animation or digital media programs, such as those offering degrees in Animation, Computer Graphics, or Visual Effects.
Building a portfolio of your best work will be very important, since employers and colleges want to see your creativity in action. In today’s world, animators can work not only in movies but also in gaming, advertising, and even virtual reality, so keep learning and practicing; you’re already on the right path by asking this question!
Good luck on your journey!
Michelle M.
Actress
3284
Answers
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, James !
Being an Animator is a cool career to look forward to !
Since you are in Middle School right now, I would say that you may benefit from taking as many Art Classes as possible at your school, including any computer graphics programs and learn CGI and AI graphics as soon as you can. It's not too early for that. Hopefully your school has a range of graphics classes but you could always find some online if not. In High School, take all the Art classes that are offered. Studio Art and Commercial Art would be good, plus any computer graphics they offer in High School. See if there are currently any animation boot camps for your age group in or around where you live. Buy a drawing book and keep drawing free hand every day.
If you choose not to go to college for this career, you can learn it online, boot camps or certificate programs. My advice is to go to college for this career as you will have a more interactive and collaborative experience which will prepare you for real world work in a studio. That being said, you can also freelance by having a home studio.
I would suggest that you can start to read college websites to see their Academic Major programs now to get an idea which colleges offer a good program. Look for College Major Programs for Animation, Graphic Design, or Computer Graphics. Those would be the best to get your Bachelors Degree in. Although some people opt to not attend college for this, you will benefit with the degree as it may open doors to work for production companies and studios which may be something you might want to do and having the degree will carry weight and reflect that you've been dedicated, interacted with many other industry people and had a focused path that the industry had set by their professional standards for a college program. You can start out at a community college and then transfer to a University for two more years for your Bachelors Degree. Having the college degree may also enable you to get work in other different graphics or art type work. The degree is just a good idea for your future.
If you maintain strong connection with your Major Department, your professors and classmates, you will have a lot of opportunities in college to do projects and possibly some paid work may come your way as it sometimes does for students. The first time I got paid for my acting was a performance I did while I was in my second year of college. It does pay to go to college for many people.
Once you've graduated college with your Bachelors Degree in Animation or Graphic Design, you will have developed contacts and networked and know just how to start your career. It will be a matter of applying for work and waiting to hear back. You can also freelance and promote your services online with a website and by registering in Animation or Graphic Artist Directories.
Make an online Portfolio of all your work from yesterday until you graduate college, whether they are school projects or ones you've done independently. For motion picture animation, you can use Drop Box, You Tube or another website to store your work. You can probably make a video of your still drawings for easy viewing by prospective employers or people at the college.
Something that you can do right now is to explore The Yuma Art Center & Historic Yuma Theatre as they have youth art classes and potentially animation classes, but you'd have to ask them. Every year in November, they host Yuma Con which is an event you may enjoy. iD Tech offers animation classes and camps for kids and teens, including courses in 3D modeling, graphic design, and animation using Adobe Creative Suite. Most of the animation and graphics activity where you live is on the Yuma Art Center's website and you can call or visit them, too.
Remember, it's not too early to learn which colleges offer a Degree in Animation so that you can know beforehand. With having a Bachelors Degree, you can apply for work in a wide range of industries and positions. You can work in major studios, smaller studios, film production, television production, children's television and freelance and self-employment. The degree will open doors, but you'll hear that people do it without a degree. It can be a real bonus in many ways, though, to have the degree.
I hope this helps and I wish you all the best !
Being an Animator is a cool career to look forward to !
Since you are in Middle School right now, I would say that you may benefit from taking as many Art Classes as possible at your school, including any computer graphics programs and learn CGI and AI graphics as soon as you can. It's not too early for that. Hopefully your school has a range of graphics classes but you could always find some online if not. In High School, take all the Art classes that are offered. Studio Art and Commercial Art would be good, plus any computer graphics they offer in High School. See if there are currently any animation boot camps for your age group in or around where you live. Buy a drawing book and keep drawing free hand every day.
If you choose not to go to college for this career, you can learn it online, boot camps or certificate programs. My advice is to go to college for this career as you will have a more interactive and collaborative experience which will prepare you for real world work in a studio. That being said, you can also freelance by having a home studio.
I would suggest that you can start to read college websites to see their Academic Major programs now to get an idea which colleges offer a good program. Look for College Major Programs for Animation, Graphic Design, or Computer Graphics. Those would be the best to get your Bachelors Degree in. Although some people opt to not attend college for this, you will benefit with the degree as it may open doors to work for production companies and studios which may be something you might want to do and having the degree will carry weight and reflect that you've been dedicated, interacted with many other industry people and had a focused path that the industry had set by their professional standards for a college program. You can start out at a community college and then transfer to a University for two more years for your Bachelors Degree. Having the college degree may also enable you to get work in other different graphics or art type work. The degree is just a good idea for your future.
If you maintain strong connection with your Major Department, your professors and classmates, you will have a lot of opportunities in college to do projects and possibly some paid work may come your way as it sometimes does for students. The first time I got paid for my acting was a performance I did while I was in my second year of college. It does pay to go to college for many people.
Once you've graduated college with your Bachelors Degree in Animation or Graphic Design, you will have developed contacts and networked and know just how to start your career. It will be a matter of applying for work and waiting to hear back. You can also freelance and promote your services online with a website and by registering in Animation or Graphic Artist Directories.
Make an online Portfolio of all your work from yesterday until you graduate college, whether they are school projects or ones you've done independently. For motion picture animation, you can use Drop Box, You Tube or another website to store your work. You can probably make a video of your still drawings for easy viewing by prospective employers or people at the college.
Something that you can do right now is to explore The Yuma Art Center & Historic Yuma Theatre as they have youth art classes and potentially animation classes, but you'd have to ask them. Every year in November, they host Yuma Con which is an event you may enjoy. iD Tech offers animation classes and camps for kids and teens, including courses in 3D modeling, graphic design, and animation using Adobe Creative Suite. Most of the animation and graphics activity where you live is on the Yuma Art Center's website and you can call or visit them, too.
Remember, it's not too early to learn which colleges offer a Degree in Animation so that you can know beforehand. With having a Bachelors Degree, you can apply for work in a wide range of industries and positions. You can work in major studios, smaller studios, film production, television production, children's television and freelance and self-employment. The degree will open doors, but you'll hear that people do it without a degree. It can be a real bonus in many ways, though, to have the degree.
I hope this helps and I wish you all the best !
Kelly Smyth
Visual development, character design, storyboards
24
Answers
Cupertino, California
Updated
Kelly’s Answer
Hey James, happy to answer :)
In my middle school experience, options were somewhat limited; there were a few different art classes one could take, but there was nothing for animation. If your school doesn't offer it either, there's still plenty of books and online resources that can teach you about the basics for free. But I'd still say use your school's art programs to your advantage! I took an art class almost every year of secondary school, which gave me time to learn different tools/mediums, and it was also my intro to learning how to observe and interpret things. In order to be a good *animator*, you don't necessarily have to be the best at *drawing*, it's moreso about how you interpret your subject and make those drawings move. Learning basic animation principles in your free time and combining them with the tools you learn in class could yield something incredible.
In my middle school experience, options were somewhat limited; there were a few different art classes one could take, but there was nothing for animation. If your school doesn't offer it either, there's still plenty of books and online resources that can teach you about the basics for free. But I'd still say use your school's art programs to your advantage! I took an art class almost every year of secondary school, which gave me time to learn different tools/mediums, and it was also my intro to learning how to observe and interpret things. In order to be a good *animator*, you don't necessarily have to be the best at *drawing*, it's moreso about how you interpret your subject and make those drawings move. Learning basic animation principles in your free time and combining them with the tools you learn in class could yield something incredible.
jose pimienta
comics and storyboarding
21
Answers
Burbank, California
Updated
jose’s Answer
1: learn the principals and history of animation. (drawing, understanding motion, fundamentals like anatomy and perspective, etc.)
2: Learn about the current softwares being used in the industry. Try them out. Test them out and see if you're comfortable using them.
3: Hang out, make friends and make animations with your friends. It'll only make you love it more. Go to animation conventions, make friends there. put your work in front of people and tell them what you want to do.
4: Keep making things.
2: Learn about the current softwares being used in the industry. Try them out. Test them out and see if you're comfortable using them.
3: Hang out, make friends and make animations with your friends. It'll only make you love it more. Go to animation conventions, make friends there. put your work in front of people and tell them what you want to do.
4: Keep making things.
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