Intro to 3D Character Animation – ONLINE

You will be introduced to the Maya software and 3D character animation through a series of exercises. The focus is on body mechanics and physical actions during this basic training.

Due to the intensive, dedicated, and personal character of the course setting, you will also earn a substantial working experience in collaboration with a hosting supervisor and networking with other participants.

It provides an opportunity to develop basic 3D animation skills and workflows as the first step toward 3D character animation expertise as it is expected in today’s world of digital animation. It boosts your character animation skills in 3D, and as such, it is an opportunity to enter animating in 3D for 2D animators.

You will be introduced to the art of 3D character animation while focusing on boosting essential skills and understanding of the craft. The aim is to help zero-experience or beginner animators to get their foot into the door of the industry and start making a living.

The course consists of live online lectures on given themes, practical exercises and lives consulting of your work. 

There will be 5 lectures during the whole course, each three (3) hours long. During the lecture you will also get an assignment practical exercise to be done before the next theme. You work on your exercises usually for 2 days. During an exercise, you can chat with the mentors if you need help with anything. Your exercise will be assessed by the mentor, with whom you will have an opportunity to meet live for each of the exercises.

There are also live Q&A sessions twice a week, where all participants gather for a real-time session with the mentors. Just like a team meeting in real production. 

At a glance:

• Real-time lectures and practical demonstrations by the mentor:
  • weekends from 9 – 12 am
• Real-time Question&Answer group meetings:
  • weekdays from 19 – 20 pm
• Exercises and consulting:
  • meeting time individually set up between participants and a mentor during weekdays
  • 2 times per week (25 minutes/each session)

Lectures

• GUI,  Orientation, Primitive Shapes, Graph Editor, Display Layers, Timetable, Set a project, Preferences
• Attribute editor, Outliner, Grouping, Parenting, Ghosting, Hiding and showing objects
• Camera, Playblasts
• Deformers, Constrains, Import audio
• Path animation, Editable Motion Trail, Animation Cycles
• Use set driven keys
• Grouping / Parenting, Hypergraph

Exercises

• Ball Bouncing across the screen / car racing, Pendulum
• Pendulum with a ball
• Ball in an obstacle course
• Flour Sack jumping / running
• Flour Sack jumping off a pool board
• Character Walk
• Character being hit by something simple (ball, brick, book)
  

• 2D animators,
• stop/motion animators,
• 3D artists

Animators will install a free trial of Autodesk Maya, available at the vendor’s website. The trial version will expire after 30 days of use. You may subscribe to the product at any time during the trial period or after it expires without downloading or installing additional software. If you decide to not continue using the license, please, delete the software from your computer after the trial period is over. Download the software here.

All participants will get well-respected qualification within the industry, demonstrating you’ve studied an industry-based course and have the practical, hands-on skills studios are looking for.

Our students go on to work in many areas of the industry. See some of their success stories.

You can consider junior level opportunities as 3D character animator on completion of the course.